Author's Note: Hello, and welcome back to another installment of Runaway Love! Thank you for your patience, I had to add a scene in…you'll see what I mean.

Thank you once more for the favorites, follows, and reviews-shout out to Boris Yeltsin & Crimson Commander688; your reviews made my day. Enjoy this new chapter.

Read on and enjoy! Riverdale doesn't belong to me.

Chapter 73

"It's this quintessential rite of passage," said Kevin.

He and Veronica are hanging out in the student lounge; talking about the Twilight's closing night.

"Making out with your boy or girlfriend at the movies." Kevin added.

"Why don't we go together?" Veronica suggests. "I can't promise you any action, but maybe I'll bring you good luck."

"Great. Another night, another hag." Kevin comments.

Veronica chuckles.

Suddenly, Cheryl enters.

"Speaking of hags," She said, approaching the duo.

"Veronica, it's so devastating to me…that your mother has to sink to such unspeakable lows…just to keep those knockoff Hermes bags on your arm." Cheryl puts a hand onto her heart.

"What's next, selling her hair extensions?" She adds.

"My mom's a waitress, Cheryl. Not Fantine," Veronica pointed out.

"And your faux concern reeks of ulterior motive. What is it?" The Lodge girl asks, curious.

"Only to remind you of your place in this school." Cheryl retorts. "Nay, the town's social hierarchy."

"Threatened much?" Veronica asked, sarcastically. "Don't worry. You may be a stock character from a 90's teen movie, but I'm not. And what does this have to do with my mom being a waitress?"

She stood up, facing Cheryl.

"I saw her talking to a Southside Serpent last night." The queen bee replied, with a smirk. "In the alley behind Pop's."

Veronica shares a look of disbelief with Kevin, who looked rather surprised.

"They were having an extremely heated, intimate discussion." Cheryl continued, then proceeds to show Veronica the photo from last night taken on her phone.

Both Veronica and Kevin examine the picture, frowning.

Smiling in satisfaction, Cheryl walks away.

"Who or what is a Southside Serpent?" Veronica inquired, turning to Kevin.

"They're this gang of bikers who stays on the south side of town." Kevin informed. "And thank God, because they're dangerous. Drug dealers and petty thieves."

"Then what was my mom doing with one of them?" Veronica questioned, furrowing her eyebrows.

Later that night, the Latina girl came home to find her mother lounging in a chair. Dressed in her waitress uniform, Hermione holds a glass of wine, unwinding from today.

"Who knew working would be so tiring?" She remarks.

"Mom?" Veronica asks.

"Mm?" Hermione responds, sipping her beverage.

Veronica hesitates, before saying "Cheryl showed me a picture. You were standing behind Pop's with a Southside Serpent."

Hermione is quiet for a moment.

"Those guys are thugs," said Veronica. "What were you doing?"

"First off, you have nothing to worry about." Hermione assured her daughter.

"Come here, sit." The Lodge matriarch gestures for Veronica to sit down, and she complies.

"Now, remember, Veronica, I grew up here." Hermione pointed out. "Southside Serpents may be from the wrong side of the tracks…but I went to high school with some of them."

"I was just being polite," She adds.

Veronica doesn't appear to buy it.

"Cheryl said it looked like you were arguing." She said.

"Arguing?" Hermione asks. "Heh. Hardly. He made a lewd comment and I put him in his place." She grins light-heartedly.

"Mom, if you're in some kind of trouble…" Veronica began to say.

"I'm not," Hermione insisted. "Mija. Now, when have I ever lied to you?"

Veronica just stares at her mother.

"I'm sorry, but the Twilight Drive-In?" Sierra asks. "It's a blight that's become a cesspool."

Jughead is currently in the mayor's office, trying to persuade Sierra to not close the town's beloved drive-in theater.

"And a hangout for criminals and transients. And the deal's done." Josie's mother adds. "Andrews Construction is scheduled to demolish the lot on Monday."

Jughead purses his lips.

"Mayor McCoy, when I was a kid, my family and I would go to the drive-in all the time." He explained, attempting to reason with Sierra.

"Mm," She said.

"We couldn't afford tickets for everyone…so, my sister, Jellybean, and I would hide in the trunk until we parked." Jughead continued. "We'd sneak out. It's like my home."

"That's a very sweet sentiment, Mr. Jones." Sierra remarked. "But the future of Riverdale is at stake."

Jughead doesn't say anymore, he looked defeated.

A/N: Oh, Juggie. At least you tried. And that's the scene I added in at the last minute, rather than it being a separate, short chapter.

I will try to update as soon as I can, I still want to update few of my stories. Since Riverdale season 5 won't return until August 5th, instead of July 7th (I know, right?), that should give me time to least get through the 1x04 storyline and move on to 1x05 (at least be finished with season 1).

Up next, Betty & Veronica try to talk to Archie about Grundy's real identity, Archie refuses to listen & then he goes to Weather bee for confirmation on Grundy. Until then, see you next time!