𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 | ˢʷᵉᵉᵗ ᵖᵉᵃ

S I X

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*WARNING: slight smut & PTSD*

"ARE YOU gonna get that?" Sweet Pea asked as Clemintine made no move to check her phone. "That's the fifth time it's gone off."

Clemintine shook her head. "It's no one."
"You might want to block them then." Sweet Pea let out a chuckle. The girl ignored him and continued to write down French phrases for the boy to learn.

The phone went off for the sixth time. Sweet Pea grabbed the phone, moving out of Clemintine's reach. "Sweet Pea, no!"

His thumb hit answer, raising the device to his ear. "Hello?" He struggled against Clemintine as she tried to reclaim the phone.

"Who is this?" The voice responded harshly, fearing the worst.

"Who's this?" The tall boy's hand clutched Clemintine's forehead, holding her away at arm's length.

"Where's Clemintine?" The boys traded questions through the phones.

"She's busy." He smirked over at the glaring girl, knowing exactly what he was leading the male on the other end to think. "Now stop calling." Sweet Pea hung up, tossing the phone onto the desk.

Clemintine reached forward, landing a punch to Sweet Pea's upper arm. He flinched, though the hit did little damage. "We're done for the day." The female teen instructed him. She removed her hair from the ponytail, shaking her locks free in frustration. As she reached up to put her hair back up, Sweet Pea grasped her wrist. This action, coming from a man, should have frightened her more, but her reaction was a mere flinch compared to how she usually responded.

"It's better down." Sweet Pea picked up his books and left.

Clemintine watched the doorway. She could still feel his hand on her wrist.
"What was so important that you texted me at 3 AM?" The blonde pulled her cousin aside.

"I have something to show you." Betty led them away from their crowd of friends, saving Clemintine from a fast-approaching Reggie. They stood in the empty bathroom. Betty checked every stall to ensure they were alone.

"Betts, you're scaring me." Clemintine leaned against a sink.

Betty pulled out her phone and showed Clemintine an email she had received the night before. The attachment was the front page of an old Register issue. SOUTHSIDE TEENS ARRESTED AND PUT ON BAIL was written in all caps, featuring a picture of young Alice Cooper and Lucinda Bartholdy.

"Where did you get this?" Clemintine was furious, not at Betty or Alice, but at her mother. The date of the issue was the main cause. Her mother had told her she was in New York that year, designing a studio apartment for a rock singer, not locked up.
"That's not important right now." Betty shook her head. "I just thought you should know, before I publish it."

Clemintine moved her attention from the phone. "What? No. Betty, do you know what this will do to our moms? The most successful sisters in Riverdale? No way. You're not doing that."

"I have to, Clemmie." Betty pushed, taking her phone back. "They talk so much trash about the Serpents, demonizing the Southside—"

"So?" Clemintine cut her off. "She's still your mother. And my mom works here, Betty. You know how mean the kids here are."

"Your mom looks nothing like the picture now. She dyed her hair and lost weight, nobody's going to know." Betty was persistent, and Clemintine hated this side of her.