The Story of Emma Andrews

Assumptions

"Cheryl!"

Emma stomped angrily towards the tall redhead as she stood in the student lounge, where she sat with some of the Pretty Poisons. "Ah, perfect timing, Emmie Doll! I got this for you hot off the press." She shoved a copy of the Lodge Ledger into Emma's arms.

"Betrothed to a Blossom", the headline read.

Emma attempted to keep her cool but struggled to do so. "Why would you do this?" Everyone in the lounge stared at what seemed to be another loose cannon battle between Emma and Cheryl.

The redhead showed no mercy as she stalked closer towards Emma, openly challenging her. "Because I want everyone to know exactly who you are."

"And what is that, Cheryl? Because to everyone else, it looks like your parents were arranging children to get married when they were twelve." A few people snorted causing Cheryl to become even angrier than before.

"You are the herald of misfortune, Emma." Cheryl looked down at the strawberry-blonde without an ounce of mercy. "Turn around and look at everyone you've hurt." She said referencing their larger friend group. "I want them all to know you are the reason my brother is dead."

Emma looked at Cheryl with a bewildered expression. She knew that Cheryl's desperate reach for blame was always iron tight, but this was far-reaching even for her. "Jason is dead because of your father. Because Clifford Blossom stared right into his son's eyes and pulled the trigger. If I am guilty for being part of the reason he ran, then you are definitely complacent since you rowed him towards his death."

Silence fell over the room as Cheryl stared at Emma with daggers in her eyes. She knew Emma had gotten to her and the strawberry-blonde hadn't even known it.

Taking a deep breath, Emma shook her head and looked at her.

"I don't have time to waste my anger on a lost soul. You are simply another detractor, Cheryl. You surround yourself with this toxic cloud, when in reality, you are just as polluted as the words that you spew." She locked eyes with Evelyn, who smiled at her proudly.

Emma had passed the test of temptation flawlessly.

She held the newspaper up and shook it lightly, "I hope this was a teaching moment." She said quietly as she walked out the door with Evelyn. Cheryl and a few others watched as the two girls smiled and spoke carelessly.

***

"Is that a baby gate?" Jughead pointed out as he, Betty, and Veronica walked through Archie's house. Archie nodded as he eyed the gate at the top of the stairs, "Emma's been sleepwalking, so my dad bought a taller one that way she can't get over it."

Betty looked to Veronica before speaking, "She hasn't done that since we were little."

The redhead shrugged as he opened his door and headed towards the garage, "The doctor's think it might be stress."

"At least she is seeing someone." Veronica chimed.

Archie shook his head causing Veronica's eyebrows to furrow, "The doctor's at the Farm." Archie specified. "They even came and talked to my dad about it, they said they want to observe her a few days a week."

The four had agreed to get together to discuss their latest endeavors and how they would approach Emma about the Farm. "Your dad is okay with that?" Veronica asked as he nodded, "Kevin's a part of it, even your mom- Betty. He doesn't see any harm in it."

"Despite the fact that my mom has gone crazy and sold her house to be a full-time Farmie." Betty retorted.

Jughead nodded feeling just as odd living in what once was her house.