VIPER→ s. pea [1]

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
SERPENT FACE OFF
"and i shouldn't cry,
but i love it"
˚✧₊⁎*⁎⁺˳✧༚

     As morning rolled by in Riverdale, the news of someone's after midnight shenanigans came to light; someone had beheaded the Pickens statue found in Pickens park the very same night the festivities had been held. And while the sheriff was driving a hard barging pointing fingers at the Southsiders ( the serpents especially ), Archie Andrews was running around town for none other than Hiram Lodge himself. Apparently he had been offered an apprenticeship of sorts, and it included picking up his laundry and food orders.

     Jughead had filled in the blanks for Harley on what the hell had gone down with the protest at Pickens park. Harley, of course, supported Jughead and his cause a thousand times over, swearing to do anything she could to help. For now that meant simply educating the ignorant, and fiercely defending the serpents. Jughead was happy his friend wanted to aid him. Her support meant the world.

     Shockingly enough Harley had spent the morning eating breakfast with her mother. It had gone along the lines of this:

      "Why don't you consider this low fat yogurt before you scarf down that breakfast bagel, dear?" Addison Byers handed the yogurt in questioned to her daughter, swiftly swiping the bagel out of her hands, dumping it in the trash.

     Harley rolled her eyes, resisting to make a snide comment in response. "Did you see the papers? Someone beheaded the General Pickens statue. You know, I bet you it was one of those Southside thugs." Addison spoke with venom evident in her voice. The woman had quickly gotten over the initially shock of the crash, neverminding that a serpent had saved her daughter. Harley had hoped her mom would take the accident as a learning experience. That this traumatic event would change the family dynamic. But it hadn't. It was simply wishful thinking and the truth was that in reality people didn't change unless they wanted to.

     "Mom, you don't know that. It could have been anyone." Harley softly argued.

     Addison waved her hand dismissively. "I'm working late tonight. I left some frozen food in the fridge, so you can just pop it in the microwave." The mother explained, grabbing her keys off they counter. "Steer clear of the Southside trash! If I find out you're talking to anyone of them I swear I'm grounding you till you're forty."

     "Bye, mom." Harley called, watching her mother leave.

     The encounter was nothing out of the ordinary. The only unusual thing about it was her mother actually having time to speak more than five words to her daughter before rushing off to work. Harley shuddered at the thought of her mom discovering just how little talking she had been doing with a certain serpent. . . Especially considering how mad she got when she found out Harley was at Pop's with Sweet Pea the night of the accident.