Stardust // Reggie Mantle (3)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

After their kiss, Caia had found herself hanging around Archie more and more. She was reminded why they had been such good friends in elementary and middle school. And she enjoyed his company. This was precisely the reason she had agreed to attend an early morning, before school breakfast at Pop's.

Archie chucked his bag to the end of the booth seat and then slid in himself. "How about we skip class," Archie suggested. "Catch a matinee at the Bijou?"

Caia scoffed as she sat down opposite Archie. A waitress set down two menus on the table. "Oh, well, you're sweeter than a strawberry milkshake, Arch," Caia teased.

Archie raised his eyebrows. "Don't you hate strawberry milkshakes?" He reminded.

Caia just smirked at him. "Anyway, I couldn't make it today anyway, Arch. I have a calc test that I cannot miss." Archie's face fell just a little. "Maybe we can meet up after school?"

"Actually, I'm training with Mr. Keller then," Archie informed.

"Oh." Caia's eyes flirted down to her menu for a moment before she looked back up at Archie. "Are there any college scholarships for boxing out there?" She inquired.

"No," Archie replied. "But stepping in between those ropes, Caia, it gets me and keeps me in a good headspace. Helps me focus," He explained. Caia nodded in understanding. "I forget about everything else outside the ring." He cocked his head and smiled at Caia. "Well, almost everything else."

Caia leaned back in her seat. "Yeah, well, just don't go messing up that pretty face, Andrews," Caia commanded playfully. "It's growing on me."

Archie smiled at Caia as she stared at her menu. They both liked each other for sure. A lot, in fact.

But, deep inside, both knew something about this didn't feel quite right.

*

That afternoon with no Archie, Caia had no where to go. Once again, she felt alone. So, like she always did, Caia tried to bury her problems under a layer of false happiness. Happiness that came from a bottle and a carton.

Caia had just lit up her first cigarette when there was a knock at the door. She cursed, snubbing out the flame and throwing the stick into the fireplace. No one had to find out about her secret habits.

Caia opened the door and, to her surprise, she found a red headed girl standing there.

"Cheryl," She greeted, somewhat warily. She opened the door farther. "Come in."

Cheryl accepted the invitation, stepping into the house. She glanced around, as if sizing the place up. Caia wasn't really surprised. As much as Cheryl had grown in the past two years, she still was, at her heart, a little stuck up.

Cheryl, apparently having finished her once over of Caia's house, spoke. "I'm here with a proposition," She began.

Caia raised her eyebrows, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the door. "And what might that be?" She inquired.

"Since Toni and I have been kicked from the gang, we've been searching for a little bit of," Cheryl paused, searching for the right word. "Familiarity. So, I started a new gang. Only girls, but all welcome. I wanted to ask you if you would join."

Caia sighed. "Cheryl, thanks but I really can't-"

"Why?" Cheryl interrupted. "Because the Serpents have been such good friends to you? News flash, Sinclair, they've been kind of ignoring you."

Caia shook her head. "That's not true," She stuttered. "Sweet Pea talked to me the other day."

Cheryl crossed her arms and raided her eyebrows. When Caia didn't budge, Cheryl sighed. "I'm just saying, C, you'd be better off with the Pretty Poisons. Besides, pretty soon you'll he the only girl Serpent left."