A Serpent Can't Shed Its Skin

Ch.11

Later that night, under the cover of complete darkness, I went immediately back to Jughead's trailer because I sensed Hot Dog would be there, and Jughead hopefully wouldn't be, but this time I come prepared with a crowbar, a booby pin, and anything else that could be used to break open doors, and unlock windows, but as soon as  got there, I noticed a bunch of big, scary motorcycles that definitely belonged to the Southside Serpents parked unevenly in the definitely dead grass.

I strung together lots of fun curse words under my breath as Sweet Pea, and the rest of the Serpents put on lizard or some kind of weird reptilian masks, and then proceeded to break into Jughead's trailer with a stinky, and very wet mutt by the name of ''Hot Dog'' in their hands, and me very close behind them.

I then put on a weird reptilian mask too, and listened in as they went into Jughead's bedroom, and woke up a very confused, and angry Jughead.

''Your first part of the initiation into the Serpents is to take guardianship of the beast!'' Sweet Pea says in a mock overly deep ''scary'' voice to mask who he really was, but I would recognize his sexy, raspy, and very dominating voice anywhere.

''Yes you must do it, but first I must take him to the vet!'' I say in my own version of a mock overly deep ''scary'' voice.

I then proceed to grab Hot Dog, and run out of Jughead's trailer as fast as my size 5 feet will carry me, and I marathon run all the way out of Sunnyside Trailer Park, and all the way back to the picture perfect Northside.

I then run into my neighborhood, and unlock my front door.

It takes so long for my breathing to return to normal as I slump right by the door with a still very wet, and now affectionate Hot Dog in my lap.

''Stop licking me you mangy mutt!!'' I stage whisper with not a hint of anger in my voice because honestly this puppy was already growing on me.

''Samantha what on earth are you doing on the floor with a stray dog??'' My father says coming into the foyer with his very big hands on his broad dad hips. My father was shirtless, and had on corpse paint just like Malachai always does, which I took as a very very bad sign. 

My mother then came into the foyer too

''Samantha where have you-'' But my mother didn't finish her sentence once she saw what I had in my lap. My mother had her hands on her very slim housewife hips. She was wearing a very short leather skirt, fishnet stockings, and her old Southside Serpent jacket, which I took as a very very bad sign too.

''Ohh Samantha, please tell me you didn't!!'' My mother says almost sobbing as if I was on Jingle Jangle, and hadn't just stolen a very wet, and completely harmless dog.

''Of course I did mother, you know how badly I want to be in the Southside Serpents!!'' I say almost tripping over everything as I got up off the floor in record time, and ran up the stairs, and slammed, and locked my bedroom door so my parent's couldn't come in, and make me give Hot Dog back to Jughead, a boy who doesn't even want to be in the Southside Serpents!!

There was a very loud knock on my bedroom door, but I just ignored it, and held Hot Dog closer to my chest. He licked my ear, and put his head on my shoulder.

''Don't worry I won't let anyone take you from me!'' I stage whisper again.

The knocking becomes more persistent, but I just ignore it again. The telephone then rings very loudly downstairs.

My mother answers it, and immediately calls up to me:

''Samantha it's for you!!''

I ignore it too, quickly put on my pajamas, and take Hot Dog to bed, and we snuggle as I mumble the Serpent law until we both fall asleep, and are out until morning.

I wake up bright and early to the shrill sound of the telephone ringing, yet again. ( I was so tired of waking up to that!!) I realize I had held Hot Dog all night, and probably have fleas now, and smell like a kennel.

I then walk downstairs in my pajamas, and finally answer the telephone.

''Where have you been?? I have been calling your house all night!!'' A very dark and dominating voice says from the other line.

''I'm sorry, I have been really busy!!'' I lie knowing the voice is Sweet Pea's, and he knows exactly what I did, and is not happy about it.

''Did you know someone stole Hot Dog from the initiation ceremony at Jughead's trailer last night?'' Sweet Pea says his voice taking on a weird nonchalant tone to it that I have never heard before, and just realized he was really bad at.

''Ohhh nooo that is terrible!! Who would do something so low??'' I say feigning surprise and outrage.

''Samantha I know it was you, and I know exactly what you are doing, and I'm here to tell you, it's not going to happen Sam!!'' Sweet Pea says his ''nonchalant'' tone completely shattering, and in it's place was pure disappointment and displeasure.

''Why won't you let me join the Serpents the proper way??'' I scream completely upset, and outraged.

''It's so dangerous Sam, especially the Gauntlet. I won't allow anything to happen to you. The way a girl gets into the Southside Serpents has to be different from the way a guy gets in. Why can't you just do the Serpent dance like every other girl??'' Sweet Pea says with a hint of almost desire and lust in his voice when he says ''Serpent dance''.

''Because I'm not like every other girl Sweet Pea, and oh you would like for me to do the sexist Serpent dance wouldn't you?? I would take off all my clothes for you, and make a complete fool of myself!! Well you can forget it, that is never going to happen!! I am going to get into the Southside Serpents my way, and you can't stop me!!'' I say my voice seething with unwanted anger, and I immediately hang up.

I know I was behaving like a petulant child, and maybe Sweet Pea was just trying to protect me, but something kept preventing me from just giving in, and allowing myself to just be stuck in my fate as a perfect Northsider princess forever, when I now knew my parent's weren't even from the Northside. I belong on the Southside as a Southside Serpent and no crazy, lying parent's, overprotective, almost gang member older brother's or even hot-headed, maybe boyfriend's were going to stand in my way!!