Cheryl Knows Best
“Can you just admit that you’re in love with her already?” Toni Topaz asked. Sweet Pea glared at the short, pink-haired girl.
“I’m not in love with her,” he argued. He wasn’t. He kept an eye on her for her father, who was worried about her ever since her mother died. Tall Boy had been estranged from her since he broke up with her mother nearly eight years ago. Yeah, Tall Boy was a deadbeat but he was a Serpent. That meant something to Sweet Pea. “She’s a Serpent by blood, Topaz. Tall Boy ask-”
“Yeah, yeah. Tall Boy asked you to. You say that all the time. Betty Cooper’s a Serpent by blood too, you gonna start eyein’ her up too?” Sweet Pea growled and slammed his glass down on the bar, now empty. He wasn’t twenty-one, but Veronica Lodge had decided to just open a speakeasy despite being seventeen and never having worked a day in her damn life. Rich people could do whatever they wanted. Toni refilled his glass from behind the bar. Hell, it was a messed-up system but he might as well benefit from it. “Maybe a little liquid courage will help you make your move.”
“Like you’re not all hopped up on her friend, the redhead who talks like the cutesy rom-com bully.” He knew her name, everyone knew Cheryl Blossom, but Sweet Pea wasn’t gonna admit that. Cassie, she insisted on going by her middle name, was best friends with the Blossom girl, her constant shadow. Despite Cass’s mother (and now her aunt) running the dance studio where Cheryl learned her moves and being the hardest working dancer on Riverdale if not the planet, it was Cheryl who lead the River Vixens. Cheryl was always front and center and from what Sweet Pea could tell, Cassie didn’t care. At least not about that. The girls fought all the time, only to seemingly forgive each other when something more interesting happened. At least Fangs would punch Sweet Pea for being a dick, so he could move on. Cheryl and Cassie fought for days only to be whispering and giggling as soon as Archie Andrews was kissing someone new. Sickening. “God, she’s so annoying.”
“Watch it. That’s my girlfriend you’re talking about. Maybe Cassie would be yours if you did something about it. Might be a good time to talk to her, before he steps in.” The only person on the planet more annoying than Cheryl Blossom, who earned points for loving Toni so thoroughly, was Reggie Mantle. He was the captain of the freaking football team, a total slim ball, and...Cassie’s on-and-off boyfriend. Sweet Pea wanted to punch Reggie the second he saw him and that was before he realized that he was the one dating Cassie. Not that she had anything to do with it. Because Toni was wrong. “Seriously, you know Reggie’s gonna go for it if you don’t do something.”
Reggie was already a few drinks in, really everyone who wasn’t a goody-goody was, and that meant he was after one thing...or person. It sickened Sweet Pea. She kept taking him back and then dumping him soon after, leaving Sweet Pea to crawl through her window late at night with vanilla fudge swirl ice cream.
Tonight Cassie was drinking, which was a rarity. Usually, she was a goody-goody who had to be in the studio by 7 AM sharp. But not tonight. And she was not good at holding her liquor. Reggie said something and Cassie laughed, angling her body towards him. Disgusting. Toni sighed loudly.
“I got this,” a voice said, placing his hands on Sweet Pea’s shoulders as he walked past. Only one person would dare do that. Fangs. His best friend. His brother really. They became Serpents together, along with Toni, and had be inseparable ever since. “Yo, Mantle! You and Andrews versus me and Jones in pool. We’re gonna kick your ass.”
That was all it took. Sweet Pea saw Cassie roll her eyes and say something to Cheryl before turning towards the other River Vixens. Cheryl strutted up to the bar next to him, though she made no acknowledgment of him. She saw only Toni as she slide two empty glasses across the bar. “A refill for me and my silly friend, mon amour. And please thank your sharp-toothed friend for me, I cannot deal with another episode of ‘Will Mantle ever change?’ I love my Lee-Lee but she has a serious blind spot.”
So maybe Cheryl Blossom was growing on him. She was the only one allowed to hint at Cassie’s first name, which her father had chosen. Even then, Cheryl was only allowed the last syllable. The redhead continued. “Before I decide if I shall indulge in my third glass of the finest maple whiskey in the building, I must know if I am on hair holding duty or if I knight in shining armor - Nay, a knight in shining leather will be stepping up?”
Sweet Pea straightened his Serpent’s jacket. Both girls were looking at him now. Before he said anything, Toni was filling a glass with root beer and switching it for his beer. He felt his temper flare and Toni raised an eyebrow in a way that only she could. “What? Do you not want to do it? Seriously though, we’ve got it if you don’t want to. She’s our bestie and we love her.”
“I’m not just her backup for when Mantle is busy,” he growled. Toni gave him a sympathetic look as she poured another maple whiskey for Cheryl. Sweet Pea hadn’t meant to admit it. He just hated the idea that he was just there to replace Reggie. Cheryl snorted.
“Oh please. She adores you. She got over Mantle ages ago they just use each other because she thinks you feel platonically and he’s not over his tryst with the raven-haired owner of the Speakeasy. If I have to hear another story about you that is a thinly veiled confession on undying devotion, I will vom.” After speaking, Cheryl’s eyes widened and she paused the drink away. Toni grinned like a crazy person. “I think, dear Antionette, that I have had enough. I was most certainly not supposed to reveal any of that. Oh. Oh, well.
“Listen up, you background character in Grease the musical, do not make me suffer for my slightly tipsy words.” Sweet Pea had no idea what to do with Cheryl Blossom. “You love her, obvi. She wants you too. So please stop dancing around one another and just kiss already. It took Tee-Tee and I less time and I was literally sent away to stay with homophobic nuns.”
Toni handed another drink to him, a maple whiskey that he knew wasn’t for him and Cheryl spoke. Again. “Take care of her tonight. She’s only had one drink, so she’s still kissable. However, no funny business after drink two. Tomorrow night you can go on your first date and do whatever consensual heterosexual acts you two so desire. Now, you’ve been hogging my girlfriend all night. Go.”
She shooed him and Sweet Pea headed off in Cassie’s direction with her drink and his root beer. He was starting to see what Toni saw in Cheryl Blossom.