‷ CHAPTER SEVEN  ‴
LETTING LOOSE

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It was finally weekend AKA time for me to let loose. "Hey Betty. What's up?" I greeted her as I took a seat next to her. She jumped up. "Wow, why are you so jumpy today?" She sighed. "It's nothing." She tried to give me a comforting smile but I saw that she was.. scared. "Betty, are you really okay? You can trust me.." It looked as if she want in debate with herself — like she was thinking her choices thoroughly through. "Yes, I'm really fine." My phone beeped. I looked at the teacher to see if he was watching me. I quickly pulled my phone out.

(13:26) Message from Sweet Pea: Why aren't you picking up my calls?

A sigh escaped from my parted lips followed by an eye roll. "Are you okay?" Betty asked with a light chuckle. I smiled and nodded. The lessons flew by and before I knew it, the afternoon came and went. Twilight set in. Dozens of clothes were lying on the ground. I searched in the pile for a decent dress. I grabbed a red one and put it on. "No." I slipped a purple one on. "Hell no." I searched further and saw a black one decorated with sequins. "Perfect." I topped it off with black studded boots. I tousled my hair around, running my fingers through my dark brown strands.

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I pressed the botton and watched as the display went from 3 to 0. The doors of the lift separated with a dinging sound. I stepped inside the cubical and made my way to the fifth floor. I tapped my knuckles against the wooden door. The door swung open — revealing Veronica and Nick. "Hey J!" Veronica greeted excitedly. I frowned at the sight. She never, ever greeted me this excited. "Who is this beautiful, mesmerizing friend of yours Veronica?" Nick asked while he undressed me with his eyes. "Jimmy." "Just Jimmy?" He asked with a dirty grin on his face. "Just Jimmy."

He held out his hand for me to shake. I looked at it and walked right past him. If I don't get good vibes with you the minute I meet you, do not touch me. "Hey Betts." I greeted as I took a seat next to her. I sensed that she was tense and annoyed. "You okay?" "I'm fine." My eyes then fell on Nick who boasted with the Jingle Jangle in his inner pocket. "Tasters? Who wants to have some fun?" Horror was written all over Kevin and Betty's faces. Including mine. "I'm good." Veronica said while glancing at Archie. "Come on V, like back in the day. Aren't you supposed to be showing me a good time per daddy's orders?" Archie stepped in. "She said she's good."

"Don't take the this the wrong way man.. but you're an epic buzzkill." "Down, Nicky. I'm just getting going. And now that you mention it.. I in fact wouldn't mind some sugar to spice up this party." She said as she took a striped straw containing the drug from him. We all looked at her in disapproval. "What? Every night it's burgers and milkshakes. Can't we just cut loose and pretend we're normal for once?" "I'm in." Cheryl stated. "Me too." Reggie agreed. And before I could blink, almost all the kids were pouring the powdery consumption onto their tongues. Veronica and Archie were dry-humping each other, Valerie was dancing like a lunatic on the table and Reggie was messing around with Josie. In brief words, a disaster.

"Come on Betty! Don't be such a wallflower. Have some fun!" A high Veronica said as she approached her. "Like you, you mean? I was gonna say that you're making a fool out of yourself just acting like some privileged, shallow, airhead party girl." Veronica scoffed. "Excuse me?" "Yeah. I mean.. it's all just recycled banter, plunging necklines and throwing shade to distract us all from the fact that there is really nothing going on underneath." Archie stepped towards her. "Betty, what the hell are you saying?" "What we're all thinking, Arch! That the only reason she hangs out with us is circumstance. She's not our friend. As soon as someone from her trashy past shows up, she starts using us for drugs or distraction. Why should we be surprised? Like father like daughter, right?"

"You better shut it down, Betty." "Or what V? You'll let your daddy put a hit on me or do it yourself? You can reform all you want, but you are and always will be a bad person." Veronica inhaled and exhaled. "If I'm such a monster, why don't you leave?" They stared each other down before Betty took the initiative and left. "What was that all about?" Kevin asked with shock written over his face. I shrugged.

As the party went on, I started to get more and more tired. I was ready to leave until I noticed that Cheryl and Nick disappeared. I don't know Cheryl that well but I know that she wouldn't hook up with someone she just met. I opened all the doors in the hotel room to find them. I opened the last door and saw a grinning Nick bending over a half naked and trembling Cheryl. I sneaked in. "Get off her you pig!" I yelled as I kicked him in the stomach. He hunched over and groaned. "You bi-" I cut him off by punching him in the head with my fist. Josie and Valerie saw what happened and rushed into the bedroom. Josie comforted Cheryl while Valerie helped me to beat the sh*t out of him.

"If it weren't for you.. I can't imagine what he would do for me. Thank you." A crying Cheryl said as she hugged the blanket tighter to her body. I carefully placed my hand on her knee, not knowing if she was jumpy or not. "We always got your back Cher. It's okay."

After making sure everyone was alright, like the amazing friend I am, I went home and walked straight towards the shower. My mind wandered to Sweet Pea. I haven't talked to him in a day and I actually miss him. I decided to hurry up and get out the shower so that I could make my homework now rather than later. While I was dressing, I heard a sudden, subtle tap against my window. I twisted my neck towards the window. It was probably just my imagination. I heard it again.

Tap, tap, tap.

I made my way to the window, hesitantly yet curiously. I peeped out the window and saw Sweet Pea looking up. He held tiny rocks in his hand. I rolled my eyes, yet a smile crept up on my face. I unlocked my window and pulled it up. "What are you doing here?" I asked curiously. "I was in the neighborhood.." He answered. I raised my eyebrows and closed the window. Disappointment was written over his face. He probably thought that I didn't want to talk to him.

I sped down my stairs and opened the door. He still stood in the driveway. "Relax Serpent. I'm not leaving you." I mocked him. He looked at where the noise came from and when he saw me, he smiled. He walked over to me. "Avoiding me, Rug-Rat?" He asked as he stepped into my house without permission. "No. I just.. I was sleeping." He abruptly stopped in his tracks, making me bump into him. He turned around. I slightly looked up, staring into his eyes. "Sleeping?" I nodded. He sat on my couch and turned on the TV. He leaned back into the couch, placing both of his arms on the backside of it.

"You were definitely not 'just in the neighborhood.' You wanted to see me." I stated with a smile on my lips. He scoffed. "You wish." I seated myself next to him. "Can I ask you a question?" "Does it involve you talking a lot?" I laughed. "Maybe." He removed his focus from the TV to me. "Shoot." "Jughead told me that when you join the Serpents, you have to do these crazy tasks. But he doesn't want to tell what his were. Will you?" He situated his arms on his thigh and leaned forward. "I had to memorize the rules, babysit Hotdog — like the rest of them, pick up a knife in a box full of scorpions and then I had to face the Gauntlet." "What's that?" He sighed. My eyes wandered to his Serpent tattoo on his neck. It slightly moved every time he spoke.

"You have to go through a bunch of Serpents who stand in a line. They each have to give you one punch — wherever they want. At last, one Serpent will punch you in the face with a metal bracket." I scrunch my face up at the thought. "How did you feel? How old were you when you joined? Do girls have to do this too? Is i-" I kept on rambling until he cut me off. "Wow, relax Rug-Rat. I felt like literal sh*t the next day. I couldn't even stand straight for a few days. I was 13 when I joined the Serpents. During the process of becoming one, It felt really hard and impossible but I'm glad that I continued to push myself. They are like a family to me." He ended his sentence with a smile lingering on his rose lips.

"As far as girls joining the Serpents, you'll have to perform a dance. A sexual dance." I rolled my eyes. "Such misogynistic Serpents." He chuckled. "I kind of like it." I immediately frowned. He wasn't going to tell me that he actually enjoyed watching girls dance sexually in the presence of older men.. right? "I'm just kidding J. Calm down." My heart fluttered when he called me by my nickname. My cheeks began to turn crimson. "Are you.. blushing?" He asked in astonishment. His eyes drew me in — like a magnetic force. We searched each others eyes for the longest before he leaned in closer, placing his finger tips against my heated cheeks. His forehead rested against mine, savoring the sweet moment. He let out a shaky breath. I was a bit surprised at his sudden nervousness.

I decided to take the first step and collide our lips together. I pressed my lips against his soft ones. He let his other hand run through my dark brown strands. Our lips moved together in sync. Unfortunately, the unforgettable moment came to an end as we separated our lips from one another.

"Who knew a Rug-Rat could kiss like that." He joked with a wide smile on his lips. I shyly looked at my fingers in my lap with the rose tint still noticeable on my cheeks. "Thanks, I guess." He winked at me before turning his body and facing the TV. We sat there in a comfortable silence, sharing laughs and talking about useless things until he had to go.