Redemption [Sweet Pea x OC]

Chapter 31

A week had passed and I had returned to school. Fortunately, Weatherbee dropped the mandate on uniforms for former Southside students, so I was in my usual all black attire and Sweet Pea didn't have to wear that awful turtleneck anymore.

At the moment, I was in the student lounge discussing Chic, Betty's brother. I still couldn't believe she'd gone back to the hostel he'd been living in by herself and brought him to her house.

"Wow, he's very fetching for someone who was living on Skid Row," Lodge said, looking at his picture on Betty's phone.

"Careful there, Lodge," I said, not looking up from the book I was reading. "Your money's showing." Jughead covered his chuckle with a cough as Lodge glared at me, passing the phone to Kevin.

"Yeah, he's a hottie who looks incredibly familiar to me, by the way," he said, looking at the picture again.

"Your adventures in the woods?" Jughead asked.

"I don't know but maybe if we were allowed to meet this hottie in person..." Kevin said, nudging Betty.

"You said he was in Centerville?" I asked. "I can make some calls, see if I can get some info on this guy."

"Chic's still acclimating," Betty replied. "And I'm trying to get him to trust me, but my mom is treating him like he's a ten-year-old boy and my dad's acting like he's the devil's spawn." Going by Jughead's face, I say he and Mr Cooper had something in common.

"Well, I have an amazing idea," Lodge said brightly. "Bring The Omen to Pickens Day and we can all meet him. Everyone's coming, right?"

"No, because the Serpents weren't invited," Jughead said bitterly.

"The Serpents were specifically asked to come," Lodge replied.

"Yeah, to provide security," I snapped. Not many of us like it, but FP had agreed to the offer Fred Andrews had made. A lot of the Serpents needed the paid gig, even if it was a one-day thing.

"It's like we're all on the snowpiercer train, but the Serpents happen to be the ones eating the cockroaches," Jughead said, getting his things together.

Lodge sighed. "You don't have to work if you don't want to." I closed my book, my limit hit on being around her for the day.

"The damage, as they say, has already been done. Talk to you guys later," Jughead said, standing. "You coming?" he asked me.

I shook my head, standing as well. "No, I have other things to do."

"Plans with Toni?" Betty asked jealously, seeing her waiting for Jughead.

"Uh, yeah, I'm interviewing her grandfather for my oral history report," Jughead replied as I walked out. "The oldest living Serpent."

"Tell Thomas I said hi," I told Toni as I passed her.

"You sure you don't want to come?" she asked. "Hear the story before Jughead puts his own spin on it?"

"No thanks, I've heard it before," I said. "He and the other original Serpents used to tell the story every Christmas for everyone, it was tradition."

"We should bring that back," Toni said. "Why'd they stop?"

I shrugged. "You'll have to ask him."

I pulled out my phone as I walked down the hall alone, deciding which of my Centerville Serpent friends to call.

"Abi! Where have you been?" Hunter asked happily. "We've missed you around here."

"Yeah, I know I've been out of touch," I replied. "Things have been busy around here."