Tonis pov:

She liked the kiss?! Was the sole thought racing through my mind as I lugged my suitcases down the final step of the stairwell. No Cheryl had played these games before, she pretended to like me only to drop me in a huge pile of shit.

"Come on Toni Jughead is waiting,"  came the voice of fangs from the front porch. I smiled dropping my suitcases in the hall, my parents would pick them up later and load them into our rusty family car to take to Yale. I still couldn't believe I had made it in to do photography there! I would then follow them on my motorbike, it had belonged to my uncle but he had become to old to ride it.  

"Coming!" I shouted back to my half brother. Fangs and I shared a mother and lived happily under the same roof but not for much longer. I was the first serpent who would ever go to university, finally make it out of Riverdale instead of falling into the trap of drugs and the ever lasting war with our rival gang the ghoulies. 

"I'm going without you then, miss your own surprise party I guess," teased fangs and his head disappeared  around the corner. So that's what they were planning I realised. My family had been acting shiftily around me for weeks, they were terrible at keeping secrets.

I took out my phone and checked Cheryl's contact, still no reply to my last message- should've told me sooner. I shoved my phone back into my leather jacket. Now was the time to celebrate not mourn what could've been. What could've been? I cast my mind back to my eighteenth birthday, nine months ago in December. 

                                                                      ~ Flash Back~ 

The cold winter air scraped across my exposed knees as I was jostled along the street. I  was finally eighteen and could go clubbing with the rest of the serpents. My year older brother, Fangs had insisted on accompanying me  and I hardly went anywhere without my best friend Jughead.  He had been my second friend at Riverdale high when I moved here after Cheryl had outed me. In fact one of my only friends. My other friend surprisingly being Betty cooper, who had stolen a fake ID to come tonight- we had bonded when I took the photographs for her news paper the 'Blue and Gold' .

We were the loudest group on the street and half of us were already drunk as we entered the night club called Las zorras. The thumping music drowned out the noise of my friends as I entered past the bouncer. I already had a high amount of alcohol coursing through my veins as I made my way over to the bar. I ordered two shots and took them more quickly then I intended. Spluttering I made my way over to the side of the dance floor. My friends had already dispersed amongst the crowd. 

"Toni?" Came the timid question over the thumping music. I turned to my right seeing non other than the flaming redhead, Cheryl Blossom, on her  rather shaky legs approaching me. Her figure was covered in a tight fitting red dress and her hair was in waves reaching half way down her back. But my eye were mainly drawn to her blood red lipstick she had managed to smear a little.  Oh god was she really going to torture me on my birthday?

"Yes, Cheryl?" I asked back. 

"Happy Birthday," she said in a raised voice over the music, approaching closer still. 

"How did you know?" I asked wearily, waiting for the cruel prank. 

"Betty, she told me it was today and you were coming here," she said casually taking a sip of her drink. Of course Betty could never keep her mouth shut around Cheryl always wanting to please her. 

"And your here because.." I asked waiting for her response.

"I'm here with Veronica and Reggie, every Friday night we use our fake IDs" she slurred gulping down the rest of  her drink and came closer still. I could smell the alcohol on her breath and took a step back.

"Well I need to go find the rest of  the serpents," I said searching for an excuse to get away from this intoxicated girl. 

"No! You can't just walk away from Riverdale's head bitch," accused Cheryl but she had no power over me when we weren't in the school corridors without her pack of Vixens.   

"Watch me," I said with a smirk as I saw her face genuinely drop. Was she seriously going to lay the puppy dog eyes card? I made a move to push past her.

"I said NO! Your mine Topaz," she said more urgently. There was a hot anger in her tone but her pouted lips hinted at slight sadness or insecurity at the very least. 

"And your drunk Blossom," I returned but the snarky tone had left my voice. This girl in front of me was so afraid of loneliness she even insisted on me staying with her?! 

"Doesn't stop me from knowing what I want." My blood froze at the earnest expression in her eyes, they were begging me to stay. Emotions of confusion, anger and  pity whirled around in  my head.

"Well What do you want Cheryl?! Cause last time YOU kissed me I got a shitstorm my way. So i'll pass thank you."  I said exasperated, this wasn't how I planned my  birthday going.

"What if I don't let you," came her hot breath as she suddenly pushed me closer to the wall. Taken by surprise I stumbled backwards until I felt the brick behind me and Cheryl in front. My eyes darted frantically from side to side, like a dear about to be pounced upon- what is someone saw us? I knew her friends were here and how she would undoubtedly react if they suddenly appeared.

"Then I'll scream for someone to rescue me," I said half jokingly to diffuse the situation, half considering the option. She laughed lightly whilst placing one of her hands on the wall beside my head causing my breath to hitch in my throat.

"Oh you'll scream just not in that way," came the coy voice of Cheryl a smirk playing on her lips. I felt her knee come between my legs and her free hand ran up my thigh pushing up the fabric of my dress. My pulse quickened as I squirmed,  halfheartedly trying to free myself. Why did the touch of my tormentor feel so right? 

"Come on Toni I know you want it," she breathed into my ear, goosebumps spreading down my neck. There it was that cocky arrogance that drove me crazy. Her scent drew me closer still, the slight fragrance of Cherry Blossom lingered on her. 

"Want what?" I led her on although we both knew the answer. I just needed to here it from her lips.

"You want to kiss me," she said her glance moving from my eyes to my lips and back.

"Yes but what do you want Cher?" I pushed.

"I want you to kiss me," she dragged out her words making them obvious and clear. I could resist no longer. 

Fixing one hand behind her head I clutched her hair and pulled her into me, my eyes closer as I felt my lips meet her full ones, the taste of cherries exploded in my mouth. I breathed her in as I deepened the kiss, running my tongue along her bottom lip begging for entrance. This kiss was different to our first, maybe it was the alcohol but it felt more desperate, me needed each other.

"Come with me," murmured Cheryl against my lips, her hand finding mine and pulling me through the crowd. Enticed I obeyed.

She dragged me to the bathroom and into a stall hastily locking it behind us. 

"I want you Toni, here now," she whispered, her words were like drugs sending chills down my veins. 

"Then you'll have to take me," I smirked, I wouldn't submit to her without a fight. Quickly I flipped our positions and pushed her against the door to the stall and started tracing up her body with both of my hands whilst she used hers to capture my face into another frantic kiss. The space shrunk around me. Everything was her. All I could focus on was this ravishing girl in front of me.

Smoothly I slipped the straps to her dress off her pale shoulders, and felt her toned abdomen, Cheer leading did have its benefits I smiled into the kiss as the taller girl broke it off and started on my neck. Her teeth grazed my tender skin causing a pleasant stinging sensation and then soothing it other with her tongue. Oh lord I was going to have an unexplained hickey. I fought to keep a moan inside.

suddenly a toilet flushed and we froze for a second followed by an intense burst of silent giggles, it felt so right laughing with this gorgeous redhead in this absurd situation. She looked so gorgeous when she smiled it was a shame I hardly got to see it.  

"Cherry, you in here"  came the sharp voice of Veronica under the bathroom stall. Cheryl bit down on my lip in shock causing me to yelp in pain. 

"You in there, don't tell me your locked in there again, I don't want to have to climb over another bathroom stall!"  Said veronica coming closer. a slight chuckle escaped my lips as I drew away from Cheryl, what a scene Veronica would be met with- her best friend topless with the girl they had bullied for the best of two years. Cheryl shot me a warning look and I stopped.

"No ill be out in a minuet Ver," Cheryl said in a surprising stable tone. God she was a good actor. 

"You sure about that?" I whispered cockily letting my hand run up the middle of her thighs and brushed her pants lightly. Her cheeks flushed and I could tell she was dying to moan.

"Good cause were leaving," Veronica said as the door to the bathroom shut behind her, oblivious to the actions happening meters away from her.

"I guess that's my cue," stated Cheryl leaving a last peck on my lips before fixing her outfit, clumsily unlocking the door and leaving me dishevelled and drunk in the stall. 

~end of Flash Back~

the rest of my eighteenth birthday had been a blur and like most of my interactions with Cheryl we never talked about it again. 

Noticing the time, I started the short walk to the trailer park, I couldn't be late to my own party. As I drew nearer the bonfire's flames licked the air, as the smell of burning wood filled my nose. I would miss these nights in my new university life. 

A cheer started up as I entered the circle and Jughead leading the party beamed at me ushering me to sit close to him. 

"There you are pumpkin," said my mother taking a seat on the log beside me in a serpent jacket of her own. " I was beginning to think you wouldn't show, I know rowdy parties aren't always your thing," She finished taking a long sip of her beer. My mother and I were close but I believed the thing keeping us apart was that I reminded her of her ex- my dad.

"wouldn't miss my sending off party for the world," I said sarcastically and took a cigarette out of my leather jacket. The sooner I was on my way the more freedom I would feel.

"Seriously, you need to quit those, I don't want my daughter in a grave before I am," she sighed snatching the cigarette out of my fingers. I huffed in response, I knew smoking wasn't good for me but they gave me a sense of calm nothing else could.

"Come on, one last smoke for old times sake?" I said sneakily, putting my puppy dog eyes to good use.

"Fine but don't tell your dad," she said lighting the cigarette herself and taking a puff. 

"Step dad," I interjected, I wasn't keen on her boyfriend and I wouldn't pretend to be, even if he was fangs father.

"Quiet Antoinette the speeches are starting," came the cold response I knew so well- only my mother dared use my full name.

The speeches, drinks and well wishes lasted a couple of hours, followed by what must have been a broken world record for the most alcohol consumed at a party- empty cans littered the field. The goodbyes were sweet and short and I made an effort not to become too tipsy- I was driving to Yale that night after all. 

 After a twenty minuet walk home from the din, I turned into my drive and saw my relic motorbike against our garage. I kitted up and mounted the leather seat, the humming of the engine soothing my anxiety. I wouldn't be here again for such a long time but it was time to leave.  I turned out of my drive and onto the road, I noticed the carpet of pink specks covering the road. Cherry Blossom was guiding me to the next stage in my life. What a bittersweet send off this was, my only reason to stay in Riverdale pathing the path to my freedom.  

Author's note: Thank you for reading chapter 4! Please vote for it and leave a comment :)