'The things we hate always have a way of showing us why we hate them'
I don't own any of Riverdale, only my characters
I SKIMMED DOWN THE HALLS OF RIVERDALE HIGH. My key in hand, making screeching noises as it scraped across the doors of lockers until I came to stop at the one I was looking for.
Chuck Clayton, you messed with the wrong blonde.I was skipping class, well it was actually a memorial assembly for Jason Blossom, which I didn't want to go to. I didn't know him well, I didn't talk to him, why should I show up? Which makes me question everyone else theories on why I wasn't there, I wonder if they'd think I was upset or didn't care. Those who truly knew me would vote the latter of the two, I didn't care about Jason Blossom, only myself.
I plugged my earphones into my phone before tucking them into my ears, I put my playlist on shuffle and listened to a few songs. I stopped in front of Chuck's locker and carved into it.
PERV
The paint was scraped off easy, like butter on toast, and I couldn't help but grin at my handiwork. I tucked my key into my pocket and continued on my way down the halls, passing by empty classrooms before stopping in front of the trophy cabinet.
They had stuck up a photo of Jason inside, football jersey with classic kneeling position and all, smiling like the pretty boy he was. I felt bad in someway for him, drowning was not a good way to go, and the cause was pathetic enough. The boat capsizing when reaching for his sister's glove, sad really.
My eyes looked over the board to the other football team pictures, dating all the way back to when my parents where in school.
The picture was surprisingly in colour, my dad back row, standing tall with his hands behind his back. He stood next to a man with clear tan skin and black hair, both grinning since they stood in the centre of the group. I saw Hal Cooper, he was kneeling at the front, the football at his knees. Fred Andrews was also there, and Reggie's dad.
The cheerleading team was spread out on either side of the football team, their arms high and their pom poms shaking in the wind.
Alice Cooper stood at the front, her leg bent in a sassy position, a grin on her face. Her blonde hair curled and styled nicely, her features sharp and strong. Penelope Blossom stood next to her, the same position, only she didn't smile, her face remained the forever scowl it was.
My mother stood next a woman with tan skin and dark hair, both were grinning and in the same pose as Alice and Penelope. On the other side of my mother was Mary Andrew's, her hair cut short like I always remembered, grinning into the photo.
They all looked so different, yet still the same.I was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. I pulled my earbuds out and turned seeing a girl with short black hair and a obviously large trust fund.
"Can I help you?" I said with disinterest.
"Hi, I'm Veronica Lodge, my friends over there thought that I shouldn't talk to you because apparently your not nice" she said pointing at none other than Betty Cooper and Kevin Keller, their cringes clearly evident on their faces.
I used to pour chocolate milk in Betty's hair, good times.
"And you thought that you could talk to me because......" I trailed off a bitchy tone in my voice.
"I'm new, and it's always good to have friends" she smiled nicely.
I licked my lips and chuckled humourlessly "okay newbie, how about you and your cheap knock off Louis Vuitton heels go back into that hole you crawled out of. Because in all honesty, I don't want to be your friend, I don't even want to be your acquaintance. Now shoo" I waved her off and plugged my earphones back in and walked down the halls my hips swaying like a cat.
Veronica was shocked that's for sure, but honestly people should know not to talk to me. I just fire back hate, and there's only a few people I actually like at this school.
There's Kevin, because he always compliments my shoes, handbags etc. Reggie and I are friends, we have casual conversations here and there but we weren't close. Betty Cooper, she's sweet and shy, every now and then we have to partner up with science but she always nice to me, and I act half decent for her.
Then there was Jughead Jones, the mystery guy, moody, sarcastic, smart. I didn't know him well, I think I've barely even spoken to him. But I like him, he seems nice, he keeps to himself mostly and I think that's what I like most about him.
He doesn't need to fit in, and neither do I.
---
My stomach rumbled lowly, begging for greasy cafeteria food, that or Doritos.
It was lunch now, and I was ready to eat. I gripped my tray of food tightly as I walked through the cafeteria and outside towards the fields.
The sun was dim out today, but the breeze was warm, fighting against the growing cold weather. Groups scattered around me, some of whom had left seats opened, all eyes on me. It seemed like a commotion most days as to who I as going to sit with next. Would it be Reggie? Or Cheryl? Or would it be Josie, Archie, Betty? Who knows, every day was different.
I could sit with Cheryl, she thinks were best friends when in reality I barely even talk to her.
I glanced at her seeing she was waving me over, I really, really didn't want to sit with her. I looked somewhere else, Reggie's group were eyeing me, that only made me snarl and walk off.
After walking around for a good two minutes, I had two choices. Sit by myself like usual, or sit with someone.
I took another glance over everyone, studying them. Then he caught my eye, Jughead, as usual on his laptop. His clothes dark and the bags under his eyes darker. I noticed he seemed to never take his grey beanie off, I wonder if it smelt weird or not? His face was void of emotion, as I noticed it always was, and he furiously typed away on his laptop, I wonder what he does on that all day?
Maybe I'll find out what he's doing on it.
I casually walked over to him, I sat my tray down and swung my legs onto the seat sitting crosslegged. He look startled, shocked even, well it's not everyday Annabelle Underwood sits across from you."Hey" I said, I took my burger and bit into it. I chewed, my stomach thanking me in relief as I got food into my system. Jughead looked at me, his eyes wide and his mouth agape.
"You just going to stare at me all day or are you gonna say hello back?" I chuckled softly, "uh, hey" he said.
"Better" I smirked swallowing my bite, I took another and chewed.
I looked up to the sky, the soft blue sky clear of clouds. I smiled closing my eyes feeling the nice warm breeze on my face.
"Anna, why are you sitting with me?" Jughead asked breaking me from my moment of piece with my burger and the wind.
"Because I want to" I said my nice tone lacing my voice, "so what's so intriguing that your always typing on your keyboard?" I asked.
"I um, I'm writing a novel" he said, "oh, really what about?" I asked throwing a fry in my mouth chewing slowly.
He seemed to shiver a little, his shoulders hunching forward more and nerves in his eyes. "Riverdale mostly, just significant events" Jughead answered.
I raised an eyebrow at him. "Like Jason Blossoms death?"
"I-uh, well-I. Um" he stuttered not able to get the words out, then I noticed how he kept licking his lip slightly, and how he was wiping his sweaty palms on his jeans. He was nervous. Well, no kidding he was nervous, my reputation was less than kind.
"You aren't, scared of me. Are you?" I asked wearily, drawing myself back. His eyes bulged and he shook his head "no, well-not really. You can be intimidating, but no-not afraid" he said quickly, stuttering over his words. I chuckled lightly "just nervous?" I asked, he nodded instantly. "Yeah, just nervous" I chuckled again before speaking. "Don't worry, I'm not going to push your head down a toilet. However, if you looked at my arse like everyone else does, then yeah, I probably would push your head down a toilet" I said.
He face slightly paled, I giggled softly biting into another fry. "I'm only half serious" I laughed, he chuckled nervously scratching the back of his neck.
"So, are you going to the dance?" I asked, he stuck his bottom lip out and shrugged. "It's not exactly my thing" Jughead said.
"Yeah, the same with me. So, you wanna hang out at Pops that night?"
In all honesty, I don't even know why I invited Jughead to Pops with me. Pops was my little sanctuary of peace and quiet, and yet, I wanted to invite Jughead to break through the silence. "Me?" He asked, "I'm not talking to anyone else am I?" I smirked. "Um, yeah sure" Jughead said a small smile on his face.
"Goodie" I smiled eating a fry.
"Maybe I can read that novel your working on" I said standing up, grabbing hold of my tray in my palms. Jughead looked up at me with a bewildered expression, no doubt shocked by my invitation. "Maybe" he smiled "where are you going?" He asked.
"The food is greasier than a pre-teens face, I don't want to eat it" I said taking a step back, a smirk on my face. "See you around Jughead" I continued beginning to walk away.
"Wait, I don't have your number" he called out, I turned and called out "look under your laptop!" he did as told, his fingers hooking onto the small slip of paper, his blue eyes glancing over them before meeting mine. His smile was brighter than his eyes. I smirked and turned back around, heading for the buildings.
I stood in front of my locker, reapplying my red lipstick. I trimmed it nicely, I popped my lips and smiled.I took the books for my next lessons (even though I was going to skip half of them anyway) and stuffed them in my bag, as I turned Cheryl was standing behind me. Her usual red lipstick framing her lips with gloss, Cheryl's long reddish orange hair in a half up half down style. She was in her vixen uniforms, a 'cheerful' smile on her face.
"Hi Anna" Cheryl smiled, I can see through that fake smile Cheryl.
"Hi Cheryl" I sighed closing the door to my locker, "so tryouts for the Rivervixens is today, and since I know you're super flexible and you were on the team last year I thought you could tryout again" she squealed jumping in the spot clapping her hands giggling.
"Cheryl, do you know why I quit the team?" I said. She puckered up her lips and shook her head with an easy shrug. "Not really, you just got up and left" she replied. Well, that is kind of true, because I literally got up and left. But it still annoyed how Cheryl was oblivious to the real reason why I left, like Jesus, she was one of the reasons.
"I left because I hated being on the team, why would I go back?" I said my bitchy tone becoming loud and clear. Cheryl pursed her lips with attitude "because I finally got rid of Melanie Masterson, I know you hated her" Cheryl smiles as if she just won a prize. "I hate everyone" I deadpanned.
"Not me" she smirked.
Yeah about that...
"So, what are you wearing to the semi-formal?" Cheryl asked linking arms with me and forcing me to walk along with her. "I'm not going" I answered, she suddenly halted stopping me along with her. Her eyes bulged and her grip tightened. "You what!" She squealed "this is the most important event of the year, you have to be there".
I sucked on my teeth and shook my head. "To you, maybe. But to me, it's another dance that I have to waste my money on" I said "and besides, I don't have to be there" I said with a shrug. Cheryl pouted "you don't go to any parties, or dances" she groaned "and you're the only girl, besides me who has style" she added with an annoyed eye roll. "Yeah, I don't go because I don't think it's important" I said, unlinking our arms. "A high school experience isn't important?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "I think getting out of this towns important" I said, throwing my hands on my hips, glaring at her. "And the whole 'high school experience' is bullshit made up by someone to make everyone think high school is fun. This isn't high school musical, and school is miserable"
Cheryl asked, rolling her eyes. "Your beginning to sound like that loner guy, bowlhead is it? I saw you sitting with him, your standards have gone down way to low. First bowlhead, who's next?" She said.
My skin flushed with heat, annoyance, and vexation. She didn't even know Jughead, and who cares if he's a loner, and wears dark clothes. I though the whole labelling people was over and done with. "Okay, first of all its Jughead and second of all, you don't get a say in who I'm friends with" I snarled angrily, forcing my feet to move as I stormed off.
The bell rang signalling the start of class, but I couldn't care less about Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Cheryl pissed me off too much. So I took my time making it to class but when I got there it was a least fifteen minutes into the lesson, the teacher, Mr Williams glared at me angrily as I walked in.
"Sorry I'm late" I said with disinterest
"Why are you late Ms Underwood?" He said crossing his arms.
"No reason, I just really didn't want to come" I shrugged hearing the class chuckle, Williams went to speak but shut his mouth. I walked to the back of the classroom and sat in my seat, I put my bag on the back of my seat after pulling out my phone.
I didn't listen to anything Mr Williams said, I was too busy texting my mom.
Me: Save me from this hell please
Mama Bear 🐻🐻: No can do, I'm on a sick day remember 😉
Me: You're evil
Mama Bear: 🐻🐻 Yes I am, evil and proud
Mama Bear 🐻🐻: Dads picking you up from school today
I groaned reading her text, a feeling of disgust washing over me.
Me: Whyyyyyy
Mama Bear 🐻🐻: I know you don't like dad, but please just be nice
Me: Can't make any promises
Mama Bear 🐻🐻: Anna
Me: Mom
Mama Bear 🐻🐻: Okay then, how about this. If you don't start an argument with dad I'll buy you dinner at Pops
Me: Deal
"Ms Underwood" a voice said, I looked up from my phone seeing Mr Williams looking at me from across the classroom.
"Yeah?" I replied turning my phone off and putting it on the desk.
"What was the feud between the Capulets and Montagues?" He asked expecting me not know the answer.
"There was a feud, but Shakespeare never wrote the reason behind it. Just that it had been an ancient feud between the families" I smirked, his face dropped the smug look he had.
My smirk only became bigger.