I walked into the school, having lost sight of her the moment the doors closed behind her, I was cautious. I had been walking the halls for a few minutes until I heard a faint crying up ahead in the girls' locker room. But by the time I made it to the door, my ears were ringing from it.
"Cheryl?" I asked, as I slowly walked to her. She was sitting on the end of a bench, sobbing into her hands. But once she knew I was there, she sniffled back her emotions, and tried to stop crying.
"Cheryl, what is it? What happened?" I asked, as I sat down behind her.
"Jason. He's gone…" she trailed off, due to the fact that more tears were rushing to the surface.
"I know. I know he is," I said on a sigh, and she shook her head.
"No, you don't, you don't understand. He was supposed to come back." Her voice wavered, and on her last note, she was being ripped apart again by another wave of unforgiving tears. 'He was supposed to come back'? What does that mean? I thought. Then she sobbed out, "I'm alone. I'm alone."
"You're not alone. Ok? You're not alone," I said, with a sigh. A few seconds later, she turned around and flung her arms around my neck, hugging me. This whole ordeal was very uncharacteristic of her, but I hugged her back none-of-the-less. It felt like we had been there a long time, until she finally let me go and stood, sniffling pretty hard.
"Here," I had given her a travel-sized pack of tissues. She lightly chuckled as she thanked me and started to dab at her eyes. I only felt like I could go when she was back to her normal, chipper-self, and then made my way back to the stands. When the game was over, everyone was clearing out when Veronica appeared at my side.
"Hey."
"Hi," I said, picking up my backpack.
We started to walk to the school, when she said, "I saw you and Cheryl. Not many girls would've done what you did."
"Well, full disclosure: I've had my share of emotional breakdowns," I said, as I glanced at her, and she slightly nodded.
"If you're not doing anything," she started to say, and we stopped, "want to go get a milkshake with me and Betty at Pop's?"
"Are you sure?" I asked, sarcastically serious, eyeing her.
She chuckled at that, and said, "Yeah."
"Veronica, I'd love that." She laughed, and I smiled. We made our way to the school where I waited for Betty and Veronica. Then once they were ready to go, we made our way to Pop's.
"Here you go—two old-fashioned vanillas, and one double-chocolate," the waiter said, as he snapped his fingers. We thanked him before he walked off.
"Betty?" Veronica asked Betty, and she nodded.
"Can we make a vow? To never let a boy come between us again?" she asked, sipping on her milkshake. Betty nodded after a second, and then Veronica turned to me.
"And I am sorry if I came off high and mighty when we met. I just wanted to make a good first impression. So, will you give me another chance?" she asked, her voice in a pleading tone. I sighed, thinking, letting her sweat it out.
"One…more…chance. That is all I'm giving you," I said, as I looked at her. She smiled.
"And that's all I could ever want—you won't be disappointed. Thank you." I nodded, and Betty smiled at us.
"So, to fresh starts?" Veronica asked, holding up her milkshake. Betty held up hers, too. They looked to me, uncertain.
I smiled after a moment, and said, "To fresh starts." I held up my glass, and then we all clanked them together, chuckling. As we drank our drinks, the bell above the door chimed, and we looked up to find Archie and Jughead had walked in.
Betty looked back to us, asking permission, and I nodded. Along with Veronica's say, she turned back to them, and asked, "Do you guys want to join us?" They looked at each other, and Jughead smiled.
As he walked toward us, he said, "Yes. But only if you're treating." We all laughed at that. Betty scooted over and Archie sat next to her.
"Hi, I'm Veronica Lodge." She held out her hand to him, but he jumped over the back of the booth, instead, and squeezed himself in between Veronica and me.
"Jughead Jones…the third," he said, as he raised his eyebrows in a sarcastically fancy way, and everyone laughed at him. After Veronica recited his name in confusion, and Betty laughed at him, he looked at me, almost like he was trying to see if I did anything with my hair today.
"What happened to you?" he asked me, gesturing to my eye.
I rolled my good eye, and said, "I saved your trasero, that's what happened." I gave his head a playful shove, and Veronica laughed. But I'm sure everyone else only joined in on the fun because they didn't know what I called Jughead. Call me weird, but I do, in fact, speak fluent Spanish.
JUGHEAD'S POV…
To someone on the outside, peering in, it would look like there were five people in that booth. But I was there, and I can tell you. Really, there were only four. A blonde girl, a raven-haired girl, a red-headed girl, and the luckiest red-headed boy in the universe. For one shining moment, we were just kids. Those bright neon lights of Pop's keeping the darkness at bay…giving way, as all nights must, to a morning of reckoning.
ALEX'S POV…
I sat in the science lab next to Cheryl as Dr. Phylum explained the different body systems we'd be learning today. But he stopped short of writing them down, and looked at the door. I followed his gaze, and saw Sheriff Keller and Principle Weatherbee standing at the open door.
As Cheryl saw them, she got up, and asked, "You're here for me, aren't you? Because of the autopsy?"
"We don't need to do this in front of your classmates, Cheryl," Weatherbee suggested, solemnly.
"It's alright, Principal Weatherbee. They'll find out soon enough." She extended her hands, putting her wrists together.
"Now, that won't be necessary," Keller warned.
"Cheryl? Find out what?" I asked, confused. She glanced down at me, utterly terrified, before saying, "That I'm guilty."
XXX
We all stood outside the principal's door, peeking in as Cheryl sat in her seat in front of the desk. Keller closed the blinds, and everyone stayed by the door to try and listen in. A few minutes later, her parents stormed the school, shoved everyone out of their way, and burst into the office. A second later, they came out with Cheryl, and they immediately left. I didn't see Cheryl for the rest of the day.
The next day, Archie, Betty, Kevin, Veronica, and I were all in the student lounge eating candy during our free period. "So, are you a suspect now?" I asked Kevin, as I popped another M&M into my mouth.
"My dad said we all are, including me," Kevin said, as he ate a red vine, and I cringed. I haven't liked red vines since the dawn of time, and I am not going to start now.
"Not me, girl, I don't know these people," Veronica said, and I smiled.
"Guys, should we maybe re-binge-watch Making a Murderer on Netflix tonight?" Kevin suggested.
Then Betty said, "Sorry. Can't. I have to stay late to work on the paper."
"I will," I said, as I looked over at Kevin, and saw the pure and utter excitement grow.
"Great, my place, five o'clock." I nodded, and he smiled his approval.
"I can't either. I've got a date tonight," Veronica said. My face contorted in confusion.
"You do?" I asked, staring at her as her smile grew.
"Which Riverdale hottie made the cut?" Kevin asked, as I heard a voice behind me.
"Hey, Vee-Lo. I'll swing by the Pembrooke to pick you up at 8:00?" I turned at the sudden voice, only to be met with three of the football players: Moose, Reggie, and Chuck.
"I'll be waiting," she said, with a smile.
"Chuck Clayton?" I asked.
Almost simultaneously Kevin asked, "You're going on a date with chuck?"
Veronica just smiled, and Betty said, "He's kind of a player."
"Who cares? He's the hottest of the hot, and he's the varsity football coach's son. In Riverdale, that's like dating a Kennedy," Kevin said, and she just smiled and wiggled her eyebrows. After about another ten minutes, I left and went to Math. After school, I stopped off at my place to pick up a change of clothes and headed to Kevin's.
As I pulled up to the curb, facing Kevin's house, his dad, the Sheriff, got out of his cruiser in the driveway. "Alex. What can I do for you?" he asked, unsure of my being here. I sighed, and started to walk to the door, where he stood waiting for me.
"Kevin invited me, we're gonna binge-watch—"
"Say no more. Come in." He waved me forward, and I smiled to myself as I followed him in.
"Uh, Kevin's up in his room. Go ahead on up. It's uh, the third door on the left," he said, pointing to the stairs.
"Thank you, Mr. Keller." He smiled his thanks, before disappearing into his office by the stairs, and I sighed.
I had just stepped onto the second level when Kevin's door opened, and he leaned out, saying, "Great, you're here. Come in, make yourself comfortable." He waved me in, and I walked into his room.
"Whoa, Kev, you finally got rid of the twin," I said, as I sat my backpack down on his comforter. He chuckled, giving me a sheepish smile before hooking up his lap top to the TV sitting on the edge of his desk, straight across from the bed.
As the red screen with the NETFLIX logo appeared, Kevin walked back in with a bowl of popcorn. He sat next to me on the bed, shoulder's touching, and scrolled through the selections before landing on Making a Murderer.
Halfway through, and three popcorn bowls blown through, my bladder felt like exploding, but I had to see what happened. As Steven's trial came underway, Kevin bumped me, and said, "You know, I'm really happy we did this."
"Me too. We haven't hung out much since I got back, have we?" I asked, looking at him. He shook his head, and then I added, "We should do this more often," I whispered. He nodded, and we got back to watching the show.
The next day, I woke up to an alarm blaring. My eyes snapped open, and I saw Kevin turning over in his bed to shut it off. I groaned, and sat up on the floor, rubbing my eyes. "Hey, can I go take a shower?" I asked, as I got up, and started rummaging through my bag.
"Sure. There's a bathroom across the hall. There should be towels and stuff in there for you to use." He motioned toward the wooden door across the hall, while his face was still buried in his pillow.
"Thanks." I started to open the door when he mumbled a "you're welcome", and I sighed. The bathroom was bigger than expected, with a walk-in shower, and a big tub on the other side of the room. A big, two-sink vanity hung with lights illuminating the room with a florescent white glow. Thankfully, there was a lock on the door, so I felt more at ease using the shower, which had glass panels for a door instead of a shower curtain.
I had just finished putting my bra on when someone knocked on the door. "Hey, Alex, breakfast is ready if you want some," Kevin hollered through the door.
"Ok, thanks, Kev. I'll be down in a minute."
"Okay," then his voice disappeared, and I sighed.
I got ready, and walked down the stairs into the kitchen. I was wearing an army-green, off-the-shoulder tank, with blue jeans and black sneakers, and my hair was in a tight, perfect pony tail. Kevin was making toast, and Mr. Keller had just gone into his office when I walked in.
"Hey," I said, as I put my bag on a kitchen chair.
"Hey."
After breakfast, Mr. Keller came into the kitchen to fill up his coffee mug, and asked, "Hey, you kids need a ride to school?"
"Oh, thanks Dad, but I thought we could just walk…?" He suggested, glancing at me.
"Well, I have my motorcycle out front; I could give you a ride, save your dad the trouble?" I asked, glancing back and forth from him to Kevin. His dad instantly went slightly rigid at the thought of his son on the back of a motorcycle. Kevin got excited, but still looked to his dad for permission.
"I mean," he started, leaning into the counter, thinking, "is it safe?"
"Yes, Mr. Keller—totally. Compared to others in this town, I'd be the safest." I got up, and Kevin followed, pleading to his dad to let him go. He eyed us for a moment, eyes narrowing. Then he finally sighed, and put his coffee mug down.
"Fine."
"Yes!" We both said, at the same time. He hushed us with a finger in the air, and added, "One condition: follow the rules of the road, and no speeding."
"Of course, Mr. Keller."
At that, Kevin and I cleaned up, and went to my bike. He seemed unsure after I had gotten on, so I turned, and said, "Hey, it's okay. And besides, you've been on a motorcycle before. Right?" He gave me a mischievous grin, and then hopped on, and wrapped his arms around my middle. Then I kicked up the kickstand, and we were off.
It was the middle of the school day, and we were in between classes when Veronica, Betty and I were at our lockers. Then, out of nowhere, Kevin flew between veronica and I, and asked, "So, how'd it go with chuck?" he sounded nervous. I chuckled at him before getting in front of him, and listening to Veronica.
"Chuck has muscles for days, but his conversation is not the stuff of Oscar Wilde or even Diablo Cody."
"Hey Veronica, how was the sticky maple you had last night?" Ginger asked, as she and Tina walked past us, grinning.
"The what, now?" Veronica asked, puzzled.
"The sticky maple chuck gave you? How was it?" Tina asked, as they walked by, and I groaned.
"We had a brownie sundae if that's what you hyenas mean," Veronica said, as she opened her locker. And that's when I noticed it: the cell phones going off, the staring, the hushed murmuring as people walked by.
"Oh, my gosh," Kevin exclaimed, as he looked at his phone. I looked over his shoulder and gasped.
"What?" Veronica glared, and then took the phone and looked at it. "What is a sticky maple?"
"It's kind of what it sounds like. It's a Riverdale thing," Kevin said, and Veronica looked up from the phone in sheer disgust.
"No, Kevin, it's a slut-shaming thing. And I'm neither a slut, nor am I going to be shamed by someone named—excuse me—Chuck Clayton. Does he really think he can get away with this? Does he not know who I am? I will cut the brakes on his souped-up phallic symbol."
"Or we can go to principal Weatherbee," I suggested, and then veronica looked at me.
"About the coach's son, who is captain of the football team, and Riverdale High's resident golden boy?" she asked, rhetorically.
Then Betty jumped in and held onto Kevin's arm while she said, "Or I can exploit him in the Blue and Gold, yeah, I can do that!"
Veronica then looked up, saying, "No. Spoken like a true good-girl who always follows the rules. Well, I don't follow rules," she said, as she slammed Kevin's phone back into his chest, causing him to fall into the lockers. "I make them. And when necessary, I break them. You want to help me get revenge on chuck, Alex? Awesome. What do you say, in or out?" She glanced back at me as she entered the boys' locker room, and I nodded, following.
I bumped into something hard, and I stepped back. I gasped, looking up; I saw Archie was the one I slammed into. His towel around his hips came loose, and he quickly caught it, asking, "What are you guys doing in here?"
"Don't worry about it," I said, as I tried to push past him, but he caught my arm.
"I mean it, Archibald! Hit the showers and stay out of my way," I said, as I pushed him back, and he hit the lockers behind him. We made it past most of the guys, and then we stopped at the end of the lockers, in front of Chuck, Reggie, and Moose. She cleared her throat, in an annoyed way. They all turned their heads, and Chuck instantly grinned.
"Huh, A & V, ménage a right on, ladies," Chuck said, and a few of the boys behind him laughed. Veronica then held up her phone, revealing the picture of him and Veronica sitting in his car, with a photo-shopped drizzle of maple syrup on her head.
"This is disgusting. Take it down," she demanded, with a glare. He just laughed, stepping closer.
"Whoa, whoa, why are you so wound up? It's a badge of honor, and you're not exactly virgin territory after your closet date with Andrews." She merely scoffed, and I put a hand on my upper chest/neck in disgust.
"Ok, that is beyond irrelevant, Chuck. You're not allowed to go around, humiliating girls for any reason, under any circumstances, you hobnocker!" I glared at him, and then he looked at me and said something that was WAY too inappropriate and pervert-ish to even think about saying again.
My mouth fell open at that, as anger welled up in me. And I said to myself, "Estúpido, engreído, chico." He just looked at me strangely.
Then Veronica sighed, and said, "Let's keep this simple, so your preppy, murder, half-brain can grasp it…" Then she walked closer to him, phone in hand, and said, "Take, this, down." She stared up into his eyes with conviction but all he did was chuckle.
"Ok, that high-toned, demanding-attitude may have worked on the betas you dated in New York, but you're in bulldog territory now." Then he looked between us, and said, "So please, fight back." He smiled as Moose and a few others started barking at us, and Veronica slightly jumped back at the action.
Then he walked past us, and he stopped at me, inches from my body, and whispered, "You'll only make it harder on yourself." Then he smiled, and walked away with the rest of the guys.
After Veronica and I went our separate ways, I went to the Blue and Gold office. "Hey," I said, as I tapped on the wooden door. Betty looked up from her laptop, and smiled.
"Alex, what are you doing here?"
"There's more to this thing then people think. I know it. I was wondering if you could help Me." She smiled at that, and then we started to work on the case. An hour or two later, we had about a dozen girls in the office. Ethel was about to tell her story when Veronica came walking in.
"This story is bigger than we thought. We started asking around, seeing if what happened to you, happened to anyone else, if anyone would go on the record," I said, as Veronica looked at everyone in shock.
"I will. 100%," Ethel said, as she looked at Betty, and she nodded.
"It is five guys on the football team, plus Chuck and his posse. Ethel was about to tell us…" I said, and looked at Ethel. She sighed, and then began.
"One day last year, Chuck and I talked in the library for 10 minutes. I helped him with a pre-cal problem, and nothing happened. But the next day, he…he started telling people I let him do stuff to me. And then he, or one of his goons, wrote 'sloppy seconds' on my locker."
Veronica nodded, and then Cheryl appeared at the door, hanging on it, and said, "Yes, yes, we've all heard your tragic origin story."
"I'm so, so sorry, Ethel, that's horrible," Betty said, and then Cheryl walked in the room, and I clenched my fists to stop from punching her.
"Not as horrible as being a suspect in your own brother's murder case, but, we all have our crosses. In the mean time, River Vixen practice starts in five minutes, sluts, so…" Cheryl tried to explain. Ethel, thank goodness, cut her off, and said, "They're ruining our lives, and to them it's just a game. They keep score, and…"
"Wait, what do you mean, 'keep score'?" Veronica asked, and she explained.
"Each conquest, earns them points. They keep track in some secret playbook."
Veronica scoffed at the story in disgust, and Betty said, "Ok, we have to go to Weatherbee."
"I already tried. Weatherbee said he didn't find anything," Ethel said, with a ruthful tone.
"Ok, we need undeniable proof," Betty said, with a shake of her head.
"Proof of what, Nancy Drew? That 'boys will be boys'? And that playbook reeks of suburban legend," Cheryl said, and I scoffed, turning to her.
"How would you know, Cheryl?"
"Because, Freda Shallow, my brother was co-captain of the football team with chuck, and he never mentioned it, and he never would've allowed it."
"Ok, well, I never knew your brother when he was on the football team. But Veronica's not lying about what happened to her. And Ethel's not lying," I said, with an annoyed tone, "and proof or no proof, book or no book, I am going scorched earth on these privileged, despicable miscreants. You want to get caught in that back draft, Cheryl? Call me, or any of these beautiful, young, strong, intelligent women…'slut' one more time." Cheryl just slightly smiled, looking at me.
