history. | SWEET PEA [2]

CHAPTER TWELVE

BECCA and Reggie returned home from Pop's later that night.

With the High Priestess card burning a hole in her back pocket, the dark-haired girl wanted nothing more than to crawl into her bed and forget today had ever happened. She'd have time to study her new character and the game she'd gotten herself into later.

Both her mother and father, however, had different plans.

"Where have you two been?" Melinda Mantle asked in a stern tone as the pair was about to head upstairs.

Reggie and Becca shared a nervous glance with each other before turning around to face their parents. They both wore matching expressions of irritation with their arms identically crossed. It was a bit unnerving, to say the least.

"Pop's mom," Reggie quickly supplied, shaking the to-go cup he was holding with the Pop's logo plastered on it, "Thought it was pretty obvious by the milkshake."

"I don't need the sarcasm, young man," She replied in a short, clipped tone before looking between the two of them, "Archie Andrews escaped from juvie today and there's already a manhunt underway. Police with guns and dogs..."

Her mother trailed off, swallowing slightly, a concerned look flashing across her features, "I don't want you guys going out anymore tonight. And it's straight home from school tomorrow, understood?"

"Yeah mom," Becca said all too quickly just as Reggie chimed in, "Got it."

Becca avoided her father's rather curious gaze as he stood silently next to their mother, simply observing both of them. She didn't feel like having another 'conversation' with him, especially after what had happened last time.

Melinda arched a dark eyebrow at their sudden agreement, but didn't comment on it, "Good. Well...good night then. Make sure you two finish your homework for tomorrow. And-"

The two siblings didn't bother to hear the rest of what she said as they turned around and hastily left for their rooms. Once Becca was safely inside, she let out a sigh of relief before taking the card out of her pocket. After Reggie, Kevin, Josie and her had agreed to start playing G&G, they'd each picked their characters. Kevin chose the Bard, which didn't surprise anyone at the table, Josie chose the Siren, a perfect fit for the singer, and Reggie chose the Cavalier (he insisted his car was his noble steed.)

Becca looked over the card she'd picked, the High Priestess staring hauntingly back at her. The character had been buried under several other cards, but one look at it, and she was drawn to it like a moth to flame. If she was going to figure anything out about G&G, she'd have to start playing one way or another. And who better to play as than the character that kept popping up everywhere she went? Maybe it would lead to some clues about the game, and by extension, her parents' involvement.

At least, that's what she hoped.

---

"Archie is a murderer," Sheriff Minetta started, pacing the length of Ms. Lincoln's classroom the next day at school, "and we know he didn't escape alone."

His dark eyes roamed the sea of students in front of him, like he was searching for something...or someone.

"He had help," The man continued after a brief pause, "And hiding a convict or withholding information from the law is a felony offense. So, whoever's aided and abetted Archie Andrews is just as much of a criminal as he is."

He stopped his pacing in front of Reggie's desk, peering down at Becca's brother with scrutiny. Currently, both Ms. Lincoln's AP World History and Dr. Beaker's remedial chemistry classes were squished into the tiny classroom for a 'public service announcement' from Sheriff Minetta. The 'PSA' however, had quickly turned into more of an interrogation of Archie's friends and acquaintances. Becca thought it was a waste of time considering it was just another one of Hiram's scare tactics to ruin the red-haired boy's life.