"Would I have to steal and do drugs if I became a Serpent?" I asked my first question to Toni and Ryder, whose lap I was still sitting on.
"No, no of course not", Toni assured me. "In fact, the Serpents hardly steal anything – despite what all the North-siders might think. And we don't do drugs. Well, maybe a few of the hot-heads we, unfortunately, have in the gang."
"That's good," Cheryl spoke up, sitting beside Toni on a couch. "I don't want to steal or do drugs either."
"Next question?" Asked Ryde, sneaking an arm around my waist. I leant into his hold as I answered.
"Are you ever allowed to leave the Serpents?"
"Technically not, but if your moving away or you just have to leave for some reason, then we'll understand," Ryder explained.
Cheryl asked a question this time. "What do we have to do to become a Serpent?"
Ryder and Toni exchanged a look.
"Well, for girls you have to do the Serpent dance" Toni looked hesitant. "I think it's an out-dated sexist tradition, and like I told Betty last year, I'm trying to get it outlawed, but for now, it's the only way for females to become a Serpent ."
"Wait, Betty's a Serpent?" I asked, surprised that a sweet girl like Betty would want to be in a violent gang like the Serpents.
"Kinda", Toni supplied. "She doesn't have a tattoo, but she has a jacket that she'll wear sometimes. She mainly wanted to join to be a part of Jughead's life but she quite likes it now."
"Huh", I gruffed, still surprised that Betty of all people would like being a Serpent.
"So, back to the dance," Cheryl reverted back to their original topic, "what kind of dance is it?"
Toni gestured to a silver pole that rose up from the side of the stage to the roof. "You have to dance on that", Toni said, grimacing at the memory of her own dance. It was horrible.
"Betty's dance was quiet… interesting", Ryder said, causing me to elbow him in the stomach.
"I didn't mean it like that", he defended himself. "I would never look at a friend's girlfriend – or anyone's girlfriend – like that".
"What about me?" I put on a serious mask, but I was smiling on the inside. "What if I told you I had a boyfriend back in Toledo?"
His face was a mixture of hurt and confusion when I turned to look at him.
"You don't though, right?" His voice expressed his hurt even more than his facial expression did.
I felt a little stab in my heart, feeling sorry for making a joke at this. "No, of course not," I assured him. "I was joking".
He breathed a sigh of relief, gently squeezing my waist. Toni noticed this PDA and sighed. "Oh, you guys are so cute together!"
I shared a smile with Ryder.
"What is the dress code for the dance?" Cheryl spoke up. I grimaced. I knew I wouldn't like it.
"Well…" Toni went on. "You know, something… flingy?" She almost questioned.
It felt weird talking about this in front of Ryder. He probably would be the only one who would enjoy this.
"Well, as much as this sounds like a bad idea," I spoke up, "I just have one more question."
Toni looked at me expectantly.
"When can we get this dance over with?"
Later that night, Ryder was walking me home. I told him he didn't have to, but he insisted.
"I can't let you walk through the South-side at night alone", He told me, slinging his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close.
We were walking -strolling really at the pace we were going- down Betty's street since I had told her I would look after Caddy in the morning when she and her Mum went to the Register for a staff meeting.
"I'm really happy that you're going to become a Serpent", Ryder commented, me leaning him to bear the cold.
"Hmm", I mumbled against his jacket. "Me too."
When we arrived at the Cooper's front porch, Ryder turned me to face him. He was about to kiss me when the front door opened. Ryder swore under his breath, pulling back from me.
I frowned at the interruption until I saw who it was. Gasping, I ran up the stairs to the porch and into the arms of the person standing in the doorway.
Tyler Mains chuckled as he wrapped his arms around me.
"I missed you so much, J," the handsome brunet mumbled into her hair. "I just had to come to see you".
"Well, I'm glad you came, Ty," I pulled back from the hug. "I missed you too".
Author's note: Sorry for the short chapter, and for leaving you on such a cliff-hanger! I promise to update soon.
Xx G