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"I just loved your spin piece in the paper, Olivia Pope," Jughead remarked as he sat at the lunch table with his friends.
"Can we not, Jughead?" Veronica argued.
"Did you know about Southside High closing, Veronica? Or the prison? Did mom and dad let you in on all their evil schemes?" Carson asked, shaking her head.
"Of course not," Betty defended Veronica,
"That was all her parents' doing. Right, V?"
Veronica ran silent, causing Carson to chuckle lowly and look down at her feet.
"She didn't know, guys, okay? So, back off," Archie defended her as well.
"Fine," Jughead said, "I have to conserve my energy anyhow. Carson and I are going on a hunger strike to protest Southside High closing and to get it reopened."
Carson nodded, smiling. Veronica gave her sister a worried look, and Jughead had placed a hand on Carson's back.
"Are you sure?" He whispered in her ear.
Carson simply nodded then turned to Archie after he had scoffed, "What?"
"I'm sorry, Car, It's just . . Jughead's, like, always eating. You never really eat. . you actually never eat," Archie realized, looking at Carson who looked down at her tray, all food still there.
Betty noticed Carson's sudden silence and decided to speak up for her and Jughead,
"Hey, it's Jughead and Carson's prerogative to protest peacefully, so we're gonna support that, aren't we?"
Ethel then walked up to the table, "Veronica?"
Veronica smiled at the girl, "Oh, hey, Ethel."
"For your crimes against the town of Riverdale, for everything that you and your family have done and continue to do, we find you guilty. Your sentence is this," Ethel explained before tossing the strawberry milkshake on the girl then walking away.
Carson raised her brows, the thick liquid had gone everywhere on Veronica. Ethel glared at Veronica once more before walking away.
Carson glanced over at the table where all the serpents sat, every one of them laughing including Sweet Pea who looked as if he was trying to hide it. Carson shook her head and quietly laughed.
♕
"Friends, I have an exciting announcement to make," Veronica announced as she stood in front of her sister and friends in the common room, "I'm running for Student Council President against Reggie 'The Misogynist' Mantle."
Carson buried her face in her hands, "You've got to be kidding me." Jughead quietly laughed at Carson.
"If yesterday's dramatic events taught me anything, it's that Veronica Lodge is not a victim. Nor will she ever allow herself to be one."
"Your parents are taking over Riverdale and now you want to take over our school?"
Jughead asked.
Carson removed her face from her hands to ask, "So what is this? Part of Mommy and Daddy's evil bidding? Jesus, Veronica."
"Jug, Car, I get that you're in a bad mood because you haven't eaten in –"
Veronica cut her boyfriend off, "Actually, Jughead, my parents think I should avoid the spotlight."
"Really?" Jughead and Carson asked, leaning forward in their seats.
"But I was born for elected office."
"Of course," Carson muttered, rolling her eyes.
"V, if you want to be President, you've got our vote," Betty smiled.
"Yeah, Team Ronnie all the way," Archie smiled at his girlfriend.
Carson shook her head, sharing a glance with Jughead.
"B? As the Thelma to my Louise, I can't imagine doing this with anyone else. Will you be my running mate?"
Jughead gave a mad look as he took a sip of his water bottle, Betty glancing at him before looking back at Veronica and getting up from her seat. "Of course, V. I'd be honored."
"Amaze! B and V!" Veronica smiled and wrapped an arm around Betty's shoulders, "Now, that's a team you can believe in."
♕
Carson watched Toni dance, a small smile on her lips as she nodded to the beat. When she finished dancing, she walked over to Carson and Carson gave her a side hug, pecking her cheek.
"Well, I doubt there's any way you amateurs are gonna top that. So practice is over, Vixens. Inner circle Vixens, hang back," Cheryl said, "You know who you are."
Toni grabbed Carson's hand and pulled her forward.
"In honor of Toni joining our squad, I think we should celebrate with a mandatory slumber party at Thistlehouse. Fancy dressing gowns are appreciated. You've all seen The Beguiled, right? Dinner at 8:00. Parlor games to follow," Cheryl smiled before walking away.
"Toni," Carson started, "I'm sure you made every girl in here question their sexuality."
♕
The sleepover had gone well, except for the fact that someone had pushed nana Rose down the stairs yet the woman survived. Now, Carson sat on Sweet Pea's lap on a desk in the 'Swords & Serpents' room.
"This isn't a demolition notice. It's a notice of extermination," Jughead declared, holding up the notice that South Side High was going to be closed down by the end of the week.
"We've already said our goodbye to Southside, Jughead," Toni told Jughead with an annoyed expression.
"Today, it's Southside High. Tomorrow, it's the Wyrm. Everything that makes the Southside home is gonna disappear. If we roll over now, it's all over," Jughead argued.
"It's just a building, Jug," Toni reminded him.
"No! Toni, it's the soul of the Southside. The Uktena fought and died trying to protect that land. Our parents fought to keep it safe during the riots. Now it's our turn. It's our time. This is our fight. So who's with me? Who's ready to go to war?"
Carson slid off of Sweet Pea's lap and went to sit beside Jughead, Jughead wrapping an arm around Carson's shoulders. Sweet Pea raised his chin and gave them a look of jealousy.
