chemistry. | SWEET PEA [1]

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

THE next day, Jughead's article came out and it was all the school could talk about. Apparently, General Pickens had been hired by Barnabus B. Blossom to remove a Native American tribe called the Uktena from the land that became Riverdale. By 'removing', he meant the slaughter of at least four hundred men, women, and children. The descendants of those who survived the massacre created the Serpents and Jughead didn't hold anything back about attacking Hiram Lodge for building on stolen land.

"When Jughead said he was writing an 'exposé' I didn't realize he was talking about something this big," Becca commented, reading over the article.

"Well you know Jughead," Kevin shrugged, "He likes to go big or go home."

"No kidding," She muttered, reading over it again, "This is fucked up, for sure."

"I agree, but what can we do about it? Mayor McCoy isn't going to cancel Pickens Day for this, you can bet on that," Kevin pointed out.

"You're not wrong, but," Becca stopped, biting her lip in thought, "I wish I didn't have to go to it now. Especially after what happened yesterday."

Kevin arched an eyebrow, "What happened yesterday?"

She sighed, rolling up the newspaper in her palm nervously, "You know how Jughead was wanting a quote from my dad? Well, turns out he's very persistent when he knows what he wants. He cornered my dad at Reggie's open practice yesterday and was trying to get a quote from him."

His jaw dropped at what she said, "Oh my god, what happened?"

"Coach Clayton threw him out," She answered, "But my dad was this close to filing a restraining order on him. I had to interrupt the argument so that Jughead didn't get another week's worth of detention."

"Well look at you, saving the day and all," Kevin smiled, "Did your dad say anything to you afterwards?"

"No, just to stay away from him. But the only reason he was there was because he was trying to get Sweet Pea kicked off the team," She let out another breath, "Of course Coach Clayton didn't do it, but still."

"That's tough," Kevin admitted, putting a comforting hand on her back, "Speaking of which, have you and Sweet Pea got over your little argument yet?"

"No and quite frankly I don't think we will," Becca admitted, "I told him we'd meet after school today, so he could put his name on all of our research and then I'd finish the project over the weekend."

"Are you sure you want to do that all by yourself? I mean, Diego and I finished it, but we've been working non-stop over these last two weeks," Kevin replied worriedly.

"At this point, I just want to get it over with, so I can stop with all the sneaking around and lying to my parents. I don't usually have a problem with that, but after yesterday, I realized just how much my dad hates anything or anyone from the Southside. If he ever found out, he'd be beyond livid," Becca ran a hand through her long, dark locks, "Besides, I think something's going on with my dad anyway."

Kevin's eyebrows knitted together in frustration, "What do you mean?"

Suddenly Josie McCoy stalked past the two of them, accidentally running into Kevin.

"Sorry," She muttered as she walked past, obviously mad about something.

Becca looked in the room she had just left from and noticed Veronica by a microphone, looking especially upset.

"Veronica?" She asked, concerned for her friend, "Are you okay?"

She looked up, tears welling up in her eyes, "Josie just quit Pickens Day. Now, what am I supposed to do? Sing by myself?"