The next afternoon, Kiara Carrera dragged her feet as she walked home from school, her stomach twisted in knots. Her parents hadn't backed down about Riverdale, and she had spent the entire day alternating between plotting an escape and hoping it was all some cruel joke.

As she approached the house, she noticed a strange red pickup truck parked in the driveway. Her heart sank further. "So, it's happening," she muttered under her breath. "Great."

Kiara hesitated at the door, her fingers trembling on the handle. She could hear voices drifting from the back porch. She stepped inside and dropped her backpack in the hallway, trying to make herself as small and invisible as possible as she crept toward the source of the noise.

"Thanks for coming all this way, Frank," her dad's voice said, calm but firm.

"Not a problem," came a gruff, unfamiliar voice. "I'll whip her into shape. She won't have time to think about getting into trouble."

Kiara peeked around the corner and saw her parents sitting at the outdoor table, deep in conversation with a rugged, broad-shouldered man in his late forties. He was wearing a flannel shirt and boots, his face weathered like he had seen too many sunrises and too few breaks.

"Great," Kiara whispered sarcastically to herself. "A human lumberjack is going to babysit me."

She stepped onto the porch, and all three heads turned toward her. Mike's face immediately darkened, Anna's lips pressed into a disapproving line, and Frank gave her a once-over with a look of mild annoyance, like she was a problem he'd already decided how to solve.

"Kiara," Mike said, his voice carrying the weariness of a man who had run out of patience, "this is Frank Andrews."

"Cool," Kiara said flatly, crossing her arms. "So this is the guy who's supposed to fix me?"

Frank's jaw tightened. "I'm the guy who's going to keep you out of trouble."

Kiara smirked. "And you think Riverdale's the place to do that? Pretty sure they have more crime than the Outer Banks."

"Watch your mouth," Anna snapped, her eyes narrowing.

"I'm just saying," Kiara shot back, "you're shipping me off to Murder Capital, USA, and for what? Because I actually have friends who care about me?"

Mike sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You're not going to debate this, Kiara. You've left us no choice."

Frank leaned forward, his arms resting on his knees. "Listen, kid. I don't care if you like it or not. Tomorrow, you're coming with me to Riverdale. You'll stay with me, follow my rules, and keep your head down. Got it?"

Kiara rolled her eyes. "Oh, I 'got it.' Doesn't mean I'm doing it."

Anna's voice was sharp enough to cut glass. "Kiara, stop this right now. You will go to Riverdale, and you will listen to Frank."

"Or what?" Kiara fired back. "What's next? Are you going to call the World's Strictest Parents? Or send me to that Turnaround Ranch place for 'troubled teens'?"

Frank bristled, his face hardening. "This isn't a joke, Kiara."

Mike stood, his expression thunderous. "You're being ridiculous. You've disrespected us, your home, and now Frank—who's here to help you. Enough with the sarcasm!"

"Disrespected?" Kiara's voice cracked with emotion. "You're the ones disrespecting me! I'm not some screw-up you can just dump on someone else to fix!"

Anna's eyes flashed. "This isn't about us giving up on you. This is about giving you a chance to change before you ruin your life."

"My life? The only thing ruining my life is you two! And now him!" She jabbed a finger in Frank's direction.

Frank leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "Tough. Life's hard, kid. Get used to it."

Kiara let out a bitter laugh. "You know what? Fuck you guys." Her words exploded out of her like a grenade, and the silence that followed was deafening.

Mike shot up and marched toward her. "What did you just say?"

Kiara stood her ground, glaring at him with all the fury she could muster. "You heard me. This is bull, and you know it."

Mike's face was a mix of rage and hurt. "You watch your mouth, Kiara. I've had enough of your attitude."

"Good! Because I've had enough of your rules!" Kiara shouted back, her voice cracking under the weight of her anger. "You can send me to Riverdale, but I'm not changing who I am."

Frank stood, his imposing frame towering over the table. "That's enough, both of you. Kiara, here's how this is going to go. You'll pack your things tonight. Essentials only. Tomorrow after school, you'll meet me here, and we'll drive to Riverdale. No arguments, no stalling."

Kiara's hands balled into fists at her sides. "I'm not saying goodbye to my friends."

Anna stood beside Mike, her face set in stone. "Yes, you are. Say goodbye to the Pogues—including JJ."

"No," Kiara said firmly, her voice trembling. "I'm not leaving them. I love them. They're my family."

"They're a bad influence!" Mike snapped.

"No, they're not!" Kiara shouted. "They've been there for me more than you two ever have!"

The words hung in the air like a bombshell. Mike and Anna looked stunned, and Frank sighed heavily, rubbing his temples.

"Fine," Frank said, his voice calm but firm. "You want to sulk? Go ahead. But tomorrow, you're coming with me whether you like it or not."

Kiara glared at him, her chest heaving with frustration. "This is the worst decision you've ever made."

"No," Anna said coldly. "The worst decision would be letting you keep going down this path."

Kiara turned on her heel and stomped back inside, slamming the door behind her. Upstairs, she threw herself onto her bed, tears of anger streaming down her face.

"This is so messed up," she muttered to herself. "Riverdale? Seriously? What is this, some kind of joke?"

Her phone buzzed, and she grabbed it, hoping for a distraction. It was a text from JJ.

JJ: Yo, how's it going? You okay?

Kiara stared at the screen, her throat tightening. She wanted to tell him everything, but what was the point? The battle was already lost.

Kiara: No. They're sending me away.

A pause, then another buzz.

JJ: What?! Where?

Kiara: Riverdale. Some guy named Frank Andrews is picking me up tomorrow.

JJ: WTF. I'll figure something out.

Kiara smiled faintly, though her tears didn't stop. If nothing else, she knew the Pogues would never give up on her. Even if she was going to Riverdale.