The next morning Vanessa woke up to Reggie staring at her. She yawned and rubbed the sleep out her eyes.
"If you would've been anyone else, that would've been creepy." Vanessa and Reggie laughed.
His laugh was interrupted by Vanessa's door opening and Chuck's voice cut through the air.
"Oh, are you guys decent?" Chuck asked, moving his hand to quickly cover his eyes. Vanessa took a pillow and threw it at him.
"We didn't do anything," Vanessa said and Chuck uncovered his eyes.
"Okay, well I was wondering if you were going to watch Reggie practice basketball?" Chuck asked. "Maybe give some pointers?"
Reggie looked between them, confused.
"Wait, I've never even seen you play basketball," Reggie said, puzzled.
"You've also never heard her sing," Chuck said.
"You can sing?" Reggie asked.
"You don't even know, Mantle, you don't even know," Vanessa said then looked back to her brother. "Yeah I'll be there, maybe I'll go for the girl's team this year."
"You would definitely make varsity," Chuck said. "Hell, I can't even beat you."
Vanessa shrugged and pushed herself off Reggie, who groaned. She pushed Chuck out of her room, telling him she needed to change. Once her and Reggie were dressed they were off to practice.
Upon getting there Vanessa noticed a few motorcycles, meaning Serpents were here. She pushed into the gym full of sweaty bodies and made her way under the basket. Reggie went to the locker rooms to change. Sweet Pea noticed her and came up to her.
"What are you doing here?" he asked and she looked up from picking at her fingers.
"Just doing a bit of coaching for Reggie," she answered and Sweet Pea looked at her funny.
"You play?" he asked and she snatched the ball from his hand. She held it as she walked to half court. Once there she dribbled it a little before picking it up, lining up her shot, and shooting. It went into the basket without hitting the rim and Sweet Pea caught the rebound, a shocked expression playing on his face.
After a few minutes of Vanessa coaching Reggie, the Serpents suggested a skin versus shirts scrimmage against the Bulldogs. During the game Sweet Pea drove past Reggie and knocked him over, Vanessa giving a sympathetic wince.
After they were done practicing and were walking in the hallway afterwards, heading to first period, Vanessa talked.
"He had the audacity to knock me down like that," Reggie complained.
"Hey, at least you're getting better. No more lashing out." Vanessa smiled at him. "This is my class, I'll see you later?"
"Definitely. I love you." Reggie kissed Vanessa slowly.
"I love you too."
=+=+=+=
A few days later it was Pickens Day and Reggie had asked Vanessa to go with her. So there they were, snow cone in one hand, dipped apple in the other. Reggie had his arm around her waist when Veronica came rushing over.
"Sorry for such a short notice," Veronica said, rushed, "but I need a replacement for Josie."
"Uh. . . Veronica I don't sing," Vanessa said.
"Please, you did so good at karaoke that one night."
Vanessa groaned.
"Fine," Vanessa agreed and Veronica pulled her away from Reggie and to the side of the makeshift stage, handing her a headband with ears.
"Hello, Riverdale," Fred Andrews spoke into the mic. "Happy Pickens Day. On behalf of Lodge Industries and Andrews Construction, we are thrilled to kick things off with a new twist on an old favorite. So, without further ado, V Squared and the Pussycats."
The fours girl walked on stage and Veronica gave Vanessa a reassuring smile. The music began and Vanessa immediately recognized the song.
"Nightshades on a warning," Veronica began. "Give me strength or give me a light. Give me anything, even sympathy. There's a chance you could be right."
"If I listen close, I can hear them singers," Vanessa took over and she watched as Reggie's jaw dropped, making her smirk. "Oh, oh, oh. Voices in your body coming through on the radio."
"The union of the snake is on the climb," they sang together with the Pussycats amazing backup and harmonizing vocals. "Moving up, it's gonna race. It's gonna break through the borderline."
As the girls were singing, Serpent protestors began to walk through the fair, making Vanessa furrow her eyebrows but still continue. "The union of the snake is on the climb. Moving up, it's gonna race. It's gonna break through the borderline."
Vanessa turned around to the Pussycats signaling them to stop playing as the Serpents spread out into a line in front of the stage. Vanessa stepped off the stage, quickly standing in line. She didn't really know what this was for, but she had a feeling it was because of Jughead's article.
"Toni? Jughead? What the hell is going on?" Veronica asked. Toni brought a megaphone up to her mouth and began to speak.
"We're here representing the dead and the silenced," she shouted into the megaphone. "Pickens Day is a lie. General Pickens slaughtered the Uktena tribe, my grandfather's family. And this land, the land that we're standing on, the land that will soon give way to a new Southside, was stolen from them." Vanessa noticed Hiram Lodge stepping forward towards the stage. "And we can't bring them back, but we can and we must honor them."
Hiram took Veronica's position on the stage, speaking into the microphone. "Hey, folks, hi. Uh. . . I think we can all be proud to live in a Riverdale where young people stand up for justice. Where a young woman can defend the honor and legacy of her grandfather. And where we can celebrate the living legacy of the Uktena, who contribute to the rich tapestry that is Riverdale, that is Southside and that will be SoDale. So let's hear a round of applause for that, am I right?" Cheers and applause erupted from the crowd. "That's right. What do you say, people?"
Jughead was about to storm on stage, but Toni's grandfather held him back. Vanessa scowled at Hiram before walking off to join Reggie.
She found him where they were standing together before. She immediately wrapped her arms around him in a hug. Reggie wrapped his arms around her, careful not to get any of the food that was in his hand in her hair.
"That was some beautiful singing, Nessa," Reggie complimented. "You should really sing more often."
"Thanks, Reg." She chuckled. "Can I have that candy apple?" She asked and Reggie laughed softly. He pulled away and gave her the candy apple. "Thanks, Reggie."
She looked up at him before he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips.
"You want to walk back home?" he asked her after pulling away. She only nodded and Reggie placed his arm around her waist.
YOU ARE READING
𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 ; 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐞
Fanfiction"Hey," Reggie said panting lightly. "Hey," Vanessa said offering up a small smile. "So, about last night-" "Last night was a mistake, I have a boyfriend," Vanessa cut off the boy she knew she loved deep down. "Yeah, one that's on the verge of death...
