Disclaimer: I do not own Riverdale.
Author's Notes: I appreciate all the love for this story. I hope you all continue to enjoy, I am going to make my note brief because of the semi-long delay for this chapter. But can we discuss episode six? Like please.
The first day of school last year was so far from this one for Alicia, last year she had been excited she could barely sleep, this year she remained locked in her room curled up in her bed the entire day before the start of classes. Even when she heard Kevin leaving to head to the Coopers, Alicia couldn't bring herself to emerge from her cocoon of blankets that encased her. Her mother worried if she would be able to even attend the first day of school after she claimed to just have a horrible stomach cramp, but Alicia knew it would be easier to face Cheryl tomorrow than postponing her demise.
Their friendship had been strained by her first indiscretion, however it broke completely with Cheryl's. Alicia had come clean to Cheryl about her relationship with Jason in early March. Cheryl had invited her over to the Blossom house to watch movies like they tended to do on the weekend if neither of them had a date. She was sitting at Cheryl's vanity as Cheryl was sifting through her closet debating what clothes to get rid of to make room for a newer wardrobe. "Cheryl... I need to tell you something."
"Please tell me its that you have finally come to your sense about Reggie." Cheryl said as she pulled out a green dress that looked lovely with her flaming locks holding it in front of her as she looked in the mirror.
Alicia looked at her through the mirror. "No, can you take me seriously for like two minutes? Please?"
Cheryl put the dress back in her closet and turned to face her friend. "If you are going to tell me about you sleeping with Jason, I'd prefer it if you didn't." Cheryl's cold tone put Alicia in a state of shock.
"You know?" Alicia had been confused Jason had been very persistent about not letting Cheryl or anyone for that matter know about what was going on.
"So it's true then?" Cheryl asked biting her lip in annoyance, Alicia just nodded in response. "How long has it been going on?" Cheryl was never good at hiding her emotions, she was clearly angry and Alicia didn't blame her.
"A little over a month..." Alicia said answering her questions, knowing her friend enough to know telling her everything at once would just anger her more, allowing her to ask questions would make it easier on them both.
Cheryl walked over to her bed and sat on the edge of it, never taking her eyes off of Alicia. "I never expected you to be the one to play the part of the slut." Cruelty dripped from every word, "but then again, I never expected you would even look at Jason that way."
"I'm sorry, Cheryl." Alicia said simply, tears coming to her eyes even as she fought it. "I couldn't keep it from you."
"I think you should leave, before Jason gets here." Cheryl finally looked away from her friend, in that moment when she looked away Alicia felt their friendship begin to crack under the stress of the situation.
As Alicia laid in her bed as the room grew dark with the setting sun she replayed that day over and over again. Facing Cheryl tomorrow would be near impossible after what she had told her last weekend. The next day at school would be the start to a new Alicia, an Alicia who was simply a blonde headed girl, not a River Vixen, not the bubbly personality she once was, because no matter how hard she tried she felt nothing like that girl, merely a shell of that girl.
"Ali?" Reggie's voice cut through Alicia's thoughts dragging her back to the surface as they sat in Pop's. She had barely touched her coke as he had completely demolished his meal, even Chuck and his date had finished eating. "You okay?" The sound of concern in his voice made Alicia put on a fake smile as quickly as she could. She didn't want to tell her boyfriend she was thinking of the man she as suppose to be meeting later that evening. She nodded and gripped his hand tighter as Chuck's date laughed about some joke he was in the middle of telling.
The entire situation was most unfair to Reggie, but Alicia couldn't bring herself to end it with any form of finality. Every time they would break up or she would think they had broken up Reggie would show up with flowers or call her like nothing had happened. "My stomach just hurts, excuse me for a minute." She said as she faked her smile to the boy.
He let go of her hand as she stood up, and walked away from the table, Chuck's date calling after her. She hadn't even bothered to learn the girls name knowing she would be gone quickly like most of the date the football player brought around were. She walked into the bathroom at Pop's and quickly locked herself into one of the stalls and took a deep breath, fighting the sounds racing through her head. The sound of Cheryl saying the word 'Slut', the sound of Jason's sweet nothings he'd whisper at night, the sound of her heart racing.
It was all interrupted by a voice she recognized immediately. "We have a date tomorrow night, we are going to the drive in." Polly Cooper's voice sounded like that of an angel. Alicia always struggled with the idea of her that Jason had told her of, the needy and slightly insane version that just didn't match her appearance of reputation.
"Don't tell Dad, he'd never be okay with you going to that part of town." Betty's voice answered in response. Alicia stood there trying her best to listen for the lock on the stall to make her escape from the small room, finding no peace in their like she had originally hoped. She just wanted Reggie to take her home, so she could go see Jason and do what needed to be done.
When the locked clicked in a neighboring stall she unlocked hers and looked around, seeing both of the voices had went into stalls. She walked over to the sink and turned on the water and splashed some water on her face, the cold water made her look more ill. She left the bathroom and made a straight line for Reggie, who instantly got up when he saw her walking closer. "Shit, I'm taking you home." Reggie said grabbing her hand and leading her to the table allowing her to sit at her chair. "Let me pay the tab," he said smiling at her.
"Shit Keller, why didn't you say you felt so bad?" Chuck asked as he looked at her with concern.
"It was only a stomach cramp until about five minutes ago." Alicia lied.
"There is a stomach flu going around, my mom works at the clinic she said a lot of the elementary kids have it maybe you got it from your mom." Chuck's date said simply.
"I'll be fine by Monday I'm sure." Alicia could admit she was being honest with that statement. Reggie came back and they went out to his truck, it was as she looked through the window of Pop's and saw Polly Cooper smiling and laughing that Alicia found herself feeling extremely ill. Reggie dropped her off but not before seeing her all the way to her bed and informing her mother of her sudden illness. He kissed her forehead gently before leaving. The second she heard his truck start up and back out of her drive she sent a simple message to the one who was causing all her discomfort.
We need to talk.
Jason Blossom.
Alicia clung her books tightly to her chest that morning as she walked through the halls of Riverdale High. She walked straight to her locker to place her couple books away as she waited for the class bell, looking at everyone being sure to hide behind her locker if she wanted to remain unnoticed. "Good morning." Reggie said from behind her causing her to jump. "You're here early, not ride with Cheryl today?" Reggie smiled at her, he thought he knew her best.
"No, Kev and I took the Jeep." Alicia said tucking her bangs behind her ear. "I should be asking why you are here so early, you hate mornings and school."
"Morning training, Coach Clayton has me on Varsity this year." Reggie said with his charming brilliant smile. "Varsity football player and smoking hot cheerleader, Cheryl might just get jealous."
"I'm not going to try out of the River Vixen's this year." Alicia said as she clung to her locker door, her grasp getting tighter with each second of his smile.
Reggie laughed, until he noticed her glare. "Shit, you're serious? Why you look amazing in those little skirts."
Alicia shrugged, "I'm just not feeling the cheerleader thing, I was thinking I might try out the arts or something." When Reggie continued laughing, Alicia felt her face growing warm. "What is so fucking funny?"
"Nothing, nothing... Just I have a feeling you will be changing your mind by tomorrow."
"Oh what makes you say that?"
"Just know you is all." Reggie said before leaning over and kissing her on the cheek. "See you around." He said before leaving with Moose who walked by them. Even Reggie was too good for Alicia in her current state.