Collateral Damage ▻ Riverdale [1]

3.15

THE SECOND TIME AROUND
CHAPTER FIFTEEN

At the Gauntlet, Jughead stood confidently in the beginning of the line, ready to take the punches sent by the teenage Serpents.

Queenie stood at the end of the line with Sweet Pea and Fangs on both sides of her so they could be the second and third to last people to punch Jughead.

Mandy stood on the sidelines alongside Toni and Tall Boy with Jughead's Serpent jacket gripped tightly in her hand. Queenie had told her to hold it for her until the end of the Gauntlet.

The punches Jughead first received were to the stomach up until one Serpent decided to punch him in the face. He stumbled back lightly, his breath getting heavier, but the Serpents behind pushed him back up before he could fall to the ground. The next person in the line punched Jughead in the face and someone, at the same exact time, punched him in the stomach.

Soon after receiving those two brutal punches, Jughead was struck again in the back by someone's fist. He groaned in pain as he took all of the punches, becoming weaker and weaker, but still stood up high. He stagger a bit, but he knew he had to get through this if wanted to be a Serpent.

Fangs punched Jughead in the face and Sweet Pea ended up doing the same right after, just ten times harder.

Finally, Jughead arrived at the end up the line. He stood up proudly as he glared up at Queenie, waiting for her to give him the final hit of the gauntlet.

Jughead knew for a fact that his sister wasn't going to go easy on him, not when this many people were around. To show her that he was confident and fearless at that moments, he spoke up suddenly, "Is that all you got?" Jughead challenged her, knowing it would piss off Queenie and cause her to hit him hard.

On her left hand, Queenie was wearing brass knuckles. She cracked her knuckles right before she lifted her fist up and swung a hard punch to Jughead's jaw.

Jughead blacked out for a few seconds as his face planted in the grass. He groaned in pain as he laid there for a long moment. It took him a few seconds before he finally grew the strength to stand back up.

Jughead stumbled slightly as he got back on his feet, staring up at Queenie for a long while. Queenie exhaled deeply as she finally held out her hand for Jughead to shake.

Jughead gladly shook Queenie's hand, "See, I told you I could be a badass." He commented.

Queenie rolled her eyes at him, "Badasses don't say that." She replied and Jughead let out a sigh.

Mandy smiled as she walked over alongside Toni and Tall Boy to give Jughead his jacket, "Welcome to the Serpents, Jughead." Mandy spoke up and Queenie frowned a bit when Jughead smiled at her, mouthing a thank you.

"Hey, you okay?" Sweet Pea softly whispered in her ear as he walked over to her.

Queenie slowly nodded her head, turning her head a bit to send him a small smile, "Yeah, Fine."