Whenever my father told me stories of the kings and queens of the south side, I always assumed it was just a myth. He would describe these southsiders as tough, unique and some of them, ridiculously beautiful. They preferred to be called The Serpents. But once I turned 13 my father announced that he was the king of the south side. The man that he had been telling me stories about since I was a little girl. I've been living with the secret for four years now and throughout those four years I denied my destiny... I need to become a Serpent. And today's the day I do so.
Dad slumps against the couch, his long fingers loosely cradling a glass of some sort of alcohol. His golden mop of hair slicked back, as usual, secured by an insane amount of gel. "Hey sweetheart." He raises his glass, before returning his lips to it. I inhale a large amount of air, hoping it will send me confidence, somehow. "Daddy can I ask you something?" I finally manage to say. "Sure, what is it boo bear?" Dad asks. He's been calling me boo bear since the day I was born, the reason for that is because it's the first book he ever read to me. Barney the magical boo bear. I perch beside him. Twiddling my thumbs nervously. "I've been thinking, for a while now.. I want to be like you daddy." I tell him. I watch as his expression transforms from chilled to puzzled. "I want to become a serpent." I finally announce. His expression returns back to chilled. I wait, patiently, for him to shout at me or scream, to warn me of the dangers and tell me I'm just a little girl, or at least say something. Except all he does is arch a thick brow. "Fine." Is what he finally responds. I scowl, is that it.. fine? "You're, you're okay about this?" I stutter, still half expecting for an outburst. "Honey." He places a hand on my knee, before adding, "you're 17 now, it's completely up to you whether you want to join the serpents or not. The worst thing that could happen is that you get arrested." He announces. I let out a humongous sigh of relief. "Is that all?" "Yes sweetie. There's one main rule that is substantial to know.. Serpents don't kill their own." Dad informs me, before pushing himself off of the couch and placing his glass in the kitchen. I widen my eyes, not expecting him to say it so.. Casually. "So when do I start?" I ask, grabbing my bag for school. "As soon as possible really, how about now?" "Now?!" I widen my eyes. I was expecting him to say next month or next week at the very least. Just not right now. "But what about school?" I add, gesturing toward my chemistry book which is spread across the floor, with light oaky marks from probably being trod on multiple times. "It's one day off, and you hardly go anyway." His mouth twists into a smirk. He's right, I don't know why I seem so worried to miss today when I'm usually filled with excitement when I discover I'd be getting a day off. I guess a twinge of nervousness seems to be kicking in. After all, I wasn't really expecting him to say yes, so I didn't really prepare myself. Dad throws his leather jacket around him, otherwise known as serpent uniform. The back of it is covered in the logo Southside Serpents which is wrapped around a picture of a curled up snake. I remember when I was a little girl I used to crave for a jacket like that, but now, thinking back to seven year old me walking the streets in a hells angels type of jacket.. I'm glad that daddy refused to let me wear it. I race up the stairs to change into something more.. I would say acceptable but none of the clothing for the Southside is classed as acceptable. My fingers run through my closet. Everything is pretty much sombre, Raven toned. I'm not one to dress in a vibrant barbie pink outfit like the rest of the girls at Riverdale high. Finally I decide on a black crop top which is a slutty version of my usual signature tank top. And team it with a pair of low cut jeans to enhance my toned abdominal area. "Rosa, come on!" Dad calls from downstairs. "Two seconds!" I respond, whilst taking one final glance at myself. From my ebony tousled hair, which compliments my dark eyes, to my Crimson pout and razor sharp jawline which I've been blessed with from my mothers side. I've taken after my mother with a lot of things, from My pristine olive complexion along with my hourglass figure. I've also got my Mexican genes from her. The only thing we don't have in common is the fact that she's a stone cold bitch and decided to leave her daughter when she was just nine years old. Dad blamed it on himself, but I keep reminding him that she shouldn't of left her own child, her own flesh and blood even if her husband was pissing her off.
Dad yanks the car to a halt as we arrive outside a rough, looking, pub called The White Wyrm. A group of biker men, with the same jacket as dads, are circled outside. Ones clutching onto the leash of a fluffy white and grey dog, which doesn't look the least bit scary. You'd expect them to get a pit bull or something, because that dog looks like it belongs to a five year old bow-obsessed girl. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Dad stares me deep in the eyes. "Now's too late to talk me out of this, I've made my decision." I tell him. I won't let a bunch of Harley-Davidson dudes scare me away. I mean, what else was I expecting? "come on then." Dad escorts me from the car into the White Wyrm. Once we enter the first thing I notice is how depressingly dark it is. I mean, it is a club/pub after all.. But there's something about it that seems off, maybe it's because of the fact it's filled with drunk biker men in the middle of the afternoon. I watch dad as he greets a middle aged man, with long scraggly hair. He introduces him as Tall Boy. I snort. He's not even that tall. "You're saying this pretty lady is related to you?" Tall boy smirks. Dad playfully punches him in the arm.. Well their idea of playful. I inhale a deep breath of confidence. "Well, what can I say.. I take after my mother on that part." I wink. Dad raises his brows, he's never heard me joke about my mother before.. Considering how heart broken I've been since she's left us. "She's a funny one." Tall boy nods to dad. Dads seems a little speechless. He's always thought of me as his little girl. He was never expecting me to start flirting my way into things. I've never been shy, but I've never been really confident either. I guess I have a feisty streak in me that I only show when people vex me. I notice, from across the room, a glass box containing a windy, thick serpent curled into a ball. I shudder. After our encounter with tall boy, I follow dad toward a stage. My cheeks burn when I realise what he's doing. He clasps onto the microphone, whilst I stand awkwardly beside him. Knowing there's more than 30 people watching me right now, sends a shiver down my spine.
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"Hey, serpents." Dad raises his hand which I gather is a wave. "Geraldo!" They all whoop and clap. I never knew he was so popular, but what else would I expect considering he's the king of these serpents after all. "This is my daughter, Rosa." He gestures to me. I force a smile. "Shes decided she wants to join us and become a serpent!" Dad announces, which leads to a bundle of clapping and toasts. "Did you tell her what she has to do to get in?" Snorts a strange looking woman, that dad then calls birdy. What does she mean? I thought dad would just hand me a jacket and I'd become a serpent. "Honey." He takes my hands. If he wasn't my father, it would look like a proposal. "Yes?" I arch a brow. Butterflies swarming my stomach. "In order for a female to join the serpents. They have to perform the snake dance." He announces, as though I'm supposed to know what it means, but then he points to a section of the room containing a bunch of women winding their bodies around a pole. Oh. I swallow hard. "I will do whatever it takes."
