Collateral Damage ▻ Riverdale [1]

4.4

THE END

CHAPTER FOUR

That morning, Queenie and the rest of Serpents friends entered Riverdale High without a care in the world. Queenie, followed by Jughead, lead the Serpents in. All eyes seemed to be on them at that moment, causing Queenie to roll her eyes in annoyance.

    The large group walked over to a small table where Veronica Lodge stood with Archie, Kevin, and Josie stood. Veronica was in the middle of looking through papers when she saw the group from the corner of her eyes, causing her to look up and smile at them, "Friends," She greeted them brightly, "On behalf of the students and faculty here at Riverdale High, welcome to your new school."

      "To ease this transition, I set up a registration desk where you can get your locker assignments, class schedules and a list of sports and extracurriculars," She explained to them, "We encourage you to drink deeply from the cup that is fair Riverdale" Queenie rolled her eyes at Veronica's enthusiasm, instantly knowing she was up to no good. She figured it had to do with Veronica's parents.

"Stand down, Eva Peron!" A voice shouted from a distance and Queenie didn't even have to look up to know that it was Cheryl.

  Everyone's heads turned and the Northsiders that were apart of the welcoming committee turned themselves around to look also. Queenie sighed when she saw it was Reggie Mantle and Cheryl walking down the stairs with the River Vixens and Bulldogs by their side. They were clearly against having the Serpents going to school with them. The only Serpents they were probably fine with having to go to school with them, especially on Cheryl's side, was Queenie.

    All the Serpents glared at Northsiders while Jughead and Queenie seemed unamused by their dramatic entrance, "There's the school spirit I so fondly remember." Jughead and Queenie commented sarcastically in unison, causing them to share a quick glance.

  Finally, the group of Northsiders made their way over and stopped to stand right in front of Veronica and Archie. Veronica glared at Cheryl, "Cheryl," She greeted her coldly, "No one invited Fascist Barbie to the party."

   Cheryl glared back at the Lodge girl, crossing her arm, "Wrong, Veronica. No one invited Southside Scum," She corrected her before she turned her head slightly to look at the group of Serpents standing before her.

  "Cheryl--" Queenie began to warn her, only to get cut off by Cheryl's insulting message to Queenie's friends.

   "Listen up, Ragamuffins," She announced loudly, "I will not allow Riverdale High's above average GPA to suffer because of classrooms that are crowded with...underachievers," Cheryl told them insultingly and some of Queenie's friends, especially Toni, looked at the Jones girl as if they were asking her to say something to Cheryl, "So please, do us all a favor, leave Queenie with us and find another school to debase with your hardscrabble ways."

   Toni was sick of waiting for Queenie to finally say something and decided to say something herself, "Why don't you come over here and say that to my face?" Toni threatened her as she took a daring step forward.

    Cheryl smiled as she eyed Toni up and down, "Happily, Queen of the Buskers." She replied with an attitude.

    Queenie looked over at Archie, who was staring directly at her as if he were trying to get her to finally do something. Becuase she didn't just like she did with Toni, Archie stepped forward and stood in between Toni and Cheryl, stopping them from doing anything, "Okay, guys. Everyone. Can't we just put our Northside-Southside differences apart and start over? A new slate?" Archie suggested and looked to Queenie for her to agree.

   "Why does everyone keep looking to me for guidance!" She complained loudly, holding her hands up as she sighed dramatically.

    Reggie furrowed his eyebrows when he heard Archie's proposal for a clean slate, "No, you don't speak for the Bulldogs, Andrews. And need I remind you, these Greaser Snakes came to your place, trying to kick your ass." He told Archie annoyed.

   Queenie turned her head to see Sweet Pea was already fed up. He immediately pushed Toni and Mandy out of his way as he went to go take a step forward, "Happy to finish what we started." Sweet Pea threatened Reggie but was pulled back by Queenie and Jughead before he could get far.

  "Hey, chill," Queenie warned her boyfriend sternly, "God, I am so over all toxic masculinity in this hallway right now!" She complained.

   "I couldn't have said it better, Queenie," Veronica agreed with her, smiling slightly at the Jones girl.

    "Alright! That's enough pomp and circumstance!" Weatherbee announced, causing them to turn and face him, "Everyone, let's get to class. Now."

______

   After getting their schedules, the group of friends found themselves standing in an empty class together as they began to complain to Queenie about how bad the school was, "Why didn't you say anything to her, Queenie?" Toni asked Queenie, feeling a bit betrayed, "You just let Cheryl insult us."

   "Me saying something would have just made things worse, Toni," She replied calmly, "I assure you, guys, within a week, they'll forget we're even here."

   Jughead scoffed loudly, "Easy for you to say, Queenie! Cheryl and Reggie are welcoming you here with open arms. For some crazy ass reason, they consider you one of them."

   Queenie pointed a finger at her younger brother as she got ready to argue, but Sweet Pea ended up doing it for her, "Like you can talk, Jughead. You have Andrews, his girlfriend, the sheriff's son and your girlfriend. And they may consider Queenie one of them, but she doesn't consider herself one of them like you do. If you had the chance to stay on the Northside instead of moving to Southside a few months back, you would have never become one of us." Sweet Pea defended his girlfriend and Queenie gave him an impressed look.

   "We're going to get through this, guys. Every single one of us," Queenie assured her friends, "And it's not like we're going to be alone in our class. We all have classes together, except for Mandy and I who are a grade ahead of you guys, but we still have each other though." She commented before the bell rang, meaning it was lunch, "Lunchtime. Let's go to the rec room, the best place to dodge those Northsiders at lunch."