The Serpent Queen

8.1

Dear Diary,

The Coopers. The Stepfords of Riverdale. High school sweethearts who got married and had two beautiful daughters, Polly and Betty... Until Jason Blossom happened. And now, we would hear from the person who was closest to him those day's leading up to his disappearance... Polly Cooper. How a casual conversation turned into an epic, forbidden romance. How, for reasons still murky, their respective parents tried to tear them apart. How their breakup was short-lived, because Polly soon learned she was pregnant with Jason's baby. How they became secretly engaged with his grandmother's blessing and her heirloom ring, and made plans to run away together, to start a new life. And how their dreams of escape went up in flames. 

***

Cali stood at her door, and when it opened, Sweet Pea stood on the other side.

"Hey. Can I walk you to school?" he asked, a hopeful gleam in his eyes.

As they walked together, Cali engaged in small talk, but Sweet Pea's mind seemed preoccupied. He cut her off abruptly, leaving a pause in the conversation.

"What are we?" Sweet Pea inquired, his tone laced with uncertainty.

Cali chuckled nervously, unsure of how to respond. "Friends?" she suggested tentatively.

The word hung between them, and the atmosphere grew heavy. Sweet Pea's next question bore a weight of its own, "Friends... so that kiss at the river meant nothing to you?"

Cali felt a pang of regret, realizing her flippant response had hurt him. She tried to explain, "I mean it felt right at the time, y'know. I was a little miserable, it kind of distracted me."

But her words didn't seem to ease Sweet Pea's sadness. He simply responded with a resigned, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Before she could say more or express her true feelings, Sweet Pea abruptly changed course. "Hey, I forgot something at my house. I'm just gonna go back and grab it. You can walk the rest of the way without me."

He ran off without waiting for a response, leaving Cali with a sense of longing and regret. She instantly realized that her true feelings were quite different from what she had expressed, but now she needed to find a way to make things right.

***

Inside the familiar Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, the group of friends sat in one of the classic red booths. Veronica Lodge, effortlessly chic with dark hair perfectly coiffed, leaned back, her sharp wit always at the ready. Jughead Jones hunched over the table, casting a shadow with his iconic beanie, his eyes reflecting the complexities of his thoughts. Betty Cooper sat across from him, the picture of poise and charm, her blonde hair immaculately styled.

Archie Andrews, with his trademark fiery hair and an air of determination, entered the diner with an agitated expression. He didn't waste a moment as he approached their booth.

"Jughead, what the hell?" he exclaimed, his impatience evident.

Betty jumped in to clarify the situation. "Archie, Jughead just told us what happened yesterday."

Veronica, never one to miss a chance for a quip, chimed in with her typical sass. "Though I checked out at the words 'construction' and 'site.'"

Archie, his mind set on a mission, got straight to the point. "Moose and I are going to the Southside to find those Serpents. You in?"

Cali, recognizable by her spiked jackets and rhinestones, wasn't about to let this plan slide without a word of caution. "Woah, woah, woah. It was the Serpents?"

Tensions ran high, and Archie's determination didn't waver. "Who else would it be? We're going to a bar they hang out at."

Veronica and Betty exchanged worried glances, but Cali was quick to voice her concerns. "My dads bar? Even if it was them... There is no way you guys could outrun them. They'll cut you up into a million pieces."

Veronica, always in the know, made an interesting discovery. "Your dad owns a bar?"

Cali tried to dissuade Archie from his dangerous plan. "Archie, please don't do this. It's self-suicide. If you get them arrested, they will torment you even while they're in prison until you're severely injured or killed. Is this really a risk you want to be taking?"

Archie's resolve remained steadfast. "Somebody needs to do something."

Jughead finally voiced his own concerns, urging caution. "Archie, going into that bar is a bad idea."

"Jughead, are you coming with?" As the tension in the room heightened, Archie left the booth. "Thanks for having my back."

Cali watched him depart, her head sinking into her hands. "He's gonna get killed."

***

Inside the lavish Lodge residence, the atmosphere was both welcoming and tense. Cali had brought a gift for Polly, and after a brief conversation with Betty, she made her way over to Jughead. Her tone was hushed, indicating the seriousness of the topic.

"Jug, we need to talk about Archie."

Jughead's confusion was evident as he responded, "Why? Is he okay?"

Cali didn't mince her words. "He's fine, but... not that I was spying on him, but on my way over here, I saw him talking to your dad, and he looked pretty mad."

Jughead's expression shifted to one of concern. "My dad? So he knows."

Cali confirmed his suspicions. "He definitely knows."

The atmosphere was tense as Polly opened her presents. Suddenly, the moment was interrupted when Archie burst through the door, rushed over to Jughead, and confronted him about the revelation.

Cali didn't hesitate to intervene, grabbing Archie by the collar, her tone urgent. "Arch, whatever you're about to do, please save it for another time."

Undeterred, Archie pushed past her and confronted Jughead. Accusations flew as he realized Jughead's secret.

"You were protecting him. That's why you didn't tell me," Archie fumed.

Betty and Veronica joined the growing confrontation, disappointed by the hidden truths.

Archie's anger continued to simmer. "That's why he tried to stop me from going to the bar, so I wouldn't find out. Wow, you two really kept this from us? And Jug, after everything my dad has done for you..."

Jughead attempted to explain, "Archie, I can explain, okay?"

Veronica, always the voice of reason, intervened. "But not right now. This is Polly's day, so you guys need to check yourselves. I mean it."

Jughead pleaded with Archie, but the tension was palpable. Archie's response was clear: "No, save it."

As Archie went to sit down, Cali exchanged an apologetic look with Jughead, acknowledging the turmoil that had unfolded.