Polaroid // Reggie Mantle (2)

Chapter Thirty-Six

Caia stabbed a noodle with her fork as Jughead plopped down at the lunch table opposite her. "I just loved your spin piece in the paper, Olivia Pope," Jughead stated sarcastically. Caia looked up from her food and over at Veronica, awaiting the surefire retort.

"Can we not, Jughead?" Veronica pleaded.

Jughead ignored Veronica's request and continued to grill the girl. "Did you know about Southside High closing?" He questioned. "Or the prison?"

Caia had to admit, she didn't think Veronica was completely out of the know either, but she was fed-up with Jughead's constant grilling of people. "Jughead," she scolded. "Let it go."

"Of course she didn't know!" Betty also defended, referring to Jughead's earlier question. She sat back as Jughead looked over at her. "It was all her parents doing." She paused. "Right, V?"

Veronica didn't reply, instead looking down at the floor. This made her look suspicious, but Archie still came to her defense. "She didn't know, Jughead, okay so back off." He commanded.

"So what?" Jughead replied. "I have to conserve my energy anyhow. I'm going on a hunger strike." He paused, staring directly at Veronica. "To protest Southside High closing." Caia looked at the boy with a confused expression on her face. This was the first she'd heard of this. She looked over at Veronica, who rolled her eyes, unimpressed, as she sipped on her juice. "And to get it reopened."

Archie chuckled at his friend's statement. Jughead noticed and took offense. "What?" He questioned, defensively.

"I'm sorry man, it's just- you're like always eating." Archie explained as he chewed his sand which.

Caia nodded in agreement. "Accurate. Do you remember that time you ate a whole bag of jellybeans in ten minutes? Because I do."

Jughead glared at Caia and Archie. "Hey, it's Jughead's perogative to protest peacefully so we're gonna support that, aren't we?" Betty chided softly, sounding a bit like a kindergarten teacher reminding her students what they were supposed to be doing.

Veronica nodded, her attention being swayed from the conversation at hand, to an approaching Ethel. "Veronica," she called as she stopped at the table.

"Oh, hey Ethel," Veronica greeted friendly.

Ethel did not reciprocate the kindness. "For your crimes against the town of Riverdale, for everything you and your family have done and continue to do, we find you guilty." Veronica looked around, confused. "Your sentence is this." Suddenly, Ethel brought the Pop's milkshake she was holding in a to-go container up and splashed it all over Veronica's face.

Caia jumped back in shock. She gaped at the girl now covered it pink liquid. Even though she knew Veronica did some shady stuff, throwing a milkshake on her seemed a bit harsh.

Veronica stood up quickly and hurried out of the cafeteria, followed closely by Betty and Archie. Both Jughead and Caia stayed seating, watching their friends retreat out the door.

Caia turned her eyes from their figures to Jughead. "Wow," she observed. "I don't particularly like what Veronica's family is doing, but that was intense."

Jughead shrugged. "I'd say it was well deserved."

Caia rolled her eyes and stood up, grabbing her tray. "Well, if you're going to be like that, I'm leaving." She started to turn away from the table when Jughead stopped her.

"Hey wait," he called. "That was uncalled for. I promise to be good. Just stay. I have to talk to you about something," Jughead stated.

Caia sighed and set her tray back down, reseating herself on the bench. "What?" She questioned. "Want me to go all Mahatma Gandhi with you?" She questioned jokingly.