In Toni’s defence she never even thought Cheryl would consider showing up.
Let alone actually win.
----
It’d started off normal enough, completely how she’d expected.
“So that’s it right? The North vs The South?” Jughead asked. Fangs nodded and glanced at Sweet Pea who also nodded.
“If you can get them on board.” Sweet Pea clarified.
“Oh I can.” Jughead said confidently, “Only one I can’t is Bombshell.” He added with a roll of her eyes.
“Oh I’ve got her covered.”
The boys turned around and stared at Toni with matching sceptical expressions.
“Uh huh.” Fangs hummed.
“What? I can totally get here there.” Toni said, folding her arms with a frown.
“The girl hates you.” Jughead laughed.
“Twenty bucks says I can.” Toni smirked. The boys all shared a look.
“Fifty says you can’t.” Sweet Pea shot back with a smug grin.
“You’re so on.” Toni scoffed.
---
“Oh why did I agree to this?” Toni muttered as she walked through the school halls towards her locker.
“Agree to what?” Betty asked as her and Kevin fell into step either side of Toni.
“Jug spoken to you?” Toni asked.
“Laser tag this Saturday.” Betty nodded.
“Oh right. The bet.” Kevin mused. “Have fun with that. ‘Cause we all cashed in against you.”
Toni sighed at Kevin’s sweet, sly smile.
“Nah I got this.” Toni mumbled just as she stumbled into someone’s shoulder.
“Watch it.” Cheryl snarled. Toni just looked at her, eyes wide.
“Oh this should be good.” Kevin snickered. Cheryl narrowed her eyes at him but turned back to Toni who was still deer in headlights frozen.
“What?” Cheryl asked. Toni shook her head.
“Nothing Bombshell. Absolutely nothing.” Toni replied with a meager smile.
“Watch where you’re walking then Southside rat.” Cheryl raised her eyebrow and leaned in close. Toni’s eyes somehow got wider and her breath caught in her throat.
“Um yes?” Toni asked, trying to seem chill with the HBIC in her space, with half the school watching.
She failed.
“Move before I make you.” Cheryl growled lowly. Toni’s feet before her mind even processed what had happened. Toni leant up against her locker and shook her head. The hand that collided with the locker a second later made her jump out of her skin. The red hair towering over her definitely made her gulp.
Toni blinked.
Cheryl walked away with no more than a smirk as her final words.
“What just happened?” Toni asked. “Is she always like that with me or was that like way over the top?”
“I have no idea but yes. Yes it was.” Kevin replied as the bell rang and everyone started bustling again.
----
