Chapter 21: Twisted Youth!
*Aria's POV*
Just another day in Riverdale. I had gone on my dates with the boys and they were fun. I managed to sneak away from Aunt Mary before she could get me in a dress. I wasn't big on them. Make up was one thing a dress was another. For costumes and formal events I get. Anyways it was now Wednesday night, about a week after both Supreme Girl and the glob happened in our town, and it was super nice and warm outside. I went out to a hill top with Big Ethel and we looked at the stars when we noticed a meteor falling from the sky.
"Wow! Did you see that?" I asked her.
"Yeah! That was cool!" She said as I took out a small journal and recorded it.
"Cool doesn't even begin to describe it! If a meteor fell close to here then this would be an amazing discovery!" I started as I tried to calculate where it could've fallen as I used the Riverdale map.
"You think so?" She asked as I nodded.
"Indeed. This could hold lifeforms or something amazing! And even not it' still a scientific discovery and an awesome souvenir. Plus the Riverdale museum might want it and if not I certainly do." I told her as I finished calculating.
"Where is it?" She asked me.
"Hm. Not sure. It could've landed anywhere around here." I told her.
"Do you wanna go look for it?" She asked me as I looked at her.
"You'd help me?" I asked her.
"Sure. It's no problem." She said as we went to look for it. We never found it and I sighed.
"Maybe I miscalculated." I said in disappointment.
"It's alright. I'm sure Dilton would be impressed either way." She said as I then went red.
"Wh-what?" I stuttered a question at that.
"Yeah. If you would've found it he would've been completely impressed by that." She said as I felt myself blush harder. BE kept trying to push me more towards Dilton because of her crush towards Jughead. I understood that but still.
"I-I wasn't doing this to impress him." I said as she laughed lightly.
"Sure. Then why are you turning red?" She asked in a teasing way.
"Because your teasing me." I told her. Soon we had a flashlight shined on us.
"What are you kids doing out here this late?" I heard a familiar voice as I blindly looked at him.
"Hello sheriff. We're sorry but we saw a meteor fall around this way and we were looking for it in the name of science." I explained to Sheriff Werewolf, I nicknamed him until I could remember his actual name, as he lowered his light.
"Miss Andrews. Miss Muggs. It's almost eleven at night. I suggest you two go home." He said to us.
"Oh cheese puffs it's eleven? My aunt and uncle are going to ground me." I panicked. I had yet to get grounded and didn't want to start now.
"Come on kids. I'll give you two a ride." He offered as he brought us to our homes. I was last and thanked the Sheriff as I got out of the car and got inside. The lights were off. Maybe I can.
"Aria Andrews." I heard my uncle say as the living room light click on. Busted.
*Morning Aria's POV*
"I can't believe I'm grounded!" I shouted while taking a different walking route with Archie and Jughead to school.
"Well that's what happens when you get home past curfew." Archie explained to me.
"Be lucky it's only until next week. I've dealt with longer." He told me as I sighed.
"But it's Thursday. That means four days." I grumbled as Archie sighed.
"What were you doing out there anyways?" Archie asked me.
"I told you BE and I saw a meteor fall from the sky and land somewhere but we didn't find it. I might have miscalculated but I know it landed around there." I said as I pointed to a different area where I swore it landed as Archie sighed.
"Your really sticking with that story?" He asked me as I glared at him.
"Ask BE. She'll defend me. I'm not lying Arch." I told him. He knew I had no reason to lie.
"But then where is it?" Jughead asked me as his dog, Hot Dog, was following us. I pet the top of Hot Dog's head as I sighed.
"I'm not sure." I said as I stopped and looked at the lake. It was nice here.
"I'm still grounded so no weekend dates." I said as Jughead grumbled at that part.
"You didn't deserve it." He grumbled out as I giggled at his grumbling.
"Guys what is it with grown ups? They have all the freedom in the world and yet they spend all there time telling us what to do." Archie started as I just sighed.
"Or what not to do." Jughead added in.
"Exactly! What's wrong with having a little fun now and then." Archie said as I lagged behind and smiled down at Hot Dog.
"Be lucky your a dog." I told him as he yawned and licked my hand. Thank goodness I was wearing my bangles instead of my fingerless gloves. I had decided to not wear my usual get up and wear my biker shorts and ankle boots with purple fishnets under them and my black tank top that I finally fixed. All the rips were still there but under it was a light purple sparkled fabric stitched with it so all the rips were showing that fabric. I had tuned out the boys bickering and watched Hot Dog fall into the water.
"Silly dog." I said as I got him out and moved before he shook water all over the place. It was then that I noticed him glowing.
"Guys! Hot Dog's glowing!" I said as they turned and saw he was glowing. In a blink of an eye he had turned into a puppy.
"What happened?" Jughead freaked.
"He fell in the water and this happened." I said as Puppy Hot Dog started bouncing around and wanted to play.
"Aw so cute." I said as he jumped on me, knocking me down, and gave me a bunch of kisses.
"Hey!" I said through my laughter. His kisses tickled.
"We should bring him to Dilton." I heard Archie say as I held hot dog and got up.
"Good idea." I said as hot dog wagged his tail and cuddled up to me.
"Aw.~ Your such an extra cuddly puppy. Oh yes you are. Yes you are." I started baby talking hot dog and seemed to love it. I kept doing this to keep him steady and close by, which worked long enough to sneak into 'Dilton's' Lab, and he happily wagged his tail and kissed me. Guess he really does like me. I ran into the lab first.
"Dilton! We have a problem!" I shouted, which scarred him since he almost dropped an empty beaker, and turned towards me.
"Aria! You know better than-Why do you have a puppy?" He asked me as he stopped the scolding. Archie and Jughead soon ran inside and joined me.
"It's Hot Dog! He turned into a puppy!" I exclaimed as hot dog jumped out of my arms and ran around the room.
"Something happened to him and he turned into a puppy. Help him!" Jughead exclaimed as I started chasing hot dog around. I had an idea. I laid down on my side and covered my face and made sob sounds. Hot Dog and the guys saw this. The guys were confused and hot dog ran up to see if I was okay.
"Gotcha!" I exclaimed when I grabbed him and brought him to Dilton.
"What? When dogs like people and see them crying or on the ground they tend to check and see if they're alright. It was a trick I learned in the city." I said as I pat hot dog and kept him still a bit. Dilton examined him for a moment.
"Give it to me straight! What's wrong with him?" Jughead asked.
"It appears Aria is correct. He's now a puppy." Dilton exclaimed as hot dog jumped in my arms and kissed me again.
"Oh no!" Jughead exclaimed while smacking his forehead.
"I like puppies! I never had one. He's so cute! Yes you are!" I said as I then started babying hot dog again. As the three were talking I was scratching hot dog's belly.
"Who's a good boy? You are. Yes you are." I spoke to him as he thoroughly enjoyed the belly rub.
"Aria!" Archie just about shouted in my ear.
"Ah! What?" I shouted at him after I screamed.
"We need to go to class." Archie said to me.
"Dilton are you going to check the lake?" I asked him.
"Yes why?" He replied and asked me.
"Then I'm going with you. Someone needs to keep an eye on hot dog and I think that meteor I was looking for ended up in the lake instead of near that path like I originally thought." I told him.
"But Aria-" Archie started before Dilton interrupted.
"She's right Archie. I can't look after hot dog and try to figure this out. Plus if there is a meteor in the water then she can help. Plus two geniuses are better than one." He defended me as I lightly blushed at him calling me a genius.
"Plus Hot Dog likes me." I added in.
"Alright." Archie said as Jughead kissed my cheek. I lightly eeped as he walked away.
"Take care of him for me. Oh and potty train him too." Jughead hollered as he left. On the way to the lake Hot Dog wanted to play so Dilton and I took turns throwing a stick for him to fetch. He was loving it.
"Thanks for letting me tag along Dilton." I said as I took the stick from hot dog and threw it really far for him.
"It's not a problem. Not only do we get to spend time together but we can figure this out faster with two great minds." He said as I blushed.
"Dilton you give me too much credit." I told him. He really did.
"Not really. You're very smart and full of wonder. It's a nice change of pace." He said as I blushed harder.
"I'm not as smart as you though." I told him. Him being smart was one of the reasons why I started falling for him. Jughead's love of food was one reason for him.
"Maybe not but you're quite close. That's great to. You'd make an excellent scientist one day." He told me as I smiled lightly at that. We soon reached the lake and Dilton took a sample while I distracted hot dog. He ended up jumping on me again and kissing me nonstop.
"Aria. I figured it out." He said as he gawked at hot dog kissing me.
"I think you have another rival!" I teased as I managed to get hot dog off me and threw the stick again.
"You were correct. It was the water. Hopefully this will stay contained." He said as I then thought about it.
"Dilton. Don't they use this water to make that new bottled water for the town only?" I asked as he grew wide eyed before smacking his forehead.
"Oh no! You're right!" He said as hot dog started to paw me.
"We need to work on a formula to reverse it before this grows out of control. Who knows who else it will effect." I said as we hurried to the lab. We headed back to school quickly while he explained to me what happened and, once inside, we ran into Archie and Jughead.
"Archie! We found out why the water changed hot dog." Dilton exclaimed.
"Yeah but-" Archie started but Dilton cut him off.
"It seems that Riverdale's lake water has reversed Hot Dog's age in a cellular lever." I smiled.
"It might have to do with the meteor I saw last night. If it fell in the water then Dilton and I can find it. Also we shouldn't drink any of the water bottles just in case it affects us." I added in while Archie groaned. Uh oh.
"Let me guess." I started off.
"Miss Grundy turned into a teenager." He started as I smacked my forehead.
"But of course." I muttered in a sarcastic tone. That's when we got bumped aside by two teenagers.
"Out of the way." The black haired one said.
"Yeah geeks." I heard the orange haired one say after.
"Hey!" I yelled at them.
"Sorry toots." I heard the black haired one say before they both chuckled.
"Why I ought a-wait? I don't remember them? They seem familiar though." I said as I heard them fight a bit and saw the water bottles.
"Oh no! They have the water!" I stated to the group.
"They must be adults in teenager form." Dilton said. We heard them talk about dead man's curve.
"Drag racing? Dead man's curve? They have to be mad men!" Dilton stated in worry.
"Why? What's so bad about Dead Man's Curve?" I asked in wonder. Not once had anyone mentioned it to me.
"It's a dangerous road that, if it the correct speed, can send you flying off the cliff ledge." Dilton said as I gasped in shock. Why would anyone race that? Just as they left and Veronica showed up.
"Someone has to stop my father and Principle Weatherbee. You're not going to believe what happened!" Veronica told us in a panic. That's why those two rude teens seemed familiar.
"Let me guess. They turned into teens and are going to drag race at Dead Man's Curve?" I asked her as she nodded.
"Yes. But how'd you know?" She asked as I pointed behind me.
"They just left. Your dad called me toots." I said in an annoyed voice. I then looked at Dilton.
"Dilton we should make a solution to reverse this quickly." I said as he nodded.
"Good idea." He said as I had another idea. I then decided to take a water and drink some.
"Aria Don't!" Jughead said but I already drank some. We waited but nothing happened.
"Huh? It seems to only work on adults." I stated as they all sighed with relief. Now we headed to the lab as Archie asked why.
"It seems that anyone under 18 is immune because of a growth hormone that means we're still growing. Adults don't have this anymore so they are affect by this." Dilton stated as I smiled at how smart he was.
*Concentrate!* I scolded to myself.
"It's kind of a good thing it doesn't work on us. We'd be in trouble." I said as I got a look from Archie.
"I'm not happy you did that." He said as I shrugged like it was no big deal. It wasn't really.
"Eh. All in the name of science." I stated simply.
"So how are we going to make this solution Dilton? We have to make sure it only affects the adults who got turned and not us." I asked and also pointed this fact out.
"Hm. Good question. Maybe if we make the formula to saturate their cells with a light intensely focused to the proper band of the light spectrum, then it could work without affecting us at all." Dilton said to us.
"In English please?" Veronica said as I sighed.
"Make a solution. Put it on light bulbs. Shine light on all the teens. Any adult turned into teens go back to adults while the rest of us stay immune to it." I told her in short sentences so she could understand it.
"Oh. How can you understand that?" She asked after she got it.
"Because Aria is a smart individual that people underestimate often." Dilton stated as I blushed.
"Yeah she's special." Jughead added in, making me blush harder, as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
"This better work before it spreads to all of Riverdale." Archie said as we got closer to our destination.
"It most likely did. I mean if you calculate how many water bottles are produced followed by the amount of adults and them at least having one bottle a day then all of Riverdale is most likely full of teenagers at this time. So if my theory is correct then we need to gather them all up in one place." I said to them as we looked outside and saw a few more adult drink the water and turn into teens.
"I hate it when I'm right." I muttered after they gasped.
"Oh no! They've all turned into teenagers." Archie said in a panic as we looked and saw a fire truck speed of with teenagers driving it.
"Okay. Let's figure out how to gather them together while Dilton and I make the solution." I said as they looked at me.
"How do we do that?" Jughead asked as I sighed.
"We're teens Archie. If we throw a big party with free food and prizes to win then, if there acting like true teenagers, they'll fall for it. Just make it for tonight." I said as Archie and Jughead brightened up at that.
"Yeah! A party! You're right." Archie said in awe.
"Of course she's right Arch! She's smart and cool." Jughead said, holding me close to him, and making me blush. I felt Dilton pull me away as we walked back to the school, as he called for hot dog who showed up next to me after playing somewhere, and yelled back to them.
"Get them ready and rounded up and set up the school gym. Aria and I will get the formula started." I looked back at them and saw Jughead looked disappointed that I was pulled away.
"Set it for 8 o'clock! Be back in two hours so we can make sure it works!" I yelled back as I followed Dilton to his lab. Once we got there I saw him get started as I sighed.
"I know you get jealous of Jughead at times and I know we need to work on the formula but that was a bit rude. Don't you agree?" I asked him in reference to him pulling me away from Jughead as Dilton sighed.
"Maybe. But we don't have much time for flirting. We have bigger things to worry about." Dilton said as he tried to cover his tracks with logic. I sighed and began helping him out. I had to stop and play with Hot Dog a few times as he kept kissing me. The others showed up early and saw hot dog had me on the floor and was kissing me.
"Ack! Hot Dog! I get it!" I yelped as I found a ruler and threw it for him to fetch. Jughead helped me up as Archie and Veronica brought back light bulbs to use in the gym.
"Thanks." I muttered as I wiped my face off and let Jughead play with him for a bit. I decided to help Dilton a bit more and soon we finished it.
"Eureka!" Dilton shouted.
"Show us." Archie said as he appeared next to me. Dilton pulled out an ordinary light bulb.
"Uh Dilton. Thomas Edison invented that already." Archie said as I giggled.
"Ah! But let me continue." He said as he dipped it into the solution.
"Once emitted into the solution-" Dilton started.
"Let me explain it in simpler terms for them." I cut in as Dilton realized why.
"Go ahead." He said as I smiled.
"Basically once dipped in the formulated solution you see here, again why I said bring the light bulbs, it can be turned on and then age the living thing that was once old turned young by the water. It won't effect us, even after drinking the water, because we were unaffected by the water in the first place." I explained simply as they awed in happiness over that.
"Now to test it." Dilton said as he finished putting the bulb in the lamp.
"Please! Test it out before my arm falls off! I've been doing this for 30 minutes." Jughead said as I sighed.
"Jughead. I've been helping all day." I said as I went over and grabbed Hot Dog. "Let's go buddy." I said as he kissed me again.
"Ack! Okay! I get it!" I said as I went over to where the light would shine.
"Let's test it out." I said as Dilton turned on the light. I felt warm from it but was unaffected by it. Unfortunately hot dog was and, since I was still holding him, fell with him asleep and snoring on me.
"It worked. He's normal. Help!" I said as I tried to push him off me. Archie and Jughead soon helped get him off me and helped me up.
"Thanks." I said as I wiped my clothes off. We started to set up and while Dilton and I used it on all the bulbs in the gym Archie, Jughead, and Veronica got all the stuff for the party and made sure everyone showed up. Soon the gym was filled with teenagers. We turned on the lights just as I saw Reggie dancing with a pretty young blonde. Soon though she turned into Miss Grundy. I was laughing so hard because I had seen her flirting with him earlier. Who knew Reggie was her type. I then saw her scolding him and laughed harder.
"Reggie is now scarred for life!" I laughed out.
"Guys! Help! I couldn't convince my dad and Principle Weatherbee to come! They're still going to race!" Veronica said as I gasped.
"Teenagers. Dilton! Do you still have any of that solution left?" Archie asked him as Dilton thought about it.
"If your thinking what I think your thinking then yes. We should have enough for the headlight on your car." I said as Dilton agreed. We then used the solution on the headlights and Veronica and Archie quickly drove to Dead Man's Curve. Dilton and I had to properly dispose of the left over solution and explain to the adults what happened. Jughead helped and then we went to the lake to fetch the meteor. We pulled it out of the lake and, after Dilton put it in a small box to send to the Smithsonian under both our names, used the watered out solution, non poisoning and won't dye that water, to help even out the 'fountain of youth' effect. It would take about a week but it would work out nicely.
"I'm glad thats done and over with." I said with relief as we walked to my house. Dilton suddenly kissed my cheek. I eeped and looked at him.
"You were such a big help. You have no idea how much faster we got this taken care of because of you." He said as I blushed lightly. I didn't notice Uncle Fred watching me from the window.
"I should go inside. Almost curfew time." I said as I sighed.
"It'll get better." He said as I smiled at him. We ended up hugging before I turned, looked at him waving goodbye as he did the same, and walked inside.
"Aria." I heard my uncle call me. I sighed and went into the living room.
"Uncle Fred I'm not late. And Dilton walked me home to make sure I was fine! We found the meteor and are sending it to the Smithsonian. I swear!" I yelped out when I saw him look at me.
"That's not it at all. I wanted to talk to you." He said as I sighed. Uncle Fred and I talked and he agreed that he would un-ground me on Sunday if I helped him with yard work and cleaning the gutters on Saturday. I agreed to that and after talking to him went upstairs to bed. Archie and I would write the article tomorrow after we gathered up notes from everyone.
*Next day Aria's POV*
It was morning and all was well. Thank goodness. I was tired. Everyone being teens was tough. It's all over with now. I had talked to Dilton and Jughead that I would be un-grounded on Sunday so if all three of us wanted to do something together we could. They were happy to hear that and we made a plan for Pop's for burgers and stuff. At the end of the day Archie and I had gotten ready for bed before typing up the article.
"Turns out Aria was right about a meteor landing in Riverdale. ~Archie. I told you. I was just wrong on where it landed. Well alls well that ends well. ~Aria. Except for poor Veronica, whose stuck driving her father around until he gets his driving privileges back. Funny. When the judge threw the book on Mister Lodge and Principle Weatherbee for reckless driving, he said they should learn to act their age. ~Archie. But as we all now know acting your age isn't always the easiest thing to do. ~Aria. …...In a little town called Riverdale! ~Archie and Aria." We finished typing it up and I immediately went to bed. I didn't want to think about my relationship with both boys right now. I didn't want to think about summer coming up. I didn't want to think of anything except sleep.