*Tessa pov* (one week later)
I sat next to Jughead in class as Cheryl was droning on about St. Pickens day, it was fake... this town celebrates the deaths of many people.
"Mr. Jones, eyes up front." Jughead looks up and she smiles in satisfactory.
"Thank you, Mrs. Haggly," Cheryl gave her a sweet smile before sighing as she turned to face everyone again, "As I was saying, each year, we honor the memory of General Pickens, yet few know the truth." The projector clicks as I rolled my eyes. "That it was my great-great- great-grandpappy Colonel Barnabas B. Blossom, who bankrolled General Pickens' settlement of, "an Eden along the river of Sweetwater, where maple trees grow taller than the steeples of Europe's grandest cathedrals." Which is why every year I petition the mayor's office to rename Pickens Day." The bell rings and I sighed in relief.
"Thank you for that, Cheryl. Mr. Jones, we look forward to your oral history report next week." Mrs Haggly said as she tilted her head down and her glasses were moved to the tip over her nose. Jughead got up and so did I before grabbing my stuff and leaving with him.
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I sat in the cafeteria listening to my music with my earphones in, my feet were on the table as my back was pressed against the wall.
"Mind if I sit with you?" I heard someone ask, I took my earphone out as I look up to see Reggie, he grins as I took my feet off the table as he put his tray down and rested his hand on his cheek.
"What's up Mantle?" I asked as I paused my music as I brought my knees to my chest, "gonna ask me to sleep with you?" I teased as he chuckles.
"No, no... even though that would be lovely," I scoffed as he chuckled, "Nah, I wanted to be genuine and see how you were doing." He said and I rose my eyebrow in surprise.
"I'm fine, Reg, what's up?" I questioned suspiciously.
"Nothing, Emerald, I just wanted to talk to you since I haven't seen you properly since you transferred." He said and I smile.
"Well, what about we go play some football?" I suggest and he smirked as we both got up and left the cafeteria.
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"You still got it!" He shouts happily as I jumped and caught the ball, I fell down and rolled as I laughed. I held the ball up and he applauded me.
"Hell yeah I do!" I shout as Reggie's shadow looms over before he held a hand out, I grabbed it and he pulled me off the ground. I giggle as I put the football to his chest before taking my cardigan off.
"Ooh! Are you getting serious?" He asks as I tied my hair up.
"You bet, C'mon Mantle the Magnificent, let's play." I grin as he straightens his posture with a big smirk before we crouch down and started playing.
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Reggie and I were walking down the hallway, people looked at us as I shove him and he shoves me back playfully.
"I gotta admit, playing again was really nostalgic," I told him as we stopped at my locker and I opened it, I grabbed out my plain leather jacket and slipped it on.
"Yeah, I wish the team was back on," he told me as I shut my locker and locked it, I turn as I crossed my arm and sighed.
"It's crazy, it felt like not long ago I was here... carefree," I told him, "now look at me..." I sighed as I leaned back on my locker and look around.
"You're still the same Stone-cold girl I know, you've just grown up a bit that's all," he said to me in a reassuring way.
"Thanks, Reggie," I smile as the bell went, "gotta go, see you around, Mantle." He winks before walking away, I saw Sweet pea and Fangs walking down the hallway, my phone buzzed and I pulled out to see a message from FP.
Daddio: got a job, sign out and go to Athens. Meet me at Pops for the address.
Okay
I groaned as I opened my locker and grabbed my bag before slamming it shut, I lock it back up and look down the hallway again.
Sweet pea and Fangs looked at me in confusion before I waved and put my sunglasses on as I turned my back and walked out of the school.
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"Jones," I said as I stood at the counter with my arms crossed, he looks up and then he handed me a sticky note. I took it before reading the address and shoved the note in my pocket.
"Want something to eat before you go?" FP asks and I shake my head.
"Gotta go, see you tonight probably," I said as FP bent down before popping up and handing me my serpent jacket.
"See you tomorrow," I nod my head as I took my jacket and slipped it on, I fixed my cardigan underneath before walking out of the diner to do the job.
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"This town is boring," I sighed as I crossed my arms, my bike was parked on the side of the road as I watched the world go by. My phone buzzed but I don't answer as I took out the note and read it again before shoving it back in my pocket and started my motorbike again.
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I finished my job and rode home with my music blasting as usual, dumb decision really.
I curve around the corner before I heard a BANG and I went flying, rolled on the ground and grunt as I look to the road and saw pins lying across it. I push myself up as the ringing in my ears got louder. I saw feet in front of me, I slowly look up before he raised his arm and punched me.
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I groaned as I woke up, I picked my head up from staring at me knees to see two people in front of me, I moved my hands but I was chained to the seat.
WHACK!
I look back at them and glared as I flared my nostrils as I struggled in the chair.
"Let me go you sick bastards!" I screamed until I was whacked across the face again, I spat out blood and glared at them.
"Shut the fuck up you brat!" The man shouts as I was punched in the face, I tried to kick him but I missed.
"What were you doing with that backpack?" One of them asks me with a sneer.
"You mean... my school bag?" I questioned, "nothing, I was going home." I told them.
SLAP!
I huffed as I glare at the man, "You had ten grand in that bag, wanna try again?" He growls before motioning the woman to move, she slaps me hand across the face and I blinked a few times before looking up at them.
"I did a job, got paid and I was going home," I replied truthfully.
"Why'd you go down that road?" The other one asks me, "What job?"
"It was a shortcut to Riverdale," I told them, "I wanted to go home to do my next job," I told them, "that job is none of ya damn business!"
WHACK!
"Stop fucking slapping me!" I screamed as I was hit once again.
"You're a serpent, how do we know you're not just saying this to throw us off?" The man growls as he picked up a knife, "talk snake!" He shouts as I laughed.
"I'm not talking," I told them as I felt my throat tighten as I pursed my lips and squeezed my eyes shut. "I'm not talking anymore, besides... you're beating up a child, might wanna think about that before you make the next move... and I know the law pretty well," I quickly grin as a drop of blood from my forehead hits my lips.
"A child?" The man scoffed, "right like we're gonna believe that, you look 20," he said and I rose an eyebrow.
"I'm 16." I retorted as he laughs as he got in my face.
"You're a weakling, how you became a serpent, I have no idea, but I bet your king would like to see you squirm as your blood drains slowly..." he stood up and his face was stone-cold. "Shoot her, she knows our location," he said as he handed her the gun left the room, I shut my eyes heard the cocking of a gun and the tip of the gun touched my forehead.
"Shh," I slowly opened my eyes as my body trembled at the sight before my eyes. the barrel of the gun was in my face, "this will only hurt for a moment." She said as she glanced around before shooting the camera, I jumped as she she unlocked me from the handcuffs.
"What is going on?" I ask frantically as she pulled me up and then sighed, she was helping me.
"This will hurt, okay?" I nod as she shot me in the thigh, I bit my lip as she picked me up and carried me, I was crying as I silently screamed.
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She put me down and handed me my bike, "when he left I grabbed it for you, look, kid, you need to get the hell out of here." I checked my bike to see new wheels, she tossed me my keys and then handed me my smashed phone.
"Why did you help me?" I asked her skeptically.
"You're a child, I can't see a child die all because she had money in her bag." She told me "I can't see an innocent life be taken because you went down the wrong road..." we both heard a noise, "go! Please go." She hands me any black bandana and sunglasses.
"Okay." I got on my bike and put my glasses on before tying my bandana, she hands my bag over and I quickly checked it for mics or for trackers. Nothing was there so I nod before zipping it up and put it on my back. I turned my bike on and she smiles as I took off.
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I was back in Riverdale, I pulled up on the side of the road and jumped off my bike to check for trackers or anything. I didn't trust that escape at all. I couldn't find anything so I pulled my phone out and tapped it a few times with my hand and it turns on.
I swipe up and turned the flashlight on, I scanned my entire bike and I smirk, I found the tracker and took it off before throwing it into the puddle, I stomped on it before checking my bike again.
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I walked up to the Whyte Wyrm and shoved the doors open, I was soaking wet, aching in pain and about to collapse, "FP! We need help in here!" I heard someone shout as I took three steps in before I collapsed on to the ground.
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I slowly opened my eyes and the smell of cigarettes and alcohol filled my nose, I groaned as I brought my hands up to my face and rubbed my eyes, I pushed myself up and looked around. I was in FP's office, the door opens and I look up to see Fangs and Sweet pea, they sigh in relief before they ran up and hugged me.
"Oh my god you're alive!" Fangs cries out as I wrap my arms around both of them as I started to cry.
"I got away!" I cried as the let go of me, the door opens and FP walked in.
"Thank god," he walks up and hugs me, I hugged him back even tighter as I sobbed into his shoulder, "you need to tell me what happened." He said softly as he let me go.
"I was on my way home... I went through a shortcut, but someone put pins on the ground which made my tire pop and I was thrown off my bike." I sighed as I shift slightly, "next thing I knew I woke up and saw two people standing in front of me asking me questions but I didn't tell them anything." I hiss in pain from my leg throbbing, "the man said to shoot me because I knew the location and his partner helped me escape, but not before shooting me in the leg." I look down before sighing "she fixed my bike, but there was a tracker so I got rid of it."
"I shouldn't of let you go, I should've just let you stay in school..." FP covered his face with his hands, I touched his wrist and he looked at me as I shook my head.
"You wouldn't of known, it's okay... I'm home now," he shakes his head, "I'm safe now."
"You're not doing jobs anymore," he told me and I shake my head again.
"I need to do them, I'll be fine after a few days," I told him as I got off the couch and panted before looking him in the eye.
"Sit back down, Tessa," he ordered but I shook my head.
"I'm going home, I'm going to have a shower and I'm going to bed, I can't just sit here." I told him as I forced myself to walk over to the desk and grabbed my stuff.
"You're so stubborn!" He shouted and I snapped my head towards him.
"You wanna call me that again?" I hissed as we glare at each other, "I went through hell and came back here! For you, don't you dare call me stubborn."
"You were attacked! You were hurt! Look at you!" He shouts as I walk up and we were in each other's face.
"I was attacked, but I am alive! I beat my parents didn't I?! I'm still here, alive! Don't hold me prisoner." I jabbed his chest and he snatched my wrist, I jumped slightly as he held it.
"You don't get to yell at me when I'm trying to protect you." He said darkly as I snatched my wrist back.
"So where were you when I was attacked a week ago? Where were you when I was held hostage? Where were you when I was raped! Where were you when I needed you the most? Hmm?" His face softens as I walked around him and grabbed my bag from the ground.
"And yeah, I might be stubborn, but that's what makes me, me because I don't quit and I always get up." FP stared at me as I wiped my blood-soaked sweater paws under my eyes as my tears fell.
"Tessa..." he said softly as he went to reach out for me, I stepped back.
"I love you, FP, I do, but you have to stop," I told him before I turned around and left the office crying, someone grabbed me and I turned around in a struggle, I faced them and FP stared at me with tears falling down his own face.
"Kid, please..." I shake my head at him, "Tessa... let me take you home," FP said as he cupped my face with both hands, "please?" I wiped my face again. "I'm sorry." He whispered as he brought me into a hug, "I'm sorry I didn't go with you, I'm sorry that I haven't been there to protect you... I wasn't there and I'm sorry." He strokes my hair as my body stopped shaking and I wrapped my arms around him as I cried. "Shhh... I'm here honey, I'm here."
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I sat on my bed in silence, I heard my front door open and I grabbed out my switchblade knife in case, their footsteps got closer to my room.
I tightened my grip as I flicked it open and pointed it towards the door. My door opens and I saw Fangs, he jumps when he saw the knife shine in the light, I sighed in relief as I flick it back down and put my knife away.
"Hey..." he whispered as fangs made his way towards me, I had my lips pursed as he sat on the bed and looked at me.
"Hi..." I whispered back as I look back at him and shake my head, "sleep with me, please?" He nods his head as he took his serpent jacket on and put it on the bed, I grabbed it when he was taking his flannel shirt off and I slipped the jacket on before wrapping it around myself.
"Do you want to go to school tomorrow?" Fangs asks me quietly as I watched him getting changed, I shake my head slowly.
"No..." I replied and he faced me, I wiped my eyes once again before sniffling, "I just want to sleep," I told him as he glanced at what I was wearing and smiled.
"In my jacket?" He asks me and I nod my head slowly.
"I want to feel safe, Fangs..." I said as he shook his head.
"Hey, why don't you..." he picked up his hoodie and handed it to me, "...wear my hoodie, I'll grab a movie and food, we watch movies while you can hug me as much as you want to." I nod my head as I took his jacket off and he passed me his hoodie.
"Okay..."
"Princess?" I look back up as I fixed my hair, "I'm going to be with you, for a long time, you're not going to get hurt anymore... okay?" I nod my head before he smiles and went to grab everything for the movie.
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I was wrapped around fangs as we watched the movie, he held my thigh and my back as we watched in silence. I glanced at him before kissing his temple, he smiles as he looks at me.
"Thank you," I whispered as I laid back down on him as his grip got a little tighter.
"Anything for my best friend." He replies and I smile as I focused back on the movie.