VIPER • the serpent princess

51

When we get home, I find myself sitting up on my bed; the couch. With my hand palms up look at the bandages on my wrists. I can't keep on looking at it, so I get up, grab my jacket and quietly leave the house. I arrive a couple trailers away at Dexter's. He's a couple years older then me and always sells me the best weed, for a good price. He likes me a lot, 'Viper', I've never heard him actually call me Casey before. I knock and he opens the door, a could of smoke coming out with him.

"Viper! Pleasure to see you" he greets.

"Hey Dex" I laugh, "Can you get me a fix?"

"Of course of course, come on in" he grins.

I stay with Dex and have a couple of hits with him, then take my own and make my way on home. I open the door as quiet as I can, only to see FP crossing his arms in the kitchen.

"Thought you'd be sleeping" I sigh.

"I thought you'd be" he growls, "You're high? I can smell it on you"

"It's nothing-"

"Yes it is! You can't keep going back to drugs you've got to stop I know you been doing it hard for the last month-"

"I did! I did it every day and every night because it was the only way I could sleep! Or be happy! Or get through work! I couldn't sleep, I was just sitting there, looking at my fucking wrists! I get it, I'm weak, I have to have drugs to be okay! But I don't care anymore FP, I don't care" I argue, "I'm going back to my place"

Before FP can say anything, I rush out of the trailer, slamming the door behind me. I get back to my trailer. It's quiet, empty, and when I go into the kitchen there is a large stain of blood on the ground. My body freezes as I relive that moment. I get a cloth and wet it, then get down on my knees and start scrubbing as hard as I can. Tears start falling down my cheeks.

"Stop crying. Just stop crying" I yell, mad at myself.

The blood is hard to come off, I keep on working, scrubbing as hard as I can. Over and over again. Suddenly, I hear someone call my name and look to see Sweet Pea.

"I-It won't come off" I cry, "I can't, I can't get it off"

"Casey" he gasps sadly, then grabs the cloth from my hand and pulls me into his arms.

He holds me tightly as I collapse in his arms.

"It hurts Sweets, how am, I meant to do this?"

"With me. With FP, Jug, Toni and Fangs. We are here for you Casey. I'm here for you, I'm here for you" he declares, stroking my hair soothingly.

I start calming myself down, breathing in and out on Sweet Peas shoulder.

"I missed you" o admit, moving my arms up and linking them around his body.

"I missed you too Casey" he responds, then leans back and kisses my forehead, looking into my eyes, "Go have a shower, I'll clean this up okay?"

"Okay" I nod, wiping my cheeks.

After my shower, I walk out into the kitchen, I find the floor is clean and Sweets is throwing the last paper in the bin.

"Hey, feel a bit better?" he asks.

"Yeah, thank you. Sorry I, balled my eyes out and, sort of lost it" I apologise.

"No, it's fine. Well...it's all cleaned up now so, I might go"

I nod and watch as he goes to the door.

"Wait!" I call, making him turn fast, "Stay. Would you? Just for tonight"

"Yes, yeah I'll stay. I'll sleep on the couch" he says.

"Thanks, well I'll go to bed now. Night"

"Night"

I walk to my room and lay in my bed looking up at the ceiling. Then, eventually. Close my eyes and go to sleep.

When I wake up, I smell food, good food. I get changed and then walk into the kitchen to find Sweets unpacking a large bag from Pops.

"You didn't have to do this Sweet Pea" I sigh feeling guilty for making him stay.

"No, but I wanted to and I was hungry. Come on I got you pancakes with a side of bacon, your favourite. Let's eat" he smiles, passing me my plate.

I smile back, then we both take a seat at the camp table in the camp chairs. We eat and talk, making each other laugh. Like old times. There is a knock at the door, I get up and open it to find FP.

"Casey" he greets,"I'm sorry"

"So am I. But I'm going to stay here now, you need your space and, I need to try fix, myself, by myself. Don't worry, if I need help, I know I have you, and all my great friends. I will come to you, promise" I declare.

"Okay" he nods, "But promise me one other thing"

"Sure"

"Jones family dinner, every Monday and Thursday now. You be there" he instructs.

"I'll be there" I assure.

"Good, alright I have to go work. Have a good day Casey" he grins.

"You too, see ya" I wave, then close the door.

I turn to Sweet Pea who is looking at me with a kind smile. I smile back, then we go back to eating our breakfast and talking.

"Why'd you start the fight rings Sweets?" I ask randomly.

"I just...needed to get my anger out. I was, so angry at the world and, punching fighting was my escape I guess. And, drinking" he explains, "But they're stopped. The rings, I mean. Done"

"That's good" I nod, "And I get it Sweets...I'm not mad at you for doing what you needed to do"

"Neither am I"

"Really? You're not mad at me for becoming a stripper and drinking, the car races and drugs? You should be" I declare.

"I'm not mad at what you did, Casey. I'm mad that you thought so little of yourself you could just, sell your body like that. You didn't think you were important enough to not let people walk all over you like they have the last month" he admits, "You did what you needed to do. We both did"

"But now we're here, in my trailer" I sigh, "Trying to do, what we need to do now. To get better"

"We've got two days until school starts again" he groans, not excited.

"Yeah...at least we'll be together now" I smile, happy to have Sweet Pea back in life, "As friends, I mean"

He nods and smiles back happily, "You know tomorrow night the Northside is doing a fancy dress thing to try lift up the Riverdale spirit for whatever at the town hall. It's for the students and Northsider's. Everyone's going, Toni's going with Cheryl, Fangs is going stag. Do you wanna come with us? As friends obviously"

"Sure, I guess I'm going to have to face everyone soon enough" I shrug.

"Yeah" he smiles sadly.