Chapter Text
Cheryl hadn't seen most of her high school friends for ten years, including her ex girlfriend Toni Topaz so she had no idea what to expect at her high school reunion that she was attending at the weekend.
She thought back to the last night she spent with Toni after they had split up when they were teenagers, it was the worst mistake of her life, she felt like she was holding Toni back from the life she deserved and the only option she had was to let her go.
Cheryls life wasn't too bad, the maple syrup business was making plenty of money and she had started her own business selling her artwork a few years ago but she never found a long term relationship since her high school sweetheart.
She still lived in Riverdale but she spent a lot of time visiting different cities to meet clients about her art which she actually really enjoyed, her art was her passion and was one of the few things that brought her happiness.
She also had a good bond with Sweet Pea and Fangs who were now leaders of the Serpents, Cheryl offered jobs to many of the gang members to keep them off of the streets.
None of them ever mentioned Toni though, the boys knew how heartbroken Cheryl was with the breakup and Cheryl couldn't bring herself to ask about them about her ex even though she knew they kept in touch.
The redhead didn't live at Thistlehouse or Thornhill anymore either instead she bought herself a smaller house, she still owned both mansions but there was too many bad memories for her to want to live there.
She expected she'd run into some of her school peers in the coming days, she wondered how much they had changed in the last decade again her mind moved to Toni, a part of her hoped she wouldn't come so she didn't have to witness what she had missed out on.
Cheryl wished she was dating someone at the moment so she didn't have to attend the reunion by herself, although she could have easily got a date for the night she didn't want to make a fool of herself when she was sure her old friends would be showing up in long term relationships or even married.
Even though she was stressed about the weekend she would show up as confident as ever, one because she was still Cheryl Blossom and two because she hoped if Toni did show that she'd at least be able to have a conversation with her.
Her friends in Riverdale thought she was happy enough though but she couldn't lie to herself, even though she was successful and had what some people could only dream about she had a huge hole in her life that she just couldn't fill.
***
Friday morning rolled around rather fast and Cheryl decided to have a day off starting with a coffee at Pops.
She smiled at the woman behind the counter, she had taken over the diner around three years ago when Pop retired.
Her name was Tabitha and her and Cheryl had actually become quite good friends, they were around the same age and got along pretty well.
'Good morning Cheryl, what brings you here so early on a Friday morning?' Tabitha smiled.
'I've decided to have a day to myself and I wanted to start it with the best coffee in town' Cheryl smiled.
'Well take a seat and I'll bring it straight over, is there anything else you'd like?' Tabitha smiled.
'Actually are you busy tomorrow night? It's the school reunion and since we're friends I thought we could go together' Cheryl said sitting on a stool at the counter rather than finding a booth.
'Why not' Tabitha shrugged 'it's not like much happens in this town so I'm down'.
'Great' Cheryl smiled 'I'll get a car to pick you up say 7.30pm?'.
'Doesn't the reunion start at 6.30pm?' Tabitha raised an eyebrow.
'It does but Cheryl Blossom is always fashionably late' Cheryl smiled.
'7.30 it is then' Tabitha laughed before handing Cheryl her coffee.
They chatted for a while whilst Cheryl sipped on the hot beverage and scrolled through her phone.
'So...' Tabitha said when there were no customers that needed serving 'is there anyone you're not looking forward to seeing'.
Even though Tabitha and Cheryl were pretty good friends the redhead never talked about Toni and she hadn't in years so she had no idea.
Cheryl's face faltered a little and Tabitha picked up on it straight away.
'Oh my god there is, who is it? I'm right aren't I!' Tabitha asked excited to gossip.
Cheryl let out a breath 'maybe'.
'Well who is it?' Tabitha pushed.
'An ex' Cheryl said simply.
'Do you think she'll come?' Tabitha asked.
'I have no idea, I haven't heard from her in ten years so I couldn't tell you' Cheryl shrugged.
'Well was it serious?' Tabitha couldn't help but want to find out more especially since Cheryl had never mentioned this person before.
'I mean it was for me, we were teenagers so I can't say the same for her, it was a long time ago so it doesn't really matter now' Cheryl said sadly.
'Wow, you really loved her, what happened?'.
'I'd rather not talk about it' Cheryl said picking up her phone and checking the time 'I really should be going but I'll see you tomorrow at 7.30 sharp'.
'Okay girl' Tabitha smiled.
Just as Cheryl stepped out of the diner her eyes set down on her phone she bumped into someone.
'Well, well if it isn't Cheryl Blossom' a familiar voice said.
'Veronica Lodge' Cheryl smirked as she looked up.
'Long time no see, how are you?' Veronica smiled.
'I'm doing good, how are you?' Cheryl asked.
'I'm doing well, admittedly it is strange to be back here don't you agree?'.
'Actually I still live here' Cheryl said confidently 'I leave to visit clients but I still live here in Riverdale'.
'Wow, well are you busy right now, do you have time to catch up?'.
Just as Veronica asked Cheryl's phone began to ring.
'Excuse me a moment' Cheryl smiled.
'Hello?' Cheryl said as she brought the phone to her ear, Veronica's eyes on her but she couldn't hear the person on the other side of the phone.
'I've actually just run into Veronica'.
'Tonight? Who else is attending'.
'I don't know Sweet Pea'.
'Alright, I'll let you know Sweet Pea. Bye'.
'You still speak to Sweet Pea?' Veronica asked when Cheryl put her phone back into her bag.
'Yeah and Fangs, we're surprisingly good friends' Cheryl smiled.
'And Toni? Is she still living here?' Veronica asked but the look on Cheryl's face told her the answer.
'No'.
'Well I've heard that everyone's meeting at the Whyte Wyrm tonight, apparently it's where La Bonne Nuit used to be. Will you be there?' Veronica said.
'It is and I don't think so, I have things to do tonight and it's a little last minute' Cheryl said.
'Well cancel whatever you have to do and come catch up with some old friends' Veronica tried.
'Sorry Veronica I must dash, I have a lot to do' Cheryl lied before giving her a quick nod and turning towards her car.
Veronica shook her head as she watched Cheryl walk away before turning and entering the diner that hadn't changed since the last time she was here ten years ago.
***
Cheryl couldn't stop the way her stomach was doing flips, Sweet Pea hadn't said that Toni was going to the Whyte Wyrm tonight but Cheryl just knew by the sound of his voice that she was back in town.
There was no way Cheryl could go, she was already stressing enough about tomorrow night she couldn't deal with it today as well.
No, tonight she'd stay at home.
Even if she was slightly curious.
How could she possibly still feel so nervous about someone she hasn't seen in ten years.
'Ridiculous' she told herself as she got out of her car and walked into her house.
Her home wasn't gothic like her family mansions, it was modern and to be honest pretty simple.
All the walls were white and everything had a place, at least it did in every room except for Cheryl's art room where technically everything did have a place but it was pretty messy, it was the only room where Cheryl completely let herself be free.
She decided on spending the rest of the day sketching in her bedroom, she wanted to keep herself busy rather than let her thoughts take over.
***
It was around 8pm and Cheryl was laid in bed reading a book or at least attempting to, she couldn't concentrate no matter how much she tried.
With a huff she threw the book onto her nightstand and flopped against her pillows.
Her phone rang loudly, with a sigh she reached over moving her hand around the nightstand until she felt the phone between her fingers, her eyes still looking up at the ceiling.
She looked at the caller ID- Fangs, great.
'Hello?' Cheryl answered.
'Cheryl where are you? Everyone's here at the Wyrm, are you on your way?' Fangs said loudly over the music.
'I told Sweet Pea this morning that I couldn't make it' Cheryl sighed.
'Come on Red, it'll be fun' Fangs tried again.
'I can't, I've already done my nighttime routine and got into bed, have a good night though' Cheryl said not leaving any room for a debate.
'Fine' Fangs said defeated 'Sweet and I miss you, night Red'.
'Goodnight Fangs' Cheryl said before hanging up.
Cheryl didn't have any of her old friends or Toni on social media but she did have Sweet Pea and Fangs and as much as she didn't want to she couldn't help but take a look.
As soon as she opened the app she felt her stomach drop, the very first post on her timeline was a photo of Sweet Pea, Fangs and Toni with the caption- reunited at last.
Cheryl's eyes were fixed on the brunette who she hadn't seen for so many years, she noticed how Toni had changed, her once pink her now a deep brown with a single streak of pink.
Her face more mature, she was as beautiful as ever and Cheryl could feel her eyes filling up with tears.
She locked her phone pushing it under her pillow and closed her eyes tightly allowing the tears to fall freely.
Why was she like this?
She was sure Toni hadn't thought about her in years and here she is at twenty eight years old crying over her high school girlfriend.
Toni meant more to her than that though, she's the only person who truly understood her.
She was her first and only real love but they were nothing more than strangers now and that's what hurt her the most.
She literally knew nothing about Toni or her life, she had memory of a person who maybe didn't exist anymore.
Toni could be a completely different person.
Cheryl shook the thoughts from her mind, if she was crying over a photo on social media how was she going to react to seeing Toni face to face tomorrow.
Maybe it was okay to let all of her feelings out now so tomorrow she could be strong and be civil with Toni without flinching when she finds out things about the brunettes life she'd rather not know.
So that's what she did, she cried herself to sleep with an ache in her chest no painkiller could take away.
***
The next morning the redhead woke up with a groan, her eyes were practically stuck together thanks to last nights tears.
She did feel slightly better though after letting everything out.
Now all she had to do was get through tonight, everyone will go back to where they came from and she could get on with her life.
Maybe she'd see Toni again and the spark they had as teenagers would be long gone, as much as it hurt her to think about maybe that was for the best.
She couldn't sit and dwell for any longer though, she had to get out of bed and start her day by going out and buying a new outfit for tonight.
Maybe she shouldn't have waited until last minute but at least rushing around for an outfit would stop her mind running back to her ex.
She decided to call Tabitha to see if she was free for a shopping trip, at least then she didn't have to go alone.
After a few rings Tabitha picked up the phone.
'Hey' she said happily.
'Hey, are you free to go shopping today? I need an outfit for tonight, do you?' Cheryl asked.
'I do, I was actually about to call you'.
'Great. Shall I drive?' Cheryl asked.
'Sure, I'll be ready in around an hour'.
'Okay, see you then' Cheryl said as happily as she could.
***
The shopping trip was uneventful but they both found an outfit and had some lunch together.
'Are you excited for tonight?' Tabitha asked as Cheryl pulled up outside of her house.
'Not particularly, if I knew Sweet Pea and Fangs wouldn't come to my house and drag me there themselves I probably wouldn't go' Cheryl admitted.
'Well you and I will have a good night, maybe one of your old friends will be single and I can make a move' Tabitha laughed.
Cheryl just rolled her eyes with a smile.
'See you later' Tabitha grinned.
'See you later'.
Cheryl gave her a final wave before pulling away, she was thankful to have Tabitha as her friend, she was grateful for the boys but they were Toni's friends too so she couldn't exactly tell them the reason why she didn't want to go to the reunion although she was pretty sure they would know.
She wondered though if Fangs was worried about seeing Kevin again, he was more than settled with his current boyfriend Harley but she didn't know what he was thinking.
Sweet Pea was more of a free spirit, he was still enjoying his youth, at one point Cheryl thought he and Tabitha were dating but if they were they never said and it must have fizzled out.
Or maybe they just got on because they both had flirty personalities.
Even Cheryl and Tabitha had playfully flirted on nights out or held hands, they'd even kissed a couple of times at parties but it was just harmless fun and they both knew that.
As Cheryl pulled into her driveway she took a breath, she'd spent longer out shopping than she anticipated and now she didn't really have that long to get ready.
She climbed out of her car and moved to the trunk pulling out all of her bags determined to get them all into the house in one trip and she did.
The redhead took everything into her bedroom before looking at herself in the mirror.
'Let's get this over with' she said to herself as she sat down to take off her makeup.
Even though everything in Cheryl's body was telling her to stay home tonight she pushed through it and began to get ready.