Lou's POV
Do you know how there are always some towns where bad things always seem to happen? Well, Riverdale has become one of those towns. The most recent horror? The school janitor, Mister Swenson turned out to be a serial killer but we were putting him away along with our Christmas decoration. Now we were back to your typical small-town intrigues, clandestine meetings behind closed doors and the like. Yes, by large, it was business as usual in Riverdale.
Pop was putting away the Christmas decoration, while I sat at a table with my brother, we drank milkshakes and coffee. I was drawing in my sketchbook while Jug was typing away on his laptop.
It was the last day of Christmas break, the break consisted of me hanging out with my boyfriend, Sweet Pea, and Jug and I going to pop's to write and draw.
*
"Wow, Jones. Props to you, it's very Lovecraftian. Which I'm sure was the intention but did you write this on a typewriter?", Toni asked handing Jug his script back.
We were sitting outside Southside High in our lunch break, "Yeah, I wanted to get into Lovecraft's headspace".
"So wasn't it like Betty bought you a typewriter for Christmas or anything?", Toni smirked at my brother.
"The cover is still in work of my sister", Jug said changing the subject.
The door of the school flew open and Fangs and Sweet Pea came out shouting and laughing. "What's going on?", I asked the two hooligans.
"This hellhole is officially closed, no more Southside High", Sweet Pea smirked placing a kiss on my cheek real quick.
"What? How?", Toni asked. "It's gonna be quarantined, we're going to different schools", Fangs answered hitting Sweet Pea's arm.
"This doesn't make sense. Where are you guys going?", Jug asked. "Same as you, and you, and Fangs, and princess. We're going to Riverdale High. Think of all those Northside heads to knock", Sweet Pea said and started fake fighting with Fangs.
Oh please no, I know all of them and I know people like Cheryl or Reggie won't be too happy to hear about the news.
*
Message from Cheryl Bombshell 8:15 PM: Hey Lou, just heard the news. I'm excited to have you back here girl but the others IDK. Reggie and I planned something please don't hate me for it, love ya
I rolled my eyes at the text message, of course, they planned something.
"Mayor McCoy has deemed Southside High a public health hazard, due to toxic fumes from the methamphetamine lab in the basement", Jughead read out loud.
"There was no meth, just jingle jangle", I scoffed sipping on my chocolate milkshake.
"So the worm turns, and it's back to Riverdale Hig, huh?", dad chuckled standing at our table with his uniform on. During the break, we haven't talked a lot but things calmed down. The Penny being my mother fact was haunting but I decided to let it go.
"Something smells fishy", Jughead said looking over the article again. "Damn straight, something smells fishy. The real reason you don't wanna go back", dad told Jug.
"What do you mean?", he asked. "Oh, she just walked through the door", dad smirked.
"My cue to go", I mumbled and got up. On my way out I passed Betty, "Hey Bets", I smiled. "Hey, Lou".
*
"Are you scared to go back?", Sweets asked as he laid on his bed, bare-chested watching me get dressed. it became a habit for me to sleep at Fangs and his trailer.
"Why would I be scared?", I asked the handsome boy on the bed. "Your old friends, your ex and you know stuff like that", he explained sitting up, resting on his elbows.
"I'm not scared, there is no bad blood between me or my friends, Reggie and I are okay, we aren't friends but we don't hate each other", I told him while applying some chapstick.
I was wearing a black cropped, turtleneck top along with some grey high waisted skinny jeans, my hair was straightened and I had on natural makeup.
"You look so good", he said, "Come here". I felt Sweet Pea grab my hand and pull me back onto the bed with him.
He kissed my lips with passion, moving down to my neck, making me chuckle. Of course, I returned the kiss.
"Guys... Oh my god, you two are unbelievable", Fangs gasped. Sweet Pea and I looked up to see him and Toni in the doorway chuckling.
"Come on we have to go, you can continue after school", Toni laughed.
*
We all walked into my old Highschool, Jug and I in the front guiding the gang.
"Friends, on behalf of the students and faculty here at Riverdale High, welcome to your new school or welcome back. To ease this transition, we've set up a registration desk where you can get locker assignments, schedules and a list of extracurriculars. We encourage every one of you to drink deeply from the cup that is fair Riverdale", Veronica smiled at us all.
"Stand down Eva Peron", Cheryl shouted. I looked at the staircase where she, Reggie, the Bulldogs, and the vixens made their great entrance.
I held a hand over my mouth, not taking any of that serious. "There's the school spirit I so fondly remember", Jughead mumbled.
"Cheryl, no one invited Fascist Barbie to the party", Veronica snapped.
"Wrong, Veronica. No one invited Southside scum to our school, no offense, Lou. Listen up Raggamuffins. I will not allow Riverdale High's above GPA to suffer because of classrooms overcrowded with underachievers. So, please find another school to debase with your hardscrabble ways", the ginger head smirked.
"Why don't you come over here and say that to my face?", Toni grumbled through gritted teeth making my hold her back. "Happily Queen of the Buskers", Cheryl smirked.
"Okay guys, everyone. Can we put the Northside-Southside differences apart and start over?", Archie asked.
"You don't speak for the Bulldogs. Need I remind you that these greaser-snakes showed up at your place, trying to kick your ass", Reggie told the ginger-haired boy.
"Time to finish what we started", my boyfriend snapped ready to fight my ex. Both boys walked towards each other but I quickly stepped in.
"Babe", I whispered to Sweet Pea not giving Reggie any attention. "I am so over this toxic masculinity in this hallway right now", Veronica groaned.
"All right, enough pomp and circumstances, everyone, let's get to class. Now", Principal Weatherbee shouted.
I took Sweet Pea's hand and told the Serpents to follow me as I guided each to their first class.
*
"I don't think we've properly met yet, Veronica Lodge", Veronica smiled as she and Josie entered the students' lounge.
"Of the park Avenue Lodges", Jughead chuckled raising his pinky finger. "Toni Topaz", Toni smiled shaking hands with the raven-haired girl.
"Oh, like the purple colored gemstone, love it"
"And I am Josie McCoy, formerly of the Pussycats, now just Josie. This is Kevin", Josie cough awkwardly.
"What's your name?", Kevin asked Fangs. "Forgaty but you can call me Fangs. Your last name is Keller right?",
"Yeah, how'd you know?"
"I used to hang out with Joaquin, he talked about you all the time", Fangs smirked. I nudged Sweet Pea lightly immediately feeling the sexual tension between those two.
"You guys, yes you. Come with me. Now", our principal yelled disturbing my peace.
The Serpents and I followed our Principal to the school seal which had a poor version of a Serpent graffitied on it.
"Which one of you defaced our school seal with this graffiti?", he asked mad. "That is what they do, Principal Weatherbee. They tag their turf", Reggie explained smirking at me.
I glared at him while twisting my hair in my finger, "Could you be any more transparent Reggie?".
"Effective, immediately: No gang behavior of any kind will be tolerated in my school. As of this moment, no more Serpent jackets", the man explained.
"What?!", we all yelled. Dude I did not go through an entire initiation only to not be allowed to show where I belong.
"No more Serpent jackets, all tattoos are gonna be covered. Possession of any gang paraphernalia will lead to immediate suspension. That's all", Weatherbee explained.
I glared at Reggie one more time before following the rest outside. Well, the bad blood has risen.
*
"I can't believe you guys don't even see it. Weatherbee is profiling us. Telling us what to wear. What's next? Brain implants, controlling what we think?", Jug asked.
We were all at the Wyrm calming down a little bit. I sat on Sweet Pea's lap watching him getting killed over and over again on the old game he was playing.
"You sound like a conspiracy nut. A school closed down", Toni chuckled. "A crappy school", Sweet Pea added.
"Now we're at a better one, with a computer lab and textbooks", she said. "And toilets that flush", Sweet Pea smiled, he really enjoyed that benefit.
"Getting transferred to Riverdale High is the best thing", "Maybe ever".
"Jug, we were able to enjoy good education already, let them have that too. If I have to take off my jacket 8:30 to 3, Monday to Friday, hey, I'm down with that", I explained to my brother who just scoffed.
*
After the Wyrm Jug went out to get some takeout for the three of us making me all alone at home. A knock on the door caught my attention.
I opened the door, expecting to see Jughead with food but I was met with Archie, "What do you want?", I asked.
"I can't stop thinking about what Nick did to Veronica and to you. Do you want blood money from Nick?", he asked taking me back.
I haven't thought about that pig for about a couple months. "Uhm, I mean of course I'd take it but I'm afraid the ship's sailed on that one", I answered kind of uncomfortable with the entire situation.
"Really? Because I was thinking of going to see Nick. I could ask him for you and I bet he'd give it to me. I only need to borrow Jug's blazer", Archie said.
I nodded and let him inside. With the money, I could do serval things, buy Sweet Pea a new helmet, one he really wanted. I could buy Jug some new books or new art supply for myself.
*
The next morning Sweet Pea, Fangs, Toni and I sat in the students' lounge without our jackets but to be honest we didn't really care.
Archie gave me the check he received from Nick before and I decided to keep it my very own secret. It was worth 5k.
"You look good in a turtleneck", I told my boyfriend to happen to be wearing a turtleneck long sleeves to cover his tattoo. Over it, he wore a grey shirt, a flannel, and a west.
"I know I look bad", he groaned. "You don't you look great", I smirked placing a soft kiss on his lips.
"Oh, hey guys, what's up?", Jughead asked walking into the students' lounge with his jacket on. Of course, he would do that.
"Take it off", Reggie growled and got up making us all get up too, ready to defend Jughead.
"Take off that jacket rat boy"
"Oh, Reggie. I don't think you know what this jacket means, because you have no sense of honor or history or loyalty as we saw when you told Lou she should have drowned", Jughead sighed.
Within seconds Reggie lunged at Jughead and the two boys stepped in with two Bulldogs lunging at them. Toni and I stood by the side not knowing what to do.
*
Weatherbee eventually showed up and we all had to get to his office. "You all have detention for fighting but I made myself clear to you, Mister Jones. Take off that jacket, or you're suspended".
"Please, Juggie, just-", I begged my brother. "I guess I am suspended", he smirked and walked out of the office and the school.
"God he is so stubborn", I groaned.
"For the rest of you, here pick clothes. School uniform so you can fit in better and don't break the rules again", the man explained placing two boxes filled with school uniforms on the desk.
*
I didn't hate my outfit, I was wearing a blue skirt with a white blouse, a dark blue Riverdale High blazer and some over knee socks.
"What the hell guys?", Jug asked walking into the students' lounge the next day. I slept at my boyfriends, that's why he hasn't seen the uniform yet.
"Weatherbee gave them to us, said he understood that not every Southside student had the means to purchase Riverdale High acceptable clothes. He thinks this will help us fit in", Toni explained.
She was wearing nude-colored pants with a blue button-up shirt. Sweet Pea was almost twining with her but he had a white turtleneck shirt underneath to cover his tattoo.
"Where's Forgaty?", Jug asked. "He wouldn't wear it, so they suspended him", I explained. "So our choices are conform or be cast out?", Jug asked in disbelieve.
"Yeah".
*
The next day Jughead told the entire younger Serpents to meet in a classroom.
"Welcome to the inaugural meeting of the Swords and Serpents Club", Jug smiled. "Which is what exactly?", I asked sitting at the table Sweet Pea was sitting on.
"Like I told Forgaty to lure him back. We are a gaming group, sanctioned by mister Weatherbee himself. Where like-minded students can meet and concoct world-building, role-playing scenarios, inhabiting fantastical heroes and dispatching mythological creatures", Jughead smirked while eating his orange.
"No, but really", Toni chuckled.
"It's a club, for us. A safe haven where we can be Serpents in school hours under everyone's noses. We don't shed our skins, we're lying low in the tall grass", Jug smirked.
*****
Am I the only one that thinks Sweet Pea is a smokeshow with that turtleneck?