The Serpent Queen

7.1

Dear diary,

What makes a place feel like home? Is it warmth and familiarity? Some idealized, make-believe version of the American dream? Is it love and acceptance? Or is it simple safety? Or, it's none of those things. And it's a place where the captain of the football team is murdered. Or maybe it's just the fact that everyone around you is not who you thought they'd be. 

***

Cali roamed the school hallways with a grin on her face, feeling lighter than she had in a long time. Her mind was still reeling from the unexpected kiss with Sweet Pea, but it was a pleasant distraction from the chaos of her life.

As she headed to the storage room to put her AP Bio project away, she pushed the door open without a second thought. What she found inside was completely unexpected.

Betty and Jughead, entangled in a passionate kiss, looked up in surprise as Cali entered. Both of their heads snapped towards her, their expressions a mix of embarrassment and shock.

Cali blushed deeply and immediately covered her eyes with her hands. "I am so sorry, I'm just gonna..." She fumbled for the door handle and quickly made her exit, her mind racing.

Shortly after, Betty and Jughead followed her out, finding her in the hallway.

Betty, looking guilty, began to speak, "Cali, I was gonna tell you..."

Cali interrupted, still shocked by the unexpected sight. "You two? Wow."

Betty blinked in surprise. "What? You're shocked?"

Cali shook her head, her shock turning into amusement. "No, I definitely knew something was happening between you two."

Jughead raised an eyebrow, surprised by her admission. "Really?"

Cali nodded. "Yeah, anyone who has eyes could see it... besides, me and Sweet Pea..."

She trailed off, leaving Betty and Jughead hanging in suspense.

Betty couldn't contain her excitement. "Woah, woah, woah. You can't just leave us on a cliffhanger like that."

Cali couldn't help but smile as she revealed, "Alright. He may have kissed me."

Betty's eyes lit up. "Seriously? Cal, I'm so happy for you!"

Cali shrugged awkwardly, not used to discussing her feelings openly. Jughead interjected, "Alright, can we catch up later? Archie said to meet him in the lounge."

With a nod, Cali agreed, and the three friends headed off to meet Archie.

***

The room was filled with tension as Betty shared her family's reluctance to involve the police in Polly's disappearance. Veronica couldn't hide her frustration, muttering, "Please. What decade is this?"

Cali, who had been quietly listening, couldn't stay silent any longer. "I've known your parents all my life, and they've never been like this. Something's up," she pointed out.

Betty nodded in agreement, appreciating Cali's support. "You're right, Cali. It's just not like them."

As the conversation continued, Betty explained her parents' concerns about Polly potentially being linked to Jason's car, and Jughead's theory about her being the murderer. The weight of the situation hung heavily in the room.

Archie, not wanting to jump to conclusions, asked, "Who did burn the car, then?"

Betty shared what Sheriff Keller had mentioned, "Sheriff Keller says it's possible someone was following us."

Veronica, ever the pragmatist, suggested a drastic solution. "Oh, my god. Honestly, guys, we should just move."

But Betty's concerns for her sister's safety overshadowed everything else. "Guys, what if Polly's really hurt? What if whoever killed Jason is coming after her next?" She looked to Jughead for support, and he instinctively put an arm around her, comforting her in a moment of vulnerability.

Archie, considering their options, offered, "Betty, even though your parents don't want to, maybe you should go to the police."

Kevin, supporting Archie's idea, added, "Second it. We can talk to my dad together about how he has to be discreet."

Jughead, ever the realist, cautioned against it. "No offense, Kev, but your dad answers to a higher authority than God: The Blossoms. They're the first people that he would tell."

Betty concurred with Jughead's assessment. "And if there's anyone to keep this a secret from, it's the Blossoms. They'd twist it around and go after Polly out of spite."

Veronica, determined to help her friend, asked, "How can we help? Tell us, B, and we'll do it."

Betty sighed, the weight of their decisions weighing heavily on her. "We need to find Polly, no matter what it takes. But we have to be careful, and we can't involve the wrong people."

***

Veronica couldn't help but tease Betty when she noticed Jughead's comforting gesture. "Did I just notice Riverdale High's very own Holden Caulfield pit his arm around you?"

Betty blushed but explained, "Okay, so these past couple of days, I haven't been in a great place, emotionally. And Jughead was really there for me..."

Veronica couldn't hide her excitement. "Oh, my god. Swoon! Ok, in that case, if he helped my girl navigate some turbulent waters, well then, Veronica Lodge approves."

Cali, sensing an opportunity for bonding, chimed in, "I'm sensing a girls' night?"

Betty smiled at the idea. "Of course. Your place like always?"

Cali nodded, excited for the night ahead. "You bet."

Veronica, eager for some girl time, exclaimed, "Ugh, yes. I've been dying for some girl time. Come on, let's go find your sister."

As the three friends began to walk away, Kevin stopped them with urgent news. "You guys, oh, my god."

Veronica's face paled as he shared the alarming tweet from Cheryl: "#PollyCooperkilledmybrother, #Nowheretohide, #Sharpenyourpitchforks."

Betty's anxiety spiked. "Oh, no. We need to find Polly before the Blossoms do." 

***

As Archie and Cali walked down the hallway, their casual conversation was abruptly halted when a group of students confronted Cali, their words laced with venom.

"Serpent!" one of them hissed.

"She's a snake, is what she is. We were stupid for trusting her," another added, casting judgment and disdain.

Cali, taken aback by the sudden hostility, raised an eyebrow but continued walking with Archie until they reached her locker. To her dismay, a crowd had gathered around it, and when she pushed through to see her locker, it was covered in rude notes and pictures of snakes. The cruelty of it all brought tears to her eyes.

Someone from the crowd took it a step further and threw a toy snake at her, causing her to jump in shock.

Archie, refusing to stand by and watch, stepped forward and firmly addressed the bullies. "Hey, hey, hey. Leave her alone. Go!"

He shooed everyone away, providing Cali with a moment of respite from the hostile crowd. Concerned, he asked, "Are you okay?"

Tears welled up in Cali's eyes, and her voice quivered as she replied, "Ask me tomorrow?"

Feeling overwhelmed, she ran to the girls' bathroom for solace, with Archie calling after her, "Cali, wait!"

Inside the bathroom, Cali gazed at her reflection in the mirror. The spikes and rhinestones on her collar were symbols of her identity, but in that moment, they felt like a target on her back. As she began to wipe off her smeared makeup, she heard someone approaching, and her heart raced with uncertainty.