A Serpent Can't Shed Its Skin

Ch. 18

After Sweet Pea had left the trailer, and me pretty much heartbroken, I decided to try, and actually sit up again. My injures couldn't possibly be that bad. I was able to sit up halfway before I cried out in real pain, something definitely wasn't right. I tried again to stand up all the way, but kept struggling to even sit up. I really do forget sometimes that I am not in fact invincible.

''OWWW!!'' I screamed after a full hour of trying unsuccessfully to sit up on Jughead's gross, poor person couch.

Nobody even came back in the trailer to make sure I was okay, not a single freaking person, so not only was only I in deep physical pain, I was feeling very neglected, and unloved.

That was when I got a really messed up idea in my head, something so bad for me that I wasn't even sure I was going to survive at the very end of it.

I sat up completely in bed, by some magical miracle, and even managed to stand up, and sneak out of Jughead's trailer without anybody even noticing or caring.

I then very slowly limped a few short little blocks to the Ghoulies hideout, which was really just Malachi's mama's house, and banged very loudly on the door.

''Who the (insert very fun curse word here) is it??'' Malachi said from the other side of the door.

''Sam'' was all I said because I was starting to see stars, and fun black dots all over the place.

There was some weird shuffling on the other side of the door before Malachi finally opened the door in nothing but his underpants, if you could even call them that.

''What happened Sam?? Are you okay?? Come right in!! Are you an official member of the Southside Serpents now??'' Malachi said looking all over the place before finally very quickly ushering me inside.

''Listen I don't got time for small talk, I need another very small favor'' I said with the bravest tone I could possibly manage.

''I would like to do the Burial, and become an official member of the Ghoulies'' I said this all in a rush, and not even waiting for the okay that I could even ask him for another very small favor.

''No come lay down, you look all green'' Malachi said looking very concerned almost like an older brother.

''No I need to the Burial right now'' I said as my vision got all weird, and fuzzy again.

''Samantha what happened back there??'' Malachi said very firmly, but it sounded like his voice was underwater.

''I did the Gauntlet, and they seriously beat me up not even realizing...'' I said before I passed out, yet again.

When I woke up I was in a very nice hospital bed all the way back on the Northside of town.

''Oh thank you God honey look she is awake!!'' My mother screeched happily with actual tears in her eyes.

''Sweetie what on earth happened??'' My father said, actually sounding upset too, with maybe real tears in his eyes as well.

''I impersonated Jughead, and actually made it through the Gauntlet but I think I got seriously injured, and passed out, and then Sweet Pea broke up with me before we even started officially going out''I said breaking down in tears, and just deciding to come clean. I was tired of all the secrets, and the stupid lies anyways.

''YOU DID WHAT??'' My mother screeched before my father had to calm her back down, yet again.

''Why would you do that sweetie?'' My father said, sounding much more calm than my mother, which he usually was.

''I just wanted the proper respect like all the men get when they join the Southside Serpents'' I said, sighing very deeply, and clutching my ribs.

A very young and attractive doctor then came in like I was the love interest in a soap opera.

''Samantha Smith?'' The doctor said, reading from a clipboard.

''Obviously'' I said with way too much sass as both my parents glared at me in disappointment.

''So you have two broken ribs, one very black eye, and lots of fun bruises, what on earth were you doing, participating in some underground Fight Club??'' The doctor said laughing at his own lame attempt at a joke.

''What do you recommend doctor?'' My mother said, almost swooning, my father and I just glared at her.

''Well Mr. and Mrs. Smith I am going to recommend lots of pain medication, and six full weeks of bed rest'' the doctor said, saying some of the least fun things ever.

''And obviously we are going to have to keep her overnight for observation, and then we will discharge her in the morning'' the doctor said.

''Thank you doctor, so are you married or anything?'' My mother said, not even joking.

''MOTHER!!'' I screamed as loud as I possibly could.

''Sweetie screaming isn't good for your injuries'' my mother said sensibly.

''We would like to have some alone time with our daughter if we could?'' My father said, still somehow remaining calm, especially after his own wife flirted with a hot, young doctor right in front of him.

''Of course Mr. and Mrs.Smith'' the doctor said before walking away.

''Samantha there is a reason the male and female initiation's have to be so different, did you even offer to do the Serpent dance for Sweet Pea?'' My mother said.

''No, and it doesn't even matter because now he wants nothing to do with me'' I said full on bawling my eyes out because all of the emotions of the day finally hit me all at once.

''Shhh there there, it's all going to be okay My Little Snake'' my mother said hugging me, but not too tightly

''How do you know??'' I asked, still full on bawling.

''Because I know everything, and Sweet Pea is just upset because you got seriously injured, but he will get over it with time'' my mother said.

''How will he get over it??'' I asked, still bawling somehow, I'm usually so tough.

''He will get over it in time, like I just said if you had been listening, which you obviously weren't, and after these six weeks of bed rest are through you are going to do the Serpent dance to win him back, and then you two will get married, and make me lots of little Serpent grand babies'' my mother said not even joking, and immediately calling people who could plan a wedding.

I sighed very deeply, but I knew in my heart she was right, I will have to do the Serpent dance to win him back, and I was going to try so hard not to make a complete full of myself in the process.