Polaroid // Reggie Mantle (2)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Caia walked into the gym before school just to see the boys playing basketball just finishing their game. She observed Reggie, minus a shirt, wiping the sweat off his body with a towel. She made her way over to her boyfriend.

Caia tapped Reggie on the shoulder, causing him to turn around. Once he saw who it was, he immediately tried to wrap her in a hug. Caia pushed him away, crunching her nose. "Not until you take a shower," she stated.

Reggie pouted. "Fine." He finished toweling off. "You missed the game."

Caia sighed. "I know. Sorry I just couldn't get out of the house this morning." She absentmindedly pulled her sleeves down lower, the reason she had been late lying underneath. "I'm sure I didn't miss much, though," She teased.

Reggie recoiled, opening his mouth in mock offense. "What?" He questioned smiling. "You think you could do better?"

Caia shrugged, making a maybe face. "I mean, I don't like to brag, but probably."

Reggie bit the inside of his cheek and nodded. "Alright. Let's go then."

Caia looked down at her outfit. "Reggie, I'm wearing jeans!" She protested.

Reggie backed away, grabbing a basketball from the rack. "If you're so good, it shouldn't matter what you're wearing." Reggie threw the ball at Caia without warning, and she caught it with ease.

"Bring it on, Mantle."

Reggie gave the ball to Caia first. They checked it in. Caia began by dribbling it softly before driving towards the basket. Reggie kept close to Caia, trying to keep her from getting into the shooting lane. Alas, she got there anyway and jumped up to make an easy layup.

"Beginners luck," Reggie mumbled.

Caia grinned. "What was that?" She questioned.

Reggie smiled fakely back as he threw the ball to Caia to check it. Once he got the ball back, he immediately began to dribble under his legs and show off. Caia laughed inside.

As he was doing his dance dribbles to the basket, Caia stole the ball out of his hands, took it out to the three point line and took a long shot to the basket. It made a clean swish through the net. Reggie looked back, stunned.

"Believe me now?" She questioned

*

Caia sat in History class, drumming her pencil lightly on her desk as she listened to Cheryl present about Pickens day.

"Thank you, Mrs. Hagley," Cheryl said in response to the History teacher telling Jughead to pay attention. "As I was saying, each year we honor the memory of General Pickens. Yet, few know the truth." Cheryl clicked to the next slide. "That it was my great, great, great Grandpappy Coloneal Barnabus B. Blossom who bankrolled General Picks settlement of," she clicked to the next slide. "An Eden along the River of Sweetwater." Next slide. "Where maple trees grow taller than the steeples of Europe's grandest cathedrals. Which is why every year I petition the Mayor's office to rename Picken's day." The bell rang, ending Cheryl's speech.

All the kids in the class got up from their seats. "Thank you for that, Cheryl," Mrs. Hagley stated. Cheryl smiled, turned, and left. "Mr. Jones," she called. "We look forward to your oral history report next week."

That reminded Caia that she had better get working on her own report. It was worth twenty percent of her grade.

*

Betty passed her her phone where a picture of Betty's brother, Chic, was displayed. She made a sound of approval before passing the phone to Veronica. She examined it before stating her thoughts. "Well, he is very fetching for someone who is living on Skid Row."

She handed the phone to Kevin. "Yeah, he's a hottie who looks incredibly familiar to me, by the way."

"You're adventures in the woods?" Jughead suggested.

Kevin shrugged. "I don't know. But, maybe if we were allowed to meet this hottie in person..." Kevin began.

"Chic is still acclimating. And I'm trying to get him to trust me, but my mom is treating him like a ten year old and my dad is acting like he's the devil spawn," Betty explained. Those were definitely too very different view points.

"Well, I have an amazing idea." Caia scooted forward, wanting to hear Veronica's idea. "Bring the omen to Picken's Day and we can all meet him."

Caia nodded in agreement. "I like that idea."

"Everyone's coming, right?" Veronica inquired, looking around the small group.

"No," Jughead replied harshly. "Because the Serpents weren't invited."

Caia shrugged. "That doesn't mean you can't show up."

"The Serpents were specifically asked to come," Veronica corrected pointedly.

"Yeah," Jughead agreed. "To provide security. It's like we're all on the Pearsor train but the Serpents are the ones eating the cockroaches."

"You don't have to work if you don't want to," Veronica appealed.

Jughead spotted Toni and began to pack up his stuff to go with her. "The damage, as they day, has already been done." He stood up. "I'll talk to you guys later."

"Plans with Toni?" Betty asked, a hint of jealousy behind her words.

"Uh, yeah. I'm interviewing her grandfather for my oral history report," he explained. "Oldest living Serpent."

Caia nodded. She would want to sit in on that interview, but she also didn't want to infringe. So she stayed at the school, excitedly awaiting Jughead's oral history report.

That reminded her, she really needed to start working on that.