A week at Southside High had been and gone. Apart from my run in with the Ghoulies, there had been nothing notable.
Until today.
"Looks like some northside princess got lost on her way to the castle," Sweetpea jeered.
I looked up from my sandwich at the girl walking through the cafeteria. She definitely looked like a northsider. Cream knit jumper tucked into a button up denim skirt. Thick chestnut hair braided into two french plaits. Skin just fading from a summer tan. Eyes of molten chocolate framed by thick, dark lashes. She was beautiful, and the thought made me look away.
"She's not from the northside," I replied through a mouthful.
Sweetpea scoffed, giving me a funny look.
"What are you talking about? Just look at her." He gestured to the girl as she sat alone at a table.
She pulled a packed lunch out of her backpack. There was something about her that I couldn't put my finger on. Some sort of faint recognition. Yet I knew she wasn't from the northside. After all, if she was, why on earth would she be here?
"I never saw her there," I replied.
Toni eyed the girl closely as Sweetpea and Fogarty shared a mischievous grin.
"Only one way to find out." Sweetpea grinned as he moved towards her.
"No Sweetpea." But it was no use.
Sweetpea and Fogarty were already advancing towards the new girl. I made to stand, but Toni grabbed my wrist. She gave me a warning look.
"Stay out of it Jones," she warned.
I shook her off. Whether this new girl came from the northside or not, she didn't deserve to be ambushed on her first day.
"Hey there my little pony, I think you strayed too far from the stables," Sweetpea taunted.
She looked up. I had expected some sort of anxiety, or embarrassment, or just a hint of nerves. There was no trace of any of these feelings in her eyes. She looked uninterested.
"Back off Jason Dean. I'm not looking for trouble." She went to pick up her water bottle, but Sweetpea took it from the table.
He looked at it as if it were the most interesting object in the world. She stared fire up at him, her hands clenched under the table. I pushed to the front, to stand by the girls side. Sweetpea narrowed his eyes at me.
"Give it back, Sweetpea," I ordered.
He raised a brow, and turned to Fogarty.
"Once a northsider, always a northsider huh," Sweetpea sneered.
The girl stood slowly.
"I don't mean to get in between whatever pissing match you two clearly have going on, but I want my water back. Now." She demanded.
Sweetpea chuckled. I folded my arms. I could see Toni, still sat at our table, shaking her head. Begging me don't provoke him.
"You think you can order me around?" Sweetpea asked, his bravado kicking in.
I opened my mouth to say something, to defend her, but I didn't get the chance. She snatched the water bottle from his hand so quickly I barely even caught the gesture. Sweetpea made as if to take it back, but she thrust her palm into his chest. Her fingers curled in his flannel, preventing him from moving forward. I stood, mouth open wide, as Sweetpea stared at her. Fogarty was frozen still. This never happened.
"Back. Off," she repeated.
There was a moment of tense silence. I tried to suppress my smile, but it pulled at the corners of my mouth nonetheless. Sweetpea grit his teeth. I felt the whole cafeteria look on. The two glared at each other. The new girl, confident in her stance, showed no signs of letting up. Sweetpea wavered, and the new girl gave a subtle, triumphant smile.
"I thought so." She sat down, and sipped from her water bottle.
I raised a brow at Sweetpea. For a moment, he hesitated. Unable to bare any more embarrassment, he took a step back, admitting defeat. He and Fogarty turned and walked away. I chuckled, and looked down at the new girl. I admired her bravado. She looked up at me momentarily, eying me from head to toe, before she looked back at her lunch.
"Nice welcoming committee you've got here," she muttered through a mouthful.
I shrugged. There was this feeling in my stomach, as if an adventure was on the horizon. A rising excitement that seemed to emanate from this new girl. I felt something tingle in my fingertips, an electric in my veins.
"Not all of us are hard headed neanderthals," I replied.
She raised an eyebrow at her sandwich. Chewed thoughtfully. Looked up at me through her eyelashes subtly.
"I'm Jughead, by the way," I felt compelled to add.
She gave a short, breathy laugh, before fixing me properly for the first time. Her eyes locked on mine. She stared at me with a knowledge and piercing fire that burnt through my skin, down to my innermost thoughts. I felt trapped.
"I know who you are, Forsythe Pendleton Jones," she smiled.
Before I could say a thing, even begin to express my confusion and astonishment, she had looked away. She pushed her headphones into her ears, and cranked the volume up high.