The Serpent Queen

2.3

"And Sheriff Keller's grilling me, Mantle the Magnificent," Reggie exclaimed, his frustration palpable. "Cause I'd want Blossom dead. When he was, like, the only good quarterback we had." His voice trailed off as he noticed a new arrival.

"Oh hey, Cali. You heard about this mess too?" Reggie's question hung in the air, the tense atmosphere now shared by all present.

"Yeah, Reggie, heard it all," she responded, her voice carrying an air of nonchalance. "But seriously, can we chill with the drama and focus on solving this instead?"

Reggie, momentarily taken aback, nodded begrudgingly. "Right, right," he muttered, his tone slightly subdued. "Anyway, speaking of offensive tight-ends, I should've sent the cops to you, Moose." He turned to Moose, his gaze sharp as he continued, "Because here's another unsolved mystery. What exactly were you and Kevin doing at the river, huh? Or does being with the sheriff's son give you a free pass? Keller?"

Betty, never one to shy away from a confrontation, chimed in. "Reggie, save the interrogation for later," she implored, her voice a mix of irritation and concern.

Kevin's response was swift and defiant. "I don't care what he says," he asserted, his stance unwavering.

Reggie's focus shifted once more, his words taking on a speculative tone. "I mean, let's think about it. If a kid at Riverdale killed Jason, it's not gonna be a jock, right? Now let's be honest." He turned his gaze towards Jughead, a sardonic smile playing on his lips. "Isn't it always some spooky, scrawny, pathetic Internet troll, too busy writing his manifestos to get laid?" Reggie's laughter, though bitter, echoed in the room. "Some smug, moody, serial killer fanboy freak, like Jughead?" He stole a quick glance at Cali, his words seemingly tailored for her presence.

Jughead, typically unfazed by Reggie's antics, responded with his characteristic dry humor. "It's called necrophilia, Reggie, can you spell it?" The room's tension seemed to momentarily lift with the collective chuckles that followed.

But Cali wasn't amused. "Seriously, Reggie? You're going down that road?" Her voice cut through the room, a reminder of the line that shouldn't be crossed.

As tensions simmered, Archie, a figure of resilience, stepped in. "Hey, come on, guys," he urged, his voice resonating with authority. "Let's keep it together. Reggie, take a step back. This isn't helping."

Veronica, poised and composed, added her voice to the mix. "Yeah, Archie's right. Reggie, ease off."

The air grew thick with an unspoken understanding. "Boys," Veronica's simple word served as a cautionary note, a reminder of their shared bonds.

Reggie, his aggression unyielding, directed his attention towards Archie. "What do you care, Andrews?" His words dripped with a mixture of defiance and resentment.

Archie's response was terse yet firm. "Nothing, just leave him alone." His protective stance was unmistakable.

But as emotions surged, Reggie's final words threatened to reignite the flames of anger. "Holy crap. Did you and Donnie Darko kill Jason together? Was it some sort of pervy blood brother thing?" His taunting remark hung in the air, a challenge waiting to be answered.

The tension in the room reached its zenith as Archie's actions spoke volumes. The clash of bodies echoed through the lounge, a physical manifestation of the struggle that had been brought the the lounge.

***

In the midst of a football game, Cali's gaze was drawn to the field as she lost herself in thought. "I'm thinking maybe we can go to the library and search high and low for something that can help me with these symbols, or perhaps, the next time my dads at the White Wyrm, we can go through my parents' room again..."