Accidental Serpent ° Bughead

IX • Arm Candy and Revealed Secrets

MY HEART WAS RACING WITH ADRENALINE, I was currently walking down the halls with my new arm candy, Archie. No one other than my friends knew about the break up, so seeing him with me wasn't a shocker, but I still felt a heavy weight on my shoulders. He seemed fine, skippy, actually. A bright smile spread across his face as he was endlessly blabbing to me.

"So, what do you think I should do?" Archie concludes, I would answer with reasonable advice, only if I was paying attention. I didn't realize what he was saying might end in him asking me a question about the conversation.

I panic a little, unsure of what to say, "honestly, Archie, I don't know, you've gotten yourself into a crazy situation." That's it, that's the only thing I could say. Everyone else was telling that to me so I figured I was allowed to say that to him z

He squints is eyes, "scratching my dad's car isn't that big of a deal," he pauses "are you okay, Betty?"

Shit.

I scratch my neck hesitantly as he stares at me, stopping in our tracks. His smile fades slightly.

"Better than ever," I grin at him, a hesitant smile grows onto his face. Lies, lies, and lies, but he didn't need to know that.

He looks into my eyes and squints, "Betty, are you sure," he pauses, raising a finger "wait, is it Jughead?"

I squint my eyes, "what makes you think Jughead is a part of this?" The bell rings, signifying the start of class. I didn't even utter a word about him, suddenly he's the deal why I'm acting out, or so he thinks that's why? I think not.

"I mean, he's a serpent-," he starts, my face starts scrunching up at his ridiculousness.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know being a serpent automatically makes you a bad person," I cut him off, mocking him. He raises his hands as if he is surrendering. He looks a little hurt, but I don't pity him. "Betty-," he pauses, "I didn't mean it like that, but serpents deal drugs, rape, start fights.l

I cross my arms, "gosh, judging based on stereotypes, tell me again, why aren't I surprised?" He opens his mouth to speak but nothing comes out, of course he doesn't have an argument, cause how he was acting was absolute bullshit.

I make a dramatic exit by sharply turning around and walking away, but it was cut short due to him grabbing my arm. I wince lightly at how hard his grip was on my arm, but he doesn't care. He keeps his hands on my wrist.

He looks at me in the face eyes while I avoid all eye contact, "Betty," he says softly, "why are you so offended by all this?"

I stare at him, I would tell the reason, but I didn't have one. Suddenly, I was so defensive over Jughead, while of it were a month ago, I would be agree with Archie.

I snatch my wrist back and clear my throat, "I'm going to be late for class."
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The final bell of the day rings as I let out a sigh of relief. Quickly gathering my books and stationery and stuffing them into my bag. I knew Archie was staring at me, but I didn't want to give him the pleasure of staring at him back, so I just ignored.

"Betty," a voice calls me, almost angry. I knew it wasn't Archie was feminine and fierce, it couldn't be anyone but Cheryl. I spin on my heel and surely I see the red headed girl.

I wear a sweet smile as she walks towards me, "hey, Cheryl."

"Save it," she spits, "I'm your best friend, also your cousin, and you know what they do, they be honest and blunt, so that's what I'm gonna do."

"Wha-" she cuts me off.

"You got back with Archie," she says in a disgusted tone, her face screams disappoint, I cross my arms and look anywhere but her, she really had to do this in public.

"Betty, look at me," I roll my eyes and face her, "clearly, you have no self-respect whatsoever, he's a good for nothing troll who is only using you for popularity, why can't you see that." She stresses on the last part of her sentence.

I shake my head, "Cheryl, please don't, I'm not in the mood," I feel my eyes becoming glossy.

She gives a fake laugh, "not in the mood, but you are in the mood to get back with your lying ex, Betty, you're the mature one, act like yourself."

Heat rises to my face, I hated that label 'mature one,', it sucked, I do one thing that doesn't benefit myself and then suddenly I'm a changed person.

"You know what, Cheryl," I point a finger at her, "you, out of all people, dont get to judge me, I got back with Archie, sure, but you're only jealous because you can't tell Toni that you like her." Suddenly, I'm not quietly whispering and standing next to her, I'm screaming as loud as I can in the hallway while she crosses her arms.

Her mouth drops, "at least Toni is a good person, Archie is the reason you have a whole-ass serpent tattoo crawling on your arm," she argues back. Her eyes go wide as soon as she realizes what she had just said.

Shoot.

My face drops and a tear rolls down my cheek. That's it, everyone in the fucking hallway heard it, that's it. She opens her mouth to apologize but I just raise a hand, signifying for her to stop and not even try.

"Cheryl Blossom," I whisper with a shaky voice, "you are self-centered bitch."

"I-"

Before she could reply, I decide to run, just like how I ran away from Archie. My legs go fast and my breath shortens even more. I would run away from this town if I could, trust me, I definitely would.

Suddenly, my pocket starts vibrating, I open it to find my phone ringing labeled 'Cheryl'. I roll my eyes, she really thought I'd call her back in a second.

I look up to observe my surroundings, I was definitely far from school, but not far from home, I noticed the park that is placed on the edge of my street. Not too far from my home, but that was a place I didn't want to be right now.

I smile while I stare at the now 'rusty' park. It's where Polly and I used to hangout all the time. It was like our private time away from my parents arguing. My parents used to always argue, but when Polly died, they just suddenly stopped, probably because they didn't want to add even more pressure on to my shoulders.

Before I knew it, I was walking towards the park, it was like my legs were going there themselves, and I couldn't control it.

I sit on a swing ad rock it a little bit as it lets out screams of squeaks, I wince at how loud the swing was. I hear a soft chuckle from behind me.

I turn around and smile, it was Jughead, but soon, my smile fades, I realize from his expression that he was still mad at me.

"I- uh," I stutter, "hi."

He sighs, "look, Betty, I saw what you said to Archie in the hall," he stops, "a-and I just wanted to say thanks."

I nod awkwardly, not knowing what to say, he just stares at me while one of his eye brows are raised. We both open our mouths to speak, but when we realize it, we both stay silent.

"You first," I insist.

"Look, Betty, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say all of those stuff," he looks towards the sand as he plays with the sand with his feet, "if you wanted to hang out with Archie, or go back to him, by all means, go ahead, it's not my place to judge."

A grin appears on my face as he splutters on and on about how he messed up, "Jughead," I cut him off, he looks towards me, "it's okay."

He gives me a soft smile, and I smile back, and for a while, we just stay there, smiling and admiring each other.
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AN

honest opinion pls cus I feel like I have written in a long while and I want to know if you guys like this or if I need to improve more or smthing

ALSO

do you think Cheryl is a bitch
(or)
Betty got was she deserved