I walk towards my last class of the day, not ditching it today. My first day of being a part of The Blue and The Gold. I walk in and see several familiar faces.
"Roe finally you showed up" Betty speaks, "Welcome to The Blue and The Gold, let me introduce you to the staff. This is Dilton Doiley, he reports on sports, Jug tends to do front cover headlines, Veronica does life outside of riverdale and fashion, Tony Topaz will be your partner in photography and oh, Josie you're late," She says at Josie, who was just walking in, "Josie does music and the arts with Valerie."
"Josie, Josie Mccoy," I say recalling the bad blood between us.
"Wow, Monroe, it's been such a long time." She say as she comes up and hugs me. I just stand there at the gesture, freaked out, without engaging in the hug.
"Um yeah, it has," I simply answer.
"It is just so great that you are back."
"Yeah thanks."
"See we are all getting along, I know we would" Betty speaks up. I confused as ever. Josie hated me, Josie Mccoy had always hated me, ever since I got the role of Cinderella in the 3rd grade play and she got the role of the cat, Lucifer. Maybe she got over it. Either way it is weird. I make my way over to Toni.
"What was that all about, you didn't seem equally excited to see her again." she says catching on to the discomfort I feel about the hug.
"Because I am not, Josie and I never liked each other, like ever, I always hated her 'I'm better than you' attitude and her inability to break the rules, it all just irked me."
"Huh, I feel the same."
"So what are you doing after school today, Topaz?" I ask changing the topic.
"I have a shift at the Wyrm, but I know Sweets and Fangs are free. You should hit them up."
"Ugh, okay, yeah, I guess i'll see if I can catch them before they leave today, I really don't want to go home."
"You really don't like being there..." Toni begins, Jughead interrupting her as he walks over.
"Toni, Roe, could you guys go to take pictures of the sodale development, for the expose?" he asks.
"Yeah boss, we're already there." Toni says, saluting Jughead as if he were a captain, and us lowly soldiers in battle, before walking out of the room, I trudging out behind her.
"We're taking my bike, is that cool?"
"Yeah, that's fine." I say as I climb on behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. The second time we are this close to each other. She rides to the southside, to where the drive-in used to be. I see just remains of it, no actual reference of it ever being here. My heart breaking a little. This used to be another one of my favorite things about Riverdale. Toni gets the pictures we need for the article and we head back, making it to Riverdale High before the last bell rings.
Toni drops me off at the front doors and rides off, trying to make it to the wyrm before all the serpents show up. I walk back into the school, camera in hand, headed back to The Blue and The Gold.
"Roe, you're back, was thinking you and Toni just ran off" Betty says, something unidentifiable in her tone, something different. I let it go as Jughead speaks up.
"Did you guys get the pictures? We need to get this printed as soon as possible."
"Yeah we did, they're in there." I say handing him the camera. I glance out the door for a brief moment and see Sweets and Fangs walk by, "ummm... can I go?" I ask, urgency evident in my words.
"Yeah, Roe, your free to go, but here," he says as he tosses me the camera. "It's yours now, you never know when you'll get something good." I take the camera from him, nodding at his words as I quickly grab my bag and run out of the classroom towards the front of the school, hoping they haven't left yet. I bust out the front doors and don't see them anywhere, their bikes not where they were earlier. I missed them, sadness taking over me, i slow down and plan to just walk home, my head down facing the sidewalk as i take one slow step after the other.
"Looking for me?" I hear the all too familiar voice say from behind me. I turn around and both idiots are standing there, giant smiles on their faces. I smile back and begin to answer Sweets question.
"Umm... No. I... I... I was."
"You were totally looking for me, don't deny it, you got all sad when you saw our bikes gone." he says all too confident in himself. He's totally right, but I couldn't let him know that.
"No. I was looking for... Archie" I think off the top of my head, I know how much he really doesn't like him.
"Oh." he says the smile leaving his face, "well your boyfriend is over there, practically eating his girlfriend," he says to me, spite laced in his words. I place my hands over my heart dramatically after he is done.
"Ouch," I say out, "that really hurt." I then laugh, "I'm kidding Pea, don't get your panties in a twist, I was totally looking for you, for both of you" I say remembering that Fangs is here just watching this all go down. "I just wanted to ask if I could hang out with you guys, I got nothing to do, and I really don't want to go home." I basically plead.
"Yeah, hop on" Sweets says as he takes my hand and guides me to his bike. Fangs making at face of confusion at the notion. I simply look over at Fangs and shrug my shoulders. He hands me the extra helmet, as I get on and he rides off.
"Where we headed?" I ask Sweet Pea as he stops at a light.
"The Pit." He answers.