// One Night // It Was Always Her

Chapter 23: Jealousy

Toni's POV

I woke up pretty late today because it's Saturday. I turned around and feel around on the bed, expecting Cheryl to be there. But she wasn't. I open my eyes and get up slowly. I grab my phone but a note falls on the ground. I grab the note and read it:

Hi baby,

Nick is taking me out for breakfast.

xx- Cheryl

I clench my fists in anger and rip the note apart. This Nick guy is really getting under my skin. Quickly, I get dressed and go downstairs to see Sweet Pea and Veronica having breakfast together. ''Morning Toni'' Veronica says and smiles. ''Hey'' I say and their smiles fade. ''Something wrong?'' Sweet Pea asks and I sit down next to them. ''Cheryl is having breakfast with Nick'' I say. ''Wait, what?'' Ronnie says. ''You have to tell her that you're jealous'' Sweets says. ''I can't let her know that I'm weak'' I say. ''Why don't you like Nick? He was really nice to Cheryl and I'' Ronnie says. ''He's a lying, ugly ass, girlfriend stealer, son of a-'' I say with anger but I get cut off. ''Toni stop'' Cheryl says who was standing by the door.  ''I didn't say anything'' I lie. ''Toni, cut the crap! I heard you talking about Nick. Stop talking about him because I know you don't dare say that to his face'' She says and I look down, keeping quiet. ''That's what I thought'' She says and goes upstairs. I sigh and Sweet Pea looks at me. ''Dude, did you really just let Cheryl shut you up?'' He says. ''What was I supposed to do? Argue back?'' I ask and he nods. ''Sweet Pea's right. You just showed Cheryl that you're not tough!'' Veronica says and Sweets agrees. I sigh and sink down into my chair. 

The rest of the day Cheryl stayed quiet to me but she was talking to Veronica. It was almost 8 PM so Sweet Pea and I drove to the Whyte Wyrm to prepare everything for the fight. 

Cheryl's POV

Toni and Sweet Pea left for some Serpent business but I didn't believe them. They had big bags with them. ''Hey Ronnie?'' I ask and she hums in response. ''What is this Serpent business about?'' I ask. ''Uhm nothing, they never get badly hurt'' She says. Badly hurt? As soon as she sees my reaction she's speechless. ''Uhm'' Was all she got out of her mouth. ''What do you mean with 'badly hurt'?'' I ask her. ''Well, I wasn't supposed to tell you this but tonight, the Serpents are going to fight with the Ghoulies. And Toni is also Serpent King'' She says and I stand there with a shocked expression. ''A fight?!'' I say in disbelief. She slowly nods. Why didn't Toni tell me? I sigh and wait for the guys to come back, just praying they're going to make it. 

Toni's POV

We arrive at the Whyte Wyrm and go inside to see already a lot of Serpents. I greet everyone and everyone prepares for the fight. After a while, we were all set and went outside. I was leading everyone to the meeting place Penny gave me. I stop abruptly and everyone behind me stops. ''Something wrong boss?'' Someone asks. I turn around and see all of the Serpents, ready to kill the Ghoulies. ''Whatever is going to happen, we help each other, have each other's backs, no one is fighting alone'' I say and hold up my hand, forming the Serpent sign. ''In unity there is strength!'' I shout. ''In unity there is strength!'' Everyone yells. ''How cute'' A voice says behind me. I immediately turn around and see Penny standing there, with the Ghoulies. ''Penny'' I say. ''Ah, the new Serpent King. What happened Jughead?'' She says and Jug gets angry. Sweet Pea calms him down. ''Let's do it already'' I say and she smirks. ''Kill 'em'' She says and they all charge towards us. We all yell and fight. 

''Hey Topaz!'' I hear a voice yell and I turn to see Malachai standing there with a smirk. ''Let's go'' He says and launches towards me but I shiv him in his side. He groans and pain and hits me square in the face. I get up and spit some blood on the ground. He charges for me again but I kick his leg, making him fall to the ground, losing consciousness. ''Wrong choice'' I say and at the same moment, I see Jug, struggling to fight 4 Ghoulies. I quickly run up to them and hit one Ghoulie. He falls straight to the ground and some other Ghoulie lunges forwards to shiv me but I grab his arm and kick his side. He groans and lays on the ground. Jug was still fighting with 2 Ghoulies until I grabbed both of their heads, clunking them together. Jug looks relieved. ''You okay?'' I ask him and he nods. ''Thanks Tones'' He says. ''Hey, no Serpent stands alone'' I say and help some other Serpents. 

Penny looks terrified at how the Serpents beat her own gang. ''Fall back, fall back!'' She yells and all the Ghoulies run away. Everyone cheers and hugs each other. Sweet Pea, Fangs and Jug hug me. ''Great job everyone! Make sure you're okay and tomorrow we'll celebrate our victory!'' I shout and they all cheer. Everyone slowly leaves and I pack all of my stuff, waiting for the guys to finish. Sweet Pea and I say our goodbyes to Fangs and Jug, driving home on our bikes. 

I grab the key and open the door, letting us in. ''There you are!'' Ronnie says and hugs Sweet Pea tightly. ''So uh, where's Cheryl?'' I ask her and she has an uneasy look. ''I might've told her that you guys got into a fight and that you're the Serpent King'' She says while looking down. ''It's not your fault Ronnie, It's my fault so I have to face the consequences'' I say and drop the bags on the floor. I head upstairs and stop in front of our door. I sigh and open the door, walk into the room and close the door behind me. ''Where the hell have you been?!'' Cheryl shouts walking out of the bathroom. ''Veronica told me everything!'' She says angrily. ''Why did you hide all of this from me?'' She asks in a normal tone. ''I didn't want you to worry, besides, you were having so much fun with Nick. And when you called me out this morning, Veronica and Sweet Pea told me I showed you I wasn't tough enough. So that's why'' I say with little bits of anger in my voice. She had a shocked expression but sighs after. ''I'm sorry I called you out but Sweet Pea and Veronica are wrong. All you're showing me is toughness'' She says and I stay silent. ''And as your girlfriend, I want you to tell me everything. Especially the things that worry me. What is your deal with Nick anyway?'' She says. ''Besides that he's a rich, good-looking, smart guy?'' I say and she had a questioning look. ''Wait, are you jealous of Nick?'' She asks and I scoff. ''Toni?'' She asks again. ''Okay fine, I didn't tell you because it would show you that I'm weak. I'm just scared that one day you'll wake up and want to be with him'' I say and look down to the floor. I heard a long silence and then felt Cheryl lift my chin up, making me look directly in her eyes. ''You have no reason to be jealous of him. I only love you. Just from now on tell me everything'' She says. ''Okay'' I say and she smiles, grabbing my cheek, leaning in to kiss me. We pull back and I crack a smile, wrapping her in a hug. We stand there for 5 minutes until Cheryl pulled back, touching my face. ''Look at all those scratches'' She says. ''I'm fine babe'' I reassure her. ''I know but I'm still taking care of you. Wait here'' She says and walks into the bathroom.

She comes out of the bathroom with a kit in her hand. She bandages my scratches and after a bit, she was finished. ''Thanks babe'' I say, thanking her and she smiles, kissing me softly. We both get dressed and drift off to sleep.