I kept thinking about what Cheryl said. I had denied any Serpent liking me but she had rolled her eyes.
"You didn't hear what he said in the hallway to Reggie. He likes you." Cheryl had quickly gotten out of the car.
"Try to be nice to them, Cheryl." I couldn't help but yell to her. She gave me a slow nod.
As the sky grew darker I was still surrounded by homework. I started at my writing paper and added to it.
Love is a complete obsession. You get wrapped up in the quest of wanting them to want you. To notice you, to validate you. To want you the way you want them.
I stared sadly at the paper, annoyed that he was even interrupting my writing. My black sketchbook was thrown on the floor once I entered my bedroom earlier. What game was he trying to play?
By 9:30 it was dark out so I headed to Reggie's fully prepared to ask him what Sweet Pea had said to him.
"Hey there, Vi." Reggie smiled as he got into the passenger seat of the Mustang. I tried to smile at him but it was full of nerves.
We drove with our playlist blaring, I was more relaxed by the time we got to the quarry. Basically running to the spot by the water with Reggie.
We threw down the blanket trying to flatten it out, "I swear every time you touch it you ruin it!"
Reggie laughed at my control freak ways as he finally gave up and laid across it. He stared up at the sky while I crawled over to him.
We laid silent for a moment just staring into the bright sky.
"Ash?" His voice was quiet, the tone made me turn to him in concern.
"Are you fucking that Serpent?" I couldn't help but frown at him.
"What? No." Reggie gave me a small smile of relief before nodding slowly.
"Just seems like you got a crush on his Southside ass." I couldn't bring my eyes away from his profile. Angry and embarrassed.
"Reggie, don't call him that. I'll leave you here." I was being serious, I hated when he insulted the Serpents. He laughed a little.
"Why not? He calls you worse." I frowned and sat up to look at him.
"What are you talking about, Reggie?" He smiled up at her.
"Seriously? Nobodies told you? He's always saying you're easy, a bitch, freak, you name it and he's said it." Reggie puts on a sympathetic face as I feel as if my heart was ripped from my chest.
I just stared at him. My heart was beating hard and I couldn't help but feel like I was going to cry. Why would Sweet Pea say that? We hadn't slept together? I hadn't been anything but nice to him and his friends.
Slowly I forced myself to lay back down.
"I'm sorry. I didn't realize you liked him, Vi." Reggie said still sitting up.
"I don't." I snap before I move to stand. I walked quickly to the water. I pulled off my t shirt and the shorts I was wearing before I jumped into the quarry.
My whole body was encased in freezing water immediately. My hair clung to my face.
"I didn't know you wanted to swim!" Reggie laughed as he followed after me. He jumped in with just his boxers on.
"God! It's freezing in here!" Reggie yelled as he came above the water, I couldn't help but laugh as he swam to me.
His arms wrapped around me, warmth spreading between us.
"Better." He smirked as we both stared at each other. My heart ached. I didn't understand why Sweet Pea would say such terrible things, if Reggie was nice to me, what was stopping him?
Before I could even process what was happening Reggie kissed me, hard.
His mouth was always soft, but always too eager. Forceful.
It always caught me off guard and scared me. He always seemed to want it a dangerous amount.
This time though, I say fuck it. Reggie and me hooked up when I was sixteen.
Reggie pulls me impossibly closer to him as I reciprocate the kiss. He's quick to move his mouth to my neck, kissing down my neck before latching on.
"Stop it, Reggie." I pulled away from his mouth.
My skin burned slightly afterwards. I knew what he was trying to do, I hoped a hickey wouldn't actually be there.
I was quick to swim out of his arms and pull myself from the water. I walked quickly up to my clothes, stalling quickly at the sight before me.
Toni, Jughead, Fangs and of course Sweet Pea. Standing close by to the blanket, probably having noticed my car nearby. I was quick to grab my clothes and approach the group, they noticed me finally as I snatched my car keys off the ground.
"Asher! Knock it off!" Reggie yelled as he chased after her, also still in his underwear.
The group of teens turned fully to face the two, my chest was moving rapidly as I stared at the Serpents. Sweet Pea was quick to open his mouth but I wouldn't allow it.
"Don't talk to me." I snapped at him before turning to walk to my car, fully aware I was only in my bra and underwear.
"Asher!" That was a mixture of Reggie and Sweet Pea.
Sweet Pea then proceeded to yell something at Reggie. By then I was throwing myself into my car and reversing.
I slammed the front door when I got home, falling to the floor in front of it while I started to cry.
"Baby? What's wrong?" My father was rushing down the steps to me. I was more than surprised to see him, quick to wipe the tears off my face.
I was more than glad I had pulled my T shirt back on in my car. My father hugged me to his chest. I couldn't stop the tears at his touch, I sobbed for a long time before he eased me off the ground.
He tucked me into my bed before looking down on my face. He smiled a little as he brushed tears off my cheeks, like he always had.
"What's wrong, my love?" I couldn't speak, I didn't want to try to explain myself to him.
His hand ran over my wet hair. I hated that I thought of Sweet Pea, that night he spent with me.
"When are you leaving?" I asked my father, knowing him it would probably be a few hours.
"Three days, took some time off to see my favorite girl." I started to cry more as I hugged him. A weekend with my father was something I hadn't had in years.
"I'll call the school tomorrow. We'll go shopping." He kissed my head before he stood.
"You're okay?" He asked, always knowing the right way to not smoother me in concern. I had nodded and he slowly had left my room.
I had a dream of Sweet Pea. His lips, his mouth on me. His angry call of my name.