𝐒𝐎𝐋 | ˢʷᵉᵉᵗ ᵖᵉᵃ

• F O U R •

« El gran Escape »

As a group of Serpents entered the school on the first day, the tallest, dark haired Serpent's eyes caught onto a familiar face. He watched her smile at the unfamiliar male. He noticed her new change in hair color, and her more revealing, darker, clothes.

"Wowza, Sunny." A Serpent whistled. "Where have you been all summer?"

Clemintine smiled, putting her head down. A small blush flushed her cheeks. The boy she talked with smiled. This didn't go unnoticed by the tallest student.

"What's your first class?" Kurtz asked the pink haired teen.

"Uh..." Clemintine looked down at her paper." Physics."

"Music." Kurtz responded with his own class.

"You play?" Clemintine rose a brow. "Which instrument?"

Kurtz smile widened. "Piano." No one ever took interest in anything he liked, let alone him.

"I'm more of a violin girl." Clemintine chuckled.

"Are you busy after school?" Kurtz became nervous in front of the attractive girl.

Clemintine shook her head. "No, what do you have in mind?"

"Since you bailed on us at Blossom's party, why don't you make up for it by playing some board games with us?"

Clemintine chuckled. "Sure. I'll see you after school. I'll text you." She handed her phone to Kurtz, so that he could put his number inside.

"See ya." Kurtz returned the phone, then left Clemintine.

Clemintine walked to her physics class. Unfortunately for her, Sweet Pea sat in the back of the class, along with her Serpent friends. Which sadly happened to be the only other friends she had in the class.

To distance herself from the others, Clemintine chose an empty seat in the front row. Upon seeing this, Cait and Max joined her. Their fellow Serpents remained confused but shrugged it off moments later.

"What did you do, man?" Fangs asked.

Sweet Pea shook his head. "She's overreacting."

"Knowing your dumbass, it's probably for good reason." Peaches, a female Serpent, sighed. Fangs chuckled at her words.

"She's got a point, man." Fangs spoke. Sweet Pea huffed.

Peaches continued. "If I asked her, would she say the same thing?" She smirked walking backwards.

Sweet Pea's eyes widened. "Peaches, don't."

But it was too late. Peaches had turned around and made her way to Clemintine.

"Peaches." Peaches held out her hand to Clemintine. The now pink haired girl looked up at the other Serpent. She couldn't help but notice how pretty the girl was. Clemintine slowly put her hand in the unfamiliar girls. The girl's hand was incredibly soft. It made Clemintine wonder if the gang member used lotion. "Everybody wants to know what happened between you and our fair Sweet Pea."

Clemintine rolled her eyes. Her shoulders slumped. "He probably said I was overreacting."

"Were you?" Peaches asked. She rose a brow, and sat down in a nearby empty desk, then crossed her legs.

"Peaches N' Cream." Cait glared at the Serpent girl. Peaches glared back.

"I honestly don't know." Clemintine sighed heavily. She ran her hand through her new short, and pink, hair. "It's a big deal to me, and he knows why, but to him, it's probably nothing."

Peaches nodded slowly. She lent forward slightly. She watched Clemintine's face closely. "Can I get some details?"

"Peaches, that's enough." Max informed her.

"Sorry." Clemintine apologized. "It's just really personal."

Peaches stood. "No need to apologize." She turned her attention to Max, sending him a nasty look as she walked away.

"Peaches likes to push boundaries." Max spoke. "It's gonna get her in trouble one day."

"It's fine." Clemintine responded. "Everyone's curious."

☀️

Kurtz sat down beside Clemintine at the lunch table outside. "Hello, gorgeous." Kurtz greeted.

Clemintine smiled sheepishly. "Hey."

"Is it alright if I sit here?" Clemintine nodded as she bit into her cookie. "How's your day been?"

Clemintine swallowed the chocolate chip cookie. "My next class used to be my favorite." She told him. She turned her head towards him. "My Uncle teaches the class now."

"Oh shit." Kurtz' eyes widened. "I forgot you're Bartholdy's daughter. I'm sorry about your parents. That's still a pretty fresh wound."

"Thank you." Clemintine smiled again.

Kurtz placed a hand on Clemintine's back. "I'm always here for you, Clemintine."

"Thank you... Again." She placed her hand on his knee, in the heat of the moment.

"Hey," Kurtz wet his lips with his tongue. "do you want to go out sometime?"

Clemintine tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah. Just let me know when and where."

Kurtz smiled brightly. "Awesome. I will."

Clemintine knew she had to move on. Sweet Pea obviously had. And just as she thought that, the dark-haired Serpent appeared. The girls heart rate picked up as she noticed that he was headed straight for her.

"Shit." She panicked. Clemintine swung her bag over her shoulder. Kurtz stared after her in confusion.

"Sunny!" Sweet Pea called out. Clemintine kept her head down, quickening her pace, as almost if it was the same as hiding. "Clemintine!" Sweet Pea began to jog. "We need to talk!"

Clemintine turned sharply down an alley against the school, but she wasn't fast enough. She squealed as Sweet Pea's hand gripped her upper arm, spinning her around. Her back slammed against the wall, and Sweet Pea stood over her.

"leave me alone!" She called out, in hopes that a fellow student would hear.

"What did you tell Peaches?" Sweet Pea asked.

Clemintine glared. "You pushed me against a wall, for that?" She rolled her eyes.

Sweet Pea rolled his eyes as well. "Answer the question, Clemintine."

"I didn't tell her about Josie, if that's what you're asking."

"What did you say then?" Sweet Pea didn't back off. He continued to keep minimal distance between them.

"Why does it matter, Sweet Pea?" Sweet Pea went quiet. Clemintine sighed. "Please, just let me live. I need some time away from you."

Sweet Pea felt a pang in his chest. "Sunny..." She spoke softly.

Clemintine ignored him, turned away, and made her way inside the school.

Sweet Pea turned back to the wall, where Clemintine once stood, and lent his head on the bricks, breathing out. "Damnit!" He slammed his hand down on the bricks, causing a slapping noise to echo off the wall.

chapter word count: 1037