Author's Note: Riverdale, it's plot, cast and characters do not belong to me. Only Diana and Daniel Kennedy do. Everyone is 16 and starting their Junior year in this story.
PS. Please fave and/or review each chapter. Positive feedback and suggestions and ideas are always welcome.
It's been a week since the discovery of Jason Blossom's body. But his death is not the first, nor would it be the last casualty that the town of Riverdale would suffer.
The Twilight Drive-In where I work, my home away from home, a piece of town history, is closing for good, just when we needed a place to escape to the most.
With Sheriff Keller knocking on every door and neighbor suspecting neighbor, Riverdale, every day that passes, is becoming more like Salem during the witch trials.
And meanwhile, the girl next door, our friendly neighborhood Hitchcock cloned, Betty Cooper, was wrestling with the knowledge that her best friend, Archie Andrews, was caught up in a forbidden romance.
(WITH BETTY)
Betty was currently writing down her thoughts in her diary.
Dear Diary,
Sheriff Keller doesn't know what I know, that Riverdale High's music teacher, Geraldine Grundy was at Sweetwater River the morning Jason Blossom went missing, and that since Archie was also there, they could have been there together.
After she finished writing her entry, she closed her diary and decided to get ready to meet her friends at Pop Tate's.
- TIMESKIP (LATER THAT DAY || POP'S CHOCK'LIT SHOP) -
Betty, Jughead, Kevin, Veronica, Daniel and Diana were seated at a booth. Betty was silent, a glass of strawberry milkshake in front of her, Kevin was drinking a cola, Diana was helping herself to a plate of fries while Daniel and Veronica shared a chocolate milkshake. Jughead was ranting about how the town was closing down the drive-in for good.
"The Drive-In closing is just one more nail in the coffin that is Riverdale. No, forget Riverdale, in the coffin of the American dream. As the godfather of indie cinema, Quentin Tarantino, likes to say…" Jughead expressed but was cut off by Kevin.
"Please, God, no more Quentin Tarantino references." He begged and Diana giggled.
"What? I'm pissed. And not just about losing my job. The Twilight Drive-In should mean something to us. People should be trying to save it." Jughead explained.
"In this age of Netflix and VOD, do people really want to watch a movie in a car? I mean, who even goes there?" Veronica interjected.
"Jason and I loved the Drive-In." Diana countered.
"I did too. It's a one of a kind experience for me." Daniel seconded.
"People who want to buy crack." Kevin stated.
"And cinephiles like Diana and Daniel, and car enthusiasts. Right, Bets?" Jughead asked, finally noticing that their friend hasn't said anything since the beginning of the conversation.
"Totally." Betty finally stated.
"Anyway, it's closing because the town owns it, but didn't invest in it. So, when an anonymous buyer made Mayor McCoy an offer she couldn't refuse…" Jughead revealed.
"Anonymous buyer? What do they have to hide? No one cares." Ronnie interjected.
"I do!" Jughead said and was backed up by agreeing nods from Daniel and Diana.
"Also, you guys should all come to closing night. I'm thinking American Graffiti. Or is that too obvious?" Jughead asked for suggestions.
"I vote for anything starring Audrey Hepburn. Or Cate Blanchett." Ronnie suggested.
"Or, The Talented Mr. Ripley." Kevin added.
"21 or 22 Jumpstreet. Or do we not have that?" Daniel asked.
"Don't be stupid, Dan. I vote for Dirty Dancing." Diana smiled.
"Betty, your choices?" Kevin asked her and she looked like she just snapped out of her deep thoughts.
"Everything okay, B?" Ronnie checked.
"Yeah, I'm just thinking. Um, maybe Rebel Without a Cause?" She said with a small smile as Jughead looked at her and they both snickered.
Hermione approached the table with more food.
"Here you go, kids." She said as she set the plates down.
"Thanks, Mom." Ronnie said with a smile.
"If I would have known Mama Lodge was working as a waitress at Pop's I never would have given Veronica a spot on the Vixens. It's off-brand and sends a false message about acceptance." They heard Cheryl state.
"After her TMZ-style take-down of Chuck, all the Vixens kind of like Veronica now." One of her cronies stated.
"Do they?" Cheryl asked and stopped Hermione as she went to pick up Cheryl's bill.
"Be sure to put all that cash in the register. You are a Lodge after all, and Lodges are known to have sticky fingers." Cheryl told her.
Veronica stood up to defend her mom with Daniel behind her.
"Cheryl…" Ronnie started.
"Honey, I got this." Hermione told her.
"Cheryl, I went to school with your mother. She didn't know the difference between having money and having class, either." She told Cheryl as she picked up the check and walked away.
Ronnie gave Cheryl a smug smile and Daniel shook his head at her.
"Not cool, Cher." He said as he followed Ronnie back to their table.
The doorbell chimed, signaling new customers. Kevin spoke up.
"Hey, look. It's Archie and his dad." And everyone looked over to where the father and son were.
"I'll be right back." Betty stated as she stood up and started walking over to their table.
"Betty, no, don't." Jughead attempted to stop her but was in vain.
"Wait, what's happening?" Diana curiously asked.
"Hey, Betty." Fred greeted as he saw his son's childhood best friend.
"Hi, Mr. Andrews. Archie, can I talk to you?" Betty politely asked.
"Sure. I'll call you later?" Archie nervously replied.
"No. Actually, now. Just school stuff. Outside?" She said and Archie had no choice but to follow.
Once they were outside, Betty started talking again.
"Archie, as your best friend, is there anything you want to tell me?" She asked him, giving him the chance to fess up.
"I don't think so." Archie said and Betty sighed.
"Ms. Grundy was at Sweetwater River on July 4th. Were you with her?" She straight up asked him.
"Did Jughead tell you?"
"Jughead knows about this?" Betty asked, shocked.
Meanwhile, Kevin, Diana, Daniel and Veronica were trying to look out the window inconspicuously. Jughead was frowning.
"What's happening out there? Do we know? Is it about me?" Ronnie asked out loud.
"I have a strong inkling, and no. Also, I'd let it go." Jughead advised.
"Yes, but you're you, and I'm me. You do you, girl, I'll be back. Diana, come on." Ronnie said as she grabbed Diana's hand and dragged her outside.
"What was it like before she got here? I honestly cannot remember." Kevin stated.
"I don't even want to remember, man. She's amazing." Daniel replied with a grin.
Veronica and Diana made it outside and approached the pair.
"Archie. Are you and Ms. Grundy, like, together, like, romantically?" They heard Betty ask him.
"Oh, my God. You and the music teacher are having an affair?" Ronnie asked.
"We were… together. Look, I know that sounds bad, but…" Archie tried to explain.
"Bad? It sounds scandalous." Ronnie added.
"It sounds like jail time to me. Illegal!" Betty said.
"Betty, don't go there." Archie told her.
"Oh, I'm already there."
"Diana, a little help here?" Archie looked at her but she didn't say anything. She just stared back at him with calculating eyes.
"I mean, technically, Betty's right. And ethically, well, what is Grundy to you, anyway, your girlfriend?" Ronnie asked him.
"What? No! It was a two-time thing! I swear! And I ended it after that day at the river." Archie swore.
"You said you were at the river alone. You lied to Sheriff Keller, to all of us. Why? To protect her?" Betty asked him.
"She believed in me when no one else did. And she kind of seduced me." Archie admitted.
"Okay, we get it." Ronnie told him.
"Betty, say something, please." Archie begged but Betty just shook her head, thinking about the whole thing.
A car honked loudly before stopping right in front of them. It was Alice Cooper, Betty's mom.
"Get in the car, Betty. Now." She ordered and Betty did as she was told. The two had a hushed conversation before Alice drove off.
Archie sighed as he turned to the other person who hasn't said a word all this time.
"Diana, talk to me." Archie pleaded but all Diana did was look at him once before turning and walking back into the restaurant.
Ronnie sighed deeply before she spoke up.
"Oh, Archiekins. You're in it deep this time."
- TIMESKIP (THE NEXT DAY || SCHOOL) -
Jughead was handing out flyers, informing the people about the last Drive-In show and Archie was trying to talk to him.
"How hard it would even be, if I've me a little heads-up?" Archie asked him, talking about Betty finding out about him and Grundy.
"Look, I am, by nature, a conscientious objector. Not saying anything to either you or Betty, was the most moral, apathetic choice I could make." Jughead informed him.
"But, Jug. She's not going to write about me and Grundy in the paper, is she? Like she did with Chuck?" Archie asked for reassurance.
"Dude, seriously? Okay, come on. Think about what you're asking. If there was even an iota of a chance that something could hurt you in any way, Betty wouldn't do it." Jughead told him and Archie nodded in understanding.
"Probably" He added.
"Oh, my God." Archie expressed.
"I'm kidding. But maybe she has a point. During that time, what did you see happening with Grundy, long-term? What did you want?" Jughead asked.
"I wanted to be with her. I didn't know why, but during those two incidents, I wanted to hang on to what we had for as long as possible. But then, I woke up and realized that it wasn't right." Archie explained.
"Yup. I feel that. I was trying to hold on to something a lot older than me, too. But then I realized that this change could be good for Riverdale." Jughead said, referring to the Drive-In being shut down.
"Just… If Betty's gonna do anything crazy, can you please let me know so I can do something to stop it?" Archie requested.
- TIMESKIP (LUNCH PERIOD || MUSIC ROOM) -
Diana was once again sat on the piano as she ran her fingers over the keys, letting her feelings take over.
(PLAY: SECRET LOVE SONG || LITTLE MIX)
"When you hold me in the street
And you kiss me on the dance floor
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't it be like that?
'Cause I'm yours
We keep behind closed doors
Every time I see you, I die a little more
Stolen moments that we steal as the curtain falls
It'll never be enough
It's obvious you're meant for me
Every piece of you, it just fits perfectly
Every second, every thought, I'm in so deep
But I'll never show it on my face
But we know this.
We got a love that is homeless
Why can't you hold me in the street?
Why can't I kiss you on the dance floor?
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't we be like that?
'Cause I'm yours
When you're with her, do you call her name
Like you do when you're with me? Does it feel the same?
Would you leave if I was ready to settle down
Or would you play it safe and stay?
Boy, you know this.
We got a love that is hopeless
Why can't you hold me in the street?
Why can't I kiss you on the dance floor?
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't we be like that?
'Cause I'm yours
And nobody knows I'm in love with someone's baby
I don't wanna hide us away
Tell the world about the love we're making
I'm living for that day
Someday
Why can't I hold you in the street?
Why can't I kiss you on the dance floor?
I wish that we could be like that
Why can't we be like that?
'Cause I'm yours, I'm yours
Oh, why can't you hold me in the street?
Why can't I kiss you on the dance floor?
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't it be like that?
'Cause I'm yours
Why can't I say that I'm in love?
I wanna shout it from the rooftop
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't we be like that?
'Cause I'm yours
Why can't we be like that?
Wish we could be like that"
As soon as her fingers ended the last note, a familiar voice spoke up.
"I knew I'd find you here." It was Daniel.
"Diana, can we talk?" He asked as he sat beside her.
"What's there to talk about?" She replied.
"You know I've been seeing Veronica, right? And she's an amazing girl, Di." Daniel said with a love-sick grin.
"Yes, and I approve." Diana teased her brother as she elbowed him a little.
"Well, I guess what I'm trying to say is that, I don't wanna start a relationship with Veronica, keeping a secret from her. Have you thought about telling people? About your son?" Daniel asked her.
"It's not that I'm ashamed, Daniel. I'm just scared that I won't be able to protect him and that somehow, the Blossoms will end up raising him. I don't want that. Jason wanted out of that life for a reason and I'm not gonna throw our son to the wolves." Diana honestly said.
"You know that Derrick and I will protect you guys, right? Not only us but also the entire Kennedy clan." Daniel told her and Diana sighed.
"Okay. I'll do it this afternoon, maybe take him to Pop's and then take him to the drive-in on its closing night so he gets to at least experience the fond memories I have with his dad in those places." Diana said with a smile.
"That's all I ask, sis. Thank you for doing this. Not only for me, but also for yourself. As your twin, I can tell that this is what you really want to do. But you needed that push." Daniel said and Diana grinned at him before they hugged.
- TIMESKIP (LATER THAT DAY || POP'S CHOCK'LIT SHOP) -
Veronica and Betty were talking to Archie in a booth. They were showing him some stuff they found out about Ms. Grundy.
"Ms. Grundy showed up in Riverdale a year ago, out of thin air. There's no record of her before that. Her Facebook, her LinkedIn account, they were all created one year ago. Before that, she's a ghost. She doesn't exist. The only Geraldine Grundy I could find was a woman who died seven years ago." Betty explained as she laid down the evidence in front of Archie.
"How… Where did you find all this?" Archie asked.
"The deep web. The dark internet. Check it, it's all online. Simple googling." Ronnie said with a smile.
"And did you cyber-stalk Ms. Grundy before or after you interviewed her for a fake article? Why are you doing this, Betty? I already told you I ended things between us. I'm not in any danger." Archie told her.
"You don't know that. She taught Jason Blossom. Did you know that?" Betty asked him.
"She's taught a lot of people, Betty. What's your point?"
"My point is, you don't know anything about her, Archie. Doesn't it worry you that she might try on other kids what she tried on you?"
"Betty, let this go."
"Archie, please, just tell someone, even your dad."
"If you're really my friend, you'll let this go. Besides, she isn't our problem anymore." Archie told her.
"Okay. I'm sorry. I'm done. I'll stop digging." Betty told him.
The three looked up when the bell rang and they saw Daniel enter. Veronica walked over to greet him. He kissed her on the cheek and said some words to her before exiting the shop. Ronnie walked back towards the table.
"What was that about?" Betty asked Ronnie once she was seated again.
"I don't know. He just said he and Diana wanted us to meet someone, before he went back out." Ronnie told her and the three teens decided to wait for Daniel to come back with whoever he and Diana wanted them to meet.
After a few moments, the bell rang again and the teens looked back to see Daniel holding the door open for someone. That someone was Diana and she was carrying what looked to be a 6-month old red haired baby.
"Woah. Is that…" Ronnie exclaimed and trailed off as Diana and Daniel neared their table.
"Hey, guys. I'd like you to meet someone. This is Nathaniel Jason Kennedy. Nate for short. Say hi, baby." Diana introduced as she waved Nate's hand to the trio.
"Is he…?" Betty trailed off as she looked at Nate's red hair and bluish-grey eyes.
"He's mine and Jason's, Betts." Diana said as she took a seat beside Archie as Daniel sat down beside Veronica and placed an arm around her.
"I decided that I shouldn't have to keep him hidden away from people just because I was scared. My fear was what kept Jason from finding out about Nate in the first place. Nate is the reason I left Riverdale a year ago. And Jason only found out a month after he was born. Because I was scared, scared he wouldn't accept me. I doubted his love and look where it got us. He hadn't even met his son face to face yet." Diana explained as Betty and Ronnie continued to stare at Nate.
Nate, maybe sensing everyone's attention on him, suddenly turned shy and shoved his face against Diana's shirt.
"Hey, baby boy, it's okay." Diana cooed to him which made him turn his head again and see Archie.
"Cheee." He babbled as he reached over to Archie.
"Did he just say my name?" Archie asked out loud.
"You wanna go to Uncle Archie, baby?" Diana asked Nate as she turned him to face Archie.
Nate just leaned forward to reach him, not saying anything.
"Take him, Archie. You should feel lucky, that was his first word." Daniel said with a big smile, looking at his nephew.
Archie just grinned and carefully took the baby from Diana's arms. He turned the baby so Nate's back was against his front. Diana started playing with her son.
"Peek-a-boo, baby boy." She said as she covered her eyes with her hands and opened them while making silly faces.
Apparently, Nate found this funny and started laughing. Archie couldn't keep the smile off his face as he watched Diana interact with her son. He couldn't help but think of an older version of himself and Diana, doing this in the future. To outsiders, the three of them looked like they were a little family, even the other 3 teens in the booth with them agreed. Although it hurt Betty a little because she was still hung up on him but she wanted him to be safe and happy. And judging by the look on his face, right now, he was both.
- TIMESKIP (LATER THAT NIGHT || GRUNDY'S HOUSE) -
Even though Betty promised Archie she would drop it, she just couldn't turn her sleuthing senses and raging curiosity off. She ended up taking Veronica with her to search Ms. Grundy's car.
"So much for letting this go." Ronnie said as she followed Betty to Grundy's car.
"Are we really breaking into Grundy's car right now? How do you even know how to do that?" She whispered to Betty as Betty tried to get Ms. Grundy's car door open.
"My dad and I fix cars together. Thank God, she drives an old…" Betty trailed off as the door popped open and she got in while Veronica got in the passenger's seat.
"Okay, before going any further, if I'm committing a felony, I need to at least ask the question. Are you doing this because you still have feelings for Archie, or…" Ronnie asked and Betty cut her off.
"No, Veronica. We're doing this because Grundy had Archie under some kind of sexual spell and she might be doing this to other students, as well. We're looking for anything that proves Grundy isn't as clean as she says she is." Betty said as she began searching under her seat.
Upon finding nothing she looked at the back of the car and saw a locked security box. She brought it to the front.
"Bobby pin." She ordered Veronica.
"Okay, Ms. Gyver." Ronnie said as she took off a pin from her hair.
Betty used it to try and open the box and grinned when it worked.
"I learned that from the Nancy Drew detective handbook." She smugly stated.
"Okay, go." Ronnie ordered her to hurry up.
"Oh, my God." Betty whispered as she saw a license with Ms. Grundy's face but a different name. She showed Veronica.
"Oh, my God. Jennifer Gibson? Who the hell is Jennifer Gibson?" Ronnie wondered out loud.
"That's not the only thing." Betty stated as she held up a gun.
Veronica was shocked as well and she pushed Betty's hand that was holding the gun farther away from her.
