Waking up to the sound of an alarm is one of the worse things to exist; especially on a day where you don't need one. I sit up feeling pain shoot to my wrists. I remember what happened last night with the drunk man, then Sweet Pea and a smile forces its way upon my face.
God, I can't be falling for someone I just met and it's pretty much forbidden since Northsiders and Southsiders aren't supposed to get along with each other.
I finish getting ready and put my hair into a ponytail, then make my way downstairs and grab an apple from the decorative fruit bowl in the centre of the dining table. I take a bite and Gigi comes running downstairs.
"Where are you going? Can I come with you?" she asks, excitedly, and walks over to me.
"Sorry Gi, but not this time" I reply and she crosses her arms over her chest, huffing. I raise my eyebrows and give her a look, knowing she'll give in.
"Awe, fine, can we hang out later then?"
"Sure, how about we have dinner at Pop's since Mum is leaving at five and she's away all weekend?" I ask, throwing my Apple core in the bin, and Gigi nods excitedly at my suggestion. "Ok, I'll come home before Mum leaves, then we can go."
* * * *
I walk into the car park of Pop's and see a group standing around motorbikes. Taking a glance at them, I know they are Serpents. The leather jackets with the sewn on gang sign proudly centred on the back. I spot Sweet Pea standing in the midst of them, a bruise prominently framing his right eye. It must be from last night. He looks up from his switchblade and looks right back at me; his face staying emotionless.
I quickly look down at the ground as I rush towards the entrance. I walk inside, hearing the bell ring above my head, and see Veronica sitting in the booth that our group always sits in. "Hey V," I say, sitting down in the booth.
"Hey, Risma" she replies, a smile making its way onto her face. "Are you going to the last showing at the drive-in tomorrow night?"
"Possibly, I want to but it's just me and Gigi until Tuesday morning, so I'll have to see if she can stay at a friends house."
"Ok, well text me when you have an answer."
"Will do."
"If you go, you're coming with me and Kevin," she says. "And that's not a choice."
"Of course it's not."
"Anyway, how'd the date with Chuck go?" She cheerfully asks, clasping her hands together.
"I don't want to talk about it..."
"Oh crap girl, was it that bad?"
"I guess you could say that..."
Veronica doesn't need to know that it didn't even happen. She'd make a big deal about it and then everybody in the whole of Riverdale would find out I got stood up by Chuck Clayton.
* * * *
I check the time and see it's three o'clock in the afternoon. "Oh shit, I need to go. Rosalie is leaving soon and I need to be home for Gigi," I say, not realising that group and I have been at Pop's for hours.
"Ok, text me tonight," Veronica says, standing up to hug me goodbye.
I walk out of Pop's diner and see all the Serpents have left apart from Sweet Pea. He stands up straight from leaning back against his motorbike.
"Hey Northside, took you long enough to ditch them" he calls out to me and I roll my eyes as a smile makes its way onto my face.
"Are you stalking me now?" I ask and look up at him.
"What-no. Well, I would have gone in there and joined you but I don't think you little friends would be very fond of that," he says. "What makes you think I'm "stalking" you?" Air quoting the word stalking with his fingers.
"Because you could've left with your fellow Serpents, but you stayed and waited for me to leave."
"Alright, I'll admit, I could've. But I'm no stalker" he says, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Ok then, what are you doing here still?"
"I just wanted to know why you ran away when you saw me" he replies and I feel the small amount of confidence inside of me vanish, a nervous feeling taking over. "Sorry..." he mumbles. "I just wanted to know if you were going to start avoiding me."
"What? No, I'm not avoiding you. I swear" I quickly reply.
Looking up at his face, a wave of sadness washes over it.
"You sure? The last thing I want is you running away from me."
"I didn't run away from you earlier" I mumble and he raises his eyebrows at me. "It was like, more of a speed walk..."
"Ok then," he laughs. "Why did you speed walk away from me as soon as I looked at you?"
"Uhhh, I needed to talk to a friend."
That's not completely true, but close enough.
"That urgently?" he questions, crossing his arms over his chest; his leather jacket tightening around his arms.
"... yeah," I say, trying to make it sound convincing.
"Ok," he replies, a smile replacing his serious look. "Want to go for a ride?" He looks back at his motorbike then back at me.
"Unfortunately, I have to get home. But, even if I was able to should I really be going off with a guy who is stalking me?" I tease.
"I wasn't stalking you." He rolls his eyes and a chuckle escapes through my lips. "Besides, you can't kidnap someone on a motorbike. I'm sure it's pretty easy to jump off a moving bike." He pauses for a second. "Wouldn't recommend it though."
He finishes rambling and I laugh at how he went on about someone getting kidnapped. He looks away, embarrassment clear on his face. The sound of my phone going off breaks the silence between the two of us. "Sorry, it's probably my mum," I say, quickly taking out my phone. The screen lights up, showing a text from my mum, Rosalie.
Hey sweetie, sorry if I'm interrupting your time with your friends but I need you to come home to watch out for Gigi. :)
"I'm sorry, I have to get home," I say and Sweet Pea looks back at me.
"No need to apologise," he says. "See ya, cutie." A smirk growing on his face.
"Bye, handsome" Winking at him as I walk away.
"Oh, so now you think I'm handsome?" he asks, jogging up to me.
"Maybe."
"Well... I think you're beautiful."
Karisma, stop before this goes too far.
"bye, Sweet Pea." I smile at him one last time before turning away.
"Bye, Karisma."
* * * *
"I'm home," I say as I enter the house, closing the door behind me.
"We're in the kitchen" Rosalie calls back.
Slipping my shoes off, Gigi comes running around the corner. "Karisma!" she yells excitedly, her high pitched voice slightly echoing around the hallway.
"Hello, you." I pick her up and walk into the kitchen to see Rosalie's bag scattered around the wooden dining table. "Hello."
"Hi sweetie," Rosalie replies, looking up from her laptop; glasses perched on the end of her nose. "How was your time with your friends?"
"Pretty good, you know the usual hangout at the diner." I put Gigi down on one of the kitchen stools and lean against the counter.
"Karisma said she would take me there tonight so we can hang out," Gigi says and Rosalie smiles at her.
"Ooo, that sounds nice" she replies and looks over at me. "Let me give you some money for food."
"You don't have to, mum. I've got some from helping out at Pop's during summer break" I say, but she still grabs out her wallet.
"I thought you were using that money to save up for a car?"
"I am, but I don't mind using it sometimes."
She quickly looks at her watches then looks back over at me. "Shoot, I need to go," she says, rushing around to gather all her stuff. "Here's fifty bucks for food or any necessities around the house." Quickly putting fifty dollars on the kitchen counter, then rushes to give Gigi and I hug goodbye. "Be good, no parties, and no boys... Karisma." A smile quickly take place of the semi-serious look on her face letting me know she is just joking around.
"Very funny, drive safe," I say, opening the front door for her.
"I will, love you guys."
"Love you too" Gigi and I reply in sync.
I watch as Rosalie drives off and she honks her horn as a final goodbye. Closing the door, I turn around to see Gigi staring up at me with an innocent smile. "Movie?"
* * * *
I walk into Pop's diner for the second time today, Gigi at my side. "Where do you want to sit?" I ask.
"There," she answers, pointing to the booth where I sit with Archie, Jughead, Veronica, and Betty. Also, Kevin when he joins. She sits down and I hand her her favourite teddy bear to keep her preoccupied while we wait.
"I'll be back, I'll get us a menu." I walk back over to the booth and sit down across from her, placing the menus down on the table. "Order whatever you want."
"What about money?"
"Don't worry about it, I got it." she nods and looks down at the menu.
As I walk to the counter, I accidentally bump into someone. "I'm sorry, that was my fault- Sweet Pea..."
"Hey, Karisma."
"Um, sorry about that," I apologise.
"It's fine, I should have been looking where I was going" he replies, smiling, and I see his two friends from yesterday walk into the diner.
"I've got to go," I say, then walk past him and to the counter.
He's everywhere I go, how have I never seen him before?
As I begin to wait for Gigi and I's food, I look over at her to make sure she is ok and see someone I don't need to see right now, Chuck Clayton, standing in front of her. I watch as Gigi tries to hide away and tighten her grip on her teddy bear. Chuck says something to her and her expression turns into a sad look, then he snatches her bear out of her hands.
"Hey! Leave her alone, Chuck" I yell, sternly, gaining a few peoples' attention.
"What you gonna do? Montel" Chuck asks, smirking, as I walk over to him.
"She won't be doing anything, but I will if you don't scram," Sweet Pea snaps, standing up from his booth.
"Awe, is a scummy Southside standing up for a helpless little Northside girl?" Chuck teases, turning to look at Sweet Pea.
"Shut up, Chuck, Southsiders are normal people. Just like us" I say.
"Leave her alone, or else" Sweet Pea threatens, grabbing Chuck by the shirt.
"Jesus, you're fucking crazy" Chuck replies, forcing himself out of Sweet Pea's grip. He drops Gigi's teddy bear on the ground and leaves the diner quickly.
I rush over to Gigi. "Hey, it's ok, he's gone now," I say, wiping away her tears and she tries to smile through the tears, but it's clear she's still frightened.
Who the fuck picks on a seven-year-old?!
"Here you go" I hear Sweet Pea say. I look back at him to see him holding Gigi's teddy bear out to her.
"Thank you" Gigi replies, gently grabbing her teddy bear from Sweet Pea. She smiles as she hugs it.
"You're welcome," Sweet Pea says. Gigi hugs Sweet Pea and I notice his body tenses for a second before awkwardly hugging her back. I hold back my laugh at the sight of the tall boy being hugged tightly by a little girl and see Sweet Pea's friends walking towards us.
"Hi, I'm Toni Topaz, and this is Fangs Fogarty," the girl says, then points to the black-haired boy behind her.
"Hi," Fangs says, waving.
"Hi, I'm Karisma Montel, and that's my little sister, Gigi."
"Nice to meet you," Toni says, smiling. She holds out her hand I grab it, shaking it softly.
"You too" I reply, smiling back.
* * * *
I lay in my bed after putting Gigi to bed and stare at the plain white ceiling above me. I hear my phone go off on the bedside table and I roll over to grab it. I look at the screen and see it's a text from Veronica.
V: You coming to the final drive-in showing?
K: Sorry for not answering earlier, lost track of time but I'll be there. Managed to organised Gigi to stay at a friends house for a few nights
V: Yay! you can be my movie date, even though I like guys, I'll take you 😂
K: Ok, sounds great 😂❤️
V: See you later ❤️
K: Bye V ❤️