The Hoax

Chapter Three

   As nightfall approached, I rushed to my destination. The pouring rain had quickened, smacking every inch of my truck as I sped down the road.

   How could this happen?

   What did the sheriff mean by he was mutilated?

   Turning to the right, the previous smooth road turned into a pothole filed, broken asphalt parking lot. The neon signs of the bar illuminated the area, everything shining due to the rain. The regular rock music was blaring through every speaker, chatter muffled by the bass along with pool balls hitting one another. The Whyte Wyrm was no more occupied than usual, everyone wearing some form of the same logo. The Southside Serpents.

   "Jug! Did you hear?" A familiar voice called over the music. I turned to see Sweetpea motioning towards me as he and some others stared at a small tv screen. The Riverdale news playing, Sherrif Keller speaking.

   "Riverdale is currently under a strict 8 P.M curfew. Anybody caught outside after that will be taken in and questioned....." he continued, the same speech as earlier in the diner.

   "That's bullshit! He's going to just bring in anyone from the Southside and try to pin the murder on one of us" Sweetpea groaned.

   "Really Sweetpea?" I commented with an eye role. He turned to me, his greasy black hair falling over his forehead as though he hasn't brushed it in days. He was a tall man, having at least half a foot on me. He's always been one to use his stock to his advantage, knowing he easily scares others. "A kid just got mutilated, I don't think they're going to pin it on a random person"

   "What do you mean mutilated?" Toni asked, interrupting Sweetpea. Toni Topaz, the short fire cracker with her fuse constantly lit. With her pink hair and punk girl vibes, she's a girl you know not to mess with.

   "Keller came by Pops earlier when I was there... it was a kid from my school. They haven't found all of him because whoever killed him hacked him up into pieces and threw him into and around Sweet Water River" I explained, digging my hands deep into the pockets of my leather jacket.

   "Damn.... what is with this fucked up town?" She commented, taking a seat on the stool behind the bar.

   "You mean the fucked up Northside. No doubt one of those rich assholes did this" Sweetpea stayed. My blood began boiling at his words, the same words I hear day in day out. Whether I'm on the Northside or Southside, I'm always hearing some sort of shit talking about the opposite side. It's been like that ever since I was a child. Being born on the Southside, I got the brunt of the bullying and threats. Usually from the football team or a group of rich popular kids, hateful words and threats are spewed at me. I can't even imagine what would happen if anyone found out who I actually was. What I'm apart of.

   "All I know is I'm not abiding by some bullshit curfew! We're not 5!" Fangs stated. He and Sweetpea cheered and high fives whilst Toni rolled her eyes.

   "Have fun spending the night in jail then" she pointed out.

   "How about not being a dumbass and just follow the law?" I stated. His eyes snapped to mine, trudging towards me trying to get me to cower down.

   "Do you have something to say Jones?" He growled, his face inches from mine. I could smell his minty breath, his heart beating rapidly though he hid it with heavy breathing. Pushing myself up straight, meeting his devilish gaze I could hear his breathing hitch.

   "You're a dumb fuck, Sweetpea. You talk all this game but you'll never actually do it. So I'd advise you to save your breath and shut the fuck up" I threatened. Within a millisecond, I was pushed backwards into the wooden bar. My cheekbone began stinging, the feeling of warm blood pushing its way to the surface. I lunged forward, my clenched fist connecting with his jaw. Looking at me, you wouldn't expect me to be able to lay a man like Sweetpea out on his ass, but then again most people don't actually know me.

   "Boy!!" That annoyingly familiar voice yelled, causing me to stop myself from hitting him again. The bar had become a silent crowd of watching eyes. I turned to see my father, steam practically radiating off of him. "Come with me, now!" He ordered. With one last look at Sweetpea who was holding his jaw while sat on the ground, I followed my father to an empty room in the bar.

   "What is it?" I asked, wiping off the blood slowly falling down my cheek.

   "What is it?! What the fuck do you think it is?! Jughead, you're going to be our king!! And with you walking around punching everyone who pisses you off, you'll never make it as the Serpent King." He yelled.

   "Worked well enough for you" I said before I had the chance to stop myself. His usual dead eyes filled with rage as he gripped the collar of my clothes and pushed me into a wall.

   "You better watch your mouth, boy!!" He threatened. His breath stank of alcohol, his clothes the stench of weed. I had nothing to say. The man in front of me, the man holding me against a wall, was nothing but a deadbeat alcoholic who calls himself a dad. No wonder my mother left with my sister. "Man up!" He yelled before releasing me from his grasp. "I have something I have to take care of, I'll be gone a few days. In the mean time, don't fuck anything up" he demanded before storming out of the room and out of sight.

   My blood was still boiling, rage flowing through my veins as I stood in this empty dark room. The Southside Serpents King. The title my father currently holds and will soon be passed down to me. A title of honor, the type of honor that inspires fear in those who don't know us. To the Northside, the Southside Serpents are nothing but a biker gang filled with criminals and drug dealers. To the Southside, we're normal people who protect each other and others. I've grown up in this gang, they are my family. Even Sweetpea! But going to school on the Northside, I'm forced to hide this part of me. Nobody knows who I am.

   Even her. The one person I've ever wanted to know, can never know. Betty Cooper, the perfect girl next door. Knowing her for years, she never doesn't have a smile on her face. While until recently we barely spoke, I always found myself drawn to her. The loner outsider born on the wrong side of the tracks liking the perfect girl next door? Sounds like a train wreck waiting to happen. And that's exactly how I felt, but I could never get myself to stop looking her way.

   When Whetherbee came to me to deliver The History of Riverdale to her, I felt the weirdest giddiness inside of me. The way she smiled from ear to ear, the way her left eyebrow props up slightly more than the other when she's focused. The way her green eyes shine in the dullest of light. We've exchanged more words in these past two days than we have in the past four years. And in those two days I've seen more inside of her than I ever expected. Especially the fact that she's hiding something. Sitting in front of her house, the fear that shot through her entire body when her father screamed her name was ominous. The way she cowered to her father as she passed him, the tremble she couldn't stop.

   The ding of my phone forced me back into reality, it's echo piercing to my ears.

   •Betty

   ~Hey Jug... would you possibly be able to take me a few places on Monday after school..?

   My heart beat skipped at the thought of spending more time in her presence.

   •Me

   ~Of course! What do you have in mind?

   •Betty

   ~Just a bit of sleuthing, plus anything to keep me out of my house.

   •Me

   ~ Well, you can count me in. See you on Monday Betts :)

   •Betty

   ~See you Monday, Juggie :)

   And with those few text messages, the rage inside me had subsided and filled with anticipation for a day I usual dread every week.

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Hey everyone!!

If you haven't noticed I'm trying to make my chapters longer and explain things in more detail!! I hope I'm doing good!! Please give me feedback on if I'm explaining too much or not enough!! :)

Aren't they just the cutest!??

-Danii LeeAnn