Polaroid // Reggie Mantle (2)

Chapter Twenty-Two

They hadn't been happy. They hadn't been happy at all. She had been forced to explain the situation to her three serpent friends and once it had all come out, the yelling started. There was a lot along the lines of "What the hell!", "Oh my god you're so stupid", and "You should have told us!"

"This was a bad choice, Caia," Sweet Pea had said. "You'll never get out of it."

Finally, all her friends had stormed out in angered unbeleivance. Caia was left alone. She knew she had just lost three of her best friends for a while. Maybe even forever.

As she stared at the snake tatooed on her ankle she wondered, what the hell am I going to do now?

*

On Monday at school, Caia was seated in the student lounge as she and her friends exchanged Christmas presents. Caia was so bored and hoped the whole process would end soon.

Cheryl picked her gift off the table. Caia sat up, as this was her gift. The red head tore the wrapping off. She pulled out the well thought out gift. "A cherry broach pin!" Cheryl exclaimed. She smiled towards Caia. "Thank you, Caia. It's perfect."

Next it was Caia's turn. She picked up her present off the table, knowing it came from Betty. She tore away the paper to reveal a DVD in a clear case. On the front "The Adventures of Bethany Carson and Cassie Smith" was written in balck Sharpie. Caia's face broke out into a huge smile. "Oh my god, Betty, you still have this?"

Betty smiled back and nodded. "I found it in the attic the other week."

"What is it?" Kevin questioned.

Caia looked over at him. "When we were younger, Betty and I used to make this stupid videos on her family's old video camera. One time, we got really into reading the Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn and decided to make our own version. We came up with these characters and write a while story then filmed it. We showed it to our friends, family, everybody. I'm sure it was stupid, but everyone told us it was so good." Caia finished her story and stared lovingly down at the DVD.

Kevin cleared his throat. "Veronica, it's your turn." She picked up her present off the table.

She opened the envelope and read what was written inside. "Oh," she exclaimed. "It's a gift certificate for a couple's massage." She was silent for a moment. "Thanks Josie."

Josie, obviously uncomfortable at her choice of present considering the current Varchie situation, tried to fix it. "You can go with Betty. Or your mom," she suggested.

"It's okay Josie, I'll just give it to the only actual couple here." She put the certificate back in the envelope and held it out to Caia. "Here Caia, you and Reggie should use it."

Caia shook her head. "No, we couldn't-" she started, only to be cut off by Reggie, who was sitting beside her.

"Yes, we could," he stated, reaching and taking the envelope from Veronica's hand. As he leaned back he winked at Caia. She blushed.

"Dear God, can we please get this torture over with," Cheryl pleaded, clearly tired of the proceedings.

Kevin nodded. "Betty, you're next and mercifully last."

Betty examined her present. "Well, I think I know who picked my name based on these wrapping skills." She chuckled. She unwrapped the present, and once she saw what she was, she smiled even more. "Archie."

"My dad and I were cleaning out the garage and I found it," Archie explains. Betty chuckled again, showing the book to everyone.

"Swiss Family Robinson?" Veronica questioned.