Polaroid // Reggie Mantle (2)

Chapter Thirty-Seven

"I wanna kill someone!" Caia announces angrily as she stormed into the Whyte Wyrm and threw her bag down on the sofa.

"Woah," Sweet Pea called, standing up from his position at the pool table. "What's up with you?"

Caia pulled a water bottle out of her bag and aggressively downed it before crushing the plastic and shoving it back into her bag. "Jughead has me on this stupid fast of his and it's making me crazy," Caia explained. "Not to mention, I'm running for student council Vice President with my boyfriend and frickin' Veronica and Betty decide they just have to run too," She ranted.

"Sounds like you need a drink," Fangs suggested, making his way to stand beside Sweet Pea.

"No!" Caia exclaimed, flopping down on the couch and running her hands through her hair. "What I really need is a goddamn cheeseburger."

"Hey," Sweet Pea called, tossing her a flask. "It's worth a shot, isn't it?"

Caia stared at the aluminum container before screwing off the lid and downing the burning liquid.

*

Walking into school the next morning, Caia immediately stopped in her tracks at the sight of a large sign over a booth containing cupcakes and Veronica Lodge. It read 'Cupcakes and Kisses from Veronica Lodge.' Caia scoffed and made her way over to Reggie, who was staring at the booth with the same expression on his face as Caia.

"I can't believe it," Caia exclaimed, as she approached her boyfriend. "She's so full of herself that she thinks people will vote for her because she kissed them." She shook her head. "This is unacceptable."

Reggie turned toward her. "That tactic is going to get at least half of the male vote," he observed.

"Yeah," Caia agreed. "But we don't need kisses and cupcakes to win," she stated. "We just need brains, and trust me, we've got them."

*

Because Caia was juggling two different responsibilities at once, she left Reggie to do the campaigning, and focused her attention on Southside High.

So naturally, when Jughead informed her that all the serpents were chaining themselves to the building, she had to do it too. Granted, she did hesitate a bit, but she knew that she had to do it.

She was chained up front, right next to Jughead, when she spotted Archie, riding towards them on his bike.

He skidded to a stop and dismounted his bike, pulling his hood off. "Well, well, well," Jughead called, stepping forward. "The Calvary's finally here. Guess that means we got Hiram's attention."

"Are you nuts?" Archie questioned. "Chaining yourself to this place?" He paused, looking towards Caia, who looked away from his gaze. "They're gonna tear it down in two days, dude."

Jughead scoffed. "Not unless Hiram wants the blood of nine young serpents on his hands. We're not going anywhere," he stated. "Go and tell your boss we said that."

The next morning, Caia was trying desperately not to fall asleep as she laid on the wet sidewalk in front of South Side High. Betty was there, and she could hear light murmurings of conversation as she talked to Jughead.

Suddenly, Caia's phone began to ring. She dug it out of her pocket and pressed it to her ear, not bothering to check caller I.D. "Hello," she greeted groggily.

"Are you down at that school?" Reggie's voice shot through the line. "Chained up out there with all those Serpent freaks?"

Caia sat up. "Excuse me, Reggie, but I am one of those Serpent freaks," she spat. "Also, yes. I am."