Polaroid // Reggie Mantle (2)

Chapter Twenty-One

"Well, well, well, Sinclair, I wasn't sure you'd actually do it."

Caia set her hand on her hip. "Well, I did, Malachai, so where's my money?"

"Wow, cutting right to the chase, I see. That's okay. I like girls who fight for what they want." Caia gritted her teeth to keep herself from saying something she would regret. "Anyway, that's why I called. Stop by the jail at your earliest convience and it'll be waiting for you."

Caia sighed. "And by my earliest convience you mean right now."

"Of course."

"Fine. I'll be there," Caia relented.

She could see the smirk on the other side of the line. "Don't be late."

*

Caia rode the city bus to the jail, getting there in about fifteen minutes. She checked in at the door, saying who she was there to visit.

Soon, the two were once again sitting a cross from each other. Malachai picked up the phone and Caia did likewise.

"Nice job, Sinclair. My superiors said they didn't even see you," Malachai praised. "That means you weren't late."

Caia's expression didn't change. "Where's what you owe me?"

"Calm down, it's here." Malachai looked around for officers before pulling a small green bag from under his shirt. He set it in the little drawer that connected the inside and outside.

Caia opened it from her side and took out the bag. She opened it, counting the bills. When she came up short, she looked up at Malachai.

"What the hell, man?" She exclaimed. "There's only like half here. Where's the rest?"

Malachai smirked. "You think it was gonna be that easy? One drop off and then you're done. Nah, you're gonna work for it."

Caia snarled. "What do you mean, you abhorrent scum?" She spat.

"I mean, you have another job, bitch," he insulted back.

She narrowed her eyes at the curly haired boy. "Aren't you going to tell me what it is?"

*

This time, Malachai had the drugs with him. She had to drop them off somewhere on the Southside. However, in order to make it to the retirement party, she had to take them home first. He said she would get the rest of the money later. Having to do this job, however, set her behind. Especially because she had to go home and change, she knew she was going to be late to FP's retirement party.

At home, she put on a pair of ripped black jean shorts, a black ribbed grip top with ties around her stomach and black wedge booties.

When she walked in the Whyte Wyrm, she automatically started looking for her friends. She saw Veronica and Archie up on stage singing, although neither looked very happy. Trouble in paradise? she thought.

She didn't see Jughead or Betty so she made her way over to Toni at the bar. "Sup, Topaz," she greeted.

Toni eyed Caia's outfit. "You look incredible, C," she complimented.

Caia smiled at Toni. "Thanks." She turned her eyes to the bottles of liquor displayed on the back shelf. "I think I wanna try something different tonight. Get me, hmm, tequila." Tomi nodded and turned around, grabbing a glass and filling it with the clear liquid. She passed over the counter where Caia immediately downed the shot.

The liquid burned the back of Caia's throat and she had to blink a few times after she drank it. "Wow. That certainly was different." Toni laughed.

"So I hear you're officially a serpent now," Toni observed.

Caia nodded as she sat down in one of the barstools. "Yeah. I mean, it's not like I wasn't alreay pretty much one."

Toni nodded. "SP's still a little salty that you did it without telling him."

Caia made a psssh sound with her lips. "He'll get over it."

As if on cue, Sweet Pea took that moment to show up where the girls were sitting. "What are you doing over here?" He asked Caia. "C'mon, let's go. I'm not letting you be a wallflower the whole night."

He lead Caia to where a bunch of other serpents were standing. She began talking to someone and didn't notice as Sweet Pea migrated toward the back wall. Soon though, she did notice Sweet Pea being the wallflower he told her not to be.

She was about to walk towards him when commotion from the front drew her attention.

Veronica had just run off the stage, Archie following after her. There was boos from the crowd, one of which came from Sweet Pea. After a pause, Betty came on stage, apparently there to finish the song.

Everything was going fine until Betty began to unbutton her shirt. Suddenly, Caia knew what she was doing. She wanted to be a serpent.

She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. Betty had no idea what she was doing.

Caia looked over to where Jughead was standing to see his reaction. He wore no expression. She knew that couldn't be good.

When she finished it was all silent until someone started the clapping. Turning her face to the sound, she realized it was FP. He said something to Betty as he got on stage. He took off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders.

"Let's give her a round of applause!" FP exclaimed as Betty exited the stage. Caia didn't clap. She wasn't sure why her friend had just done what she did. "And show her some of that serpent hospitality we're known for."

"You know I've been in and out of the Serpents since I was younger than my son," FP began. "And it's been a wild ride. Good times, bad times. But through it all the Serpents stuck by my side." There was a lot of cheering at these words. Caia even clapped a little. "While most other people turned their backs on me, my own family included. Now, the letter of the law says that I can't be here, in the Serpent den. That I can't associate with my friends, my real family, my blood. But I've been thinking about that. And it'll be a cold day in hell before a snake lets a pig tell him what to do." Caia furrowed her eyebrows. Was FP not retiring after all? "The Northside wants me out of this gang, well they better bring a coffin. 'Cause FP Jones isn't retiring. I am not going gently into the night, I am here to stay! So bring the fire!" Everyone cheered. Caia heard Sweet Pea yell out in admiration.

After the speech had ended, a tom of people went up to congratulate FP. She heard Sweet Pea yell something about shots. She migrated over to him and was once again sucked into the funnel of alcohol.

Caia's father wasn't home so she invited Sweet Pea, Toni, and Fangs over after the party. She had forgotten what was at her house.

She walked upstairs to change into something more comfortable and when she came back down, the chatter she had heard from upstairs immediately stopped.

She stopped on the stairs, looking towards her friends with a confused expression. All of them just stared back. Sweet Pea's face was hard. He held up two bags. Caia's stomach dropped.

The first one was the one full of money the second was the bag of drugs.

"Caia," Sweet Pea began. "What the hell is this?"