monsters | riverdale

The Preppy Murders

✿

"What are you doing?"

Mickey stops writing in her planner to answer Veronica's question. "I have a fun, but productive summer ahead of me and I want to be prepared." Then she's back to circling dates on her calendar.

"You're usually more of a follow the flow," Veronica says.

"And I still am, but after next week, I'm entering my formative years. There needs to be some organization, so I stay on top of things." She says, "Plus, I have to get rid of some of these activities I wrote down specifically for Jughead and I."

"Like the Museum of Moving Image?" Veronica points to the name.

"Exactly."

She encourages, "Then cross it out."

Mickey's pen hovers over the words. "I will. When I decide what I'm gonna replace it with." Crossing it out would just make the breakup definitive and she's not ready for that.

"I think you're holding on to your relationship."

"You wanna talk about holding on? You're pretending to still be a couple with Archie's sorry ass after he cheated on you with your best friend."

"Archie and I are only pretending because we don't want to disturb the dynamic in our friend group."

Mickey rolls her eyes. "It's stupid."

Hermosa enters the diner and spots her sister's by the counter. She approaches them.

Mickey closes her planner and says, "That's my cue." She collects all of her things.

Veronica begs, "Stay."

"Whenever she comes around, a scheme follows and I don't want any part of it. See you later, sisters."

✿

At school that same day, Mickey is called to the gymnasium to try on her graduation gown. She finishes zipping it and takes a look in the mirror. Her excitement is almost uncontainable.

"It's getting real, right?"

She spins around to see Jughead and Archie. Of course they have fittings at the same time as her. Immediately she notices the red marks on their necks. "Did you two get into a fight or something?"

"No. Your dad did this. They're our 'consequences,' Jughead uses his fingers for air quotes.

"I never told him to go after you, Jug." Then she glances over at Archie, "You kind of deserve it."

"Why does he deserve it?"

"He knows why."

"Go to hell, Mickey," Archie snaps.

Jughead smacks his friend's arm. "Dude," he chides.

"This is stupid. Walking the stage with you guys even though I'm not graduating." Archie takes off his gown and storms out.

✿

Hiram gathers all the ladies in his life in the living room. "I have given some thought to what the two of you," he nods to Hermosa and Veronica, "have been saying about me retiring. And as much as I hate to admit it, maybe you have a point."

Mickey is impressed. She claps her hands softly, "Wow. I don't know what you two did, but I've never seen Daddy bow down."

"If I do choose to step down, what would that even look like?"

Veronica says, "You would take a break while I go to Barnard and Hermosa handles business affairs."

He rolls the idea around in his head for a moment or two. Then he nods, "Okay. After graduation, I'll take a long, nice sabbatical to the Caymans. How does that sound, mi amor?" He reaches for Hermione's hand, but she clasps her hands behind her back.

"Sounds wonderful." Hermione smirks, "But I won't be joining you. See, I've also decided to make a life change. Three years ago, Andy Cohen asked me to become a Real Housewife of New York. I turned him down to focus on my family. But, really, mijas, I did it to protect you. Girls, the only reason I got back together with your father in the first place was to keep you safe. But now, you're both going off to college, and Hermosa's back in the picture, so I really don't see any reason to put my ambitions on hold anymore. So, Hiram, I'm divorcing you and I am moving back to the city, and becoming a real housewife."

Mickey grins, "Wow, Mom! You win." She's proud of her her mom for finally getting away.

Veronica points to her father, "But do take that trip to the Caymans, Daddy. You need a break from Riverdale, and Riverdale most definitely needs a break from you."