My roommate is trying to break the world record of pull-ups done by a girl. Problem is, she's completely shit at pull-ups. Unfortunately, Toothpick Tina has even less brain power than she does muscle and still hasn't figured out that it's a lost cause. I'm five seconds away from beating her to death with my book when a guard walks into the room.

"You've got a visitor, Collins."

"Not interested." The guard grunts and snatches my book out of my hands.

"I didn't ask if you were interested. Get up." I'm going to strangle Tall Boy. That was a really good book and the guard probably won't let me finish it now. I swear, I'm not usually this violent. But you try sharing a room with a dumb-ass Ghoulie for 2 months without being a little grumpy. I'm not emotionally prepared to deal with whatever bad news Tall Boy is here to give me right now. I'm a little bit thrown when it's in fact, not Tall Boy on the other side of the Plexiglas window. The blonde eyes me with a smirk and picks up the phone.

"Crash Collins."

"Penny Peabody."

"Long time no see, eh?"

"Not long enough." Penny laughs, albeit sarcastically.

"I have news about your case."

"Are you gonna tell me what it is or do I have to shank someone for you first?" The blonde grins.

"Remember Cheryl Blossom?" I nod. "Turns out she doesn't blame you for her brothers murder after all. She gave a statement at the courthouse for FP and threw you a bone. The way I figure it, you were just a poor girl, desperate for love from her druggie Uncle Mustang, who would do anything to get some attention. Including, helping him and his boss hide a body."

"You're a cold hearted bitch, Peabody." She nods proudly. "I'm getting out?"

"As soon as they process the paperwork." A year early, at least. The Snake Charmer is truly an evil genius. "Just remember, Collins. I don't do anything for free."

"Have you ever know me to back down, Penny?" Penny smiles at me one more time before hanging up the phone. I barely have time to process what just happened before a guard stands me up and shoves me back towards my out of juvie, good. Blaming everything on my uncle, not great. Agreeing to work for Penny, terrible. Overall, pretty average for how my life has been so far. Definitely better than spending my life in prison as an accessory to murder though. Honestly, the serpents shouldn't even be here. It was Daddy Blossom who pulled the trigger.

When I get back, Tina is still going at it on the pull-up bar. She does a whole three pull-ups before Missy stomps over and socks Tina in the stomach. She walks off and Tina lays on the ground moaning. I wish I still had my book.

Missy Carlione once told me that the buzzers of Shankshaw Juvenile Detention Center sound like freedom. Missy Carlione is a goddamn liar. They make them same noise when they let you out as they do when they lock you in. Maybe that's a metaphor. One of those ouroboros snakes Toni was telling me about that eat themselves tail first. Mostly though, the buzzers just give me a headache. And stepping out into the freezing Riverdale air knowing that no one was here to drive me home just made it worse.

It's October in Riverdale, you can tell because the South Side is covered completely in mud and slush. My toes are half frozen by the time I get to my trailer. Despite being empty for two months it's fairly clean. Freezing though, and someone jacked the propane while I was gone. All I want is a hot shower and food that doesn't come from a boil-in-baggie. Is that too much to ask?

Apparently it is, because I've been home for five minutes and someone is already banging on the door.

"You have a goddamn death wish, Tall Boy?" The giant man just grunts and nods his head to the pickup truck behind him. Fucking, Peabody. I'm freezing and smell like a gymnasium but of course, our lives revolve around the Snake Charmer. I shrug on my serpent jacket, taking a second to relax into the comforting leather, before following Tall Boy to the truck.

He lets me crank the heater as high as it will go. Or I should say, I crank the heater and ignore the glare he sends me but he doesn't turn it off. The drive to the warehouse is pretty quick with Tall Boy speeding along the backroads between here and Greendale. We pick up two crates that weigh approximately a million pounds each and get them into the truck before Penny even shows up. The second she shows I'm kicked out of the warehouse and told to sit in the truck. I manage to snag Tall Boy's keys before they shove me out the door.

Tall Boy has the lamest taste in music. I mean he's like 40 but still, live a little. He seriously has 3 copies of the same Metallica CD. I pop in a Slayer CD and crank the heat way up again.

First thing tomorrow I've gotta visit Thomas Topaz. We're related, I guess. My dad was his cousin or something, I don't really know. But after Mustang died my mom started wiring money from whatever vacation town she was in to Thomas. I don't even know if anyone told her that I got arrested. Probably not. The main thing is, Thomas should have money for me. Enough to buy some gas for the trailer and to pay off my phone bill. Then school, I guess. Since attendance is part of my probation deal. I really don't want to go back to school without washing my hair first.

I switch out the Slayer CD for a bootleg Anthrax one. Maybe I could sneak in a few modern CDs while I'm working with Tall Boy. I mean, 80s metal is great but there's only so many times I can listen to Tall Boy singing along to Master Of Puppets before I want to slam my head into the window. What plays from the speakers is not Anthrax.

Friday night and the lights are low. Holy shit.

Looking out for some place to go. It's ABBA. Tall Boy has a secret ABBA CD. Oh my god, he is never going to live this down.

I can't wipe the shit eating grin off my face when I see Tall Boy trudge back to the truck. He doesn't notice until he opens the door and I twist up the volume.

"YOU CAN DANCE! YOU CAN JI-IVE! HAVING THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE!" Tall Boy slams the door shut behind him and turns off the radio, quicker than you can blink. I don't let it stop me. "OHHHH, SEE THAT GIRL! WATCH THAT SCENE. DIGGING THE DANCING QUEEN!" If looks could kill, I'd be a pile of ash and embers.

"Not a fucking word, Collins."

"Oh come on! Everyone loves ABBA. Even you, apparently." He glares at me again and revs the engine.

"I will drive this car into a ditch if you say another word." He probably will. I stop singing, though I'm still grinning like a mad woman. "You can't judge me. You're a sixteen year old delinquent with a face tattoo." It's my turn to glare now. Tall Boy gives me a satisfied look.

I know, I know, a face tattoo? Believe me, I've heard it all. It was stupid. I know. Whatever. In my defense, I was locked up in juvie, my roommate had a tattoo needle, and I was going through a serious Marina and The Diamonds phase. Now I'm stuck with a little heart on my cheek for the rest of my life. It could be worse though, Missy has a neck tattoo that says 'RIP'. My face is evened out with a small scar on my other cheek. A souvenir from my father letting me drive when I was five. Not the best move but hey, we didn't die. I just crashed the car into a brick wall and got a sick scar and a stupid nickname to boot. I miss him.

We make the drive back to my trailer in record time. Before I'm able to slip out of the truck, Tall Boy grabs my arm and pulls me back in.

"You don't talk about this with your little friends, got me?"

"Yeah, whatever. Telling people about my new drug trafficking hobby isn't exactly on the top of my list of things to do, TB." He glares at my and tightens the grip on my arm.

"I'm not messing around, Crash."

"I got it." I yank my arm back and match his glare. Just cause he's twice my size doesn't mean he scares me. I hop out of the truck and into the freezing air and he peels away.