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Chapter One
No More Talking
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     ALTHOUGH SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO MEET UP WITH CHERYL BLOSSOM by her locker at a certain time, she didn't have the energy to get out of bed as soon as her alarm went off. And because she stayed in bed for another ten minutes, she hurried while getting ready so she could still meet her best friend at school. Her mother offered her a ride to school on her way to work and since she was pressed with time, she accepted the offer. Once Tori was dressed and had her bag ready, she hurried out of the house and into the driveway where her mother was waiting for her.

     "You look nice, as always," her mother said while smiling.

     "Thanks, Mom. You look nice too," Tori said as she put on her seatbelt.

     Her mother put the car in reverse and pulled out of the driveway. Tori played with the strap of her messenger bag as it sat in her lap and she looked out the window as her mother drove down the familiar route to Riverdale High. She checked her phone to see what time it was and she had five minute left before she had to meet Cheryl. When her mother pulled up in front of the school, she quickly hugged her before getting out of the car and hurrying towards the school.

     "Tori!"

     Tori rolled her eyes and the voice only urged her to walk faster so she could get away from them.

     "Tori, just wait! Can we talk?" the same voice asked as he grabbed her arm.

     Tori yanked her arm away and turned around to face the one and only Reggie Mantle.

     "It's a little too late for talking, isn't it?" Tori asked as she glared at him. "Besides, it was you who dumped me, not the other way around."

     "Yeah, because you keep wearing the type of clothes you're wearing now and you wouldn't stop attracting the other football players' attention, especially Andrews," Reggie retaliated.

     "Two things, Reggie. One, Archie is with Veronica. Two, I can wear whatever the hell I want and I don't need you or anyone else judging me for it," Tori said before walking away from the captain of the Bulldogs and headed towards Cheryl's locker.

     When she got there, the redhead was standing with her arms crossed and she was clearly impatient and didn't like to be kept waiting. She turned around when she heard Tori's heeled ankle boots clicking against the floor and Tori could tell Cheryl was not pleased.

     "Two minutes late, Tori," Cheryl said disapprovingly.

     "I know, I would've been here on time if stupid Reggie Mantle got the hint and stayed away from me," Tori said as she opened her locker which happened to be right next to Cheryl's.

     "He is such a douchebag. Wasn't he the one who dumped you for exercising your right to dress however you want?" Cheryl asked.

     "Douchebag is not the right word to describe him and welcome to society," Tori said.

     "Well screw society because I gotta say, you are rocking that skirt and let me be the first to tell you that the leather jacket and fishnets are an excellent finish," Cheryl said while spinning Tori around in a circle and scanning her outfit.

     "I learned from the best," Tori said while smiling a closed lip smile.

     "Well that person must've taught you really well. Actually, I taught you really well," Cheryl said while running her fingers through Tori's hair.

     Cheryl moved Tori's hair around while she switched some of her textbooks and binders until she thought it was good enough. When she was finished, Tori's long dark hair was swept over her left shoulder although some of it rested against her back as well.

     "Now you're ready," Cheryl said with a bright smile.

     Tori smiled back at her best friend as she closed her locker and put her bag over her shoulder and the two of them started walking to class. Although Tori would gladly tell Reggie off like before with the help of her Bombshell of a best friend Cheryl, she was still hoping that she wouldn't have another run in with him. The two of them walked into biology together and sat at their usual lab bench in the second row.

     Tori put her bag down on the floor right beside her feet and took out her biology textbook and binder and put them down on the lab bench. It may not look like it to other people, but she enjoyed science excluding physics because to her, it just looked like math on crack and she already couldn't stand math class as it was.

     Tori was quick to write down everything that was on the board into her notebook and made sure not to miss anything. People often wondered how she could take science classes for fun, especially Reggie. Goes to show that he only assumed certain things about her and never bothered to learn the truth. For example, everyone at Riverdale High thought she had a hunger and desire for chaos just like Cheryl Blossom just because she was her best friend. Rumours never bothered her but when someone she thought she could trust would believe them, now that was sure to set her off.

     "Milkshakes at Pop's after school? I'll pay," Cheryl leaned over to Tori and whispered while their teacher was facing the blackboard.

     "Yeah, sure," Tori whispered and they both sat straight as if they weren't just whispering to each other.

     Right before class was over, their teacher wrote down the homework for the night although some students left without writing it down or so much as even taking a picture of it. Tori was quick to write down the page numbers and questions before packing her bag and leaving the classroom.

     "Meet me at our lockers right after last period," Cheryl said. "And don't be late this time."

     "I won't, I promise," Tori said while giggling.

     "You better keep that promise."

     "Don't worry, I will."

     Tori smiled before she turned the corner and made her way to her second period class, which happened to be a class she shared with Reggie. She internally cursed her fate as she walked into English class and saw Reggie sitting with another player from the football team. She ignored their stares as she sat in her usual seat which, fortunately for her, was away from them.

     "I can't believe you used to date that skank," the other boy said.

     Tori pressed her navy blue manicured fingernails into her palms to distract herself from the urge to punch both of them and took out the book they were reading for the unit.

     This is going to be a long period.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

     AS SOON AS THEY WERE DISMISSED, TORI GRABBED HER BAG and left last period to go meet up with Cheryl at their lockers. When she got there, Cheryl had just arrived and smiled when she saw that Tori kept her word that she would be there on time.

     "Looks like Miss Alvarez kept her word after all," Cheryl said with a smirk.

     "I said I would be here on time and here I am," Tori said while opening her locker and putting some of her books away.

     When both of them were ready, they left the school with no trouble from anyone else and started making their way to Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe where they would get their milkshakes. Once they reached the heart of Riverdale with its neon signs, they walked inside and were greeted by Pop Tate.

     "Good afternoon, ladies," the old man said from behind the counter.

     "Good afternoon, Pop. How has your day been?" Tori asked.

     "A little slow but it's still early," Pop smiled. "What can I get for you two?"

      "I'll have the red cherry milkshake with whipped cream and a cherry on top and Tori will have the double chocolate milkshake, also with whipped cream and a cherry on top but also chocolate syrup drizzled on it with some chocolate chips," Cheryl listed the orders for herself and for Tori and Tori just smiled while staying quiet.

     "You got it," Pop said and the two teenagers found an empty booth out of many to sit in.

     "You didn't have to order for me," Tori said as she sat down and put her messenger bag right beside her.

     "Nonsense! I've known you long enough to know what you order depending on how you're feeling and what time of day it is. And every time we come here after school, it's always a double chocolate milkshake with whipped cream and a cherry on top with chocolate syrup and chocolate chips added onto it," Cheryl said.

     "Not even Reggie knew that," Tori scoffed.

     "That's why he never deserved you and never will. I mean, what kind of guy dates one of the best girls they will ever meet for five months and never learned their favourite flavour milkshake and how they like it to be made?" Cheryl asked.

     "This is one of the reasons why you are my best friend in this crappy town."

     "Also because you were there for me when Jay Jay died."

     Tori could feel the mood shift and she reached out to grab Cheryl's hand and gave her a gentle squeeze for reassurance. She knew that the death of her twin brother, Jason Blossom was still a sensitive topic for her, not to mention that it was her father, Clifford Blossom who had shot him and killed him. Cheryl had put up the tough girl act for so long and Tori was the first to see right through it. The redhead simply took a deep breath and her frown of sorrow was replaced with a cheerful smile in a matter of seconds. Pop came over to the booth they were sitting in while carrying their milkshakes and placed them in front of them on the table. Tori took a sip of her milkshake and almost moaned when the chocolaty goodness hit her taste buds.

     "I've been dying for one of these for the last three days but never had the time to get one," Tori said before plucking the cherry off of her milkshake and placing it between her teeth.

     The bell rang indicating that someone was either leaving or entering but the footsteps gave away that someone was in fact coming inside the diner. Tori looked up while chewing on the cherry and a boy with a red flannel and denim vest stood by the door. The one thing that really stood out was the green snake on the back of his vest and Southside written on the top and Serpents on the bottom. As soon as she realized that it was a Serpent who had walked into the diner, she turned her attention back to her milkshake.

     "What is it?" Cheryl asked.

     "I'll tell you about it, but just not right now," Tori said and took another sip of her milkshake, trying to ignore the presence of the tall and very well built boy who also happened to be a Serpent.

     The two of them finished their milkshakes and Cheryl paid the tab before they got up and left. Once they were outside, Cheryl pressed Tori about what happened inside the diner, which Tori suspected would happen once they had left.

     "It was excruciatingly painful to wait for you to tell me what happened but now that we are outside, spill," Cheryl said while eagerly grabbing Tori's arm.

     "I just saw someone walk in there, that's all," Tori said while shrugging her shoulders.

     "Did you see their face?"

     "No, but he was tall and I must say, he was very well built."

     "Say no more. You just found your new distraction from that pig Reggie Mantle."

     Tori blinked but let Cheryl believe what she wanted to believe. If it made her believe that it would distract her from the effects of her post breakup with Reggie, then so be it, although it sounded kind of silly to Tori to think of it that way. Afterall, what were the chances that she would see him around again?