FRONT PAGE ☆ SWEET PEA

FIVE

"i'm not joining a gang, v. but something, or rather someone, interesting caught my attention, though."
chapter five — wallflower much?

Back in the slightly less violent part of town, Debbie took a bitter sip of her drink, glaring at everyone who dared to look at the massive cut on her neck, looking as if she just narrowly escaped a gang fight. Ironically, she thought, she sort of did. Not even overpriced mocktails could ease her mood as she recollected her thoughts, memories of her infuriatingly gorgeous savior from earlier. Sighing, she took another sip of the rich, and probably expensive drink, scanning the luxuriously decorated event.

Alice probably would've blown her gasket if she saw her drinking. Especially in what she was wearing.

Her earlier plan was to wear her usual formal clothes intended for special events like these. A loose, crisp button-up and a hilariously old skirt that once belonged to Alice. She didn't need to dress up if all she was going to do were interviewing and journaling. However, when Veronica saw her, the raven haired teen cringed and forced her into her back-up clothes ("I keep a set of clothes in my purse in case paparazzi is nearby. Or when there's a fashion emergency. And honey, this clearly is.") So now, she was stuck wearing a barely legal sequined dress, and it was uncomfortably tight.

Debbie saw Fred conversing with Alice, waving over when they saw the blonde standing awkwardly in a corner. She waved back, though reluctantly. They began to go back to their conversation, but stopped, suddenly looking ahead. Curiously, she looked too, and she understand the wide eyes and the disbelieving faces.

Alice, as if walking out of a Cosmopolitan magazine, strutted down the red carpet, a blank face painted on her face as photographers dashed to take a picture of her. As Debbie looked closer, she saw the serpent necklace, hanging proudly down her neck.

Forget what she wearing. What in the world was she—

"Shove it, Hal," Alice ignored her uncle's impending speech on how she looked, merely taking the glass from him and taking a swig, simply walking over to Debbie. "Wow, Debbie. You look good."

"Alice, what's going on?" Debbie asked, bewildered and confused by her sudden bold behaviour. Her aunt has always been bold, but it seemed like she turned it up to eleven.

Alice didn't even seem to care. "I've decided to embrace what other people think of me. I can't change what they think," Alice took a long sip of the drink. "I can only approve or deny it." And with that, she headed off into the dance floor, dropping off her glass with a nearby waiter.

Great. Debbie melted into the wall, cursing all the way. Her aunt had more of a social life than her.

To pass the time, she checked her phone, ignoring arrogant self-approving snaps from Reggie and questioning glances by Veronica. From anyone else's perspective, she probably looked like she didn't want to be here. And she didn't. But a job was a job, whether she liked it or not. Debbie put her phone in her purse and pushed herself off the wall, getting her notepad ready.

Approaching a nearby crowd of potential investors, she put on a charming smile and turned on her recorder. If Alice was going to do her thing, Debbie might as well do the same.

However, as if on cue, the group then suddenly walked away, and she mentally cursed herself. Okay, nevermind. The world wasn't on her side today. Now, she was awkwardly standing in the middle of a stuck up, rich investor party. Debbie looked around, hastily, attempting to find a way out of this mess and go home, watch some Bob's Burgers—

"Debbie! Over here," Veronica linked her arm through hers, weaving her past the group and into the supposed VIP section. Forced to sit on a plush, leather loveseat that was probably worth more than her car, Debbie quietly said a hello to the rest of the party and... Cheryl? The bombshell was in deep conversation with Josie, unsurprisingly. It seemed like the two had been attached at the hip lately. Veronica handed her a champagne flute and smiled. "You looked a little lost back there."

"That obvious, huh?" Debbie chuckled, downing her drink. "I'm usually only at parties if it's for the newspaper."

Veronica raised an eyebrow. "That explains it. You should come to more parties then! For practice for when you're a famous journalist and regularly being on top of the lists of hottest parties in New York."

"I'll think about it." The raven haired girl grinned at this, but then gasped when she saw the cut on her neck, which consciously made Debby cover it up. "Before you ask, don't panic. It's not that big of a deal?"

"Not that big of a deal?" Veronica looked closer at the cut, wincing as if she could feel it. "It looks like you got it from a knife fight or some sort. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case, to be honest. You are pretty scrappy."

Debbie nervously wondered if she should tell her. It was just Veronica. She was one of her most trusted companions ever since she helped her with a piece that she had been stuck on for eternity. "I may or may not have almost gotten killed last night, and no it wasn't from the Black Hood, thank god."

Veronica's eyes widened, bewildered. "Where?"

"The Southside."

"What the hell were you doing in that shady part of town? Don't tell me you're going all Jughead-esque and joining a gang."

Rolling her eyes, Debbie set her glass down. "I'm not joining a gang, V. Something, or rather someone, interesting caught my attention though."

"What is it?" Subconsciously, Veronica leaned over to hear, looking around to make sure no one else could hear. After months, even years of practice, Veronica had nearly perfeted the art of gossiping quietly, though she wasn't sure if she should be proud of that.

"I saw... a guy."

Veronica nearly passed out from that statement. She knew fully well that Debbie blocked out almost all romantic love within a mile radius and to hear this made the gears in her head immediately spin. "Tell me, tell me more!"

"Calm down," she paused to let her catch a breath. "But yeah, I met a guy. And he was hot. Not Archie Andrews hot," Veronica frowned. "But like, hot hot. He sort of saved my life yesterday too."

"I'm going to choose not to get offended about the snide comment you made about my Archiekins. But what happened next?"

"I threatened and sassed him?" Debbie winced. "Not that great of an idea now that I think about it. Especially since he's a Serpent."

Veronica nearly choked as she heard this, causing a few concerned looks thrown their way. "A Serpent?!"

She nodded sheepishly, and Veronica exasperatedly sighed, reminding her of the many times Alice had sighed the same way before. Veronica straightened, "You have to stay away from him, got it? Who knows what could happen if you keep associating with him? It's for the best."

"Yeah," Debbie nodded again, but only slightly agreed, despite herself. "It's for the best."

"Great! Me and the Pussycats are on in five, so if you want, you can stay here and watch us totally destroy this performance." Veronica grinned and bid her goodbye, leaving her all alone, left with her thoughts.

As Debbie watched the girl walk away, a deep sinking feeling made its way to her stomach, dread filling ever crevice of her body. She felt her encounter with Sweet Pea was the most uncomfortable yet, but she should have known more were to come.