VIPER • the serpent princess

21

"Did you scare him?" I ask, walking into school with Sweet Pea.

"Totally, until he saw Hot Dog" he chuckles, "Then he was pretty pissed we woke him up"

I laugh, picturing Jughead's face when he saw the Serpent family dog, who someone so smartly named Hot Dog. We go to class, and the lesson is normal. Until when it is over, and Mr Phillips calls me up to his desk. I nod to Sweet Pea as he walks out of the classroom, along with every other student in the class. I sit on the desk in front on Phillips.

"Yes?" I ask.

"I'm just checking in on how you are, after the video you release"

"I didn't release that video" I hiss annoyed, this being the second time the video has mentioned in so long.

He stands up, walking over to me. He stands tall above me, I glare into his eyes. Not appreciating how close he is to me.

"Well, who ever did release it, I'm glad they did" he smirks, putting his hand on my thigh.

I push it off immediately, then shove his chest back and get off the desk.

"You're a creepy pervert Phillips" I hiss.

"Oh come on Casey. You were mini skirts, fishnet stockings and you're whole attitude, you're asking for it!" he scoffs, starting to walk over to me again.

"Back off" I shout.

The last time an older guy tried to mess with me, was Mustang. Being back in that position scares me, I still have nightmares from the past.

"What you going to do? Call your Serpent boyfriend? He hits me, I'll press charges on him, he's a student, I'm a teacher. Who do you think the Sherif will side with?" he threatens, "And even if he doesn't hit me and you tell him. I'll make it look like he did, I'll tell the cops I've seen him dealing Jingle Jangle. I'll tell them anything and they'll believe it! Then, he'll go to Juvie"

I look to my teacher shocked, as he smirks evilly, thinking where the hell did this guy come from. I find myself hitting a desk, Phillips standing in front of me blocking my path out.

"What do you want?" I demand, not backing down.

"Just some fun! The Southside is dark, and being a teacher in a school full of idiots really takes a toll on a man" he sighs, "So, I'm looking for some fun"

Suddenly, his hand is on my thigh once again, this time moving up my skirt. I grab his wrist.

"I'm not you're fun, Phillips" I hiss, but when I am about to leave, he grabs my wrist.

His grip holds me tightly.

"I'm not joking. I'll get Sweet Pea in Juvie and I won't think twice about it. You know what, maybe you should break up with him as well. I don't like to cheat" he laughs, "You have until tomorrow to decide, and if you don't. You're boyfriend might just have another motorbike accident"

As soon as I'm out the door, I take a deep breath, regaining my self. Then go to the cafeteria and sit down beside Sweet Pea.

"What did Phillips want?" he asks.

"Nothing, just asking where Jughead was today" I lie, wrapping my arm around his.

"Cool, I just though you were there for a while. But Phillips does have a weird obsession with Jughead, is probably into him" Sweets chuckles.

I force a smile and agree. Toni looks to me questionably and I see she is about to say something, but I shake my head.

"Hey Case, will you come to the bathroom with me?" she asks.

"Yeah"

I follow her out of the cafeteria and into the bathroom, making sure the stalls are empty. I take an uneasy breath.

"Toni, I'm in trouble" I gasp, "I have to break up with Sweet Pea or he's going to get hurt"

"What? Casey what are you talking about?"

"Phillips"

I tell Toni everything he said. She sighs sadly, putting her hand to her head worried.

"You can't be his play toy Casey!"

"I am not going to let Sweet Pea go to juvie Toni! I won't let it happen. So if I have to be his 'fun', I'll do it. I'm not watching another person I care about he wrongly taken into prison"

"What are you going to tell him?"

"I'm not telling him anything, neither are you. If he knows he'll probably kill Phillips. I'm just, I have to break up with him. God...this will ruin everything. I'm going to break his heart" I realise upset.

"And yours" she frowns.

"Everything was, so good" I tremble, then wipe my eyes to stop tears from coming out.

Toni rushes over to me and hugs me tightly.

I spent the afternoon, visiting FP and then drinking at the Wyrm. Wanting to be away from Sweet Pea whilst I try to figure out how to do this. I walk into the trailer and he's opening up a pizza box in the kitchen. When he looks up to me, he freezes.

"Have you been crying? Casey-"

"Stop, Sweet Pea" I plead, putting out my hand to stop him from consoling me, "I'm so, so sorry"

"What? Case what's going on?"

"I can't do this anymore. I-I think we are just meant to be friends, not all of this extra stuff"

"You don't mean that, Casey you've just been drinking or something because I know you don't mean that-"

"I do Sweet Pea! I mean it. I can't do it anymore, I can't fake my feelings for you. You're my best friend I just can't-"

"We're not friends anymore" he cuts me off, and I look up to him shocked.

I never expected him to say that.

"Sweets, you promised. If anything ever happened to us we'd still be friends"

"Yeah, well I didn't think this would ever happen. I lied. We can't be friends anymore. Not after this"

"Sweets-"

"Stop Casey! Stop trying to make me feel, I don't know, sorry for you or something! You don't want us, so I don't want you"

I sniffle my tears, nodding. I'm about to leave opening the door.

"I love you Casey. Don't leave, don' t end this"

He said he loves me. He's never said that before. I don't turn back, just leave the trailer, slamming the door behind em. I make my way to Jughead's, my old home, knocking on the door repeatedly until he opens it.

"Casey" he gasps shocked, seeing my tearful face.

"Can I Please stay here? Just until I find somewhere else-"

"You can stay as long as you want" he assures.

I force a smile, but when I walk inside. I turn right back around to Jughead and wrap my arms around him. Crying into his chest.