CHAPTER SIX
As if my day couldn't have gotten off to a better start than waking up to the sound of pebbles pattering against my window like raindrops. It was like the night of the fight all over again, the sound of rain falling from the sky plaguing my ears.
I grumpily ripped away the blanket and walked over to the window. I drew back the curtains which allowed the morning glow of the sun to slip into my room. I squinted my eyes as a natural instinct. Once my eyes had adjusted to the sudden burst of light, I slid up the sash window.
I poked my head out of the window to find Lzzy with someone (I didn't know) standing by the pavement outside my house. I recognised the person with Lzzy, he was the guy with platinum blond hair that I saw hang out with Lzzy a lot.
Lzzy had a handful of pebbles. She drew back her hand behind her head prepared to release another rock at my window.
"What the fuck?" I bellowed.
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair!" Lzzy shouted back.
I looked over at the digital clock on my bedside drawer. "It's seven in the morning!"
"Did you forget about our breakfast date?" Lzzy cupped her hands around her mouth to project her voice. Oh frick, I did forget. "Get your ass down here!"
I sighed, "I'll be down in a minute!"
My bedroom door swung open wildly and my dad burst into my bedroom worriedly. "Kenna, what's happening?"
"It's just Lzzy," I explained.
Dad walked over to the window to see what was the commotion. "G'morning, Mr Andrews!" Lzzy waved from the pavement.
My dad waved back. "So you're friends with Serpents now?" he asked me.
"No, it's just Liz." I started shoving my dad out of my bedroom. "I'm having breakfast with her. Now, get out of here I need to change."
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I headed downstairs with my school bag slung over one shoulder after getting ready. Lzzy was slouching by the sidewalk with a cigarette in her hand while the platinum-blond-haired guy stood dully while waiting for me.
I didn't expect that Lzzy would invite someone else for our breakfast date, let alone a Serpent.
I yawned to announce my arrival which took Lzzy by surprise as she suddenly snapped to an upright position.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," Lzzy wrapped her arm around me like an armrest since I was shorter than her. "Kenna. Ghost," she introduced me to the platinum-blond-haired Serpent, "Ghost. Kenna."
What is up with Southside Serpents and nicknames?
"Hi," I said sleepily to Ghost.
"Hey," he nodded.
"So where we headed?" I asked Lzzy as we began walking.
"Pop's, Kenna. Did you forget about that as well?" Lzzy cocked an eyebrow.
I playfully shoved Lzzy gently and stole the cigarette out of her hand. I have been awfully forgetful today.
I've been warming up to the idea of going to Pop's recently. After finally going to Pop's for the first time last week and again yesterday (after the brawl with the Serpents). I just can't seem to get past the bell at the entrance which always seems to be making me feel uneasy.
"Kenna," Ghost called out, Lzzy and I turned our heads in unison, "you were at that awkward breakup yesterday, right?"
"I didn't even know that was going to happen," I replied. "I just went to talk to Jughead then Archie and the Serpents showed up unexpectedly."
He chuckled. "So you weren't part of that awkward breakup?"
"Sadly, I wasn't part of the packaged deal."
"Okay, What is this 'awkward breakup' I hear about?" Lzzy questioned.
Ghost looked at me for a response. "Do you want to tell her or should I?"
"Go ahead," I replied.
I sucked in a long breath of the cigarette as Ghost began to explain the events of yesterday. How the Serpents came to Jughead's trailer to find Archie attempting to break up with Jughead for Betty and how they were awkwardly standing there trying not to laugh.
"Since you crossed to the dark side, blah blah, Betty, blah, screw you!" I mocked.
"My god, that's worse than breaking up over text," Lzzy giggled.
"You know after you guys left, Jug was all like 'did you enjoy the show?' And then Sweets was all like 'show hasn't even started yet'," Ghost added.
Laughter erupted among the three of us but it died down as quickly as it was brought up and Lzzy and Ghost started talking about Serpent stuff that I didn't understand.
The rest of the walk to Pop's involved me trailing behind the two Serpents like a lost puppy. They had their own conversations while I lagged behind. I could see the desperation in Lzzy's eyes to get me in the conversation so that I wouldn't get left out.
"Look at what we have here," Ghost announced as we approached closer to Pop's.
Sitting on the other side of the window in Pop's was Jughead with a girl. Not even a day after his supposed "breakup" with Betty and he has already found his rebound.
"You don't think. . . " Lzzy trailed off.
"Better not be," replied Ghost.
This is some Southside Serpent thing that I don't understand because why would Ghost be upset about Jughead having a rebound? Unless it was something about the girl.
Ghost had one hand on the door handle. I cringed to prepare myself for the worst. Although I've gotten confident to enter Pop's ever since I finally went to Pop's the first time in weeks after the shooting but I could never get past the bell. Ghost pushed on the door but oddly enough there was no ringing of the bell.
"Strange. There's no bell," said Ghost.
I looked up at the door to find a lack of bell in place of where it should have been. Pop. He got rid of the bell.
I let out a sigh of relief.
"Topaz! Jughead!" Ghost called out and approached the table where Jughead and the pink-haired girl was sitting.
"I'll be right over there," Lzzy pointed to a table at the other far end of the diner, away from where Jughead was sitting.
I nodded, and followed Ghost who was approaching the table where Jughead and the girl were sitting.
Ghost crashed into the seat next to the pink-haired girl and wrapped an arm around her. "Looks like you two had a sleepover last night," said Ghost, "Does my sister know about that?"
"Actually she does," replied the pink-haired girl whose name is apparently Topaz. She paused for a moment, looking at Jughead before turning her attention back at Ghost again. "You're not thinking-"
"Hey, I'm just being the big brother looking out for his little sister," said Ghost. "Well, you two better get on going with your meal. Don't want to interrupt the most important meal of the day."
Ghost gave a wide unsettling grin before leaving the booth to join Lzzy at the other side of the diner.
Jughead and Topaz has now turned their attention to me and the feeling of awkwardness had started creeping in.
"Hey Jughead," I said.
"Hey Kenna," Jughead greeted back.
This is awkward. It makes it even more awkward that there's a third party.
"So. . . You're a Serpent," I added.
"So you're hanging out with Serpents," replied Jughead. "I wonder what Archie thinks."
I scoffed. "I don't care what Archie thinks."
"You and me both."
Kenna say something quick.
"Uh. . . Well we haven't really talked much since. . ." I glanced back and forth from Topaz to Jug to avoid eye contact. "You found out. . ." About the affair but I can't say that in front of Topaz. I bit my lip. "I was wondering if we're cool with each other?"
"Yes, Kenna we're cool," he replied calmly.
Oh, thank god.
"Great," I felt a rush of relief. "Uh. . . I guess I'll see you around?" I started backing away from their booth and eventually turned around and brisk walked towards the table where Ghost and Lzzy were sitting.
A waiter was standing by their booth taking their order. They sat next to each other and left an empty row across from them for me. I crashed into the empty seat.
"Kenna, what d'you want?" Asked Lzzy, immediately after I sat down.
"Uh. . . just some waffles," I told the waiter, who took down the order and left.
"Hey Andrews," said Ghost, "just curious. How come you don't have red hair?" He twirled his finger next to his head.
I shrugged. "Guess the genes skipped me."
"I wouldn't even have known you were Archie's sister unless Liz told me," he glanced over at Lzzy. "I always thought you were some random girl that wanted to square up with Sweets."
"You're weren't at the fight?" I lifted a brow.
"No, but my younger brothers were," he replied. "But If I knew you were going to beat the shit out of Sweets I would've gotten front row tickets."
"Your younger brothers are Serpents?"
"My whole family are except my Mother and sister."
"I take it that your Sister is dating that girl back there?" I half turned my body to point to the booth at the back where Jug and the girl was sitting.
"Oh, that's Toni. Toni Topaz. Yeah, she's dating my younger sister, Cassie. But everyone calls her Livewire."
Seriously, what is up with the nicknames?
"It's a comic book character," he explained when he saw my confusion. "My younger brothers are Bolt and Flash. They're twins."
"That's a pretty big family," I commented.
"I don't play around when it comes to family. I would do anything for them. That's why I joined the Serpents. They take pride in family as well."
"You know, with the way Sweet Pea talks about you, I expected you to be tall and menacing but you're like this tiny twelve year old," Ghost continued.
"I'm fifteen!" I said in an offended tone.
"And can kick a whole lot of ass," Lzzy elbowed Ghost in the stomach.
"I'm sorry, talks about me?" I asked.
"Oh yeah, he mentions you all the time he's like obsessed with you," said Ghost.
"It's embarrassing bringing up the fact that he got beat up by Kenna all the time though, I don't think he realises that," Lzzy added.
"What's his deal anyways?" I leaned back into my seat. "I met him the other day at Pop's-"
"And you didn't tell me about it?" Lzzy interrupted.
"I'm telling you now."
"What happened? I'm surprised there wasn't chaos," Lzzy edged closer towards the table.
I proceeded to explain the events of what happed that day I bumped into Sweet Pea at Pop's. "We argued. He told me how the Serpents were being marginalised, this and that, then I insulted him then Pop's stepped in, then he paid for my meal and- it was all a mess honestly."
Lzzy and Ghost took a moment to process the information.
"Pop's paid for your meal?" Asked Ghost.
"He told you that the Serpents were being marginalised and you still insulted him?" Lzzy added.
"I missed out on a few bits," I replied, "but no, I didn't insult him cause of that. And it was him, Sweet Pea, who paid for my meal."
"I'm confused," says Lzzy.
I sighed, "Same."
"Anyways, this beef you have, seems to be only between you and Sweets," said Ghost. "I think you're cool and all, you know. You're a tiny twelve year old who's brave enough to take on someone twice her size."
"I'm fifteen," I said.
"Twelve-year-old," said Ghost with a sly grin.
Honestly, Sweet Pea gave me a bad impression of the Southside Serpents. I always thought they were angry biker dudes who were always ready fight you if you looked at them wrongly. Ghost was actually a pretty great guy to talk to. Guess I shouldn't assume someone before I know them.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
This fanfic isn't dead yet!!
Hello guys, sorry for the very very very late update. I got stuck a lot writing this chapter.
And also, yes, Toni won't be dating Cheryl cause she's dating my other oc, Cassie, from another book, pink + blue (that I unpublished cause I cannot write two fanfics at once)
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ROSS LYNCH as GHOST
Okay when I made this face claim, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina had not been released yet so I did not know Ross Lynch would actually be in Sabrina which would also be canon in Riverdale oops. Harvey Kinkle will just have a Southside twin.
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MAISIE WILLIAMS as LIVEWIRE