*Three Weeks Later*
Elizabeth Susan Cooper found herself staring down at her feet as she slowly made her way down the school hall after leaving her last class of the day. Kevin, Archie, Polly, and Veronica walked with her, laughing about something ridiculous Moose had said the day before. Betty heard none of the conversation as her thoughts drowned out any sound at the moment. The weight of her backpack weighed her right shoulder down as she was too tired and lazy to hoist the other strap up onto her left arm. She stopped at her locker, almost forgetting that her sister and friends were still with her.
Opening her locker, she put in textbooks she wouldn't need for the night whilst Veronica and Kevin went on and on about how much they loved another classmate's outfit today. As Betty slid the last of her notebooks into the locker, she snapped out of her own little world upon hearing her big brother's name. "I actually have plans with Chic tonight." Polly said, causing Betty to drop her notebook. The older Cooper girl turned to her sister's aid. "You okay, Betty?" Polly wondered.
"Yeah. I'm...I'm fine." She faked a smile at the group before stuffing the book into her locker and jamming it shut. "You have plans with Chic tonight?" Betty asked, finally speaking up.
"Yeah. I'd ask you to come, but you already have plans." Polly continued while they all headed for the exit.
"I do?" Elizabeth responded, missing out on pretty much every word of the conversation so far.
"Yeah. Remember? Jug invited us all to that thing?" Veronica widened her eyes at Betty as if urging her to remember the secret get together that night on the Southside.
"Oh." Betty unknowingly shook her head. "That's right."
"What thing is that again?" Kevin wondered, feeling left out suddenly.
"It's supposed to be top secret. Only a select few were made aware of such a soiree." Ms. Lodge smirked, loving the feeling of being somewhat important or even thought of.
"And I was not invited?" Kevin said, with a hint of dramatic trauma in his tone. "I'm offended."
"Well...There's actually a reason you weren't-" Archie began, but Veronica stopped him with a slap to the chest. "Ow!" He exclaimed, putting his hand up to hold his sore pec.
"Shhh!" Veronica scolded her boyfriend.
"What? What is it?" Polly asked, curious herself.
It was silent for a moment and then Kevin squinted, getting the picture. "Oh, I get it....It's because I'm the sheriff's son, isn't it?" When no one responded, he sighed with frustration. "Doesn't anyone remember that I dated a Serpent? Just because I'm the sheriff's son doesn't mean I don't wanna have fun and let loose a little bit too."
"See. That's what I said, Kev." Betty quietly jumped in. "You can come too."
"Betty." Veronica slowly whispered, as if to warn her.
"It's fine, V. It's Kevin. He's not gonna tell anyone. Plus, it's not like we're gonna be doing anything illegal." When both Archie and Veronica averted their eyes from her, she panicked inside. "Right, you guys?"
"What? What are we doing?" Kevin asked with excitement.
Veronica looked around to see if any students in the school parking lot could hear them. After a group of freshmen walked by, she lowered her tone. "There's talk that there MAY be Jingle Jangle."
"What's that?" Elizabeth wondered.
"'What's that?!'" Kevin repeated. "It's only the most popular drug on the Southside nowadays."
YOU ARE READING
Speak To Me
Fanfiction"Polly felt the babies kick for the first time and Mom came rushing into the living room to feel them with a smile. She was so so happy and then Polly called for Dad. The moment he stepped into the room, my mother's smile vanished and she went right...
