Polaroid // Reggie Mantle (2)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Caia was forced to sit on the bench next to Reggie in the Principal's office. She had scooted as far away from him as possible, even if that meant shoving Fangs into the side of the bench.

"You all have a week's detention for fighting," Weatherbee informed the group. He walked forward so that he could make eye contact with Jughead. "But I made myself clear to you, Mr. Jones. Take off that jacket right now or you're suspended."

"Please, Jughead, just take it-" Veronica began.

Jughead ignored her. "Then I guess I'm suspended," he stated before turning and leaving the office.

Mr. Weatherbee turned to Caia now. "Now, Ms. Sinclair. I'm sure you were roped into this by your serpent acquaintances, so I'll let you off with a warning if-"

"Actually, Principal Weatherbee, I wanted to do this." She made eye contact with Reggie and smirked. "So please excuse me as I let myself out."

She stood up from the bench and exited the door with poise, Reggie watching her walk out.

*

Caia went straight to the Whyte Wyrm. Jughead was already there, tapping away at the old arcade game. She didn't speak to him as she walked in. She only took her regular place at the bar and ordered her regular drink. As she sipped, she thought.

She had wanted to make a point to Reggie. Show him that he couldn't completely control her. But all she got was a realization that Reggie was probably never going to change his mind on anything no matter how hard she tried.

The two sat for a long time. Jughead got so lost in the fake fighting of the game and didn't realize how much time had passed till his dad walked through the door.

He hit the machine in anger as he lost. That was the moment FP Jones walked through the door. "You break that you buy it," he stated, walking towards his son.

"How'd you know I was here?" Jughead asked. He really wished his father wasn't here. It would get himself and Caia in trouble. He didn't want Caia to be punished because of him.

Caia tried to make herself smaller on the barstool. She didn't want FP to notice her.

"Hogeye called me," FP explained. He set something down on the counter and turned to the man behind the bar. "Sup, Hogeye." After Hogeye gave a small nod in return, FP turned to Jug. "Wanna explain to me why the hell you're not in school?"

"Yes," Jughead replied begrudgingly as his dad walked over to him. "Weatherbee has been disrespecting the Serpents. He's been targeting us. He told us to take off our skins!"

This is the point where Caia tuned out. She knew most of the story and didn't want to feel like she was getting the same lecture Jughead was going to get. The only thing she heard was the last thing FP said.

"And never stop being a Serpent."

He held up his fingers in a fang sign and made intense eye contact with his son. However, he soon shifted it to the small girl sitting at the bar with a glass of whiskey sitting near her. He sighed in disappointment and started to walk towards her.

He came up behind her and snaked the glass from her hands. "No more for you," he commanded, sliding the glass back to the bartender.

Caia looked up at Mr. Jones. She didn't ask for her drink back because she knew she would never get it. "Jug rope you into this?" He questioned, motioning to the South Side Serpent jacket that Caia still wore.

Caia shook her head. "No sir. I volunteered actually," she explained. Caia brushed hair out of her eyes as FP's eyes wandered down to the serpent tattoo on her ankle. "I wanted to make a point to my boyfriend."