SOUTHSIDE STARLET *editing* (RIVERDALE)

Blackboard Jungle

On the first day back to school, I woke up in Jughead's trailer and he drove me to Riverdale High. I had early cheer practice first period. Cheryl Blossom threw a shoe at me when I arrived, "Oh hell no! I wont have school turn into one too."
I went to hug her, then I bolted.
~
The first thing I did when Jughead Jones told me about the transfer was march down to the Pembrooke.
I slammed a paper down on Hiram's desk.
"Did you do this? I have several people blaming me for this so I have to know. Father, whoever you are to me? Did you do this?" I stood there waiting for a response but all I got was a smug grin. I grabbed a scotch glass and threw it across the room. He came after me, "Nicolette."
I was already gone. I wandered back to Jughead's trailer.
Jughead tried to kiss me but I made sure he knew I was with Cheryl. The Blossom girl had texted me the next morning to join her but Jug asked me too. So, I took the easy way out and showed up in my serpent flannel day dress, black with purple and yellow accents. I put my serpent jacket on over it and put on my platforms.
I walked into school and the fighting stopped. There were whispers, since i took the rest of last semester independently due to Dani's death.
"OMG! Nicolette Woodhouse is back!"
"Stand down Eva Peron!" Cheryl Blossom strutted down the stairs. So I, being more extra than my girlfriend, jumped on the table as Veronica tried to get Reggie and Archie to stop fighting.
"Yo! Shut up!" I said. Everyone looked at me, "I'm a southsider and a northsider. You got a problem? Take it up with me with words or this snake," I pointed to myself, "will swallow you whole."
Then, "Enough! Miss Woodhouse get off the table and to class now!"
I walked with Jughead Jones to class since we had all of them together.
At lunchtime, the Serpents and I were eating lunch when Weatherbee called all of us, even me to the hall.
"This is what they do," reggie mantle was smirking.
"No serpent jackets." he said.
I scoffed, "weatherbee if i may..."
"You may not..."
"Whatever, you're trusting Reggie Mantle, drug dealer over fellow students?" I asked.
Weatherbee looked at me with a warning look. I pulled out my phone and bolted with the Serpents.
I pressed record.
Sweet Pea is banging on a trash can to a beat.
Jughead is sitting with Nicolette.
"Weatherbee's profiling us." Jughead started.
"Textbook."
"We are serpents. In life. All the time." me and Jughead repeated.
~
~The next day, I walked into school with my mother's serpent jacket on. Cheryl Blossom, my own girlfriend told me to take off the jacket but I told her it was important to me. However when Reggie Mantle told Jughead to take off his jacket, I was shocked to see that he actually had his on.
"Juggie." I stepped toward him, "Chill Reggie. Both of you."
But Reggie hit me square in the face, "KeKe. I'm so sorry..."
"Fuck off, mantle." I ran outside as Veronica was snitching as usual.
~
jughead and i were suspended but when Aunt Alice came to get me I was crying, seeing as Reggie Mantle left a purple bruise on my face. I ran to her but guess who was at my house.
Hiram Lodge was in the living room. "What do you want?"
He looked at me, "Palomita, I-"
"Just stop. Stop with the whole trying to be a dad. You have Veronica. You clearly didn't want me so just go back to your status. I wish you were dead like my mother." I turned to leave.
"Nicolette, your mother is very much alive." I turned. I couldn't believe it.
"What the hell are you saying? Actually, I gotta go home."
"Nicolette," Aunt Alice says, "this is your-"
"No, the southside is my home."
I pulled out my phone, "Hey Jones. Where are you? Can you pick me up?" I set down my phone. When he arrived, Jughead came in through Betty's window.
"Hey, Abigail, how's the witch hunt?" The Crucible reference. Swoon.
"Juggie! It's alright. I locked myself in here. Look, Hiram is downstairs." I said. "How are things with Cheryl?" He asked.
"I feel like we're going too fast. I need a change." I said.
"Like what?"
"Like a Jason Dean to my Veronica Sawyer. Like the guy in front of me." I kissed him and he kissed me back.
"Let's go, Abigail." He opened the window. And helped me down the ladder. We rode his motorcycle to the Whyte Wyrm.
•
"Why aren't you in school? And why the hell is Alice asking me where the Serpent Starlet is?"
"Maybe because she's here dad. And Weatherbee is profiling the Serpents."
I laughed, "He won't let us wear our jackets."
"Wear then after school. And where did you... get... I thought I..." FP said.
"Jughead said I could have it. Aunt Alice doesn't know I have it."
"She does now." A voice called.
"Shit. Jug, I'll call you tonight. Oh and since you and Betty are done, we're going out on Friday. Meet me at Pop's at seven."
Jughead smiles, "Later Abigail."
"Until tomorrow Mr. Proctor."
•
Alice Cooper didn't say a word to me until we got home, "Give me you Serpent jacket, Nicolette. You look too much like your mother to be wearing that."
That pissed me off.
"What the hell do you mean my mother? What the hell do you know about her? Or me? I'm leaving."
"Alright. Your father has already told me he's willing to take you."
"No. I will not go five feet within Veronica's perfect Prada face. You can't be serious. I'm calling..."
"FP thinks Jughead is a bad influence on you..." Alice said.
"Yeah well JUGHEAD'S my boyfriend and I love him. I'm gonna ask Archie if I can-
"No. Fred already has enough to deal with that kid."
A knock on the door.
"Princesa."
"Oh my fucking Jesus, you were serious."
Veronica was with him too, "Hi, Sister." She hugged me, "When Daddy told me you'd be staying with us I was so excited to have someone my age with me at home."
"Yeah. Great. Well, I have a date with Jughead tonight actually so I can't move in just yet..."
"Nonsense! The Jones boy can come over with Archie." Hiram said.
•
And so, Jughead Jones showed up at the Pembrooke against his will. Archie answered the door, "Jug? What are you doing here?"
"Ahem. Forsythe, ignore him and come sit with me." I said.
"Are you two..." Archie started.
Jughead looked at me. I looked at him. Then Hiram looked at him.
"What?" Jughead asked, "Abigail and I are dating, isn't that right."
"Abigail?" Hermione questioned.
"From her favorite play, The Crucible. The musical version is Angelica and Alexander from Heathers."
"Hamilton, Jug," Archie corrected. Jug looked at him.
"You know, Archie, not everyone can afford to see that," Jughead said. I looked at him, "Juggie. You're right actually. Archie is just aw privileged as myself but at least I'm not flashing it around with a big house. Cmon, Jones, our booth at Pop's is reserved as always."
"KeKe..."
"Or, I could stay here and watch you fight Archie for letting Reggie mantle punch me in the face." He turned to Archie, "You did what?"
"I'm sorry man, I was with..." Archie said.
"Who were you with Archie?" I challenged him.
"I..."
"Alright Jughead, let's go see our real friends who Archie threatened with a gun. Oh, and I'm staying at Jughead's indefinitely." Jughead was smiling so wide as we ran out the door.
"I can't believe you just did that!"
"You seem to believe a lot of other things, Jones."
That night, let's just say we made a lot of memories.
~
the next morning jughead drove me to school on his motorcycle. I tried to look for Fangs but when we arrived, Veronica tried to give me a uniform.
"Here Nicolette. If you can't afford to-"
"Look, sister, I wear what I want to wear. I have the money, I just won't spend it. Neither will jug."
"So our choices are either conform or be cast out?"
~
That afternoon, jug ushered me to a classroom.
"Welcome to the Swords and Serpents club."
"No really Jones," Toni said, "What is this?"
HE had done it. He had a place where serpents can be themselves in the safety of a classroom during lunch.
I kissed him, in front of everyone.