Sour Candy Kisses

Body Double

Every night for the past two weeks, when my dad and brother go to bed, I sneak out the bedroom window, thank god it's on the second floor or I'd end up hurting. I make my way to the other side of town, where I find myself, with Sweet Pea making sweet love. Where I find myself slowly becoming addicted to him. When it is just him and I, I feel like the most important person in the world, not to mention the adrenaline I feel keeping our relationship a secret. 

I don't need the world finding out about us, and suddenly I'm no longer accepted or welcomed to the southside, or the worst, Sweet Pea no longer entertained by me. It's no hidden secret to me that Sweet Pea, was a player in the past, and slept around with any girl, and drinks and smokes, and fights in a gang, he is their most ruthless, and dangerous member, that both terrifies and excites me. I know he won't hurt me, but just the small thought that he could gives me the chills.

It's Monday morning and I slowly roll out of bed. I am extremely tired. I make my way to the bathroom and stand in the hot shower, hoping that would make me wake up and feel better, it only made me tired even more. I wash my body, and then my legs and finally my hair. I rinse off a few more minutes, turning the water cold to wake me the way I intended in the first place. I wrap the towel around me and make my way to my room where I dress in leggings and a hoodie. It's raining, still. I slip on my boots and make my way to the car, where Kevin rushes out to join me.

"Well don't you just look terrible." he says to me. I turn to look at him. "Rude." I say and start the car backing out the driveway and taking off to school. 

"Seriously Em, you look sick, why are you coming to work?" I glance at him and focus back onto the road. "I am fine. Really." Kevin doesn't argue with me about how I feel. He knows if I say I am fine, I am fine.

In biology class I sit next to Cheryl and today she was exceptionally quite. Normal we chit chat and talk about her brother, it helps her greave. My dad and his partners come into class and call her out. "I'm guilty." Was the last thing I heard her say before she walked out. I looked at my brother from across the room, both of us puzzled.

In the student lounge between 4th and 6th period we all sit around talking with one another. 

"You're going on a date with Chuck Clayton?" Kevin says.

"He's kind of a player."

"Who cares? He's the hottest of hot. "

"And he's the varsity football coach's son. In Riverdale, that's like dating a Kennedy." I roll my eyes. She's just asking for trouble. Hot or not, he's not great.

Meeting up with Veronica the next day I am curious how her date went. "So? How'd it go with Chuck?"

"Chuck has muscles for days...but his conversation is not the stuff of Oscar Wilde or even Diablo Cody.

"Heh." I glare at the girls passing us just as my phone dings and I look at it. "oh no." I say softly.

"Hey, Veronica." Sadie says. "How was the Stick Maple you had last night?"

"The what, now?" Veronica asks with a confused look on her face. 

"The Sticky Maple Chuck gave you. How was it?" Betty has joined us now just as confused as V.

"We had a Brownie sundae, if that's what you hyenas mean." Just then everyone else's phone goes of showing them the same thing I got a few minutes before. My brother joins us now and I look at him "What the hell is a Sticky Maple?" She asks.

"It's kind of what it sounds like. It's a Riverdale thing."

"NO, Kevin, it's a slut-shaming thing...and I'm neither a slut, nor am I gonna be shamed... by someone named, Excuse me? Chuck Clayton. Does he think he can get away with this? Does he not know who I am? I will cut the breaks on his souped-up phallic symbol."