*When Carter looked at me with laughter in her eyes, I realized what I missed out on during my childhood. I had missed out on making little memories with my friends. I missed out on laughter in my eyes. I missed out on making lifelong connections.*

If I had known letting Carter make me over would've put all eyes on me; I would've let her do so much more. This time as I walked down the halls I knew everyone was talking about me. And I absolutely loved it. I am a Blossom so of course I love the attention. I smirked as the small minded people of a small town gossiped about me to my face.

A head of beautiful auburn hair caught my immediate attention as I walked into the front office.

"But I don't understand," she was arguing with the secretary. "What is so wrong with my records!?"

"Ms. Andrews, please, there's no need to get upset." The woman told her.

"Upset!?" She snapped. "Why would I get upset!?" She hissed anger rising in her voice. "Just my hometown, the people who have known me since birth, believe that I'm a pathological liar not the nice normal girl that grew up here!" She slammed her hand down on the counter.

"Yasmine?" I asked interrupting the scene afraid my little mysh' would have a breakdown. "Yasmine Andrews?"

She turned around smiling. "Ophelia!" She ran up engulfing me in a huge hug. "What is up, suka?"

I laughed. "Umm currently the ceiling of this incredibly lame office."

She hit my arm playfully. "So what made them release you, Asylum?"

"Who let you out of the Cook county jail, Chicago?" I shot back equally playful.

"I was never in jail, Asylum." She said leaning casually on the counter.

"I was wrongfully put in the asylum." I replied calmly.

"I came back to my hometown because I couldn't stay in Chicago any longer." She sighed.

"I turned 18. They had to release me." I replied looking off to avoid her gaze.

She sadly smiles. "Hey," she begins catching my attention. "We're survivors."

I beamed at her. "Yeah, we are. And no one can take that from us."

She laughed. "Get your schedule, and we'll go on a tour together."

I smiled and slid in front of the secretary. "Hi, I'm Ophelia Blossom, senior class."

"And here's your schedule Ms. Blossom." She said smiling sweetly handing me a piece of paper. "And this is your locker number and combination." She pointed to the corner.

"What?" I asked.

"She's never been to a public high school before." Yasmine explained behind me. "I'll help her find her way and teach her the ropes."

As she led me out the office door, I leaned over whispering to her. "What's a locker?"

She laughed. "I'll show you, Lia. Come on."

"Is the schedule anything like Harmony Hills's where you can't leave your assigned area, and you have to participate in a group activity?" I asked utterly confused by the idea of scheduled classes.

She smiled. "Kind of, but these activities come with homework."

We stepped out into the hall to be greeted by a blonde (with blue streaks) haired girl. "Yazzy!" The girl yelled.

"Ally!" Yasmine yelled wrapping the blonde in a hug.

"Ophelia." Yasmine said as she turned to me. "This is Alice my best friend."

"And my baby sister," said Carter interrupting.

I smiled putting an arm around my best friend. "Guys! We can be like the four amigos!"

The other three laughed as Carter said. "I can dig it." Which only caused more laughter.

"Or the fantastic four," suggested Alice. We smiled.

Yasmine thought it over. "How about ACOY?"

"What?" I asked.

"The first letter of all of our names: Alice, Carter, Ophelia, and Yasmine. ACOY." She explained.

"I like it." Said Ally.

"It's cool," shrugged Carter.

"Oh we are so using that." I exclaimed.

And so in that moment ACOY was born.

I was finally released from my class. That class was nothing like the online ones we took at Harmony or even the group activities at Harmony.

Carter slid up next to me in the lunch line. "You probably don't want that."

I laughed. "Anything is better than the fear of: 'Did someone poison the food while helping in the kitchen today?'"

Carter laughed along with me as we grabbed our lunches and went to find Alice and Yasmine. We found them sitting at a small table arguing.

"Come on, Yaz, you so still have a crush on Jughead." Alice said as we walked up.

"What are we talking about?" Asked Carter as she sat down.

"Nothing." Yaz said as Ally said. "Yazzy's undying love for Jughead Jones."

"Jughead?" I asked.

Carter looked at me beginning an explanation. "He's this total moody, writer, loner, don't-talk-to-me-I-hate-everyone, scrawny guy. But I have to say he's kind of hot. Too bad he takes the constant teasing to heart. I'd totally date him if he was a girl."

I laughed. "Sounds perfect for you, Chicago. Go get him."

"Shut up, Asylum." She snapped.

We all laughed as my little sister forced her way into the group.

"Hey Cher-Cher." I replied smiling not noticing my friends' disgusted looks.

"Hey Lia," she smiled at me shooting the rest of the group a disgusted look that I did not miss. "What are you girls,"she says the word girls with distaste, "talking about?"

"Well it's currently a debate," began Alice shooting Yaz a sympathetic look.

"On who's hotter," I added.

"Veronica Lodge or Archie Andrews," finished Carter.

"We are at a stalemate," says Yasmine.

"Maybe you can help us?" I ask hopeful that my little sister is there somewhere.

"Oh easy, Archie," she replies. "That body is chiseled from stone, and he has the face of every teenage heartthrob."

Yasmine scrunches up her nose in disgust. "Gross! That's my big brother."

We laughed. "So, little sis, what did you need?"

"I was just coming over to have a proper conversation with my big sister." She said.

I smiled. "Cool. What do we have to talk about in front of others?"

She glanced at the group nervously. "You're right. Maybe we should meet up later, or I can come over this weekend."

I smiled. "Sounds good." I grabbed her hand. "We'll get through Jason's death together."

She smiled then quickly left the table.

As soon as Cheryl left, we were joined by an auburn haired guy.

"Hey Archster," greeted Yasmine as he sat down. "What's up?"

I could see why my sister called him chiseled from stone. The man had muscles for days. And when he smiled you could see the teenage heartthrobbedness. I was memorizing everything on his face when he spoke.

"Just came to see how my favorite sister's first day was going."

"I'm your only sister," she complained shoving him slightly. "But it's going pretty good."

"Good," he smiled at her pride shining in his eyes.

"Hiya!" I said. "I'm Ophelia Blossom. I'm new to school completely."

Carter laughed. "She's also new to human interaction."

Archie laughed slightly. "It's fine. Nice to meet you, Ophelia."

"Please call me Leilah, that's my middle name." I replied. "Well one of them."

"Her full name is Ophelia Deirdre Leilah Blossom." Said Carter. "It's a mouthful."

Everyone laughed and Archie began giving me a weird look. I stared back into his chocolate eyes.

"Okay, well thanks for asking," interrupted Yaz breaking our eye contact causing a small blush on both of our faces. "Go away."

We laughed as he waved goodbye. "Later Leilah. See you at home Yazzy."

"Well that was odd," said a voice. I looked up to be greeted with the face of a dark haired blue eyed guy. He was wearing a gray, crowned beanie. "Archie flirting with a girl who would've thought." He continued sarcastically as he plopped down unceremoniously beside Yasmine.

Based on the looks Alice and Carter gave her, I can assume this is Jughead. I put out my hand. "Ophelia Blossom, nice to meet you."

He took my hand shaking it. "Jughead Jones the third, pleasure to meet a Blossom with a sense of class."

Everyone around me laughed, but I was just confused. "I understand hating my parents, but were Jase and Cher-Cher that bad too?"

"The worst," said Ally.

"Considering your sister, who is only two years younger than you, has no recollection of you." Began Jughead.

"Whatever you were teaching them before you were sent away has been long forgotten along with you." Finished Yasmine.

Upon seeing my upset face at being forgotten, Carter spoke up. "I didn't forget about you, Lia!"

"I wish you had," I shot back sarcastically.

"Then you'd have no one on your side." said Carter.

"I'd have Yasmine," I replied smoothly.

"Yeah, how do you two know each other?" Asked Ally.

"Yaz, spent ten months at Harmony Hills." I replied immediately realizing my mistake.

Everyone turned to her surprised. "Yeah," she continued calmly. "I was released a month before coming here. We became quick friends when we both found out we were from Riverdale."

*Armed with that new information the bonds between our group, deemed ACOY, strengthened. As for me, I didn't realize that exchange with Archie would have such a large effect on the events to come.*

*It is said we tell our friends more than we tell our family. Because our friends are the family we choose. Both my "families" are messed up in their own ways.*

Everyone (except Lia) was staring at me. I sighed. I really know that they deserve to know, but I couldn't figure out how to tell them. Lia has never been good at social situations. Her blurting it out was probably my best way to get the secret out. Jughead gave me one of his eyebrow raised 'why didn't you tell me this sooner?' looks.

"That's why you went MIA for a really long time," exclaimed Ally.

"Yeah," I laughed slightly, the panic still present. "Look none of you can tell anyone else not even my brother and dad. They don't know yet, and I want to tell them on my own terms."

"Oh yeah," said Jughead sarcastically. "Because I've got nothing better to do with my life other than tell Archie every single one of your secrets."

I bit my lip. *Not all my secrets.* I quickly gave Jughead a pointed look. "I'm serious, Juggie."

He put up his hands in defense. "I know. I know." He rubbed my head affectionately. "I always have your back, Minnie."

I smiled at him as he stared into my eyes. We both studied each other's eyes. The other three girls were watching our exchange fondly when we were interrupted by the third uninvited (and unwanted) guest today.

Reggie Mantle smiled at Ophelia as he walked up. "Hello beautiful."

Ophelia continued eating her salad completely oblivious to him. When she didn't answer Carter elbowed her in the side whispering something to her.

Ophelia turned to him smiling. She visibly swallowed before talking. "Who are you talking to?" She looked back down at her food mumbling to herself. "Forks make no sense."

Reggie laughed as he sat down beside Ophelia. "Beautiful and funny? Where have you been my entire life, Blossom?"

"An insane asylum," dead-panned Ophelia shrugging as she violently stabbed her salad.

Reggie rolled his eyes before looking at the rest of us with disdain. His eyes landed on Jughead with great loathing. "I see you've finally discovered some girls that don't go running terrified away from you."

I opened my mouth to tell him off, but Ophelia beat me to it. "If you came here to flirt with me, and insult my friends then leave."

Reggie looked at her surprised.

"I mean it," she growled gripping her fork tighter. "Leave now! Before I do something I'll regret later."

Reggie just stared at her not comprehending what she meant.

"I once shoved a man out of an eighth story window." She continued calmly.

With this, Reggie ran the other direction. We all laughed as Lia went back to her salad still confused by the fork.

Jughead cleared his throat to get her attention. She looked up expectantly. "Uh, thanks for standing up for me, but we are not friends."

I elbowed Jughead, and he gave me an annoyed look. Lia just smiled. "We will be if I have anything to say about it."

I smiled at the both of them. "Here Ophelia let me show you how to use that." She happily handed me her fork.

*I never knew that having a group of friends can be just as fun as having one. I looked at the people around me and knew I had chosen right this time.*