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All Toni had wanted to do was go for a jog.
Just a casual morning jog.
She’d been feeling overly energetic that morning so she figured it’d be a good way to blow off steam.
In fact, she’d pulled on her shorts, her tank top and even remembered to tuck her phone in her waistband.
With her earphones plugged in and blasting Taylor Swift’s Reputation, Toni was more than ready to actually fulfill her desires of a morning jog.
And it had been going great.
Perfect even.
The rhythmic thud of her feet echoing over T. Swift’s voice, the fairly empty streets of Southside slowly blending into busier suburbs of Northside Riverdale.
It was all exactly what Toni needed with all the Serpent stress in her life.
Of course Toni’s mind was kind of numbing down to the point where her feet were on autopilot and her eyes just kind of drifted from object to object as she ran along.
She dodged past Archie Andrews and Betty Cooper with a small smile before shaking her head and turning the corner.
All it took was that corner to ruin her perfect running experience… or improve, depending on how you looked at the situation.
The situation at hand was a girl. A girl with perfectly bouncy red curls, iconic curls really. Of course the tight polo shirt girl in question was wearing definitely caught Toni’s eye, as did the jeans because god damn this gorgeous girl had a great ass, with even more toned legs.
All of this took Toni promptly five seconds to notice.
Five seconds was also the same time it took Toni to veer slightly off course.
Right on course to have her feet trip over the only god damn floor lamp on the entire street.
Toni’s eyes widened as she sprawled over the lamp, scraping her hand as she landed with a groan.
“Fuck.” She mumbled, rolling onto her back and pressing the heel of her palm into her eyes as she shook her head. “I’m an idiot.”
“More like easily distracted.”
Toni’s eyes shot open and she rolled her eyes.
“Shut it Andrews.” Toni grumbled, taking the offered hand from Riverdale’s star football player.
Toni brushed herself off and glared at the scrape on the side of her arm.
“Damn it.” Toni huffed as it started to drip blood down her forearm.
“Woah that looks rough.” Betty exclaimed, reaching out to clutch at Toni’s arm and peer at it.
“I’ve had worse.” Toni brushed off as Betty released her arm with a raised eyebrow. “Side effects of being in a gang.” She explained quietly.
“Archie, dear cousin, Serpent, why are you loitering in my way?”
The three of them spun around to see Cheryl Blossom staring them down with a perfectly kinked eyebrow peeking out from behind her sunglasses.
Archie frowned, glancing past Cheryl before looking back at her.
“Weren’t you walking that way?” Archie asked. Cheryl sighed, the subsequent eye roll felt but not seen.
“That’s not an answer.” Cheryl deflected easily.
“Toni here just fell over and we were making sure she was okay.” Betty explained with a sweet smile, only a slightly steely edge to her curled lips.
Cheryl glanced over at Toni, who was only a little flustered about being faced with the reason she fell arse over tit.
“I should’ve been looking where I was going.” Toni explained with a small self deprecating smile.
Betty and Archie snickered before coughing and nudging each other.
“Well we need to meet V.” Betty said quickly, “See you around Toni.”
“Bye guys.” Toni replied with a smile.
Archie and Betty walked off far too quick for a pair of innocent people, their chuckles echoing behind them.
“They’re so weird.” Cheryl mused. Toni did a double take and nodded.
“You don’t know the half of it.” Toni muttered, stretching her arm and wincing with a hiss. Cheryl looked back at Toni, pulling off her sunglasses before leaning down and peering at Toni’s arm.
“That doesn’t look too good.” Cheryl said quietly. Toni eyed her warily and nodded, eyes too focused on pouty red lips to really be 100% in the conversation.
“Like I said, I’ve had worse.” Toni replied cautiously. Cheryl glanced up at her and rolled her eyes.
“I’m not gonna bite Topaz. No need to be so wary.” Cheryl said breezily before straightening up and walking back in the direction they’d both been heading before Toni’s… distraction kicked in.
Toni just stood on the sidewalk with a confused frown on her face.
Cheryl looked over her shoulder and sighed.
“You coming Topaz or not?” She asked. Toni snapped out of it and walked after Cheryl, falling into step next to her.
----
The following day Toni was walking towards her school locker when she was flanked by Sweet Pea and Fangs.
“Uh hi guys?” Toni says as she unlocks her locker.
“You okay T?” Fangs asked, eyes glancing at her arm.
Toni looks down at it, the white bandage glaring back at her. A slow smile spreads across her face.
“I’m good.” Toni replied, stuffing her books in her bag. Her locker slammed shut as Sweet Pea’s hand landed on it. “What?” She asked, turning around and leaning back against the metal.
“I know you Toni,” Sweet Pea started with narrowed eyes, “You cannot bandage for the life of you, literally.”
“So?” Toni asked, folding her arms defensively.
“Who fixed you up?” Fangs asked curiously. Toni rolled her eyes with a shake of her head, a smile forming on her face.
“Seriously? I could’ve done this myself.” Toni pointed out but Jughead just laughed.
“Not that neat.” He shot back. Toni just smiled and shook her head lightly.
Someone cleared their throat behind the two Serpents and they flinched back from crowding Toni.
Cheryl shot a glare at Sweet Pea who removed his hand from Toni’s locker like he’d been burned.
Her gaze turned to Toni who was still smiling that amused smile of hers.
“We still on for tonight?” Cheryl asked with a tilt of her head. Toni nodded.
“Pick you up at 7 Blossom.” Toni confirmed with a wink. Cheryl pretended she didn’t blush before sauntering off to her first lesson.
Just before Toni pushed off her locker, Veronica pushed past Sweet Pea to latch onto Toni’s arm.
“Did Cheryl ‘Bombshell’ Blossom just blush?” Veronica asked with a gleam in her eye.
“Don’t be ridiculous Ronnie.” Toni replied with a smirk. “That would mean she has a heart.”
----
“And that’s how I got a date with Cheryl Blossom.” Toni finished with a grin, winking past Fangs’ shoulder as Cheryl picked up her milkshake order.
Jughead and Veronica just shook their heads while Fangs and Sweet Pea just stared in shock.
Toni was too busy making eyes at Cheryl to notice the collective disbelief around the table.
“I can’t believe Arch didn’t tell us.” Veronica sighed.
“Or Betty.” Jughead said glumly.
“You’re clumsy ass actually got a date for being clumsy?” Fangs asked.
“And with HBIC. Damn.” Sweet Pea added under his breath.
Toni suddenly noticed the sly smile spread across Cheryl’s face across the room and narrowed her eyes as Cheryl slipped off her seat at the counter.
Cheryl breezed past their table at Pop’s with a parting comment before disappearing out the door, leaving Toni thoroughly red in the face:
“I guess you could say she fell for me.”