↳ Monday
Oct. 24th ↵
I sat beside him on the bench, anxiously tapping my feet and twisting my ring. I had a terrible urge to bite my nails, but I didn't want to come off as unsanitary.
I took a hard swallow, trying to connect the words carefully in my head before I said them.
"Name?" Was all that came out, instead of "What is your name?"
"Derek J." He told me, observing my every move.
"Like the letter J, or jay as in Mockingjay," I questioned.
"The letter," he told me. I nodded, taking a deep breath. He took my shoulder and I somehow managed to look into his eyes. "Are you alright?" He asked.
"Yeah," I quickly nodded, trying to shake whatever it was that I was feeling off. "This isn't about me. It's about you," I smiled. He returned the smile, killing me inside because he seemed absolutely perfect to me.
"So, Derek. How did you become a serpent?" I asked.
He looked away, up at the mildly cloudy sky to think of his reply.
"My mom wasn't a good mom. She uh, left me with my abusive step-dad. I never met my real father either, so I had a tough time learning things. Then my stepdad just... died," he said, not sounding too phased about his death, which was understandable.
"I'm sorry to hear that," I told him, putting my hand on his shoulder for support. I also did it to feel his bicep.
He put his hand on mine, causing me to panic. "It's not a big deal. I joined the serpents because it feels like they're my only family. They're the only ones who understand," he explained.
I nodded, saying "Wow. That's going to be a good story for the school paper," I smiled a little.
He took my hand off of his leather jacket and placed it on his jeans. He rubbed my palm and held it with uppermost caution. It felt nice, so I didn't protest. We then locked eyes.
"What school?" He asked me.
"The only school? Riverdale High."
He went from a calm expression to smolder. He leaned closer to me, coming face to face with me. I could smell his cologne right then. Usually, I hate cologne, but he had the perfect amount on. I would smell it all day if I could.
He then leaned to my ear before whispering "Do you think you can change my name to something else? On the paper?"
I nodded quickly, not understanding why he felt the need to whisper that since no one else was around. I was confused about everything. About his actions, my emotions, and why I even agreed to follow a gang member outside alone.
He pulled away from my ear and stood up. "See you around." He winked at me and walked away, leaving me speechless. I stopped the recording on my phone and walked back inside to eat my hot pocket.
As I ate that hot pocket, now cooled off, I texted Jughead.
Me: So... Uh... A serpent knocked on my door
He immediately replied.
Juggy: Are you okay???
Me: Yeah. He just wanted to be interviewed.
Juggy: Did you get a name?
Me: Jonathan. That's what he wants to go by at least. I'm sending you the audio recording now.
- Audio Recording Sent -
Juggy: Are u sure ur alright?
Me: :) don't worry about it! If you need help on the paper don't be afraid to call me down to Pops or something.
Juggy: ... ok
Juggy: Actually, do you mind coming to Pops anyways? I want to show u some of my drafts
Me: I'll be there in ten
I walked out of my house and got to my car, which had a paper on the windshield. I took it out and unraveled it to find a note.
Hey,
I forgot to leave you my number. Text me.
- Derek J.
He left me his number, and I put it into my contacts.
I got into my car and drove to Pops. I walked in to be greeted by Pop himself.
"Nighthawk is over there," he pointed over to Jughead, hunched over his laptop.
"Thanks," I smiled. I walked over to Jug who then looked up to see me.
"Hey, Jingles," he scooted over, making room for me. I sat next to him, looking at his laptop. "I listened to the audio recording."
"And?" I questioned, looking back at him.
"You forgot to ask his age while you were drooling over him," Jughead told me, giving me a glare.
I smiled a little, pulling out my phone. I pulled up his contact and texted him.
Me: Hey. I never cau-
"Are you texting him?!" Jughead exclaimed, looking over my shoulder.
"He left his number," I shrugged. I finished my text.
Me: Hey. I never caught ur age - Catherine
"You're not suspicious as to why his step-dad "just died"?" He asked, gesturing the air quotations
"People die, Jughead. I know that more than anybody," I told him, a little more solemn.
My phone vibrated, and Jughead looked over my shoulder.
Him: 17 ;)
"A winky face?" Jughead commented, thinking he was absolutely pathetic.
"Oh, leave him alone, Juggy," I nudged his shoulder. "He's a nice guy."
"He's a serpent," Jughead sniped.
"You have your opinion and I'll have mine, and let's agree to disagree. Now can we work on the paper?" I asked him, raising my brows.
I didn't want to argue with Jughead because he absolutely hates being wrong.
Jughead exhaled through his nose before turning his computer towards me.
As I was reading the newspaper, I edited some small things. Once I finished reading all of them, Jughead showed me his novel. I noticed he wrote about me.
"That's all I-" he hurriedly grabbed his laptop.
"Wait woah-woah," I grinned, clutching the laptop.
"Oh god," he covered his face in embarrassment.
I read the text closely.
"It was a regular day at Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, or so I had thought.
My day was like any other day. I went to school, then I went to Pop's and worked on my novel. Archie stopped by and had asked Betty to come over. It was average.
Betty came, of course. However, that wasn't the only person who came.
I saw her again."
Jughead closed his laptop, pulling it close to him.
I looked at him, to see he was shaking a little with his eyes wide with his cheeks and nose growing apple red.
I had never seen Jughead so scared or embarrassed in my entire life, so I decided to not push it.
"Alright, alright. You win," I gave in. "That's going to be a bestseller one day, Jug," I gave a hard wink, jokingly.
"ThAnks," he said, his voice cracking. He quickly cleared his throat, returning to his calm state.
"Are you going to the Halloween dance?" I asked him, changing the subject.
"Maybe," he admitted, how calmer than a mere few moments ago. "Are you?"
"Yeah. The girls and I are going as cops. A little lame but Veronica insisted," I sighed, resting my chin on my supporting hand.
"I don't know what I would go as," he thought to himself.
"Dracula?" I proposed.
He gave me a look. "Really? Is it because I don't talk to people that much?"
I shrugged, grinning a little.
"Fine," he gave in. "Only because I can't think of anything else."
"Mhm... okay," I laughed. I scooted out of the booth, saying, "I'll see you there, then."
Jughead gave me a nod and a small smile.
In that moment, someone took my shoulder from behind. It was Betty, with bloodshot eyes and her skin tinted red from crying.
"I need to talk to you guys," Betty sadly spoke to us, her voice raspy.
I sat next to Jughead once again, giving him a concerned look. He looked at me the same way. Once Betty sat across from us, she slapped down something. Once she removed her hand, the missing SD card appeared.
"You took the SD card?!" Jughead angrily accused.
"I know!" She nodded regretfully. "I just- I don't know. I hate my dad for what he's done but he's still my dad. I don't want to see him go away." Her words were soft and raspy as if this had been haunting her for the past few days.
"He still committed a crime, Betty!" Jughead whisper-yelled.
She covered her mouth, growing more upset. I put my hand on Jughead's shoulder before leaning forward.
"Betty. I know you love your dad. Who doesn't love their own dad? But you'd be committing a crime if you withheld evidence, and that is technically evidence," I pointed at the SD card.
She nodded in agreement, wiping the tears from her burning red cheeks.
"I'll give you some power. We can bring it in whatever day you want this week, but you have to choose before the dance," I allowed, taking the SD card. "I'll put this on my computer for safety measures and hand it back to you tomorrow, okay?"
She nodded once more, before suddenly getting up and jogging away. I would've chased after her, but alone time is something she seems to direly need.
"You handled that pretty well," Jughead complimented me, still slightly bummed at how upset Betty was.
I sighed, looking at the SD card. "Yeah. I can only imagine how she's feeling right now," I shook my head. "I'm gonna go home and make sure this is safe. See you tomorrow," I told him, a bit more solemn than the last farewell.
I left Pop's and drove back home to be greeted by my mom. I immediately went upstairs and put the SD card in my computer, sorting the pictures into a file that says "EVIDENCE" that I had created. Not obvious at all.
I sorted out my actual photography since it was pointless to have for evidence. I sat at my computer, wondering what in the world I was getting myself into.
AN: What do y'all think of Derek? ;)
Thank you all so much for reading and don't forget to vote!