Prologue: Rebels at Twilight


Brooke Holliday loved the Twilight Drive-In. That was a fact that was known far and wide amongst her friends, ever since she had stepped foot on the drive-in's property at the age of five. Sure, she enjoyed seeing newer movies at their release down at the Bijou, but there was something that was almost . . . too nostalgic to pass up about the drive-in, even in a town as seemingly anachronistic as Riverdale. The drive-in specifically only played older movies, movies that at least had fifteen to twenty years on them. Tonight was a testament to that fact, the sign at the front gate lot displaying the title of Rebel Without a Cause.

But, unfortunately, right above the title of the picture the drive-in was showing that night were the words The Last Drive-In and Closing Night. She had known about this change for days, almost a week even, but it still left a glare to her eyes and a bitter taste in her mouth. The closing of the drive-in was something that everyone had seen coming. It wasn't bringing in as much money as it used to. And half the time they had customers, they lost out on fairs in the form of teenagers smuggling their friends in under blankets and in the trunks of cars to avoid paying for more than two tickets a time. And then, there was the final nail in the coffin.

When the announcement of the drive-in came, it came straight from Mayor McCoy's office, and it hadn't been hard to see why the pristine mayor deemed the drive-in worthy of closing. See, on the Southside of Riverdale, everything wasn't as rainbows and unicorns that the Northside tried to make it seem their side of town was. The Southside was where rundown buildings and condemned houses sat, most of its residents living in trailer parks and involved in gang activity. The biggest gang on the Southside were the Southside Serpents, who had taken to loitering on the drive-in's lands over the past couple of months. That was the last straw in the mayor's eyes and the announcement had been made, something that made certain residents of Riverdale very happy.

Shannon Holliday, Brooke's own mother, had been one of those individuals. For reasons unknown to the blonde teenager, her mother despised the Southside, and the Serpents specifically, with a burning passion. For years, she detested her daughter heading down there for a movie, reiterating what a lot of Northsider's said. The only people who go there are ones who want to buy crack or you're likely to end up getting attacked on the Southside. Yeah, okay. In all her years visiting the Twilight Drive-In, the worst experience she'd ever had with a Serpent, or even just a Southsider in general, was a very vague glare. She was a big girl, she could handle a little glaring.

Case in point, she wore one herself as she traipsed through the drive-in, ticket clutched in her hand despite not arriving in a car. She had no intention of coming tonight to watch one of James Dean's last movies through a car windshield or in the bed of a truck. No, instead, she headed towards the booth where the films were played, the very place she knew that she would find the one person who was angrier about the drive-in closing than she was.

Forsythe Pendleton Jones the Third, more commonly known as Jughead, was quite possibly Brooke's best friend in the entire world. When they were just kids, the two of them had been part of a tight knit group that also included the two kids that lived across the street from Brooke — Archie Andrews and Betty Cooper. For years, they had been the closest knit group of friends that one had ever seen, a reinvented Four Musketeers. Middle school and early teenage years had sought the disbandment of the group, although the four somehow still managed to remain in somewhat close contact.

Jughead and Archie were probably always going to be friends, summer arguments aside. Archie and Betty had their whole windows across from each other trope going. And it was hard for Brooke not to be close friends with both Betty and Archie, living on the same street and viewing them as the siblings she'd never had. Although, that was sort of a weird analogy, given the feelings that Betty had had for Archie up until recently, but that was a story for another time, for another character. Anyways, no matter what happened in the sixteen years they'd been alive, Jughead somehow still managed to hold the title of Brooke's best friend. Perhaps it was because they were born only thirteen days apart, the month of October tying them together. Or perhaps it was because that, somehow, someway, they got each other without really ever having to say much.

Brooke didn't even bother to text Jughead that she was on her way nor did she really ask if she could watch the last movie in the booth with him, but she figured it was fine. Ever since he got a job here two summers ago, they had always watched in the booth. Neither of them had a car, so it was just easier to watch in there. Instead, she showed up on the doorstep of the drive-in's booth, rapping on the door with her knuckles.

"Jug? It's Brooke!"

It was silent on the other side of the door for a moment, before some shuffling could be heard. The sound of a lock being unlatched was audible before the door opened a crack, the familiar face of Brooke's best friend peeking out. Jughead barely stuck his head out and she could only make out a small glimpse of the crown-like beanie he was adamant on wearing everyday of their lives.

Jughead gave her a smile, one that the blonde could instantly tell was forced. "Hey, Brooke, right now isn't — "

The Holliday girl cut him off then, instantly beginning to ramble on the second he started talking. "I didn't grab snacks yet, but I wanted to see what you wanted first. And no, everything on the menu is not an option nor has it ever been. I probably should have texted you first, but I figured we haven't watched a movie in here since this summer and what better way to spend the last night here than shoving junk food down our throats watching this movie. Also, by the way, don't act like I totally didn't notice you picking this movie the literal second Betty suggested it. You're not slick with the heart eyes and the right Bets thing you had going on, mister."

He rolled his eyes, opening the door a little wider. She could see his full frame now, but it was still shut enough so that she couldn't really peer into the booth they had spent many a summer night in. "Ha ha, very funny, Holliday."

"I'm just saying, if you're crushing on our precious Betty Cooper, you're going to have to slay the dragon that is her feelings for Archie Andrews and word on the street is that he's quite the stud since his Efron-esque emergence from puberty," Brooke said sarcastically, laughing as she repeated the words that had been spoken by Riverdale High's queen bee only a week prior.

"Word on the street?" Jughead deadpanned.

She nodded. "Ginger's not exactly my type," she chuckled. She then glanced behind her to where the concession stand sat. Jutting her thumb towards the sad row of, like, three people that one might call a line, she asked, "So what do you want? I should probably go get snacks for tonight before they run out of stuff and — "

"Actually, Brooke," her friend began, giving her a sheepish and somewhat guilty look. "I, uh, was kind of hoping that I could just spend tonight alone."

Brooke gave him a weird look. "Seriously? But it's the Twilight's last night, you seriously want to spend it alone?"

Jughead sighed, leaning up against the doorjamb, the door to the booth opening a little wider this time. "I just want to be alone with my thoughts, have a quiet final night. And besides, it's sort of cramped in here with the projection equipment and everything else."

Cramped? That had never stopped them before. The place was the size of a closet, it wasn't like she was expecting to have quality leg room or anything like that. She stared at her friend oddly, a million thoughts bubbling on her tongue as she tried to come up with an adequate response to Jughead. And it was then that she caught something out of the corner of her eye, just behind Jughead.

Pushed up against the wall was a cot covered with a sleeping bag and a pillow, a hot plate, an assortment of food items, and a backpack overflowing with clothes and other items Brooke recognized as Jughead's own belongings. Her gaze fixated on them for a moment, but it was enough for Jughead to notice what she had seen. His eyes widened in slight alarm, swallowing thickly as he watched the wheels in Brooke's head begin to spin.

She knew that things hadn't been going well in the Jones family for a while, that much being evident when his mother, Gladys, took off with his ten-year-old sister, Jellybean, to stay in Toledo. Gladys had effectively left Jughead high and dry, leaving him behind with zero remorse to stay in their trailer on the Southside with his dad, FP, who was no better parent than Gladys was. FP had been a mess for years, relying on alcohol more than his family for support, and Brooke knew in that moment she was singlehandedly seeing the effects of his addiction playing out in front of her very eyes. As per their friendship, she understood Jughead with no words needed to be spoken.

He was living on his own in the projection booth. Suddenly, his intense anger at Pop's earlier that week made sense. He wasn't just upset because the drive-in was closing, and he wasn't mad that he was losing his job. With the closing of the Twilight Drive-In came Jughead losing the place he was living in. He'd be homeless, effective immediately come sunrise. It was something he was clearly ashamed of considering the way he had tried to hide the interior of the booth to her. He didn't want anyone to know and it was something he clearly didn't want to talk about, given the expression he was currently giving her.

Brooke took a breath, giving him a halfhearted smile. Jughead waited, wondering if she was going to making him explain just what the hell had gone down between him and his father to lead to this. She didn't. "You know what, I think I'll go sit with Kevin and Veronica, they're supposed to be here tonight."

Visibly, Jughead relaxed. "Yeah, I think I saw Kevin's truck pull in earlier."

She nodded. Brooke gave him another smile before she turned to leave. "Text me later. Maybe you and I could have a sleepover like we used to when we were kids."

Translation? If you need some place to stay, you know which window mine is.

Despite how hard he might have tried, the corner of his mouth turned upward in a small smile. It wasn't so much an invitation for a sleepover, but an offer to stay at her place. She wasn't going to badger him about living on his own in a fucking projection booth — although she really wanted to — but she wanted to make sure that he knew he always had a place to go. Granted, being forced to sneak into her house under her mother's nose, considering Shannon was more than likely the president of the Anti-Jughead Jones club, wasn't exactly ideal. And he'd have to sleep on her floor with his sleeping bag. But they had heating. And running water. And actual food that she could feed him, in place of . . . was that a can of beans near his hot plate? Gross.

She was offering him a place to stay, something she know he'd do for her if the shoe was on the other foot. After nearly twelve years of friendship, Brooke Holliday was undoubtedly still looking out for her best friend.

"We'll see," Jughead said with a small laugh. Translation? Thanks for the offer, Brooke.

It wasn't much of a guarantee that he'd show up tonight, but the offer stood. Brooke nodded, giving him one last smile before he shut the door to the booth, and she began walking away from it. Mind buzzing with how she really, really hated Jughead's parents, she slipped her phone from her pocket, tapping through a few things before bringing up a text message thread with Kevin Keller, one of her close friends.

She had met him through Betty a few years ago, the Cooper girl having become as close to him as Brooke was to Jughead. He was an insanely nice guy, the son of the Sheriff, and someone Brooke had come to love over the years. The blonde knew for a fact that he was going to be here tonight, more than likely towing Veronica Lodge along with him. Veronica was new to Riverdale, a rich girl from New York who was doing the whole fall from grace thing. Brooke, along with her friends, had been a little hesitant when the dark-haired beauty started to worm her way into their social circle, but over the past week it was beginning to look like she was genuinely trying to turn around her former bad girl image and actually be a good friend to the lot of them.

Tapping a few keys, Brooke shot off a text to Kevin.

To Kevin Keller: Have room for another in your truck? Jug bailed on me for tonight.

It was only a few seconds before she got a reply.

From Kevin Keller: Between you and Veronica, it's like you WANT to ward off other guys from seeing me smh.

Brooke snorted. Classic Kevin. She had made a similar comment earlier that day in the student's lounge when Veronica suggested that she might be a good luck charm to Kevin, that maybe he'd be able to reel in a nice guy who also happened to like guys. Out of all of them, Kevin was probably the one who needed a good date and a Prince Charming the most. Her phone buzzed again, another message popping underneath his previous one.

From Kevin Keller: But fine, bring more popcorn.

To Kevin Keller: On it! You're a lifesaver Kev!

The Holliday girl grinned, tucking her phone back in her pocket before making a beeline for the concession stand. The line was abysmal, much like the turn out for the movie. From where she stood, Brooke had a very solid peripheral view of the Southside Serpents that loitered on the premises for the night, rows of motorcycles and leather jacket wearing individuals clear as day. They were rowdy, making loud yells and swearing up a storm, something that made Brooke roll her eyes. She knew they were doing it to get a rise out of people, but she wasn't going to fall victim to that specific trap all too easy.

Brooke noticed him then, when there was only one person left in front of her. She was standing in line patiently, hands shoved in her jean pockets, rocking back and forth on the heels of her sneakers. There was a small level of discomfort that fell over her at that moment. It was that feeling that you get when you know someone's watching you, burning a hole into your face. Against better judgement, Brooke glanced over, blue eyes instantly landing on just who was watching her.

It was a guy, probably around her age, leaned up against the wall of the concession stand only a few feet or so away. He was tall, unreasonably tall to be exact. Brooke herself was five foot eight, but even from this distance, she knew he'd probably still tower over her. Dark hair, dark eyes, a mischievous expression to his mouth. He was rather easy on the eyes and she couldn't help but find herself become a tad preoccupied with staring. It was obvious that he didn't go to Riverdale High for she knew that she'd never seen him before. Surely she would have remembered him. She noticed those things first.

The second thing that she noticed was that she wasn't imagining things, he was definitely staring at her. His eyes seemed to roll over her figure, as if he had no shame and not a care in the world. If she didn't become so preoccupied with what she saw next, she might have blushed at that.

But the blushing was derailed almost immediately when she saw the ink on his neck, a tattoo of a double headed snake permanently branded on the skin of his jugular. A double headed snake, perfect to compliment the worn leather of his Southside Serpent jacket. It was at that moment that her eyes widened the slightest bit and she turned back to face the line, moving forward when she realized it was her turn.

"Hey, Ben," she greeted the boy behind the window with a slightly unnerved smile. She could still feel the Serpent's eyes on her, making her slightly uncomfortable as she began rattling off her order. "Um, can I just get a large popcorn with extra butter, a medium Sprite, and a box of Twizzlers?"

Ben, who had worked at the drive-in as long as Jughead had and also attended school with the two of them, nodded with a smile. "It'll just be a few minutes on the popcorn."

She nodded, giving him a smile as he headed off to fill her order. "Thanks, Ben."

It was then that she was left alone, the Serpent with the staring problem lingering close by. She was uncomfortable, that much had been made clear. It wasn't that him being a Serpent was putting her off, she didn't care about that shit. But there was that inkling in the back of her mind that still managed to let the towns opinions on the gang filter in. Dangerous. Bad news. Troublemakers. Those were words that the Northside associated with the Serpents.

And — Jesus Christ, his tattoo was on his neck, for fucks sake. What sane and non-dangerous person got a tattoo on their neck? But mostly, it was the staring that was unnerving her. She could still feel his eyes on her, traipsing up and down her form as if she was something to eat. Like, was he checking her out? A Southside Serpent checking out a Northsider? Had hell frozen over?

She glanced back over, this time locking eyes with him. She could see him smirk, his body vibrating with a small chuckle when they made eye contact. It was at that moment that every ounce of discomfort faded from her, leaving Brooke only with minor annoyance.

Rolling her eyes, she snapped, "Take a picture, it'll last longer."

He scoffed. "You talking to me, princess?"

Her brow knitted together in confusion for a moment before she rolled her eyes. "You're the one who seems to have an eye problem, so yeah, I'm talking to you. And call me princess one more time, seriously, see what happens."

That made him laugh. Brooke remained with her annoyed expression, although on the inside she could basically hear every sane part of her telling her to cut the shit. Getting into a fight with a Serpent was probably at the top of the list entitled Things Brooke Holliday Shouldn't Do.

"For someone who doesn't like to be called princess, you sure got that Northside princess attitude," the guy scoffed then, a slight sneer to his tone when he said the word Northside.

Brooke rolled her eyes again. Raising an eyebrow at him, she asked, "Don't you have someone else to go bother?" Surely, he needed to run back to his friends causing a ruckus over by the row of motorcycles.

"What, worried your little Bulldog boyfriend's going to come over and see you talking to a Serpent?"

At the word Bulldog, the name of the football team at Riverdale High, she gagged. Most of those guys were apart of two categories: gross Neanderthals and somewhat friends. Like she'd ever date one of them, no matter how badly the social hierarchy of the school deemed that she should. In a tone that was a little sassier and sarcastic than she intended, she told him, "Despite your preconceptions of Northsiders, my standards are a little higher than a Bulldog, sweetie."

God, did Cheryl fucking Blossom possess her in that moment? When the hell did she start calling people sweetie sarcastically? God, that was moderately embarrassing, a little too much so for a fucking school night. On the bright side, it seemed to throw him for a loop for a moment, before he rolled his eyes.

"Sweet Pea," he told her, face somewhat expressionless.

"I — wait, what?"

"My name is Sweet Pea, not sweetie."

What the fuck . . . She knew that people in gangs sometimes went by nicknames, that was just a given from TV shows and movies. But Sweet Pea? Weren't gang names supposed to be, like, menacing? LikeKiller or Blade? Or at least something a little more intimidating then a flower name? She tried to hide her confusion — and slight amusement — but it didn't really work. " . . . Your name is Sweet Pea? Seriously?"

He nodded, a smirk on his lips. "Seriously."

As if the universe decided she needed more proof, someone across the parking lot called out his name. Both Sweet Pea and Brooke turned their heads, seeing a tanned teenager waving his friend over. The nameless Serpent looked a little confused to see his friend talking to Brooke, before making another gesture for him to hurry up and head over. His eyes landed on Brooke herself for a moment, looking at her intensely before turning back to the group of bikers he was stood near.

Brooke turned away, teeth digging into her bottom lip. "So . . . you weren't kidding about your name being Sweet Pea, huh?"

He look at her, amused. "See you around, princess," he told her, turning to head to his friends, leaving her standing alone at the concessions stand.

She stood there in silence for a moment, both thoroughly confused with what just happened as well as slightly berating herself for not telling him off at calling her princess yet again. Stupid tattooed neck asshole . . .

"Brooke?" a voice asked.

The blonde blinked for a moment, seeing Ben leaning up against the counter of the stand, her order seated in front of him.

"Oh, shit, yeah," she said then, sounding a bit disoriented for a moment. She began digging through the pockets of her jeans, questioning, "How much do I owe you?"

"Ten fifty."

"Jesus Christ," she swore slightly under her breath. She handed him the money, before shuffling her items into her arms. Sending the boy behind the counter a grin, she told him, "Have a nice night, Ben."

"You too, Brooke."

With that, she started across the parking lot, willing herself not to glance over in the direction of where the Southside Serpents were camped out. She no longer felt eyes on her, which was a good sign, but it also made her feel a bit . . . deflated? Okay, that was an issue for another day. No one has time to unpack all of that right now. Shoving that down, she made her way through the rows of cars, most filled with teenagers already making out before the opening credits were rolling, which made her roll her eyes.

Eventually, only a few rows ahead of where the Serpents were parked, she managed to find Kevin's truck, tail end facing the screen. Of course. She sighed, before grinning at her friends.

"Hey guys," the blonde greeted, taking a moment to set her stuff down and climb into the truck before picking up her food again.

"Hey girl," Veronica greeted, smiling her usual million-dollar smile, scooting over to make room for Brooke.

Kevin, on the other hand, took a bit of a different approach in greeting her. He plucked the tub of popcorn from her hands, asking, "What took you so long? There's barely a line over there."

Brooke laughed. Clearly he was still in a mood from not having a date tonight. Climbing further into the bed of Kevin's truck, she turned herself and wedged her body into the space between the side and Veronica. She shrugged at Kevin. "Sorry, there was this guy and — "

"Oo, a guy? Do tell, Brooke, do tell," Veronica interrupted, a mischievous gleam to her eye as she looked at the blonde.

On Veronica's other side, Kevin perked up. "Oh my God, you were flirting with someone? Who was he? Was he hot? Do we know him?"

Brooke bit her lip, contemplating her next words. Was she flirting with him? Well, not really, but . . . well, he was attractive. Reaching over Veronica, she snagged a few kernels from the tub Kevin had confiscated from her. Tossing the few buttered pieces of popcorn into her mouth, she shrugged. After swallowing, the blonde sent her friends a grin, an amused glint in her eyes. "Let's just say . . . he's definitely not a Bulldog."


Author's Note: I'm wicked wicked excited for this story. For reference, the prologue of this story takes place in S1E4, but the story will jump ahead in the first chapter to the beginning of S2!