CHAPTER 8- RAGE
"So how were your dates?"
Lauren and Veronica jump in surprise as a small shriek escapes Lauren mouth, she quickly regains her balance and quickly shakes her head in amusement, putting her books in her locker.
"First of all, not a date. Second, I'm pretty sure I confirmed that Reggie Mantle has a heart." Lauren said with a smile, looking at Kevin who smirked at her. Lauren had just been telling Veronica about the day she had and to say she had a great time was an understatement.
"Looks like they really hit it off. Can we think of any ship names?" Veronica smiles as she asked, "I can see a future couple and all I can say is, I ship it."
Kevin nodded in agreement. "I totally ship it too, I think Lauren may be the answer to all mysteries involving Reggie Mantle."
Betty, however, was being careful as she didn't trust Reggie, who was known for breaking hearts. "Are you sure, Laur? I mean he's not a guy that can be trusted."
"Yeah." Lauren nodded her head, closing her locker and turning to her. "It was one lunch, I'm still getting used to it."
Betty hesitantly nods his head as she wiped her palms on her jeans, an old habit she has.
"So how'd it go with Chuck?" Kevin quips changing the subject quickly.
Veronica laughs shaking her head. "Chuck has muscles for days but his conversation is not the stuff of Oscar Wilde or even Diablo Cody."
Cheryl's minion's who Lauren hated, if possible, more then Cheryl, walked by a smirk plastered on their fake and bleached faces. "Hey, Veronica, how was the sticky maple you had last night?"
Laurens eyes widened as she cursed not thinking for a moment this would happen. "The what?" Veronica asked.
"The sticky maple Chuck gave you? How was it?" The other one asked, her phone in hand.
"We had a brownie sundae if that's what you hyena's mean." Veronica snapped looking at the group in confusion.
Suddenly all the phones in the hall started to beep and Kevin took his out, shock written on his face as he examined it. "Oh My God!"
Lauren furrows her eyebrows as she looked over his shoulder to see a picture of a smiling Lodge and a smirking Clayton with Veronica's face covered in, obvious Photoshop, maple syrup.
Veronica snatched the phone from his hands and examined it, her eyes narrowed. "What the hell is a sticky maple?"
"It's kinda what it sounds like." Kevin admitted. "It's a Riverdale thing."
"No Kevin, It's a slut shaming thing." Lauren fumed and shook her head in anger.
"And, I'm neither a slut, nor am I going to be shamed by someone named, excuse me, Chuck Clayton."
Lauren admitted that the name thing was stupid in Riverdale and all she was blessed with was a normal name, thankfully.
"Does he really think he can get away with this? Does he not know who I am?" Veronica questioned in rage. "I will cut the breaks on his souped-up phallic symbol."
Betty cuts in nervously, not wanting to escalate the situation. "Or we can go to Principal Weatherbee."
Kevin nods in agreement, terrified of Veronica's attitude.
"About the Coach's son?" Lauren says with raised eyebrows. "Who is captain of the football team?"
"And Riverdale high's resident golden boy?" Veronica scoffs her face stern.
"Or I can expose him in the pages of the blue and gold, yeah I can do that!" Betty exclaims suggesting with a hint of hope.
"No, Spoken like a true good girl who always follows the rules." The raven haired girl snaps, pushing the phone into Kevin who falls into the lockers with a slam. She walks forward, a tight grip on Lauren's arm making her follow him. "Well I don't follow rules, I make them and when necessary I break them. You wanna help me get revenge, Laur? Betty? But you better be ready to go full dark no stars."
With that said Lauren and Betty were dragged into the boys locker room and immediately Betty covers her eyes as Lauren keeps her trained to the floor, biting her lip.
Veronica makes her way through a tight grip on the other two girls arms and her phone, pushing the boys in her way.
Not looking up once, Lauren bumps into Archie who stumbles , holding his towel which was about to come off and Lauren's eyes widen momentarily at his abs. "Veronica? Betty, Lauren, what are you guys doing here?"
"Don't worry about it." Veronica replied, moving past him but being stopped by him once more. "I mean it Andrews hit the showers and stay out of my way."
Lauren gives him an apologetic look before making her way next to Veronica. Veronica clears her throat to make her existence known to Chuck who had been previously talking to Moose, he turns with a smirk.
"Huh, B, V and L. Menage right on. Ladies." Chuck smirks, licking his lips, rubbing his hands together.
Lauren lets out a disgusted snort at that and stands straighter.
Veronica doesn't move a muscle as she holds out her phone for him to see. "This is disgusting. Take it down."
The boys behind Chuck start to chuckle and Lauren sends them a brief glare making them stop.
Chuck holds his hand out in mock surrender, his distasteful smirk not leaving his face once. "Woah, Why are you so wound up? It's a badge of honor. And you're not exactly virgin territory after your closet date with Andrews."
Veronica's jaw drops in disbelief ready to speak but the closet topic had obviously sparked an anger in Betty making her speak up. "Okay that's beyond irrelevant, Chuck. You're not allowed to go around humiliating girls for any reason under any circumstances, you jerk."
This, however, only made Chuck's ego boost up as he laughs inwardly. "Look I get your not a closet kind of girl, but hey if you wanna ride the Chuck wagon, that can be arranged."
Betty takes a step back, obviously offended and disgusted by Chucks words.
Lauren groans out loud. "Ugh, you're a pig, Chuck. You're a thirsty man-whore who lives on ruining women and their self confidence. You're nothing but a person who lives off his fathers leadership in the school and you may think you can get away with it but all the lives you hurt and ruined will bite you in the ass and it wont be pretty. Kiss your life goodbye, Chuck."
Nobody expected it. Nobody even predicted that Lauren Davis had the courage to say words like that but it definitely left everyone speechless. Lauren had obviously changed since the last time she had entered the school. She realized that, in this world, nobody will stand up for you unless it's yourself. She wanted to be that person that she didn't have. After all, Chuck Clayton ruined her life as well.
Chuck was the most speechless, not having the snarky remark anymore. Veronica's eyes had widened and Betty stood, jaw-dropped, arms crossed as she grabbed a hold of the girls arm.
There was an eerie silence spread across the room as jocks covered their mouths to hide their laughs and smiles.
Chuck took a step closer to the girl, harshly grabbing a hold of her arm, bringing her closer to him. She stood her ground though, getting closer to him, in order to intimidate him. "And you, Lauren? Who are you? At least I have a father and a mother, where are yours? Oh yeah, rotting in prison and far, far away from your mental illnesses and away from you. Because nobody wants to be around you, even your family. Your not worth anything."
"At least I don't hide behind their names." Lauren spat, confidently, though she couldn't hide the tears of anger that had welled up in her eyes. "At least I have a heart and soul and lets admit it Chuck, you're just as mental as I am."
The jocks, that Chuck called his friends, all wolf-whistled with smirks on their faces as Moose claps his back, telling him to surrender as he knew that his friend would not be able to say anything that could break her at the moment.
Chuck didn't answer, his jaw was clenched in anger as he pushed her back, hard making her fall into Reggie, who steadied her from her fall. He held her closely as she looked up at him, he gave her a look of confusion.
Lauren, however, only glared at Chuck as everyone in the locker room stood quietly. The interaction that the two had, was filled with tension.
Veronica was next, speaking up after giving Lauren a look that asked her if she was okay, who simply shrugged as Reggie held her. "Lets keep this simple, so that your preppy-murderer half-brain can grasp it. Take this the hell down!"
Veronica had taken a few steps forward. Chuck was still trying to regain himself after the interaction with Lauren but he answered anyway. "Okay, that high-tones bitch attitude may have worked on the betas you dated in New York but you're in bulldog territory."
Moose steps ahead barking at the girl who jumps in fright along with Lauren, though Reggie's large hands were still pressed on her arms firmly. The rest of the jocks start barking menacingly and Lauren rolls her eyes at the immaturity the guys held.
"But please, fight back. You'll only make it harder on yourself." Chuck says taking a step forward so she was dangerously close to him. He walks away from her stopping in front of Lauren with a clenched jaw. She eyes him, daring him to speak to her.
"This is not over, Davis. Mark my words."
Lauren scoffs. "Try me."
With that said the boy walks away from the girls and Lauren sighs as the other jocks follow him out.
Lauren finally turns around to look at Reggie who was giving her a questioning look. "What was that all about?"
"Three words. Veronica and Sticky Maple." Lauren said with a roll of her eyes.
"You okay?" He asked quietly. Making her raise her eyebrows at him. "I mean what he said was pretty harsh but your were harsher, damn, Davis, Who knew?"
Lauren laughs shaking her head. "He disgusts me. I'll see you later okay?"
Reggie nods his head as Lauren leaves with Veronica and Betty. Betty and Veronica walk with Lauren as both silently communicate.
"Hey, I just wanted to thank you for defending me." Veronica admits finally, looking at both of the girls, more to Lauren.
"It's okay V, I would do it again, if i had to." Lauren told her, almost completely inaudible. Chuck knew exactly what topics to bring up when it comes to her and although she wouldn't show it, she was quite hurt from the words.
****
Lauren was called back to school by Betty along with Veronica. As her and Veronica walked into the room they stopped talking, looking around at the unfamiliar faces.
"The story is bigger then we thought." Betty concludes, a book in her hand. "I started asking around, to see if what happened to you, happened to anyone else, and if anyone would go on record."
Ethel nods her head, looking at Betty and then to Lauren and Veronica. "I will. 100 percent."
Betty nods in appreciation, giving the girl a smile. "It's five guys on the football team. Chuck and his posse. Ethel was just about to tell us..."
"One day, last year, Chuck and I talked in the library for 10 minutes. I helped him with a pre-cal problem, and nothing happened. But the next day he started telling people that I let him do things to me. Like sex stuff. And then he, or one of his goons wrote sloppy seconds on my locker." Ethel explained but is cut off by a new voice as Lauren frowns at this, feeling sympathtic towards the girl.
Cheryl walks into the room making Lauren roll her eyes in annoyance, she turns around, groaning. "Yes, yes, we've all heard your tragic origin story."
Betty shakes her head looking at the girl and apologizing to her. "I'm so sorry, Ethel. That's horrible..."
Once again she's cut off by Cheryl. "Not as horrible as being a suspect in your own brother-torture-murder case, but we all have our crosses."
"Can you, for once, not be completely shallow and order everyone to pity you?" Lauren question annoyed.
"River vixen practice starts in five minutes, sluts so..." Cheryl says ignoring Lauren's question.
"They're ruining our lives and to them it's just a game." Ethel begins again. "They keep score and."
Veronica cuts Ethel off just like everyone else was cutting everyone else off. "Wait, what do you mean keep score?"
"Each conquest earns them points." Ethel answers. "They keep track in some secret playbook."
Lauren lets out a scoff in disbelief.
"We have to tell Weatherbee." Betty tells them.
"I already tried. Weatherbee said he didn't find anything." Ethel shrugged.
"We need undeniable proof." Betty says again.
"Proof of what, Nancy Drew? That boys will be boys? And that playbook reeks of suburban legend." Cheryl exclaims, her arms crossed.
"And how do you know Cheryl?" Lauren asks her with her eyebrows raised.
"Because Frida Shallow, before he died my brother was co-captain of the football team with Chuck. And Jason never mentioned it nor would he allow it." Cheryl says defending her brother.
"Okay, no offense, Cheryl but your bother was a dick to anyone who wasn't associated to him." Lauren told her shrugging her shoulder as Cheryl gasps.
"Well, I never met your brother, but I'm not lying and Ethel is not lying. Proof or no proof, book or no book, I am going scorched earth on these privileged despicable miscreants. You wanna get caught in the back-draft, Cheryl? Call me or any on of these beautiful, young, strong, intelligent women, sluts one more time." Veronica says, she had taken a few steps closer to the red-head.
****
"So why are we talking to scout, again? And why can't you do it alone?" Lauren asks Jughead as she took of her apron and set it on the counter.
"Because Ms.Davis, you bring me strength. And we need to talk after this." Jughead answered as he watched the father of the scout leave. "Lets go."
Jughead takes a seat in the booth, opposite the boy, scooting so Lauren could take a seat too. To catch the young scouts attention Jughead grabbed the Cherry on the top of his sundae and took a bite out of it.
The boy put his hands up in surrender a look of shock on his face. "What the hell man?"
"I saw the way you looked at me, during grizzly training." Jughead says offering Lauren some who declines mumbling 'I could get fired'. "You're hiding something."
"It's scoutmaster Doiley, he's lying." The boy said wide-eyed.
"About what?" Lauren asked with her features raised.
"The gunshot. It was him. He was teaching us how to shoot targets." The scout told them, leaning over the table.
Lauren's eyes widen and she shares a look with Jughead. "Dilton Doiley shot the gun on July 4th?"
"He's a hardcore survivalist. He says if we don't protect ourselves no one will."
With that said the boy is called by his father and gets up to leave, as both the teens sit in silence.
"Wow." Lauren mumbled, "Didn't think that was a thing."
"You're not off the hook, young lady. What was that? I heard what happened in the locker room." Jughead told her, leaning back again.
"Nothing, Chuck was just the first person who started the picking on me thing." Lauren shrugged. "And Veronica is my friend and he used her like a dirty napkin."
Jughead nodded in understanding knowing the topic was something she didn't want to talk about.
"So? You're a journalist now, what's that about?"
After discussing all that Lauren had made her way home once more and of course the moment she walks into her house and gets in her pajamas, the door bell ring.
With a groan, she gets up and makes her way to the door, opening her hair from the braid it was in.
She shakes her head, opening the door, expecting it to be Jughead or Betty but instead sees Reggie standing there in a black t-shirt with jeans and he smirks, holding up Dvd's.
"Reggie? What are you doing here?" Lauren asks as she steps aside, allowing the boy to walk in.
"I thought we could have a movie night." Reggie says and Lauren raises her eyebrows.
"How do you know where I live?" Lauren asks, a hint of amusement in her voice.
Reggie's cheeks flush. "I asked Andrews."
Lauren laughs at the embarrassed face he was wearing. "Let's do it."
****
DAMN LONG CHAPTER
Anyway my whole body is currently in pain because I went on A HUNgEr gAmes ROLLER COASTER.
I'm still shook.
How did you like the chapter? This is probably one of my faves cuz like Lauren is breaking out of her shyness and standing up for shit. And you'll see in the next chapter where her and Chucks past begins.
She is becoming a badass and is it bad I kinda ship Laur and Reggie, now? Probably. Cuz its a Jughead fic. Dont worry yall. Its still a jughead fic.
I think.