Chapter 2: Continuing Through Riverdale!
* Aria's POV*
We soon pulled up to this place called 'Pop Tate's' and I immediately recognized the name. * This is the place Archie's mentioned to me a few times.* I thought as I looked at him. "Here we are. Pop Tate's! Home of the BEST burgers in Riverdale." Archie exclaimed as we both got out of the car. "I remember you telling me about this place. I've been dying to try one." I said with a smile. We both walked inside and I IMMEDIATELY loved it! It was decorated to look like an 80's restaurant. Back end of a car on the top wall that hung over a juke box, The whole 9 yards and more! I was gawking at this place until Archie finally snapped me out of it. "You going to stand there and gawk or are we going to eat?" He asked as I walked over to the booth and sat on the opposite side of him. "Arch I know you've told me about this place but this is even BETTER than I could've dreamed off." I admitted as I still looked around for a bit. "Hey Archie. Who's this young lady with you?" I heard a voice as I looked up and saw a gentleman in his late 30's to early 40's in a stripped uniform and a fast food hat on. He also had black curly hear, a black mustache, and kind blue eyes. "Hey Pops. This is Aria, My cousin. Aria, This is Pop Tate, the owner." He introduced us. "Pleasure to meet you sir." I said as I shook his hand. "Pleasures mine. And you can call me Pops. Everyone does. So your Aria huh? I can see some resemblances. How do you like Riverdale so far?" He asked as I smiled wider. "Well Archie just brought me here from the airport to be honest but I know I'll like it here. Well at least this place. It's AWESOME!" I told him. " 'Chuckles' wait till you try my burgers. I'll bring you kids a couple. How many?" He asked "One is good for me Pops along with a soda and fries please. Aria?" He said then looked at me. "Um Archie? I don't have money." I whispered as I looked at him. "My treat." He said as I smiled. "Then 5 of your largest cheese burgers with no veggies, mayo, and side of fries with a soda as well please." I said politely as they both stared at me. "What? I slept through the plane ride and never had dinner/breakfast before the flight." I stated plainly. "Well at least you have an appetite. I value that in my customers. I'll get it Asap. Oh and Arch the fries are on me." Pops said as he left. "Wow. Thanks Pops." Archie hollered at Pops as he smiled. "Are you sure you can eat ALL THAT?" He said poking fun at me. "Believe me Arch, I can." I smiled and then thought about it. "Does the juke work?" I asked. "Sure. Here." Archie said handing me a couple quarters. "Cool. Be right back." I said as I went straight for the jukebox and looked through the songs.
* What one?* I thought as I looked through the many selections. Some of these songs went as far back as the 60's, which was a plus in my book, but it DID make choosing a bit harder. I was taking longer than I wanted to take until I found a certain song that I knew Archie knew and liked as well as I. * Perfect* I thought as I inserted the quarter and was about to pick the song someone started talking to me. "Hey there doll face. Your new. How bout I show you around town?" I looked and saw a boy about my age with black hair, blue striped shirt, and tan khakis, and dark brown shoes. I looked at him closer and gave him a thinking look while putting my finger on my chin. " Hmmm. Nope! Never gonna happen." I said as I turned back to the juke box and played the song 'Let's Groove' By Earth, Wind and Fire and walked away. "Aw come on. Why not Doll face? We're obviously a perfect match since we're both so good looking." He stated. * Uhg.* I thought as I saw Archie. "Sorry but I'm not interested in egotistical Neanderthals." I told him as I sat back down with Archie. He didn't notice Archie as the guy sat next o me and put his arm around me. "Aw come on Doll Face." He said, and probably would've continued, if Archie had not of intervened. "Reggie Mantel you leave my cousin alone." He scolded as the boy, Reggie, finally noticed Archie and looked between us. "Huh? Cousin? THIS is your COUSIN?!" Reggie practically yelled as he then looked back at me. "Well, other than the hair and freckles, you look NOTHING alike." He stated. "Good. I don't think 'Doll Face' fits Arch too well." I said while stifling a laugh. Archie gave a look to Reggie and then looked at me. "Well I see you met my 'friend' Reggie. And her name is Aria. NOT Doll face." He scolded Reggie. "Whatever. Never knew you were THIS good looking. If you ever wanna go out you just let me Know Doll face." He said with a wink. "I'll consider it when pigs fly and a volcano freezes." I told him. "So there is a chance." He said as he smiled and put his arm back around my shoulder.
I just smacked my head as our food came out. "Hey Pops can I have a burger too?" Reggie asked. "Yes Pops. At another table would be pleasant." I said as I pulled his arm off my shoulder again. "Reggie. Please leave Archie and Aria alone." Pops said as he moved him. "Sorry Archie. I know he's your friend but I'm going to be greedy today and keep you for myself. At least today. Plus he's annoying." I told him truthfully. "Reggie can be nice, when it benefits him, but I understand. We haven't really seen each other in a long while." He said as I tried not to laugh at the 'Reggie being nice' part. I could smell the burgers in front of me as I grabbed one and bit into it. The next thing Archie knew my eyes were watering and sparkling. "Um Aria? You ok?" Pops noticed my look to. "You ok Aria?" He asked as well. I whipped my tears as I said "I'm ok. This is just so delicious. Like biting into a piece of heaven that it made me very happy." I said very poetic like. Archie was laughing a bit while Pops was touched. "That was beautiful. Just like Jughead's words." Pops said. "Indeed it was." I heard a new voice as I looked and saw a boy with black hair, blue shirt and shorts that looked like they were from the 70's and wore a tin crown on his head. "Jughead. I'm surprised your up this early." Archie said as Pops left. * Probably to get his food. Wait. Did he order?* I thought as I looked back at Jughead, who was now, sitting next to Archie. * He's kinda cute.* I thought. "Well Arch I was hungry. Plus I remembered you saying something about your cousin coming out this way, since you talked about it all summer, I decided to pop down this way to see if you were going to take her here to eat. And I was right." He stated as he looked at me. "Jughead Jones. Aria I take it. Unless your a clone of her or someone else." He said which caused me to laugh lightly. "Aria. So YOUR Jughead hm? Well it's finally nice to meet you." I told him as I already started my 2nd burger. "Jeeze Arch. Hungry?" He asked as he was about to take one of my burgers before I slapped his hand away. "Ow" I heard him. "Mine." I stated as I finished my 2nd one and started on my 3rd. "Easy Aria. Don't make yourself sick. You act like you haven't ate a good meal in months." Archie said as Jughead soon caught on that those were all MY burgers. "Wait. These 5 er um 2 left are yours?" Jughead asked. "Yes." I said now on my 4th.
As I took a break 1/3rd of the way to drink my soda Pops came over with 10 burgers for Jughead but then looked at my plate. "Jughead. Don't tell me you ate hers." Pops said as Jughead was shaking his head no. "He didn't Pops. I smacked his hand before he could. I'm just REALLY hungry." I told him as I ate a couple fries before continuing with the burger. "Wow. You really were hungry. Well if you need anymore don't hesitate to ask." He said with a smile as he gave Jughead his food and left. "Jughead. Nothing personal but could you eat at another-" Archie started before I stopped him. "No no. It's ok Arch. Jughead's better company then Reggie. Besides were almost done here." I said as I began my last burger and already finished my fries. "Well ok." Archie said as we ate. "So * munch munch* Whats the city like?" He asked eating what I believed was his 3rd burger already. "Not too nice. Very noisy and bright at night. Good place to shop for fashionable stuff though if I was fully into that. Crummy schools. Basically whatever you see on TV or in the movies is usually right depending on the area anyways." I said as I was now sipping on the last of my soda. "I'm sorry I don't have money yet Archie but as soon as I can earn some I'll pay ya back." I told him feeling guilty about this. "No worries. It's my treat either way. Plus I think it's responsible of you to use whatever you have saved for school stuff and clothes and other important stuff." Archie said. "Don't you have a lot of your stuff here anyways?" Jughead asked. "No. Only my prized stuff and, not including this outfit, three. Most of my clothes got…...ruined." I muttered as I looked away. The two of them looked at each other with a 'Huh?' before Archie asked how. "I don't really want to talk about it." I said while I looked at them and smiled. "Besides. It's not that important. Now whenever your ready you can show me the rest of Riverdale." I told him as Archie left the money on the table. "Ok. Well I'll see ya later Jughead." Archie said as he got up. "Ok. See ya Arch. Bye Aria." Jughead said with a wave and a bite of another burger. "Bye Jughead." I said sweetly as I waved my hand at him and left with Archie out the door.