Taking a Bite from the Big Apple (Complete)

1

Cheryl Blossom pulled up against the curb and checked the scribbled writing on the piece of paper she had placed against the dashboard to check that she was at the right address. She glanced at the street names and the number on the building, confirming her location and took a deep breath before opening her car door and stepping out, looking around the bustling street; the stream of traffic, people hurrying along the footpath and the numerous food vendors and small café’s that littered the area. She smiled at how different everything was where she’d grown up, the small town of Riverdale that probably had a smaller population than the four-block radius of where she was standing now. She was pulled from her thoughts as a passing cyclist skidded past her, yelling as he went by.

“Hey lady, get off the road!”

She jumped back against the car and quickly scurried onto the footpath, grabbing her purse from the passenger seat.

People are apparently a lot ruder out here too.

She walked up to the large building directly in front of her and pressed the call button for apartment 3B, waiting patiently for an answer.

“Hello?” a voice came over the intercom.

“Um, hi,” Cheryl replied, pressing the button so her voice would carry, “It’s, uh, Cheryl. Blossom? New tenant? We, um, talked on the phone. Oh, if this is Toni Topaz we talked on the phone, otherwise I’m sorry, I don’t know you, but I am supposed to be here. Unless I got the wrong apartment number? Um, this is 3B?”

Cheryl heard a chuckle come over the line and a loud buzzing sound from the glass doors in front of her.

“This is 3B and this is Toni. Been expecting you. Come on up.”

Cheryl smiled, she’d talked to this Toni just once on the phone, but she had seemed super friendly and had a voice that seemed to calm the redhead, a thing not easily achieved. Nonetheless, she had gone through so many changes lately; she was nervous about life in general at the moment.

She went through the doors and got into the elevator, pressing the button for the third floor, stepping out just a couple of seconds later, smiling yet again when she saw ‘3B’ standing out in brass letters on the door right in front of her. She checked her clothes, making sure she looked presentable, that there were no stains or underwear poking out, and once satisfied, knocked on the door, not sure what to expect of the occupant on the other side. The door swung open to reveal a smiling brunette, about her own age, Cheryl figured - which was surprising in itself, given that she knew Toni owned the apartment - but more than that was how the redhead found herself for once in her life, completely speechless.

Holy crap. She’s gorgeous. Like mega-gorgeous. Holy crap. You already said that, brain. But yea…Holy crap. Wow, look at those lips… plump and inviting…and moving. Oh shit, they’re moving and we’re not kissing which means she’s talking! Talking and you’re standing here like an idiot. She’ll never want you as a girlfriend now. Roommate! She’ll never want me as a roommate now. Am I chuckling nervously in my head? It’s not like anyone heard my little slip, so why am I chuckling? And why in all the high heavens am I still talking to myself when the beautiful girl is staring at me?

“Um, I’m sorry?” she asked, blinking a couple of times to try and focus herself.

“I was just saying it’s nice to meet you,” Toni said with a smile, “You must be exhausted, you drove all the way from Riverdale right?”

“Yea. Yes. Yes, I did,” Cheryl nodded.

“Well, come on in!”

Cheryl gratefully stepped over the threshold into the apartment, getting excited as she realised that this was her new home, and admired the large loft-style room, two sofas set up comfortably against opposite walls with a large flat screen TV mounted on the wall between them, a couple of coffee tables with some simple lamps and a 4-person dining table just beside the main entrance. There was a small kitchen off to the side, that seemed fully equipped, and Cheryl knew from the photos and the ad she’d on the internet, that had prompted her to call and apply for the roommate position in the first place, that the loft had all the mod-cons.