Chapter 16: Southside Connections
After school, Ali decided to make a visit to her friends on the Southside. She quickly grabbed her back and placed it on her back and decided to make a move to the bus, but was stopped when she felt someone grab her wrist. She turned around to see Reggie standing there.
"Ready to go home?" He asked Ali with a smile on his face.
"I'm actually going out for a bit." Ali admitted.
"To where? I can take you." Reggie offered. Ali shook her head.
"I'm good. I won't be out long. I just need to go run some errands." Ali lied. She remembered hearing the disgust on Sweet Pea's lips when he heard that she's staying on the Northside, so she figured that Reggie would feel the same about the Southside.
"I can come to keep you company." Ali shook her head again. She rested her hand on his arm before replying,
"I'm good. I'll call you when I get back and then you can pick me up and take me home, okay?" Reggie didn't like this, but he agreed anyways.
"Okay. You promise you'll call me when you're ready to get picked up?" Reggie looked at Ali with a serious face. She was surprised by his face. She didn't understand why he was taking this so seriously about driving her everywhere.
"Fine. If it'll make you leave me alone." Ali laughed.
"I'll see you later." Ali waved at Reggie before turning around and finally making her way out of Riverdale High. Ali made her way down the street towards the bus stop. Once on the bus, she sat by the window and waited for the bus to stop at the familiar dark street. Once she arrived, she hopped off and made her way to the familiar bar. When she pushed open the door she noticed that the Serpents were already present in the bar. Toni was behind the bar again and Sweet Pea was at the pool tables. Ali walked over to Toni and sat down on a stool. Toni smiled at Ali when she saw that she had arrived.
"Hey, Ali!" Toni leaned against the counter.
"Hey, Toni."
"We haven't seen you in a couple days. I was worried that we scared you away." Toni said.
"You guys didn't, but the Black Hood did." Ali explained.
"What? You met the Black Hood?" Toni practically yelled with shock. Sweet Pea and Fangz had over heard this comment and then made their way over to the two women at the bar.
"What's this I hear?" Fangz asked as he sat beside Ali and Sweet Pea leaned against the car, so he could look at Ali.
"Last time I was here I caught the bus home and I decided to walk the rest of the way because the bus was going to take too long and it wasn't that far of a walk. Then I noticed a van following me and started speeding up, but luckily, I called some friends and they came and got me right away." Ali explained.
"This is why you should've let us drive you home that night." Fangz pointed out.
"I'm so happy you're okay." Toni said as she reached over and held onto Ali's hand.
"You have to be more careful."
"It would suck if you just moved here and ended up being murdered." Sweet Pea said. Toni slapped Sweet Pea's arm. He scrunched up his face as he looked at Toni.
"He's right, that would suck, but look! I'm still here." Ali said as she slammed her palms onto the counter.
"We know, you're so loud." Sweet Pea sarcastically said as he rolled his eyes.
"Wouldn't you like to know just how loud I can be." Ali winked at Sweet Pea. Fangz made a face of surprise at Ali's comment and Toni's eyes were as wide as dinner plates.
"Wait, who came and got you when the Black Hood came?" Toni redirected the conversation, so Ali and Sweet Pea were no longer looking at each other and allowing tension to build in-between them.
"Some of the boys from school. They've made this thing where you can call them if you feel unsafe, so they'll come get you and shit." Ali explained.
"Do they call themselves the Red Circle?" Sweet Pea asked Ali.
"Ya…"
"That fucking Northsider, Archie, came here yesterday night and started draw that shit on the walls. Then he put a fucking gun in my face." Sweet Pea was angry, that was apparent, but Ali was a little surprised by the aggression he oozed. "He thinks that we're running around killing people."
"Why would he think that?" Ali questioned.
"You're new. You wouldn't know. The Northsiders think the worst of us. They look down on us and spread lies about everything we do." Sweet Pea balled his fists.
"They put us in the same category as the Ghoulies, even though they're the ones who actually cause trouble for everyone." Toni added.
"Whenever anything happens, they blame us. They never look at each other." Fangz said.
"That's fucked up." Ali said more to herself, but the three individuals heard her.
"I'm going to go to Andrews house and fuck him up. He can't come onto our turf, waving a gun in my face and think that he's going to get away with it." Sweet Pea informed the others of his plan.
"Woah, before you go making things worse, let me try and talk to him." Ali didn't want the Serpents to get into any unnecessary trouble. Ali felt a certain connection with the people in this room because they reminded her of her friends at home and her previous life.
"You're friends with those idiots?" Sweet Pea asked.
"No, but I go to school with them." Ali answered.
"Don't hangout with those scumbags. They'll just turn on you. You're not one of them." Fangz said.
"Do any of them know you're here with us?" Toni asked. Ali shook her head. "So even you know that they wouldn't approve of us."
"I think this is pointless, in my opinion." Ali said.
"Well, you can blame your Northside buddies." Sweet Pea spat.
"They're not my buddies. We barely have anything in common. We come from very different worlds."
"What do you mean?" Toni leaned forward. Ali stared through her as she began to remember certain feelings and memories. She felt an itch on her back and instinctively scratched her lower back.
"Nothing." Ali answered. She stood up from the stool and looked at the three individuals.
"I'm going to head home. I really only came here to give you my number." Ali reached for a nearby napkin and fished for a pen out of her back. Once her number was written down then she pushed the napkin towards Toni.
"Really?" Toni picked up the napkin and cradled it in her hands.
"You're cool." Ali shrugged.
"Let one of us take you home." Fangz offered.
"Don't worry. It won't be dark for a couple more hours, so I'll be home before then." Ali denied the offer.
"I'd feel better if you took Fangz up on his offer." Toni added.
"Honestly, I'm fine. I need to go to the mall anyways." Ali waved her hand.
"But-"
"No, I'm good." Ali smiled at them. "I'll see you guys around." Ali waved at the three individuals before leaving the bar and making her way back to the bus stop.
1) The last time Ali left the Serpents the Black Hood found her...now she's going again...I wonder...
2) Is Ali going to get involved with the Northside and the Southside feud?!