VIPER→ s. pea [1]

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY
THE DANCE OF SERPENTS
"i know i be on some bullshit,
know i be driving you crazy"
˚✧₊⁎*⁎⁺˳✧༚

Walking through the halls of Riverdale high was Jughead, his serpent jacket officially left behind in the name of not becoming suspended, a flannel in its stead. After having finally given in to Mr. Wheatherbee's pressure, the Jones had decided to start a club at the high school, a club where the serpents could lay low, but still be themselves. After all, the serpents didn't shed their skin, no matter the pressure. So Mr. Wheatherbee and the rest of the Northsiders would've had to do a hell of a lot more than banning gang paraphilia and enforce ridiculous looking uniforms to force the snakeskin off.

     The honoring of the town's founding father, General Aaugustus Pickens, was coming up, and festivities were in store for Riverdale. It was fascinating almost how quick people were to move on from the horrors that had plagued the small town. Mere weeks had passed since the Black Hood had been shot and killed by Sweetwater River by sheriff Keller, Archie scarcely escaping a live burial. Not to mention Addison Byers near brush with death, and Harley's participation in both horrific events. Everything was changing, and no one was sure yet if it was for the worse or the better.

     Harley didn't return back to her house until her mother was discharged from the hospital. The Byers girl had taken it upon herself to ensure her mother's smooth return home, wanting nothing more than to just forget the words they had shared in the car before the wreck. Fortunately, Addison herself wasn't to keen on bringing it up either. For a moment, Addison had taken days off work to recover, which had given Harley a glimmer of hope that things were changing. But alas Addison had returned to her work, and her husband was still glued stuck to the couch with a beer at hand. With the town drastically changing around her, Harley wasn't sure if she was to appreciate the consistency in her home or not.

     Either way, life was moving on, and Harley had little to no choice to abide by it. Which was why she was currently walking down the halls of Riverdale high with Jughead by her side. After the accident, the two had grown closer, managing to mend their friendship. The kiss had shook Harley, but these much needed weeks spent healing from everything, physically and mentally, had really helped the two along. As well as the fact that Jughead and FP had allowed her to stay with them whenever she needed to, to which he was eternally grateful for.

     Harley had been the one to convince Jughead that shedding the leather jacket for the sake of his education. The girl desperately needed him at school, or else she was sure she would loose her mind over the rough transition that had been enforced after Southside High had been shut down. Reggie and Cheryl was hellbent on making the entire thing as horrible as possible for all parties involved. Harley needed the small bit of normalcy her best friend provided.