VIPER • the serpent princess

43

I sit across from Fangs, beside Jughead in his trailer. Fangs is tapping his foot repeatedly on the ground nervously.

"It's bad, Jones. Guys, this, it's really bad" Fangs sighs stressed.

Sure Fangs likes to fight, but when he himself is in danger, he gets quickly scared and first instinct is to always run away.

"So talk to me, Fangs" Jug states.

"On the opening night of Carrie, when you were backstage filming your documentary and you found me in Midge's dressing room...I wasn't just giving her notes" he admits.

"You were hooking up" I sigh.

"And you didn't tell Sheriff Keller?" Jug questions, Fangs shaking his head, "Jeez, Fangs, do you know how guilty this makes you look?"

"I know! I know" he worries.

"Did you do it?"

"Of course didn't" I respond, just as Fangs says,

"Of course not! You've got to believe me, Jones!"

"I do" Jug assures.

"Can you delete the footage off your camera?" I ask.

"I already gave the footage over to Sheriff Keller as evidence"

"What do I do, Jones?" Fangs questions.

"Nothing"

"Lay low" I add, "Serpents got your back"

"I got your back" Jug adds strongly.

"Okay" he sighs, his foot still anxiously tapping rapidly.

"Fangs" I say calmingly, putting my hand on his knee, "You can stay with us tonight"

"Thanks Case" he smiles nodding.

We stand up and make our way back to my trailer. When we get inside, Sweets and Fangs go straight to the couch. I grab us some popcorn and then a board game.

"Alright boys, you're going down" I smile, putting it down on the coffee table.

"As if" Fangs scoffs.

The next school day, I stand with Jughead at his locker and he tells me that he didn't get the footage.

"Shit" I sigh worried for Fangs.

"Jughead! Casey, did you see it?" Toni asks, rushing to us.

"See what?" Jug responds equally as confused as me.

"Fangs was dating Midge and didn't tell Sheriff Keller"

She moves her phone and shows us a video, from the musical that Jughead couldn't get.

"Where'd you get that video?" I question.

"It was posted on The Register's website, somebody leaked it. It makes Fangs look guilty as sin" she declares.

"Attention, students. This is Principal Weatherbee. I need Fangs Fogarty to come to my office immediately"

"Where is he?" I demand worried.

"I don't know" she gasps, the three of us starting to walk fast.

"We have to find him before the Dark Circle does" Jug states.

As we turn the corner, Fangs runs straight into me. I sigh relieved.

"What the hell? That video's everywhere! How did it get out?"

"We have to get you out of here, all right?" I explain.

"You're dead, Vixen killer!" Reggie shouts from the staircase in front of us, leading his pack of angry bulldogs.

"This way" I gasp, but when we turn around, are met with Sherif Minetta.

"Mr. Fogarty! We need you to come with us" he demands.

"I didn't do anything" Fangs responds and then stupidly tries to run.

I jump forward to stop him but the cops grab him and throw him against the locker, in the movement, his pocket knife falls onto the ground. I sigh. Then watch as they harshly cuff Fangs.

"Easy! He didn't do anything" I shout protectively.

"We'll see about that, Serpent" Minetta hisses, "I don't believe we've met. But I know a lot about you and your gang"

"Fangs didn't do anything, and I'm not going to let you accuse him just because of the side of town he's from" I glare, not stepping down afraid.

He chuckles, then pushes past me and starts walking out.

"Fangs don't worry! We're right behind you alright" I call, then see Reggie smirking on the stair case, "Fuck off"

I storm out of the school with Jughead and Toni, getting out my phone and calling Sweet Pea to meet us at the station.

Sweets and I have stayed with Fangs at the station all day. Jug working with FP to find a way to help Fangs, only coming up with Joaquin helping him leave town as soon as he's out. Which we don't want, but we also don't want him going to Juvie. I can hear people yelling and screaming outside. The Northside want Fangs dead, so do the Bulldogs.

"You're going to be okay Fangs" I assure, "I promise"

"No ones gonna hurt you, the Serpents are our there and we've all got your back" Sweets adds confidently.

"It's time" Toni announces, walking in with an officer who unlocks Fangs' cell.

"You can't take Fangs out the front. We have to take the side entrance" FP declares, the four of us joining him and Jughead in the hallway of the station.

"Crowd's out there, too. So pick your poison, Serpent" Minetta scoffs behind FP before walking away.

"What do we do, man? I don't wanna die" Fangs shakes, looking to Jughead.

"Fangs, you're not going to!" Sweets states.

"Look at me, okay?" Jug instructs, "We stand together so none of us falls. In unity, there is strength"
The five of us all wrap our arms around each other and heads together.

"In unity, there is strength!"

With that, we all create a barrier around Fangs and make our way into the rioting crowd. People yell and try to hit Fangs. Suddenly, we hear Archie yell and everyone turns around, to see him throw Reggie on the ground and a gun shot sound loudly. I gasp scared, looking around, Reggie is holding the gun. I find Sweet Pea who nods, he's okay and I do the same. But, I watch as Fangs is the only person who didn't duck, and his body is about to fall back.

"Fangs!" I shout, catching him with Sweet Pea.

"No" Sweets gasps, putting his hands on Fangs bullet wound, his blood pouring everywhere.

I look up and see Reggie sit on the ground, gun in his hands. I glare at him, a death glare. He shot Fangs, and he's going to die for it. Time to put a Bulldog down. I look back to a scared Fangs.

"You're going to be okay Fangs, we've got you. I promise, you're going to be okay" I assure scares, helping stop the blood with Sweets.