Southside Boy

Wine, Pie & a Serpent

I sit alone at the dining table, waiting anxiously for him to arrive. "Maybe it won't be so bad" I think to myself as I take a sip of wine, and then the doorbell rings.
"Elizabeth, they're here! Hal come downstairs!" I call for them as I stand up from the table. I finish my glass of wine quickly and walk to the door. I slowly turn the doorknob and as soon as the door is open I lock eyes with him.
"Welcome, come on in" I say with a smile. Betty and Hal come downstairs as they walk in the door. Jughead and Betty smile as soon as they see each other, she takes his hand and shows him to the dining room.
"FP, long time no see, how are you?" Hal says and he and FP shake hands.
"Pretty good. You?"
"I'm good thanks" Hal smiles a little at me and walks towards the dining room, leaving me and FP alone.
"Alice. It's been a while" FP says to me.
"Yes it has" his dark eyes lock with mine and I notice he's moved closer to me. "I-um, dining room is this way, follow me" I say nervously, he smiles and follows me.
"Sit wherever you want" I say and sit down at the end of the table.
"Starting early huh Alice?" FP chuckles as he sees the open wine bottle on the table. I feel my face turn red and before I can answer FP goes to sit in the seat next to mine.
"I'll go get the food, be right back" I say as soon as he sits down.
"I'll help you" Betty says standing up from the table and following me to the kitchen.
"Mom are you okay?" She says, catching me off guard.
"Of course, why do you ask honey?"
"You just seem really tense"
"Oh you know it's just a little awkward, I haven't seen FP in years. Don't worry honey I'm fine" I smile and squeeze her hand reassuringly. "Now here help me take this stuff out"
We grab the food and set it on the table.
"Looks great Mrs. C" Jughead says smiling.
"Thank you Jughead" I smile back at him.
"Yes this looks fantastic Alice" FP says
"Thank you" I smile a little at him as I take my seat. He stares at me, a small grin on his face.
"So FP, what have you been up to?" Hal asks snapping FP and I out of our moment.
"Just living life I guess" FP answers vaguely.
"Still living on the Southside?"
"Yep" FP says looking a little annoyed. He's never really liked Hal, but that was in High School, this is now so I wonder why he still feels that way.
"Are you still a Serpent, or do you just hang around with them now" Hal says bitterly remembering FP's past.
"Hal, that's enough come on" I say shooting him a look.
"No don't worry Alice it's fine, I'm not ashamed. Yes, yes I am still a Serpent"
"This tastes even better than it looks Mrs. C" Jughead says, awkwardly changing the subject.
"Thank you, glad you like it" I say and Betty smiles at me.
*
After dinner is over we continue to talk for a bit. Hal has been questioning FP all throughout dinner, trying to bug him and get under his skin. Hal's questions causing me to drink half the bottle of wine myself, the other half being drank by FP. He was getting increasingly irritated by Hal and joined me in finishing the bottle.
I don't know why Hal was acting the way he was, he was fine earlier, it was me who had the problem. It was like he was trying to prove something.
"So what do you Serpents do, I mean do you still do the same things you did back in high school?"
"What exactly did we do back in High School, Hal?"
"Well from what I gathered you and the other Serpents would deal drugs around town. Is that still something you do now, or am I wrong?"
"Uh Dad, Jughead was actually telling me about how much he liked cars!" Betty says changing the subject. Thankfully Hal stopped questioning FP and began a conversation with Jughead.
"I'm going to go get the pie from the kitchen?" Betty says standing up from her chair
"Oh that's okay honey I'll get it"
"No I got it, I'll be right back" I watch as she walks out of the room.
"Great kid you got there" FP says and I smile
"Yeah she is, Jughead is too. He makes Betty so happy"
"She's all he can talk about" he laughs a little "I'm glad he met her, she's really made an impact in his life. When me and his mom split up he was crushed, didn't talk to me for a while. I don't know how she did it, but she somehow got him to talk to me again"
"I'm glad" I smile at him. He smiles back, his dark eyes locking with mine. I feel his hand slowly reach for mine underneath the table. I turn to see Hal and Jughead are still having a conversation. Betty walks back into the room with the Pie.
"Looks great Alice" FP says, his hand not leaving mine.
"T-thank you" I stutter, he moves his hand away for a moment to cut himself a piece of pie.
"Would you like some?" He asks me.
"Uh yes, thank you" I say and he places a plate in front of me. As soon as he sits down his hand finds mine again. I eat the slice of pie silently. FP let's go of my hand, I instantly feel calmer, something about him makes me so nervous. But it's not for long because as soon as he let's go of my hand he runs his fingers up my leg landing on my thigh. He squeezes a little and I reach for my glass of wine. I drink what's left and stand up from the table.
"I need more wine, I'll be back" I quickly walk to the kitchen, wanting to get as far away from him as I can. What is going on out there, what is he doing? I'm snapped out of my thoughts when I hear a voice behind me.
"Need some help?" I turn and see FP.
"I-uh, no, I'm good" I say as I grab another bottle of wine. I turn my back to him and start opening the bottle. I'm about to turn around when I feel him come up behind me, he places his hands on the counter, keeping me pinned in between.
"Here let me help" he says as he opens the bottle easily.
"Thanks" I manage to say, I'm at a loss for words, I don't know what to think, or even how to think with him this close to me. He places his hand on my waist turning me towards him.
He runs his hands down my sides and pulls me closer to him, so close I can feel his heartbeat against mine. "Dinner was amazing Alice" he says softly
"Thank you, I'm glad you liked it" I manage to say.
He smiles a little as he pushes my hair back, placing his hand on my cheek. My stomach explodes with a million butterflies as his face moves closer to mine. Without thinking I lean in also, I don't know how he manages to do this to me. His lips are almost touching mine when Hal interrupts us by yelling something from the other room.
"Alice? Honey?"
"Y-yeah?" I stutter causing FP to laugh a little. He kisses my jawline making it hard for me to focus on what Hal is saying.
"Do you need help?"
"No I'm okay, I'll be out in a second" FP continues kissing my jaw slowly moving his way down my neck. "I have to get back out there" I say as I push him back a little.
"You sure?"
"Positive. Now you stay here, if we come out at the same time we'll look a little suspicious" I squeeze his hand as I walk past him.
I sit down at the table and pour another glass of wine, trying to process what just happened in the kitchen. We almost kissed. I'm replaying the events in my head when he walks into the room, distracting me from my thoughts.
He sits down beside me, smiling slyly, as he pours himself a glass of wine.