Should I ditch new colleague that the others say is toxic?

Dear Coleen I'm a woman in my 20s and recently started a new job.

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One girl there has been really welcoming and nice to me, but when I spoke to some of my other colleagues, they warned me off her. They said she had a temper and that she was always talking badly about people behind their backs. They also hinted that she'd had a “thing” with one of the senior managers. I'm not sure what to make of this to be honest. I want to make a good impression at the company and obviously fit in, but this person has only been kind to me, so what do I do?

She's invited me out for a coffee next week and offered to “show me the ropes”, but should I go? I don't want the others to exclude me because I'm being friendly with her.