𝗔𝗯𝘀𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗲⮑ 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐥𝗲

ƒíѵҽ - the fashionably misguided

"Oh, my God." Indigo stopped dead in her tracks staring at Sweet Pea, and Toni. The pair were wearing what looked like school uniforms, but no one else had to wear them. Sweet pea had to wear a turtle neck under the shirt to cover his tattoo.

The sight of the boy made Indigo's toes tingle, but the humor of the situation beat her attraction. "Guys..."

Toni sighed trudging over to her old friend. Sweet Pea crossed his arms over his chest. "Weatherbee gave them to us. Said he understood that not every Southside student had the means to purchase Riverdale High acceptable clothes."

Toni, and Sweet Pea shared an annoyed glance. "He thinks this will help us fit in."

Indigo cocked an eyebrow, "Where's Fogarty?"

"He wouldn't wear the uniform. So, they got rid of him, suspended him."

"So your choices are to conform, or be casted out." Indigo's hands began to shake, she was angry. Christian never would have put up with this. Serpent, or not. They were still his friends, they were her friends.

"I thought you didn't care. You've become the Northside princess from what I've heard." Toni's statement earned a sad sigh from Indigo. Before she could respond in her own defense, Midge came over.

The Klump girl wrapped her arm around Indigo pulling her away. "You shouldn't be talking to those Snakes. You're just gonna make everyone angry."

"Since when do I care what anyone else thinks?" Midge made a face. "Indigo, just stay away from them, okay? They're dangerous."

Indigo bit her tongue, trying not to speak illy against her friend. "Okay." Unknowing of Indigo's serpent ridden past, Midge grinned. "Great, and we're all going to Pops after school. You should come."

"I don't kn—"

"See you then!" Midge pecked a chaste kiss on Indigo's cheek before giddily headed down the hall. What did you just get yourself into?

Now clad in his Riverdale uniform, Fogarty stepped up with an dazzling smirk. "They said you wouldn't come, but I insisted."

It was almost as if any teenager born in Riverdale was taught to speak in code so Indigo couldn't understand. Fangs handed Indigo a small piece of paper reading.

yoυ're ιnvιтed тo oυr ғιrѕт ѕwordѕ & ѕerpenтѕ мeeтιng. ιn rooм 227

Fogarty was gone. If he wasn't so excited about it, Indigo wouldn't have actually considered. What harm could there be?

Indigo strolled down the halls keeping her focus straight forward instead of at the lingering stares of teens so confused as to why she so excited. In some ways, Indigo didn't quite know herself.

She tried so desperately to get away from the Serpents, so why was she so excited to jump right back in? Perhaps, it was the feeling of her brother. Simply being around her old friends reminded Indigo persistently of her twin.

The room was filled with uniform wearing Serpents. Jughead sat on the desk in the front as Indigo knocked on the door. Fangs' eyes lit up. He wasn't sure whether Indigo would actually show up or not.

Sweet Pea merely flashed a smirk. Indigo was Christian's sister, there was no way she'd be able to shed her skin that easily. "Indigo! Come in." Jughead shut the door behind her with a grin waving for her to sit down.

Instead of what Indigo expected to be hateful looks, the Serpents looked happy. Indigo was back, for now.

Indigo took a seat next to the cheerful Fangs, who was trying to focus on his happiness of seeing his friend rather than dwelling on the grief of why she left. "Welcome to the inaugural meeting of the Swords, and Serpents club."

"Which is what, exactly?"

"Well, like I told Fogarty to lure him back to dear ol' Riverdale, we are a gaming group. Sanctioned by Mr. Weatherbee, himself. Where
like—minded students can meet, and concoct world—building,
role—playing scenarios, inhabiting fantastical heroes, and dispatching mythological creatures."

Toni scoffed, "No, but really?"

"It's a club, for us. A safe haven where we can be Serpents, during school hours and under everyone's noses." Indigo liked the irrationality of Jughead's stubbornness. Christian was the same way. He wouldn't give up no matter who told him to. She worried he'd be ashamed to see how fear begotten she had become.

"We're not shedding our skins. We're lying low, in the tall grass."

☉▣☉▣☉

Indigo wished she was back in the Swords and Serpents meeting. That was ten times more fun than sitting next to Midge listening to the Bulldogs brag about how greatly they won in their last football game.

Midge was Indigo's friend though, and Midge loved the Bulldogs. Of course, that was only because they were Moose's friends. Moose was kind of a jerk, but Indigo got over it.

After everything Midge had done for her, the least she could was sit in listen to a bunch of mentally slow teens brag about how good they were.

That's when the Serpents came in. The bell jingled, but instead of the diner continuing on like it normally did, everyone grew silent.

Indigo glimpsed back, catching the prideful stare of a certain tall Serpent. "I can't believe the had their nerve to come here." Indigo kicked Reggie in the shin. "It's not like you own the place, Reg. It's open to the public."

"Whatever," Reggie grumbled.

A woman stepped out of the bathroom, her son next to her. Seeing the Serpents, she pulled her son closer to her passing by.

It was like Midge could see the fire growing in her eyes. Serpent or not, it wasn't fair how everyone was treating them. "Indigo, don't."

Doing exactly as her friend said not to, Indigo grabbed her tray of cheese tots, and her milkshake heading over to the Serpents table.

The only free spot was next to Sweet Pea. Leaving Indigo's confidence quickly depleting. Sweet Pea smirked at the ex-serpent as she dropped her tray next to him, and plopped down.

Sweet Pea wasn't the only one admiring Indigo's boldness. Looking up from her cheese tots, she found Fangs and Toni both smiling back at her.

"Stop looking at me like that."