Monday's suck. There is no point to saying that, as most people agree. Except for the 'glass half full' kind of people, who believe Monday's exist to refresh you and motivate you at the beginning of a new week. Jane decided she was not one of those people as she rolled out of bed.
Pulling on a pair of jeans, a black camisole and her favourite knitted navy cardigan, she examined herself in the mirror. Too plain. Hm, maybe a little something extra is what she needed. Jane combed her long hair and divided it into two halves with a part down the middle. Her fingers twisted her hair with expertise as she pulled and tucked both sides into double braids. She hadn't worn her hair like this since her days in middle school. Perhaps now they suited her, and instead of looking childish, she believed the pulled back hair showed off her face and gave her a sense of maturity. Who knew a hairstyle could boost her confidence so much?
No, she thought to herself. This had nothing to do with wanting to stand out and catch a certain serpent's attention. She spent the last year blending in, Jane has worked too hard to be thrown back into the mess that is Riverdale drama.
With a sigh, Jane grabbed her bag and her freshly brewed travel mug full of tea and snuck out the door, careful not to wake her mother who had been working the task of backshift the last few months at the hospital.
The pair lived on the Northside, a rather quiet mother/daughter duo. Jane's mother is a nurse, and her was father long gone. She has one older brother who lives with his girlfriend in Greendale, who she rarely sees.
Jane climbed into her car and pulled the door shut, and pushed the key into the ignition and
gave it a twist. It was a chilly day in Riverdale, and she found herself turning on the heat for the first time in a while. Lately, her thoughts had been wandering to the boy who kept meeting her gaze. He held it too, always challenging her to looking away first, almost like a staring contest. During these staring contests, Jane took the opportunity, only when feeling brave enough, to admire the astonishing features of this boy. From the hair curl to the Serpent tattoo always poking out from under the collar of his shirt.
Jane! No! She thought to herself, deciding to focus on the drive. Now was not the time to let her mind wander.
The girl pulled into the parking lot of Riverdale High, careful not to go near the bikes parked close by. She forced herself to concentrate on making it to her first class without letting her mind wander.
"Jane." Came Freda's voice from behind her, and Jane was glad to have a distraction from her thoughts.
"Freda." replied the girl. Jane held the door for her friend to enter the school and followed behind her, heading for their lockers.
"You've got an onlooker." Freda observed, wiggling her eyebrows at Jane before minding her own business and turning to her locker.
Jane glanced over to her left, seeing no one looking on, but then to her right, where Serpent boy stood in a group of loud and laughing teens. His eyes were fixed on her, and Jane had to maintain a calm composure by crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the locker beside Freda's, never breaking eye contact with the boy.
It seemed as though this raven haired boy had enough of Jane's staring and muttered something incoherent to his friends before pushing away from them and coming to stand in front of Jane, looking down on her while she looked up at him.
"Are you ever going to make any other contact with me other than eye contact?" he asked, mirroring her straight face except Jane could see the amused twinkle in his eye.
"I didn't know it was an option." she replied, merely shrugging her shoulders while a swarm of butterflies seemed to be inside her stomach.
"Well here is my invitation. I'm Sweet Pea."
"Jane." she managed, her eyes wide as she wondered what words would come out of his mouth next, completely oblivious to the fact that Freda was still beside her, mouth slightly agape.
"I have to say, I believe I've been winning our staring contests." This statement made Jane chuckle to herself.
"I didn't know we were keeping track, Sweet Pea." Jane challenged.
Just then, the bell for first class sounded.
Sweet Pea's eyes flicked back to his friends who looked to him before taking off down the corridor. "Well Jane, maybe we can crack out the winner another time."
"Looking forward to it."
With that, Sweet Pea spun on his heel and strode off, leaving Jane alone with Freda once more.
"Are you joking me right now?" Freda slammed her locker door shut. Jane was not joking. She barely understood what just happened.
"He's so… tall." Jane muttered in response, still at a loss for the interaction she just was a part of.
Freda grabbed Jane's arm and dragged her along the hallway.
"English, let's go." Freda rolled her eyes. What a way to start the day.
Later in the day, Jane found herself sitting on the bleachers overlooking the football field. She didn't know if she could do it, let herself fall for another male being walking the halls of Riverdale High. Not that anything will happen between her and Sweet Pea, but what if there's a good chance? After her last boy mishap she had sworn them off. What was so different about this guy? This tall, mysterious, poorly named boy.
A/N: Aaaaand that's a wrap on chapter 2! hopefully you've enjoyed it just as much as chapter 1. I promise we'll get to the meaning of the title soon enough! xo B
