Collateral Damage ▻ Riverdale [1]

1.1

THE BEGINNING
CHAPTER ONE
May 14, 2017

"Fifty bucks!" Queenie shouted excitedly as she held out the palm of her hands, "Pay up." She smiled brightly and FP playfully rolled his eyes as he dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out his only fifty.

"How the hell is it that I'm the one taught you how to play, yet now, you're better than me?" He questioned as he placed his pool stick down on the table and picked up his glass of whiskey.

Before Queenie could answer her father's question, the duo's attention went towards the entrance of the Whyte Wyrm. Queenie frowned when she saw Riverdale's Golden Boy, Jason Blossom, walk into the bar. The majority of the Southsiders that were in the Whyte Wyrm at that moment turned their heads when they saw him enter. Even if they didn't know who he was exactly, his bright red hair and blue and gold letterman jacket gave it all away that he didn't belong in the Wyrm.

"What the hell is Jason Blossom doing here?" Queenie muttered to herself before stepping forward, ready to confront the Blossom boy for being on Serpent territory.

Before she could walk any further, her father used his arm to block her path, "No, let me handle this." He demanded and she nodded in response.

"Fine," She replied calmly, "I'll just go outside for a smoke."

"Good idea. Knowing you, you would murder him before he can even explain what the hell he's doing here." FP looked up at his daughter with an amused look placed on his face.

"Can't deny that." Queenie chuckled before making her way outside.

Once Queenie exited the Wyrm, she dug her left hand into her back pocket and pulled out her black lighter and pack of cigarettes. Queenie pulled out the last cigarette that remained in the cigarette pack and placed it to her lips. She lit the cigarette with her lighter before tossing the empty pack in the trash that was just a few feet away from her.

She took a quick puff of her cigarette before she held it between her index finger and middle finger while opening the Snapchat app on her phone.

Queenie couldn't help but laugh when she opened her friend, Joaquin's story to see him and some other Serpents at the quarry. Looking at all her friends having fun, she wondered why she hadn't gone with them and instead spent her Mother's day, without a mother present in her life, at the Whyte Wyrm hanging out with her father.

Queenie's attention was pulled away from looking at her phone when she heard the door of the Whyte Wyrm slam a little too forcefully. Queenie looked up to see Jason Blossom. His expression looked both sad and frustrated.

"Who pissed in your cheerios this morning, carrot?" She asked the boy while giving him a wide grin. Queenie chuckled when he looked over at her shocked. Queenie threw her unfinished cigarette on the floor and stepped on it with her high heeled boot before walking over to the Blossom boy.

"Qu-Queenie?" Jason stuttered, shocked to see the girl who he had every single class with at Riverdale High on the Southside of town.

"You know my name?" Queenie asked him confused.

Even though they had every single class together, Queenie was basically a nobody on the Northside of town.

At Riverdale High, she stayed quiet and didn't talk to anyone but Jughead. She used to talk to Polly Cooper also, but she had ditched the Serpent girl once she became a River Vixen and gained popularity. Polly was also banned from being friends by her mother, Alice Cooper. All because her father was FP Jones, a person from Alice's dark past.

"Of course I know your name, you have been in every single one of my classes since freshman year," Jason replied calmly, "I have to ask, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Blossom," Queenie stated, crossing her arms as she gave the Blossom boy a concerning look.

"Well, I asked you first," Jason argued and Queenie rolled her eyes.

"FP Jones, the guy you just met with, he's my father." She answered his question and Jason looked at her beyond shocked.

"What?"

"What? The last name 'Jones' didn't give it away," She rolled her eyes, "Now, your turn to tell me what you're doing here, Blossom."

Jason stood quiet, not feeling comfortable with telling the Serpent girl his plan to skip town, "I can't say." He shook his head.

Queenie couldn't help but laugh at the Blossom boy, "Come on, I can keep a secret." Queenie told him encouragingly as she took a daring step toward to him.

Jason sighed before deciding to finally tell her the reason he was on the Southside of town, "I'm planning on leaving town this summer."

Queenie furrowed her eyebrows as she glared at Jason, "Why would someone who lives the 'Perfect American Dream' like you, want to leave?" She asked him confused.

Jason rolled his eyes at her comment, "My life is far from perfect." He argued.

"Are you sure about that? You're living the life that most people would die to have. Filthy rich, expensive car, nice clothes, perfect hair, giant mansion, extremely popular, captain of the football team...shall I keep going because the list is probably infinite."

"My life may seem perfect to everyone else around, but it isn't at all."

"How, so?" Queenie questioned curiously.

Just as Jason was going to explain to her, Queenie's name was called by a Serpent who was walking into the Whyte Wyrm.

"I better go. Bye, Queenie." Jason told her quickly before he began to walk towards his car.

Queenie for some unknown was thinking about going after him to hear the rest of his story but decided against it. She knew getting to know him any better would put herself in a position that she definitely didn't want to be in.

Queenie sighed before making her way back into the Whyte Wyrm.