𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 | ˢʷᵉᵉᵗ ᵖᵉᵃ

N I N E

« À Rɪᴠᴇʀᴅᴀʟᴇ ᴇᴛ Aᴜ-ᴅᴇʟᴀ̀ »

҉

*WARNING: Mentions of rape.*

               "YOU CAN'T be serious? A drag race?" Clemintine questioned Jughead, stopping the car abruptly in the middle of the road. "Why do you even need to do a drag race?"

     Jughead looked around in horror. "Sunny, I really don't think we should be having this conversation where we are at the moment."

     "I'm not moving until you tell me what's up," Clemintine said, removing the keys from the ignition. "How could this possibly help the Serpents? What has Toni told you that she's hiding from me?"

     Jughead rushed the words out in a single breath. "I joined the Serpents, okay."
Clemintine stared at him in shock for a beat. "See. That's all you had to say." She returned the keys to the ignition, continuing down the road as if nothing had happened.

     They arrived at the race location, a desolate stretch of road lined with cars. Serpents and Ghoulies alike stood shoulder-to-shoulder, waiting for the Serpent prince to arrive.

     "Shit," Clemintine swore under her breath.

     "What?" Jughead questioned.

     "All right!" Tall Boy screamed before she could answer. "Let's do this!"

     Clemintine walked toward the group of Northsiders, specifically toward Reggie, who was the last person she wanted to see. She was distracted by the sight of Veronica, who was also present.

     "Not the kind of drag race I ever imagined myself going to," Kevin spoke up as she joined them. "But at least the guys are hot."

     Reggie looked at Clemintine as she sat down on the hood of his car. "You avoiding me or something?"

     "You f—ing Josie or something?" Clemintine kept her face straight ahead.

     "Wowza," Kevin's eyes went wide. "Littlest Bartholdy got bold."

     "I'm not screwing Josie, Clemmie." Reggie rolled his eyes.

     "Better not be screwing my sister either," Julian spoke beside Kevin, his attention, much like his sister's, focused straight ahead.

     "Let's do it!" Tall Boy's voice boomed over the crowd. The boys climbed into the worn-out cars as Tall Boy stood between them.

     "Can we talk about this, Clemmie?" Reggie nudged the girl softly.

     "What is there to talk about, Reg?" Her head snapped to face Reggie.
His face fell instantly. "Us, our future."

     "Am I even in your future? After all the shit you've done recently?"

     "Of course you're in my future, Clem. You always have been."

     "Then why didn't you tell me about the party? And that you went with Josie?"

     Reggie let out a breathy sigh. "I knew you wouldn't have wanted to go."

     "Damn right I wouldn't and you know why?" She couldn't hold back the word vomit that followed, no matter how hard she tried. "Because Nick raped me."

     "What?" It wasn't just Reggie who asked; Kevin, Veronica, Cheryl, and Julian were there too. "When?" Reggie dared to ask, fearing her answer.

     "When I was in New York." She pushed off the car, walking to the tree line, far away from the group. Julian didn't follow his sister like he desperately wanted to. Instead, he only stared after her in shock and horror.