I curl into my bed. The whole room was nice and warm versus it's normal ice cold feel. My alarm was loud and cause me to jolt right up. I look around to see I'm by myself in the room. Honestly it's weird seeing that Jug's not here. It's so rare that we aren't together, cause recently he and I were attached at the hip. I pull from my bed and get dressed. Once I have the outfit on I move upstairs. Archie most likely has already left seeing as he is chasing Josie tail constantly. Archie and Josie somehow became a thing out of no where. Maybe it was Josie's thing to go for the unexpected. Regardless they are happy. But since he's running around with her when Jug isn't here I'm all alone in the mornings. I grab my things and rush to my truck. But standing in front of it is a girl. I walk towards her to see a familiar face.
"Amanda?" I ask her. She turns to me smiling brightly.
"Hey It's nice to see you," She says. I move hugging her tightly and she follows suit. Once we pull apart I look at her in confusion.
"Why are you here?" I ask her, "better yet how are you here?" She pushes back her wavy brown hair. Her expression tending slightly.
"Well if I'm being honest," she starts then looks away from my eyes, "the people I was staying with threw me out. They were tired of taking care of another kid."
"Oh I'm sorry," I say to her. It must of really hurt her since those people were like her own parents.
"It's fine," she says looking back to me, "but now I'm heading back home. Since I was passing through I decided why not stop by and say hi to my old partner in crime."
"Right. That's great," I say to her, "it'll be nice to catch up with you. So where are you staying?"
"Well I was hoping-"
"That I'd let you stay with me?" I ask her. She nods carefully. "Well I'll have to ask my foster dad. But I don't think he'd have a huge problem with it for a day or two."
"Thanks," she smiles, "this really means a lot to me. I mean I haven't had it so well as of late."
"I'll help anytime," I say to her, "I'm always around." She smiles and looks back to the house.
"Cool place you got here," she says to me, "a lot better than the place in New York."
"A lot safer too," I say looking back, "then again safety is relative. Hey listen I actually have to head out so think you can head somewhere until about 2?"
"Why?" She asks me curiously.
"I still go to school," I tell her, "I just can miss first period since I just have an empty study hall. There is a diner in town that I work at you can stay until then. I can give you some cash."
"I could come with you," she offers. I lift a brow in confusion, "what? I want the full Riverdale experience. We can tell the office I'm planning to transfer or something."
"We Can try," I say as I unlock the truck and climb in, "lets go I can't be late!" She gets into the truck and sits beside me eagerly. Something seemed off with her. She seemed a little spaced out and not all there. The drive to school she describes the cafe after I left and how school was. The two of us both enjoying the light hearted chat.
"Well how about you?" She asks me, "how's life here in grand old riverdale?"
"Hectic as always," I tell her, "we have another murderer running around town accept this time his wife is the mayor and its organized crime."
"Gang crime in a town like this?" She asks completely baffled I nod.
"Yeah courtesy of Mr. Hiram Lodge," I say to her. I might of been slightly laughing but the matter was all too serious. I mean he almost had Archie and Jug both killed. Her eyes go wide looking at me.
"Hiram Lodge? Aka associate of the St. Clair's?" She asks and I tense. Then nod softly. I was hoping to pretend the St. Clair's and Nick didn't exist for the rest of my life. He's a ass for doing that to me and so many other girls. Yeah maybe I was a bit of a whore back then but I didn't deserve to be raped.
"That would be the one," I say cautiously, "his whole family lives here now. The Lodges. He has a wife and a daughter."
"That must be tough for you," she says to me, "that they defend men like Nick. They are sick."
"Hiram is sick," I tell her, "I can't quite decide with the other two." We pull into the school and she looks on seeming a little in awe with how small it is. Being completely fair when she ran off to New York with some family friends of hers she was old enough to go straight into high school. So for the last four years of her life she only knew the big city life of New York. "Welcome to Riverdale High." Her and I climb from the car and move to the office where the secretary looks at us in disgust.
"What?" She asks harshly. I look over to Amanda.
"Amanda here is debating transferring to riverdale and she is wondering if she could shadow me for the day," I ask her. She looks between us curiously.
"Miss L/n this better not be some gang flousy," she growls. I smirk softly. I pulled some shit last year with getting some serpents who went to seaside transferred back.
"No she's from New York," I say smugly, "anyways she could quite possibly be moving into the five seasons and is curious."
"It would be great to get to see the school before I decide," Amanda says with a smile, "I understand if you can't allow it but my mother will be very displeased. She's an associate of Mr. Lodge. I'm sure you know him." The secretary tenses then looks over to Weatherbee's empty office.
"I'm sure it would be fine," she tells us, "but no trouble. Got it?"
"Of course," I smirk.
"Absolutely," Amanda says matching my grin. We turn and step from the room highfiving. Once to the safety of the art room we both bust out laughing.
"Associate of Hiram Lodge nice," I say to her, "good touch. Really put you right into the spotlight."
"Well if anything I'm a great liar and so good at grabbing attention," she says winking at me. I start to laugh as a familiar beanie head marches into the art room.
"Hey babe-" Jug stops upon seeing Amanda. He looks to me in confusion. "Who's this?"
"This is Amanda Conner," I tell him as she stands to face him offering her hand. "She was my best friend back in New York." He takes her hand and shakes it. "Amanda this is Jughead."
"Jughead huh?" She asks curiously, "from all the Skype calls and such?" I nod. "Wow she was in love with you. Even back then." He starts to chuckle as I roll my eyes.
"She's still in love with me," he corrects her, "she is my girlfriend."
"Right of course," she smiles at him, "well it's a real pleasure to meet you."
"Amanda is passing through," I inform Jug, "so she'll be staying with me for a couple days." He nods and then looks over to me.
"It'll be nice to hear about you in New York," he smiles moving over to me. His arm snakes around my waist as he pecks my forehead, "if she'll share."
"Oh of course," Amanda says cheerfully, "I have plenty of stories. Your girlfriend used to be quite the wild person. I see she's tamed out since then." I move my hand across my throating quickly to signal for her to shut up but he looks over at me curiously.
"What does that mean?" He asks me.
"It's nothing," I say to him, "don't you have class?"
"I'm skipping," he says honestly, "but now I'm curious. What was she like." I sigh loudly as Amanda smiles.
"Well first off her and I worked in this cute little cafe," she tells him, "that's how we met. But we also went to school together and at a point dated these guys who were friends."
"Dated?" He asks looking over at me. I shrug.
"I dated a bit while I younger," I admit to him, "didn't you?" He looks to the ground.
"No not really," he says softly. I'm his first girlfriend? Really? I could have sworn that he at least dated someone in like middle school. I mean I know it doesn't really count but come on. "I thought you knew."
"It's not a big deal anyways," I tell him, "we can talk about it later."
"Oh did she ever tell you about the shoplifting incident?" Amanda asks him. I look to her with wide eyes. Why is this what she goes to?
"I think you should get to class Juggy," I say to him, "I love you but you shouldn't skip for me." He nods and looks over to Amanda.
"Right," he says carefully. He kisses me quickly then heads off leaving her and I alone. I toss my bag at her.
"What the hell?" I exclaim. It hits her chest knocking her back a little and she scoffs.
"How was I supposed to know?" She asks me, "you used to be really open with all that shit."
"Used too," I repeat back to her, "I also dated drug dealers and wanted to die. I've grown up a bit. I don't do any of that shit now."
"None of it?" She asks me not believing a word I say, "no drinking? No smoking? Nothing."
"I still drink a little but it's rare," I tell her, "and I stopped smoking all things. Okay I'm a little past that."
"Uh huh," she says nodding, "then what's with the tattoo?"
"Oh yeah I'm in a gang with Jug," I say casually. She laughs looking at me like I'm crazy.
"That's hilarious," she says, "you can be in a gang but you can't talk about how you used to be a little klepto?"
"You wouldn't understand," I huff. And she nods.
"You're right," she tells me, "it doesn't make sense. You still are this rebel without a cause criminal. But now you enjoy organizing crime."
"It's not like that," I tell her, "the Serpents are like a family, we don't really commit crimes like you think."
"Yeah you are the special no crime gang," she chuckles. I roll my eyes and she looks over at me no longer amused. "I'm kidding I'm sure you are doing lots of good in your new life. But it's better to acknowledge your past so you don't repeat it. Okay?"
"You're right," I say to her. The agreement seems to make her happy. She smiles widely at me then looks over the canvas with my name on it in the corner. It was a painting of jug. She knew I loved art and any form of it was something I would attempt to learn. Although I'll always fall back on a good old acrylic paint and canvas style. This one was of him and I at homecoming last year dancing before it all went to shit.
"It's good," she tells me, "really good."
"My favorite is the one behind that one," I admit to her. It was darker the one I loved. A painting of a ghostly girl roaming the hallways of riverdale high. The girl to represent all of then innocent kids murdered or dead from the school. Midge, Ben, Diltion, and hell even Jason. Their innocence in her eyes.
"Wicked," she says observing it, "you have a dark style. Is this in your portfolio?"
"Yeah," I tell her, "of course it's my best piece. Honestly the art teacher prefers my paining to my photography. Which hurts a little."
"You love taking pictures though," she says to me.
"Loved," I correct, "I haven't really taken any. I mean at one point I thought I was picking it up again but I backed out."
"Why?" She asks me.
"A professional destroyed my work," I tell her, "he ripped into me and every picture I've taken. I'm just not that good."
"You're letting one critic rip you down?" She asks me, "where is that spunky girl who out ran cops and tagged buildings?"
"Gone," I say simply as I pull an unfinished painting from the drying rack, "she's back in New York. And she'll stay there."
"You are so stubborn," she sighs. I nod looking to the painting and grabbing my reference picture. It was of Toni sitting looking up at the sky and I would turn it into a beautiful new version.
"If I wasn't stubborn who would I even be?" I ask her playfully. The conversation ended and we both went to painting. I had given her some of my materials I keep at the school and she went to work. She loves to paint but just isn't very good. However she'd never let that stop her.
The bell rings signaling a long boring day of actual classes and work. Amanda couldn't be more bored at the thought of this.
~~~~
Once the lunch bell rings I lead her to our table of losers that collect in the cafeteria. Kevin, Archie, and Josie were across from Amanda, Jug, and I. Lunch groups were rearranged after Veronica and Reggie started dating. Betty went with them and Archie split to eat with Jug and I.
"So what was Y/n like in New York?" Archie asks curiously after the pain of introductions.
"A total wild card," she smirks, "a fun one though."
"Now can I hear about the incident?" Jug asks me.
"I don't care," I sigh looking away. She smirks and looks to my boyfriend.
"Well Y/n used to be a bit of a Kleptomaniac, then again all of us kids who's foster parents didn't give a fuck typically were," she admits, "it's what happens when you desperately crave attention and love. Well we went to this fancy ass store and she saw this dress that she loved. Of course we didn't have enough money for it so she went to the back to try it on and while she was in there she pried the censor off. It pops right off and she stuffs it in her bag with another thing. No one noticed until we were out the door and the other thing fell out. It was some purse or something stupid."
"What did you two do once they caught you?" Josie asks Amanda. I look away embarrassed at the story.
"We made a break for it," Amanda tells them. They all look to me then back to her. They were judging me. "She ran so fast that I could hardly keep up. But the security person wasn't a great climber so when we hopped a fence we lost them."
"You Can jump a fence?" Archie asks me.
"Well I could then," I say to him, "but I'm a little out of practice at this point."
"I guess you aren't as righteous as you say you are," Kev says chuckling then looks to Jug who actually seems upset at the story. "I'm totally kidding we all do stupid things as a kid."
"What else did you do as a kid?" Jug asks me, "I'm curious."
"She was a champion when it came to shots at parties," Amanda chuckles, "she crushed at least 20 one night. That was the same night that we took our friends aunts car. Drove to Brooklyn to go to this party my boyfriend at the time invited us to. Y/n got hammered. Found some guy and couldn't find her the rest of the night."
"I acted ridiculous," I tell them, "honestly these stories just prove the fact that I needed to not be in New York."
"Yeah I can tell," Archie chuckles, "it's fine though we all have our baggage." Jug looks away and I get nervous. I look over to Kev.
"Can you take Amanda down to our fourth?" I ask him, "Jug and I have some serpent business to handle." Jughead looks at me curiously but decides to go along.
"Sure," Kev says, "I'm sure we'll be fine." Amanda smiles at him and I chuckle slightly. She couldn't take the hint that he's gay. Not that she'd make a move. She was more into guys that are a over all hot mess. I take Jug's hand and pull him down to the Blue and Gold. Once inside I shut the door behind us as he moves to sit on the desk.
"Are you mad at me?" I ask him.
"Why would I be mad?" He asks honestly, "you haven't done anything wrong."
"For not telling you about what happened before," I tell him, "I wasn't hiding it I just couldn't bring it all up. I really just wanted to leave it all behind me."
"I understand," he says as he gently pulls me towards him, "going back then brings you back to Nick doesn't it?" I nod.
"I wanted to tell you everything," I admit to him, "but life happened and it wasn't priority anymore."
"We all have baggage plus you were a kid," he says cupping my cheek, "I didn't live with my dad for over a year. Before that I lived on and off with him."
"Are you mad I didn't tell you that you weren't my first?" I ask him carefully.
"No," he says honestly, "I knew Nick happened and I assumed you weren't a virgin when we slept together."
"Assumed?" I ask him.
"You're beautiful. I assumed someone like you could get whoever you wanted," he says and I smile widely, "but I'm curious." My smile drops. "How many guys?" I roll my eyes slightly.
"Um well before Nick I slept with five guys," I tell him, "after Nick it was just you and Sweet Pea. So 8 guys." He pretends to not be shocked at the number.
"How many were you dating at the time?" He asks me. I think for a second.
"Excluding you and Sweet Pea That would be two of them," I say to him, "but I made sure I was clean before and after each of them. And we used protection." He looks away seeming to feel inferior. I move my fingers combing his hair back. "But it was never as special as it was with you. Every time with you is different than any time with another guy because I'm in love with you." He smiles then leans in to kiss me passionately. It's deep and intimate. Once we pull away i look at him curiously. "Was I Your first?" I ask him.
"Yeah," he says honestly, "I've only ever slept with you and Betty."
"Well everyone goes at their own pace," I tell him, "besides you waited and got to have a special loving first time. It's better that way."
"Right," He says smiling, "plus you and I have had plenty of sex."
"That is true," I say to him. I kiss him again then pull away as the bell rings loudly. "Let's get to class."
~~~~
It was time for the Serpent school club. The excuse for us to bring serpent affairs to school. I lead Amanda into the classroom we use to see Fangs, Sweet Pea, And the others.
(Pretend Betty isn't there and that's you)
"Where the hell is everyone else?" Jug asks Fangs and Sweet Pea. I sigh looking at the almost empty room. People were dropping like flies.
"Oh, we're down another eight," Sweet Pea says with a aggravated tone.
"- Another eight?" I ask them stunned at the numbers. At this rate we'll be nothing.
"- All girls," Fangs informs us.
"Where are they all going?" Jug asks them.
"Turns out Toni and Cheryl started their own gang," Sweet Pea tells us, "All the girls are defecting to it."
"The Pretty Poisons," Fangs says seeming annoyed. The gang he loved was dying.
"Nice," I say honestly kind of proud. The boys look over at me seeming annoyed and I shrug. "It's a sisterhood thing. Naturally I'm going to be proud. Regardless it's an issue."
"So, what do you want us to do?" Fangs asks Jug and I.
"Nothing," Jug orders, "This is all because I banished Cheryl and Toni. I just need to talk to Toni, get her back into the Serpent fold, and the rest will come back, too. They need to be reminded what it means to be a Serpent."
"Not gonna work hot shot," I say looking back to Jug, "she feels like she isn't in the family and now she has the taste of leadership. Offer her something to get her back."
"Like What?" He asks me.
"Whatever it takes," I tell him, "we need to be open to this or else we are going down."
"You think you know this better than I do?" He asks me. I scoff.
"Well I left you to handle it last time and now we lost almost every girl in the gang," I tell her, "now think of what you are gonna do and I'll get Toni to meet us at Pops. That okay with you?"
"I love it when you get bossy," he smirks. I roll my eyes.
"You love everything," I tease him, "now Serpents I'd like you to meet a good friend of mine. Amanda." She waves as people mumble hellos. Sweet Pea very obviously checks her out and moves towards us.
"Amanda hi," Sweet Pea says offering his hand, "I'm Sweet Pea."
"Shut it down Sweet Pea she's passing through," I order. He scoffs looking down at me.
"Fine," He groans backing away, "you want me to get back out there but shut me down."
"From my friend who will be here for two days yes," I say to him, "Amanda this mess here is Sweet Pea as he said. But don't let the name foul you he's kinda a pain."
"Oh whatever," he says turning back to Fangs as she chuckles.
"Lively little gang you have here," she says looking over them, "so who's Toni and Cheryl?"
"You'll regret asking that," Fangs says laughing at me tensing.
"Cheryl is a great person but can be so annoying," I inform her, "she and Toni are dating and now running this girl gang after Jug kicked them out- rightfully so cause they were pulling some fast ones and breaking rules. Cheryl had a mouth and they had to go."
"And that's a problem because?"
"Toni is a born serpent," Jug tells her, "her family created the serpents. Us kicking her out was a little problematic."
"Wait sorry I've got to ask? Who's in charge of this gang?" Amanda asks clearly not following.
"Jones is our Serpent King," Sweet Pea says and then looks over to me, "Y/n is the Serpent Queen."
"They let teenagers take over your gang?" She asks us in disbelief.
"Well with the advice of Jughead's dad," I tell her, "I know it sounds wild."
"Yeah it does," she tells me, "but I'm into it."
"Yeah well it's how I choose to spend my high school career," I say texting Toni quickly. She responds almost immediately agreeing to the meeting. "Toni will be there. And you bet by her eagerness she'll have some demands."
"When and where serpent queen?" Jug asks me. I cringe slightly.
"I love you and this gang but referring to me as a queen still is strange," I say to him as I cup his cheek he sighs, "okay Pops after school. I'll meet you at my truck and we can drive over there. That okay?"
"Perfect."
~~~~~
Amanda, Jug, and I drive over to Pops. I love Amanda but I really didn't want her in all this serpent crap but I had no alternative. Well other than Veronica had offered to hang out with her during the meeting if I picked up some extra shifts. So once we were there Amanda meets Veronica.
"I'm Veronica Lodge," She says as she offers her hand to Amanda. Amanda draws back at the name.
"You're the Lodge daughter?" Amanda asks harshly.
"Yes," Veronica answers, "is there a problem here."
"Nothing more than your dad is a sick bastard," Amanda spits. I jump between the two sensing Amanda was aching to start a fight.
"Relax," I tell her, "Veronica is nice. We like. Veronica."
"I don't know," Amanda says tensely, "from what I've heard she sounds like Hiram." Veronica looks to me and cocks a brow. I just shrug in response.
"How about I call Archie?" I ask her checking the time, "his boxing lesson just ended and he can take you home. Show you around and all." She looks harshly at Veronica then to me.
"Whatever," she huffs. With that little blurb of tension I texted Archie and he swiftly picked up Amanda leaving Jug and I to talk to Toni. Once she arrives he and I take one side of the booth while she takes the other.
"You're a Topaz," Jug says to her, "Being in the Serpents is your birthright. We are a family. I'd like you to reconsider joining the gang."
"All of us would love you back," I say to her, "all of the nice ladies back."
"You want me back in the Serpents?" Toni asks, "Make me Queen. I mean, since I'm legacy and all, right?" Jug sighs loudly.
"Toni-" He starts.
"Take it," i tell her, "it's a dumb title anyways. I don't need to be queen because queen or not I'm going to do my part."
"No Toni," Jug says over me, "You know I can't do that."
"Because of Y/n?" She asks. He nods softly, "Then I'm not coming back."
"Take the queen title," I tell her ignoring Jughead, "only if you merge the Pretty Poisons with the Serpents."
"No," she says simply.
"What are the Pretty Poisons providing for you that the Serpents can't?" Jug asks her.
"An opportunity to lead," she says harshly, "With the Pretty Poisons, I rule. We're a sisterhood."
"You're Cheryl's vanity project, you mean," Jug corrects.
"No it's our sisterhood," she says to us.
"No it's Cheryl's claim for power," I tell her, "I've seen it time and time before. Your gang is just another place where it's the Cheryl show." Toni jumps to her feet angrily.
"And you're wrong about the Serpents still being a family," Toni says, "That's what we used to be. Not anymore."
————
A quick moment to say that that we should remember Luke Perry as a great and talented man. And to keep his family in your thoughts. He lived a long life and no one will ever be a better Fred Andrews.