Something Borrowed [Choni One Shots]

kiss cam [G]

The date isn't going well.

His name is Nick. Coming to the game was his idea – and Cheryl was more than happy to see the Serpents play against the Bulldogs, given that the Bulldogs are her favourite team. Nick, though, has been staring at his phone for most of the time. His conversation with Cheryl is stiff, almost forced. Cheryl doesn't think she'll see him again after this. They had met at one of Reggie's parties, and Nick had asked her out on a date. And here she is, on a date with Nick, wishing she was sitting next to someone else.

But there's a game to be watched.

Only two minutes after the second half begins, the Serpents score again. The Bulldogs are trailing by two goals, now. She curses them. They should be winning.

They aren't.

"You going for the Bulldogs, then?" comes a voice to Cheryl's left. An amused challenge.

Cheryl opens her mouth to reply, glances over, and is lost for words.

She's muscular but graceful, and she wears a baseball cap backwards over a mane of curls.  Her eyes, which are fixed upon Cheryl's, are a mysterious deep brown. Wow, Cheryl thinks, she's absurdly good-looking.

The artist in Cheryl wants to reach for a pencil and sketchpad so she can commit this sight to paper. The artist in Cheryl wants to draw those regal cheekbones and those lips, to sketch the intelligent depth in those eyes.

The Bulldogs fan in Cheryl bristles at the challenge and demands a comeback.

"And you're a Serpents fan," Cheryl says eventually, because the woman is wearing a Serpents jersey – and she looks really good in it, too.

She's answered with a hint of a smile. "Like I'd go for the Bulldogs."

"We beat you at the semi-finals last year," Cheryl points out, managing to regain some of her composure.

"Jus drein jus daun," answers the woman. Blood must have blood. Then she extends a hand. "I'm Toni."

"Cheryl," says Cheryl, and takes Toni's hand.

Toni's hand is warm, her grip is firm and gentle. Cheryl's palm and fingers tingle slightly when their hands part. Cheryl finds her eyes drawn back to the curve of Toni's lips and wonders if they're as soft as they look. No, she tells herself. This isn't the time. I'm on a date.

"Having fun?" Toni's eyes slide over to Nick, who is still glaring at his phone. "Is he with you?"

"Yes," Cheryl tells her, and almost adds unfortunately. "Not that we're dating, though. And you're here by yourself?"

"My friend Fangs was supposed to come, but he had to work."

"That's a pity. Is he a Serpents fan too?"

"Of course," answers Toni. "Which other team could he possibly support?"

"Oh, ha ha. Funny." Cheryl finds herself smiling regardless.

Toni's teeth are very white and perfect. "First time I've seen you smile tonight," she tells Cheryl.

"So you've been watching me, then? For how long?"

"Since I got here," Toni tells her. Then Toni's eyes return to the field below, and with no small amount of satisfaction she announces, "We're about to score."

Cheryl groans and below, the Serpents score. "We're not doing so well," she informs Nick, who glances up from his phone, looks at the scoreboard, and grunts. Then he returns his attention to whatever it is he's doing – texting, perhaps.