Fluorescent Adolescent~Jughead Jones

twenty four

It was strange but Poet was actually liking school. He'd only been here for four hours and thirty nine minutes but aside from the incident with cheep knockoff Walmart Ariel earlier, it had been enjoyable. 

His teachers were nice and most of them accepted the Serpents as real students and part of Riverdale High. If someone gave him a dirty look in the hallway, all he had to do was glare and bare his teeth and they'd run off. He understood most of what he was learning and had almost every class with Jughead so yeah, it was going pretty well. 

Well, besides the fact Enoch was dead, it was one hundred percent Poet's fault, and the Black Hood was after his ass. So...good. Mostly.

Northside High School had it's perks. It was clean, the air didn't smell like shit, and the teachers actually taught instead of doing drugs under their desks. The bathroom stalls had doors, the wifi worked, and they even had a student lounge with comftable couches and a vending machine Poet had already bought five snacks from. (Hershey's for Toni, a 3 Musketeers for Sweet Pea, Twizzlers for Fangs, and two bags of chips for him and Jughead to share.) 

The young Serpents, along with Kevin- for some odd reason that poet didn't care enough to think about- sat in the student lounge practically melting into the couches.

Toni gave a fake moan from across Poet in a chair of her own. "God these chairs are amazing. Another reason this school's already better." The rest of them nodded, save for Jughead who gave a half shrug.  

Poet looked over at the boy who sat close to his side. He nudged Jughead with his shoulder. "You okay, bubba?"

Jughead nodded and gave a half hearted shrug. "I guess, I don't know. I just-"

He stopped suddenly, looking up to where Veronica stopped next to them. She clasped her hands together with a smile before turning to Toni. 

"I don't think we've properly met. Veronica Lodge." 

Veronica held out her hand to Toni who gave her a weird look. From beside Poet, Jughead raised a chip and added, "Of the park avenue Lodges."  

Toni gave a half impressed look before nodding and shaking Veronica's hand. "Toni. Topaz."

"Oh, like the purple colored gem stone! Love it." 

Toni discreetly rolled her eyes and flipped off Poet who smiled from the couch.  He did the same to her, the two soon wearing matching grins. 

Toni didn't hate her name. Yes, she had a gem for a last name and yes, she had dyed her hair a pink gem color but the two were completely unrelated. Poet had given her the 'my favroite gem stone' nickname and while anyone else you made fun or mentioned the Topaz name would receive a quick kick to the groin, there was something about the way Poet said it that she couldn't help but smile. It was something they carried on since they first met each other and reminded them of simpler times. 

Veronica stepped back and gestured to a girl beside her. The girl clapped her hands, bringing them to her chest. "And I'm Josie McCoy. Formerly of the Pussycats, now just Josie. And this is Kevin." 

The group turned to look at Kevin who dropped his head a little in embarrassment. Poet raised an eyebrow at him, Kevin's face turning pink.

The Keller boy bought up his head. He jerked his head lightly towards Fangs. "What's your name?" 

Fangs smirked. "Fogarty. Or you can call me Fangs."

Poet's eye widened at their interaction and he looked over at Toni who looked back at him. He mouthed one word to her and she nodded. Ship.