I walked into the Student Lounge and sat down between Fangs and the arm of the couch where Sweetpea sat playing on his phone. Betty suddenly spoke up "Mom wants to know what you want for your birthday, Caden" I shrugged "Nothing" I replied while tossing my feet up on the table.
"When is your birthday?" Toni asked from Cheryl's lap, "It's Friday, isn't it?" Cheryl replied, and I nodded. "Well what are we doing for it?" she asked, and I looked at her "Cheryl what do I do on my birthday for the past like ten years" "We go to pops and then would go to the drive-in before spending the night in a tent in your yard" Jughead replied, causing me to roll my eyes "We only did the tent like three times before our parents said boys and girls together was a no-go. But, I wanna go to pops and just go home probably. I'm only turning 17" I said, mumbling the last part.
"We can still do something fun! Have a party!" Kevin said, and I looked at everyone "No and if you guys do that bullshit you did to Jughead, I seriously won't talk to anyone again. No party means no damn party" I said, slightly angry. "I'm fine with just this group and my brother and Reggie, but that is IT, anybody else and I'll fucking leave," I said while staring down at the floor.
"We won't throw a party, but what are we gonna do?" "My parents won't be home, we can just stay in the living room" I shrugged "Watch movies and eat a bunch of junk food, drink" I added. "You and I can go get all of the junk food tomorrow if you want," Betty said, and I nodded "I'll probably write a list of drinks for Moose to get," I said.
I pulled out my phone and handed it to Toni "Put your number along with Sweets and Fangs in there and I'll get anything if you want it" I said and she nodded and started to type. "You know we have a football game Friday right?" Archie said, and I looked to him with a cocked eyebrow "Nobody said I'd drink before it" "Although she still cheers really good when she is drinking" Cheryl said as Toni handed me my phone.
"Seriously what do you want for your birthday" "Seriously nothing" I replied to Cheryl before she turned to Betty and everyone else "Whats something she needs" "No clue" "Better attitude" "A boyfriend" I looked at Kevin with my jaw dropped "That's fucken mean" I said, as our friends laughed at his comment "Who said I wanted a boyfriend" I asked while crossing my arms. "The lack of sex you've had the past like four months" "He has a point, you might be nicer" "I feel personally attacked" I replied while leaning back in my seat.
"Seriously when was the last time you got laid? Because it might help you be nicer to all of us" "That day I broke up with Justin" I said with a shrug. "That was almost five months ago" "I know when I broke up with my boyfriend," I said with a slight chuckle. "Can we stop talking about her sex life please?" Jughead said, and I just glanced at him to see him looking annoyed.
---
As I made my way over to my truck, I felt someone pick me up, causing me to squeal while I laughed after dropping my gym bag. "Let's go get Pops" Reggie whispered to me while putting me down and grabbing my bag from the ground. I gave him a shrug as he slung my bag over his own shoulder "Sure" I replied as we walked over to my truck and he tossed our bags into the bed.
He got into the passenger seat and I got into the driver seat before starting it up and backing out. We made our way to Pops where we sat in a booth and FP took our order. I had my feet up in his seat while he played on his phone. "We're not having a party for my birthday," I said and he looked up with a nod 'Didn't think we would" he replied and I nodded.
"I was attacked today" "What happened?" he asked while sitting his phone down as I started to explain. When I finished, he laughed as FP sat our food down while I kicked his thigh, making him grab my foot and throw it onto the ground. I rolled my eyes and sat up while starting to eat my food.
"Maybe they're right though? You are a lot nicer when you've had sex" I shrugged while shoving a fry into my mouth, "That might be try, but I kinda have to find someone I wanna be with" "Then find someone you want to be with, but they have to go through me and Moose because we're your brothers" "Its Moose and I" "What?" I rolled my eyes "You said me and Moose, its Moose and I" I replied causing him to glare at me as I took a bite of my burger.
I heard the doorbell ring and looked up while sitting my burger down to see Betty, Jughead, Archie, and Veronica coming in. "Oh look it's Glitter" I covered my mouth with my napkin and shook my head while Jughead and Archie laughed. "What the hell is Glitter," Reggie asked, looking at them, "Caden's stripper name" Archie replied as they sat at the booth behind us.
Reggie gave me a look of disappointment while eating and I returned a smile with it. When we finished, Reggie paid for us and gave FP a tip before we left. I drove to my house where he went straight up to Moose's room while I went to my own and laid in bed, texting Betty to let me know when she wanted to go shopping.
Only for her to respond and say she has new plans with Veronica... So, I decided to call another girl I liked,
"Hello?"
"Toni? Hey, it's Caden, are you busy?" I asked as I bit my bottom lip and sat up.
"No, I'm just at the Whyte Wyrm with Sweetpea right now, what's up?"
"Do you guys wanna go with me to get junk foods for Friday?"
"Let me ask Sweetpea, one second"
I nodded, forgetting she couldn't see me before replying, "Okay" I said while scooting to the edge of my bed,
"Yeah, do you want us to meet you or what?"
"Um, I can come over there, I know the drive"
"Alright, be safe"
"See you in a few minutes," I said before hanging up.
I jumped off the bed and grabbed my purse before walking over to Moose's room where Reggie laid on his bed, playing on his phone and Moose sat at his desk "I'm gonna go get some junk food for Friday, I'll be back, but will you go pick up the drinks?" I asked while pointing to the list I left him.
"Yeah, we'll go in a second," he said before closing his history textbook and smiling at me. I returned the smile and jogged down the stairs and out the door. I climbed into my truck and headed straight to the Whyte Wyrm while my music played softly. Upon pulling up, I sent Toni a message saying I had arrived.
I shrugged my jacket off and as I put my belt back on, I saw the two coming out of the building. Toni sat in the middle seat and Sweetpea sat by the door. I quickly headed to the store while they finished a conversation they must have started in the Wyrm.
When we arrived, we all got out and walked in together. People stared at us, but it was probably because a Northsider was walking with two Southside Serpents. I grabbed a cart and we started shopping together "Is there anything you guys want?" I asked while turning to look at them "Like, specific" I added while turning back around.
"Whatever you get I'm sure is fine," Sweetpea said and Toni agreed so I turned around and started to grab things. We walked around the store for about an hour before deciding to check out. "Cheryl's outside waiting on me, she wants me to go shopping with her" I chuckled "Have fun watching her try a million things on," I said and she laughed before running out of the store, leaving Sweetpea and me to check out.
"Two big bags of sour patch kids?" he asked with a laugh, "Yes, some to eat and some to soak in vodka," I said in a duh tone, causing him to laugh at me while tossing them on the table. The lady stared at us in shock while looking at all of the junk food she scanned, causing Sweetpea and I to snicker while I grabbed my wallet.
"That'll be $213.64" I opened my wallet and put my card into the chip reader. "Like a true Northsider," I shrugged "It's mommy and daddies money so I don't care" I shrugged while pulling it out and getting the receipt. Sweetpea pushed the cart as I put my wallet in my purse. "To be honest, I'd rather live on Southside, I've met more genuine Southsiders then Northsiders" I said with a shrug as we made it to my truck.
He started putting the bags into the bed with my help "What do you plan to do after high school?" I smiled a little bit "I wanted to be a writer, kinda like Juggie does, but I know I need something for myself so I think I'm going to be a crime scene investigator, maybe a mortician" I said with a smile. "A mortician?" "A lot of people don't use the term because they don't know much about it, but it's the person who preps the dead bodies," I said while looking at him.
"Won't that freak you out?" I shook my head while grabbing more bags "No, I mean the bodies still release gas, and they jerk sometimes, they let out moans sometimes, but I don't think so" I said, "I think the dead is beautiful" I whispered while grabbing the cart and starting to push it, Sweetpea walking beside me.
"How's the dead beautiful? It's a bad thing" "It's usually a bad thing, but sometimes it's the best thing for that person, and they're peaceful for once" I said while putting the cart away and turning around. I looked up at him "What do you want to do though" "I'm not so sure, really, just whatever I can do" I nodded as we got into the truck and I started it.
"You aren't like most girls, are you?" "I'm not," I said with a small smile. "And I pride myself on that" I replied while pulling out of the parking lot. "Are you going to live in Riverdale your whole life?" I bit my lip while thinking, "Maybe, but I'm not sure. If I move, it probably won't be too far" I said while pulling up to the Whyte Wyrm.
He started to get out and gave me a smile, and I could feel my heart pumping before I shook my head "Hey, I know this might be a little weird, but would you like to come over for dinner this weekend?" I asked, awkwardly. He gave me a bigger smile, showing his teeth "I'd like that" "How about Saturday around 7?" I asked while he got out."Sounds like a date, Caden" I smiled as he shut the door and walked into the building.
I sat there for a moment, a little stunned before finally pulling away and heading home.
My brother wasn't home, so I started carrying groceries in by myself. "You're probably gonna eat all this before Friday" I heard from behind me in the kitchen, causing me to jump and turn around, seeing Archie carrying bags in. I laughed as we walked out of the house together "Shut up, Andrews" I said while we grabbed more bags.