Breaking Boundaries / Sweet Pea \

¦2¦

"So if you want to push, I'm a shove. If you want to spar we can do it no gloves. And if you're gonna run at me you better do it hard, 'cause I fear no fall, no brawl, no scars."

Lola sat in English class with Jughead on her left and Toni on her right. No one was really paying much attention to Mr. Phillips. People were asleep, talking or, like Serpent Boy, on their phones. Jughead was paying attention, and so was Lola but she had begun sketching on the desk.                 

"Fahrenheit 451, by one of my favourite authors, Ray Bradbury. Let's start with the title. Can anyone tell me its significance?" Mr. Phillips droned on. Of course both Lola and Jughead knew the answer but both refrained from saying it, knowing it would cause them both trouble.

"What? Damnit!" Serpent Boy yelled out before leaving the classroom. This seemed to catch Lola's attention, but how could it not? Someone just left in the middle of class and Mr. Phillips said nothing. Sounds like a great teacher.                                                                                                                   
"People, there's a burning book on the cover" Mr. Phillips continued on. Lola could tell Jughead was irritated, he really wanted to say the answer. She shot him a warning glare and Toni shook her head slightly at him, but it wasn't enough.

"Fahrenheit 451 is the temperature at which paper burns. It was a pleasure to burn" he blurted. Toni shook her head and Lola held hers in her hands while someone threw a ball of paper at Jughead. Mr. Phillips seemed shocked that someone actually answered him and that they were actually right.

"Indeed. Thank you Mr. Jones. And welcome to hell" Mr. Phillips replied. Well that's reassuring, even the teachers hate this place. 

The bell screeched out, signalling the end of that period. Lola and Toni walked to the door but waited when they realised Jughead was talking to Mr. Phillips. Knowing he was asking about the Red and Black, Lola zoned out until they began to walk again.

"How dumb are you Jug? As if we didn't have a big enough target on us already" Lola scolded. It was going to be a lot harder for them to blend into the crowd now.

"You know I had to answer Lo" he replied. Lola just rolled her eyes and continued on to next period.

¦--~--¦

Lola was at her locker, getting her books for last period. She saw Jughead walk past out of the corner of her eye, talking to Mr. Phillips again. The Serpents, as usual, were nearby. Lola had gotten used to them being there but she still thought it was strange.

She was about to close her locker when someone leaned against the one beside hers. She glanced up and shuddered as she saw the Ghoulie from the day before. "Is there a problem?" she said sweetly, hoping to make him go away without pissing him off.

"What's your name?" he asked, completely ignoring her question. Great, so he just wanted to hit on her. "Not interested" she snapped, closing her locker and trying to walk away.

Before she could get past him, he grabbed her wrist and snarled at her. "Don't you want to have some fun?" If only he knew who he was dealing with. Lola could see the Serpents edging closer, ready to save her. She didn't need saving though, nor did she want it. She needed to prove she could protect herself.

Before the Serpents could intervene, Lola grabbed the hand clutching her wrist and, in one quick movement, twisted it behind the guy's back. She shoved him against the locker and whispered in his ear "Is this fun enough for you?" 

The Ghoulie was terrified and, by the time she let go, he was running away down the hall. Lola turned around to see the Serpents stare at her in shock with Jughead smirking behind them. The only one who seemed unfazed was Serpent Boy who, as always, was observing her.