Resilience | Sweet Pea.

30 - Distress.

A week passes since my incident, school seems less horrific without the taunting of Alana Page, who I've heard is leaving Riverdale because of her actions. People still snicker in the halls, and I've had a few people make incestual remarks, but it's only been a few days... It'll pass.

Currently, I sit in the common room with Jughead, Kevin, Betty and Veronica talking about Betty's brother Chic. I sit on the side of Jughead's chair.

"Well... He is very fetching for someone who was living on skid row." Veronica says, studying the picture of him on Betty's phone before handing it to Kevin.

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

"Trust me, he's not that hot." I cringe.

"Your adventures in the woods, Kevin?" Jughead asks.

"I don't know, but maybe if we were allowed to meet this hottie in person-"

"Chic is still acclimating. And I'm trying to get him to trust me, but my mom is treating him like he's a 10-year-old and my dad's acting like he's the devils spawn." Betty explains.

"Well, I have an amazing idea." Veronica says. "Bring the Omen to Pickens Day, and we can all meet him. Everyone's coming, right?"

"No. Because the Serpents weren't invited" Jughead says.

"I'm with Jug on this one." I say.

"What?! Nova you have to come!" Betty begs, I shake my head.

"The Serpents were specifically asked to come." Veronica debates.

"Yeah, Ronnie, to provide 'security'." I scoff.

"It's like we're all on the Snowpiercer train bur the Serpents happen to be the ones eating the cockroaches." Jughead says.

"Neither of you have to work if you don't want to." Veronica says, he sighs.

I nod at Toni as she enters the room to wait for Jughead.

"The damage as they say, has already been done. I'll talk to you guys later." Jug says, getting out of his seat. I slide into it.

"Plans with Toni?" Betty asks.

"Uh, yeah. I'm interviewing her grandfather for my oral history report." He tells her.

"He's the oldest living Serpent." I tell Betty, having already heard this story from Jughead earlier.

"Uh, I gotta go too, I'll see you guys later." Kevin says, quickly making an exit.

"That was... Odd?" I say.

"Was it ever...?" Veronica questions.

"Hey! I have an idea." I say, catching Betty and Veronica's attention. "Why don't we all go to Pops and catch up after school? I feel like it's been forever since I saw you guys."

"I'm in, how about you, V?" Betty asks.

"Quality time with my best girls? How could I say no?!"

*

I sit in a booth at Pops with Veronica and Betty, it'd felt like it'd been such a long time since I'd enjoyed their company.

"So, Nova, there's no selling you on coming to Pickens Day?" Veronica asks.

"The short answer is no, V. Sorry." I say, she sighs.

"Alright." She says, patting my arm.

"How are you doing, Nova? After everything that happened with Alana?" Betty asks.