Chapter Text
They had the perfect plan. Just ruin the prom for the idiots of Riverdale High school: Cheryl Blossom, Reggie Mantle, Josie McCoy, and others. But Toni didn't like it, didn't like it at all. She was popular, but never friendly with the other elite. She had freedom of choice; she was not chasing fashion, friends with cool guys, met with her lovely girlfriend. That was all she needed, but her friends, and her girlfriend simply could not wait to take revenge on the elite. Especially Cheryl Blossom. Oh, yeah, especially her.
Toni sat on the couch, eating popcorn and watching TV. Behind her at the table was a group of guys who came up with a plan of action for revenge. Topaz occasionally chuckled, hearing some ideas, but obediently kept silent, so as not to upset her girlfriend. The girl was distracted by her phone and opened the message that came from an unfamiliar number.
“Hey. I want you to go to prom with me.”
Attached to the message was a photograph of a half-naked Cheryl. The girl examined the photo. She was a little ashamed that she hadn't deleted it as soon as she opened it, but Cheryl was hot as hell.
“Hey, City, can you come?” Toni turned, beckoning to her girlfriend. “Look.”
She held out her phone to girl.
“Oh, my God. I'll kill that bitch. Well, she can't be such a bitch and send nudes to other people's girlfriends.”
“Come on, just a picture. Don't sulk, baby.”
Toni took her hand and pulled her into her lap.
“You know Cheryl, the Queen of attention.”
“Yes, but it's mean. She knows perfectly well that we're dating, and then she decides to take you away from me? You deleted the photo?”
A hint of disbelief crept into City’s question. And she was right, because Toni hadn't done it yet, but she promised herself she would later.
“Certainly. Why don't you drop your revenge plans for a while and watch a movie with me?”
Felicity nodded and climbed down from her girl's lap. She sat beside her on the couch, resting her head on her shoulder. Toni returned her attention to the television, but she couldn't concentrate for long. Felicity jumped as if her stung.
“OMG! Guys, get in here.”
Maddie, Cole, and Abby stopped what they were doing and walked over to the girls.
“Cheryl sent Toni nudes and asked her to go to the prom with her. I was thinking, what if you say yes?”
Now she was looking straight at Toni, who didn't understand anything.
“What? Going to prom with Blossom? Are you crazy?”
“No, listen. It'll be the perfect revenge plan, when you say yes, she'll be happy, and then you'll dump her in front of everyone. It's perfect.”
Everyone began to agree with the crazy idea of the curly-haired girl, and no one even noticed that Topaz got up from the couch, grabbed her jacket from the back of a chair and went out into the street. She needed air, and nothing would have helped her better than an evening stroll with cigarette smoke filling her lungs. What had she come to? Or should say what Felicity had come to? Her favorite girl, with whom she had been happy in a relationship for more than a year, was now turning into a vengeful villain. But, the most offensive thing is that she is ready to exchange their one-in-a-lifetime graduation for a stupid revenge on a red-haired beauty?
Toni didn't know why City and Cheryl had been feuding for years: she didn't talk to Cheryl much, just a few words in class or in the cafeteria, and her girlfriend refused to comment on anything about Blossom.
Toni lit one of her last remaining menthol cigarettes. City hated the smell, so she tried to wean Toni off to smoke, but girl surreptitiously still polluting her body with such pleasant nicotine. She shivered slightly in the breeze, pulling her black leather jacket tighter around her. By giving up her bike today, she'd given up the chance to get home fast.
The cell phone in her pocket vibrated. It was definitely Felicity, so Topaz didn't bother to answer.
She wandered The Northside at night for about an hour before turning onto the highway to take the shortcut home. She lived in the South, poorer part of town, so many of the students, and Toni herself, did not understand how she could become popular. But to spite the envious, she became and did not even make any effort.
Her hands were a little red from the cold, and she had to put them in her pockets. She could already see the faint glow of the streetlight above her uncle's trailer, and for some reason she wanted desperately to turn and walk away… But she had nowhere else to go. She liked to stay at City's place so she wouldn't have to fight with her only relative, but tonight she couldn't afford to give up. Let her girl think until tomorrow and realize she's wrong about strategy.
Cheryl didn't evoke any emotion in Toni, not even the proverbial hatred. Topaz couldn't afford to be forced to go to prom with a girl she didn't love. She wanted to share this beautiful moment with Felicity, but apparently this was no matter for Stufts.
Toni went to the iron door and knocked softly. There was a clatter of glass inside: it was her uncle coming through the small living room, where there must have been a pile of empty beer bottles. She hadn't slept here in almost a week and could only guess at the mess inside. Jake opened the door, eyeing his niece.
“You're been out enough, slut? Your Northside girlfriend kicked you out? And now you think you can just show up here in the middle of the night?”
How she hated him. All the constant drinking, the unsavory-looking girls her uncle had brought to the trailer too often, the insults Toni, at seventeen, hardly deserved. She cleared her throat to keep the tremor out of her voice. She was terrified of him, because he was three times her size and always drunk.
“Can I stay at your place tonight, please?”
He grunted, glancing over his shoulder. Apparently now he has another girlfriend, and to spend time on the Topaz he didn't want.
“Whatever, but don't let me see you sleeping until you've cleaned up.”
She nodded slightly, and Jake turned his attention back to the room. Topaz went quietly inside, not daring to turn on the light, because it could easily get under the door of the bastard’s room and pisses him off. The trailer was hot and smelled of alcohol. Toni took off her boots and jacket and left them by the door so she could leave at first light in the morning. As her vision adjusted to the darkness, Toni assessed the situation. Empty bottles littered the living room floor, her little nightly retreat, and dirty dishes and pizza boxes filled the surface of the table and sink. Toni took a deep breath, choking back her retching and tears, and began to clean up.
****
The rays of the sun shone mercilessly into the face of the pink-haired girl. She rolled onto her side, but that was a mistake, because the next thing she knew, the floor was hard. Her couch was very narrow and small, just right for her height, but she wasn't used to complaining. Toni fumbled for the phone on the coffee table and checked the time.
It was about six o'clock in the morning, and the screen showed a dozen missed calls and messages from City. Topaz deliberately put the phone on silent mode, so as not to disturb her uncle and not to put pressure on her psyche. She couldn't remember what time she'd fallen asleep, but she was sleepy. She'd cleaned the trailer room to a shine, but she knew she wouldn't even get a thank-you. Moreover, she will find here such a mess in a few days. The girl worked so hard at the bar on the Southside to save money. Her only dream was to leave Riverdale forever. There was nothing to keep her here, just take the Felicity and fly to adventure.
Toni got up from the floor and went to the sink to wash and brush her teeth. She found a blackened banana in the dirty and no longer white refrigerator and ate it instead of a full Breakfast. To get to school it would not be difficult, because her bike was nearby, so she took her things, decided to find her transport and go to the diner.
It was early so there was almost no one in Pop's. She spotted Sheriff Keller, who went for an early run, and some Jock boys from her school. There was also a waiter, and Pop Tate was always at the checkout.
“Hello, Mr. Tate. Can I have some fries and a cocktail?”
“Of course, miss Topaz.”
Toni wished she had a grandfather like that. Once she had a loving mother and father, and now she was left all alone. Felicity needed her, but after last night's incident, Toni didn't know if Felicity wanted a happy relationship or a revenge plan.
Toni glanced at her watch: first period was still over an hour away, so she took the nearest table by the window, waited for her order, and began to eat. With nothing to do, she watched the city slowly awaken. Cars began to move more briskly along the roads, people hurrying about their business, only Toni was in no hurry. The phone was silent, which meant even City didn't want to fight for her.
The bell over the front door rang, and Topaz glanced reluctantly over her shoulder. She immediately turned back, noticing her girlfriend in the doorway. She failed to hide under the table.
“Hiding in Pop's? You should have breakfast in the woods if you didn't want to see me.”
“I'm not avoiding you.” Toni crossed her arms over her chest, trying not to look at Fel.
“Say it to yourself, Topaz.” Felicity sat down across from her girlfriend. She picked up cocktail glass and took a sip. “Do you have any idea how worried I was?”
“You didn't notice I was gone for half an hour. I think you had more important things to do than my absence.”
“You're acting like a little kid, Toni. It's infuriating, by the way. I don't understand why this prom is so important to you. It's just a school disco where couples go to cuddle. We can do this anytime, anywhere. And to go to graduation with Cheryl, for whom this, as the meaning of life, in my opinion, is much more important.”
Toni bit her tongue, knowing it was useless to argue with City. Her heart ached with the knowledge that Felicity didn't give a damn what her girlfriend thought. Topaz took a deep breath.
“You know, I agree.”
She didn't know what she was doing. She would have to prove her sincerity to Cheryl: date her, kiss her, maybe even... She blushed, and then recovered her composure.
“But it will be on my terms. If you want me to take it out on Cheryl's feelings, we have to break up.”
Before Felicity could say a word, Toni beat her to it.
“Everything has to look real. If she suspects we're playing her, your magic plans will fail.”
“You're right, in a way. But remember, if I see you do anything dirty to her, we'll be break up for real. You don't have to fuck her to take her dancing in three weeks.”
Toni bit the inside of her cheek until it bled. City was so rude, so determined about the idea. It made her furious, and she wanted to do to Cheryl everything her girlfriend had forbidden her to do. But Toni pulled herself together and remembered that no matter how bad City said Cheryl was, she didn't deserve to be treated like this. She doesn't even know what she's really like.
“I've got to go. See you this time tomorrow.. I'll tell you about my progress.”
Topaz tossed a crumpled ten bucks onto the table and left the place. She didn't want to look at Felicity for another second. She didn't recognize her little girl, and she was in unbearable pain.
****
Toni noticed Cheryl, entering the locker room of cheerleaders. The girl did not stand on ceremony, preferring to understand it will be difficult or easy, immediately. Topaz followed, finding Cheryl already changing into her cheerleading uniform. Toni leaned on the iron locker at the entrance and, making the sassy facial expression, awkward coughed. Cheryl dropped her uniform skirt to the floor and whirled around, covering her underwear with her hands.
“What are you doing here, Topaz? I don't remember inviting you to the cheerleading squad!”
Toni bit her lip, her eyes running over the gorgeous cheerleader figure she was trying to hide under her palms.
“And I remember you sending me a gorgeous picture yesterday. Except your underwear wasn't the same color.”
Color flooded Cheryl's cheeks, and Toni liked it. Blossom was insanely sexy, she knew it, the whole school knew it, but she was still embarrassed. It showed her humanity, which, according to City, she had lost in the womb.
“I can bring you that underwear if you like it so much.” Cheryl grinned as she picked up her skirt from the floor.
“I admit I was impressed. But the real surprise would be what it hides.”
“Aren't you afraid that your girlfriend will overhear and spank you for such behavior?”
“We broke up, Cher-Cher.”
Toni began to move closer, running her fingers over the lockers.
“Don't bullshit me. Yesterday, you were making out in front of everyone in the school cafeteria, and today, you want me to believe you broke up? You dated for a fucking year, didn't you?”
Topaz nervously began to think of her next line. Cheryl was hot as hell, but that didn't change the fact that she had a sharp mind. Not every beauty of their school could boast of it (no one, to be exact). Toni didn't know anyone except Cheryl and City who had a GPA above four and a half. Well, she didn't know the names of all the geeks, of course.
“City and I had a huge fight, and I'd be lying if I said you didn't have a hand in it.”
Toni came much closer, running her fingers up Cheryl's arm, stopping at her forearm.
“Are you saying all I had to do was send you a photo?”
“I want to say exactly that. In general…” Toni put her hands in her pockets. “All I came to say was that I was seriously considering your offer. Would you like to discuss it over a couple of cocktails?”
Toni bit her lip, trying to look into the brown eyes instead of the blood-red bra.
“Pop's at six?”
“I'll wait for you there, beautiful.”
Toni smiled as she left the locker room. Her smile faded as the door closed behind her. What the hell was she doing? There, alone with Blossom, her brain seemed to melt or shut off altogether. The redhead's hot body beckoned as if it were the strongest magnet on the planet. But Topaz knew that if she let her hormones run wild, she would lose the one person she loved forever. The next point of her plan was to prove to Cheryl the purity of her intentions. To play her part perfectly.
****
“So, what did you want to talk about?”
Cheryl arrived at the diner a little after six, but Toni didn't regret the time. Blossom was as chic as ever, her knee-length red dress clinging to her figure, perfectly highlighting the most appetizing forms. She sat down on the couch opposite Toni, crossing her arms over her chest.
“You can't wait to talk to me, can you, Cheryl?”
The redhead grunted, beckoning to the waiter and ordering a drink.
“Are you starting to talk, or am I not even trying to waste time with you?”
“You're the one who texted me yesterday, so I'd like to know why it's so important for you to come with me?”
Toni could have sworn that, for a split second, she saw the fear in girl’s brown eyes.
“You're popular. Doesn’t everyone want to date popular people?”
Cheryl was absorbed in the menu, although it was clear that this was only a distraction.
“I don't want to.” Toni shrugged, sipping her drink through a straw. She deliberately wrapped her lips around the straw, watching as the redhead swallowed nervously.
If ten minutes ago, Toni's main task was to assure Cheryl of the sincerity of her intentions, now she seems to have forgotten about the main plan. All she could think about was Cheryl's strange reaction to her. Cheryl looked away as her own cocktail appeared in front of her. Cherry.
“Well, your girlfriend does, doesn't she?”
“My ex-girlfriend, you mean?” It was unusual for Topaz to call Felicity her ex-girlfriend, because she didn't want to leave. But the more she said it, the easier it would be for her to believe it for a while. All the more likely Cher would believe her.
“It's weird, actually. Don't think I'm stupid enough to believe you left Stufts. Or that she left you.”
Cheryl stared into her glass and stirred the contents with a straw. The girl's expression changed: her brows drew together, and her lips drew into a thin line.
“She told every fucking second of every day that you were the happiest couple in the world.”
Toni frowned too. Either Cheryl was a great actress or she was really worried about something.
“Um... You okay?”
Blossom looked up at Toni, and she saw the false smile on red-haired’s lips.
“You wanted to talk? Have you found out everything you need to know? Can I go?”
“Actually…” Toni considered, trying to stretch the conversation out. Cheryl didn't trust her. Even if she did agree to go with her, it was not certain that City's plan would not be foiled by some freak accident. “I'd like to know exactly how it goes.”
“Principal Weatherbee has entrusted me, as President of the school, with running the event. I'm gonna prep the gym for prom.” Blossom was bored. She rested her chin on her hand, stirring the unfortunate cocktail she had no intention of tasting.
“Like, set the stage and everything?”
“Like yes.” Blossom smiled.
“You gonna do it all by yourself?” Toni crossed her fingers under the table so that her fleeting idea would come true. That would be perfect. If she could help Cheryl, she could ingratiate herself.
She also found it incredibly strange that Cheryl was so distant. All Topaz was afraid of was that Cheryl would come on to her at every opportunity, and here she was so distant. It hurt Topaz a little.
“I'll find some idiots from the football team, I guess. If they don't agree, I'll just ask the Director to push them.”
“You know, I can help you.” Toni smiled sweetly when Cheryl glanced at her.
“I don't think you can get any of the football players to help me, tiny.” Cheryl chuckled.
“Thanks.” Topaz put her hand over her heart. “You hurt my feelings, Cheryl. But I meant I can help myself. Hang up the decorations, put something away, whatever you say.”
Blossom looked at Toni incredulously.
“Yeah, sure. I don't believe it. Toni, what do you want? I sent you that photo to annoy Felicity, let's be honest. I didn't expect you to react. Why don't we just forget about it and go on with our lives?”
Blossom didn't wait for an answer. She put some small banknotes on the table, stood up, straightened her clothes, and just walked away.
Toni didn't come to her senses until the doorbell rang.
She did not follow her. Topaz sat with her fingers in her hair, thinking.
Cheryl didn't seem as fucking selfish as City had described her. But she wasn't an angel either, judging by her actions: constant bullying her classmates, defiant behavior, and rudeness.
But was it worth fighting if Cheryl didn't agree? Would she even agree?
It was too much for Toni. She lowered her head to the hard surface of the table, letting out a long moan. Yesterday everything was insanely simple and good, and today has changed beyond recognition. But it was hard to deny that Toni was no longer eager to succeed. She was eager to prove to Cheryl that she couldn't resist.