The Story of Emma Andrews

Spiraling

With the end of the extended weekend, the Andrews twins slowly began to find themselves more out of sorts than either had anticipated.

Sitting in the student lounge, Emma half-heartedly listened to Veronica and Jughead's bickering regarding Hiram Lodge and his next move.

Betty was invested in their debate cautiously chiming in. Archie sat alongside Emma, matching her quiet demeanor.

Neither of them cared to hear about the eldest Lodge. They were too consumed by their own issues to be concerned with anyone else's.

Archie was filled with rage, day-drinking and punching things, the once peaceful redhead had taken a turn for the worst.

Unlike Archie, Emma internalized. She barely spoke, ate, painted. To those closest, Emma had become a robot, unsure of how to express her emotions and to who.

Though the twins had their good moments, it seemed they were more rare as of late.

"Achie, Em..." Veronica turned her head wanting to get their input.

Archie shrugged. 

The strawberry-blonde inhaled deeply knowing he had spaced out, not listening to a word that they had been saying.

Emma cleared her throat, "To be honest, I just don't want to talk about the man anymore, V... I'm sorry."

Veronica reached for her hand, understanding where Emma currently stood.

"Well, if it isn't my backstabbing, usurper ex-bff."

Emma closed her eyes and stood, she knew it was a matter of time. "Cher-"

"Hold." The redhead smiled at her sinisterly, "Now, Emmie, no need to explain. You and my mother are two peas in a pod. Two vipers waiting for me to fall, but trust me," she neared Emma, "I won't."

The strawberry-blonde's voice was calm as she tried to deescalate the redhead's feisty temper. "Cheryl, I was going to tell you, but then the Ghoulies attacked me and I left town because I thought Hira-"

Emma was greeted with a cold slap that left her cheek stinging. Her eyes sprung tears from the harsh impact.

Veronica stood, "Cheryl!"

"You do not lie to me, Emma Andrews."

Cheryl face had morphed from fake happy to vindictive and sinister. "You ran because you didn't want to get caught. You are just as greedy as the rest."

"No... No, no I didn't. I- I have it right here."

Emma riffled through her bag wildly before pulling out a file that contained the paperwork to transfer the buisness to Cheryl, all that was needed was the redhead's signature.

Cheryl looked insulted by Emma's pleas of innocence. "Cher, you have to believe me. I never wanted this, I hadn't even known-"

"And then you did. And now you are dead to me."

Turning her head towards Tina, who stood behind her, Cheryl spoke proudly. "Why don't you give good ole Emmie a warm welcome back from the Riverdale Vixens?"

The strawberry-blonde looked at her confused as Tina threw her caramel iced coffee onto Emma's face and chest.

Her face switched from shock to something unreadable.

"Posted." Ginger said happily as she clicked her phone.

Betty stood up and snatched the phone from her hand as Ginger gunned for it, "Try me." Betty threatened.