The Last Blue Rose// Reggie Mantle (1)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Once out, she leaned against the wall, still trying to process what just happened.

"Caia?" Someone called from down the hall. Caia looked towards the voice and was met with Betty's face. "Are you okay?"

Caia slowly shook her head, her eyes still wide. "Betty, I just did something really bad," She admitted.

Betty's face became flooded with concern. "What did you do?" She probed worriedly.

"I kissed Chuck."

*

Caia pushed open the door to Archie's house, holding a metal pan covered with a plastic lid. "I'm here!" She sang, her voice echoing throughout the hall.

She shut the door behind her and shimmied out of her coat, hanging it up on a hook in Archie's front hall. She made her way into the kitchen where Archie, Ethel, Kevin, and Joaquin were gathered. She held up the pan. "I wasn't sure what I was supposed to bring, so I made brownies," she explained, setting the pan down on the table.

"Is that how you got that burn?" Archie questioned, referring to the fading red scar on her left wrist. Caia glanced down at it and pulled her sleeve down to cover it up.

"Uh, yeah," She replied nervously.

An awkward silence insued, broken by Kevin. "Well, that was a bit awkward. Anyway, Caia I don't think you've formally met my boyfriend yet. Caia, this is Joaquin," he motioned to the the boy standing next to him. "Joaquin, this is Caia." Joaquin held out his hand and Caia took it. After shaking hands, although they had kind of already met, she turned to Archie.

"Where's your dog, Arch? I need some quality Vegas time." Archie chuckled and motioned to his living room where the dog was sitting next to the couch.

Caia slipped over and sat cross legged on the floor next to the dog. She started petting him, scratching him behind the ears, the place he liked the most.

As she sat there, Archie came into the room and handed her a green solo cup. She graciously accepted it, taking a sip. Expecting lemonade or something, she was a little taken aback by the overpowering flavor of alcohol. However, she wasn't necessarily complaining.

As the door opened, the friends in the kitchen let out a weak surprise. However, it was just Veronica.

She seemed quite irked. "Do I look like Jughead to you?" She questioned snarkily. Caia raised her eyebrows in surprise. She definitely did not want to get on her bad side tonight.

Caia got to her feet and joined the small group of people as Kevin got a text. He pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Oh, Betty just texted me, they're almost here." He seemed to notice he hadn't introduced Veronica to his boyfriend yet. "You've met Joaquin, right?"

"I haven't had the pleasure," Veronica responded, looking towards him. She stared at him a moment before turning back to Kevin. "Also, I thought this was inner circle only, tonight," She whispered.

Caia tuned out of the conversation and followed Ethel, who had opened the curtains to look out to the driveway. Caia stuck her head out of the curtains as well. A moment later, Betty's station wagon pulled up.

"Guys their really coming this time. Hide!" Ethel exclaimed.

Everyone went to hide in different points around the room. Caia chose a spot behind the couch where she could clearly hear Veronica grumble about being over the party and open the liquor cabinet.

Betty shut the door behind her and someone turned the lights on. Everyone popped out of their hiding spots and yelled, "surprise!"

Betty looked happy. Jughead on the other hand, did not look as thrilled. "This is why we left the double feature," Jughead observed through his teeth.

"Happy birthday, bro." Archie went up to Jughead and hugged him. As they were hugging, Jughead whispered something into his ear.

"Feliz cumplianos, tuoburno," Veronica exclaimed in Spanish.

"Thanks, Veronica," Jughead replied, tipping his head in a way that showed he wasn't really very happy. "Thanks everyone."

Kevin walked towards Jughead with his arms open. "Oh, it's Kevin," Jug observed, relenting to the hug much to his discomfort.

"Happy Birthday, bud!" Kevin broke away and motioned to Joaquin. "This is my boyfriend, Joaquin."

"Hey, nice to meet you," Jughead greeted, shaking Joaquin's hand.

He turned to the last person he hasn't greeted yet. Caia sensed his discomfort in the whole situation so she didn't go in for the hug. Instead, she settled on a small head nod. "Happy Birthday, Jug." He nodded back.

"Thanks," he replied. "Hey, has anyone seen Betty?" As soon as Jughead asked this question, Betty emerged from the kitchen performing a quite creepy rendition of happy birthday. However, Caia's eyes were focused solely on the cake Betty held in her arms. Caia's mouth started to water. Her brownies were looking pretty dismal now.

Betty handed Jughead the cake as she finished singing and took her place beside him. "That wad haunting, Betty," Jughead observed.

Betty kissed his cheek. "Blow out the candles!" She exclaimed, very cutely. "Make a wish."

At this moment, Veronica left for the kitchen, leaving Archie staring after her. "I wish it were just the two of us right now," Jughead whispered to Betty before taking a deep breath and blowing out all the candles.

Archie followed after Veronica before Jughead was done blowing out the candles. Betty clapped as he finished. "One blow!" Kevin exclaimed.

Caia followed Betty and Jughead to the kitchen when they went to get ice cream. They walked in on Archie and Veronica hugging. Jughead apologized for breaking up something. Caia went straight for the food, disregarding the entire conversation her friends were having. Maybe that's why she never knew what was going on.

Caia took a brownie and wandered into the front hall. As she nibbled on the small square of deliciousness, the doorbell rang. "I got it!" She yelled.

She wondered who it could be. Everyone Betty had invited was already there. Before her hand could reach the doorknob, the door swung open to reveal Cheryl Blossom, in all her chaotic glory. Behind her was a whole passel of Riverdale High students, two of which were holding kegs. By this time, all of her friends had gathered around Caia.

"Did you really think you could have a party with our inviting moi?" Cheryl questioned.

"Or me?" Came a voice from behind her.

Chuck Calyton.

"Archie where do you want the kegs?" Moose inquired, grabbing Caia's attention. She turned back to Archie to see what he would say.

Archie seemed torn. It took a minute for her to deliberate before he answered. "Screw it. One in the kitchen one in the backyard!" A cheer went up from the crowd. Jughead backed away and walked towards the kitchen. Archie also left.

As some guests filed in, it became a stare down between Betty and Veronica and Chuck and Cheryl. Caia tried to join, but her gaze was caught by someone else. It turned into a stare down between them too.

Reggie Mantle.