SOUTHSIDE STARLET *editing* (RIVERDALE)

The Stranger...

I woke up to Archie Andrews entering his bedroom where I was sleeping. "Nicolette?"
"ARCHIE!" I gasped. He laughed, "Chill, my dad told me about what Hiram did to you. Now, if you'll excuse me, you missed breakfast and I have to go see Veronica. And Betty is tapping on her window asking for you."
"UGH! I still have a major hangover!"
-
-
Evelyn Evernever answered the door when I knocked. I pushed past her to reveal...
"Betty," I enveloped her into a hug, "I missed you so damn much. How have you been? Is your mom home?"
"No," Evelyn said, "I'm keeping track of Betty."
"Excuse me. Evelyn, um... I gotta take Betty to Pop's. No, you may not come. Yes, this is a cousin only trip."
-
"Root beer float for Archie. Caramel frappucino for Nicolette." Pop Tate said as all eyes were on us as Jughead looked me in the eyes.
"What, Jug?" Archie asked.
"New drinks, new hairstyles, two brand new dark vacant looks in your eyes." Jughead said, looking at me specifically.
"Ugh. Cut my man and my sister some slack. They both lived through the Revenant. Let them have what they want."
"What did I miss?" I asked.
"Well, the SATs are this Saturday." Betty said.
Archie choked on his drink and I pretended to faint. Jughead rolled his eyes as Betty sighed, "We'll help you study."
Then, Pop Tate came back and told Betty her card was declined. I looked at her with knowing eyes after mine was also declined.
We stormed into The Cooper house.
"You drained my accounts." Betty was furious, "What about my college fund?"
"And mine?" I asked, "Did you..?"
"I did." Alice said.
Betty was furious so she knocked the stuff off of the coffee table, "Where is my damn money."
"I had it wired to the Farm."
"And mine?" I asked.
"Ask your father. You two could always go to college at the Farm."
"NO." Betty screamed, "You are not brainwashing us into joining your cult!"
-
"Fred, we really don't have to do this. In fact this is a bad idea." I said as he parked in front of the Pembrooke. FP Jones looked me in the eyes and hugged me, "Jug said you needed to get some stuff and I'm making sure Hiram doesn't hurt you. And to support Fred."
"Ugh fine."
Walking through the lobby was fine. Walking anywhere but the study we ended up in was fine. I was stopped by Lenny, Hiram's capo. He stroked my hair, "She's back boss."
"Fred Andrews, FP Jones. What can I do for you fellas?" Hiram stood behind his desk. Then he saw me, "I see you've returned my daughter to me. Come here mija."
I didn't say a word to him. All I could think about was- Buzz. I ignored my phone. Hiram advanced toward me. "We have business to discuss."
I sighed, "Look, Hiram. I need my money back and my personal Nancy Drew, also known as my cousin, says if her mom didn't take it, you did."
"Mija, I-"
"Cut the crap Hiram. We all know you have it out for these two kids." FP jeered.
"I don't have anything against you son- either of your sons, or my own daughter." He hugged me whispering, "You know I don't like it when you're being-"

"I-I'm sorry, Daddy, I-"
My phone buzzed again and I pulled back to answer it staying in front of the adults, "Oh my god, Betty thank god. You really need to..."
"Letti."
I sneered, "Who the hell gave you my number?"
"Alice gave us all her contacts," Evelyn informed me.
I sighed, "Oh Miss Manson why are you calling me while I'm in the middle of a business meeting?" I looked over at Hiram who looked at me. So she said, "Your cousin Betty's college fund has been drained. You might want to thank her for her donation." I rolled my eyes.
"What donation you goddamn con artist. Betty's college fund means everything to her and you took that away from her. Evelyn Evernever you mother fucking, brainwashing child's play waradrobe wearing bitch!" I screamed, causing the adults to look at me, "You ever hurt Betty or my dearest cousin Cheryl and I'll personally murder you. I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty. Go ahead and tell you cultist father if he's even still alive." I hung up as Fred looked at me with concern.
"Who was that, mija?" Hiram asked.
She called again, "I told you not to call this number again. I will have my boyfriend go after your-"
"Ask your father where your money is." Evelyn said, "The Farm appreciates you and wants to extend that olive branch of information in exchange for you going to a meeting."
"Alright." I sighed, placing her on speaker, "Did you donate my money to the Farm?"
He said nothing, "See you at the meeting."
"I swear to god, wannabe Blossom, you better return that fucking money to my account and my cousin's. If it's not back by the end of the day I'm not going to your little club meeting."
"Okay, see you tomorrow, bye Hiram Lodge and company."
"Bye," and then when she hung up, "psycho bitch."
"Who was that?" all three adults asked.
"Some bitch from the Farm. Let's just say she's worse than you are at a younger age. All the more reason for you to sign my damn emancipation papers." I put my hand out as he put the signed papers in my hand, "Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Lodge."
-
-
"And then Evelyn told me to thank you for your donation." I told Betty, "And I called her a brainwashing bitch. Told her I'd have her head if she ever..."
"Hey, Letti, Betty. I can see the fear in your eyes but at the Farm, we know everything about each other," Evelyn said, smiling creepily as her eyes looked extra creepy, "Come sit with us Letti."
Veronica grabbed my arm, "Aye dios mio, Nicolette. We have to go meet."
Archie wrapped me in a hug, "How's your first day back, Colette?"
"Fairly well, and yours, Andrews?" I asked.
"We still going to lunch with..?"
Jughead came in and kissed me cheek, "Hey babe."
"Jones, you're late." I told him, "But I was just telling Evelyn that I couldn't make it to lunch with her because it's our first lunch with the five of us since last year. Sorry Evvy. See you later. You know my contact info, we'll chat later."
Evelyn grabbed my arm, "You owe the Farm. Remember, one wrong move and I could expose you." I shook her off, "Oh, trust me. I could be out of Riverdale and across the country in a heartbeat. Do you know how many people are dying to hire me? A lot. So keep your mouth shut, Evernever. I'm going to go have lunch with my friends and then I'm going to go spend quality time with my cousin, the infamous Cheryl Blossom after school. And you're going to stay in your damn lane."
I shoved her bag off her shoulder, "Oh and never hurt my cousins, ever. Gracias. De nada. Buenas dias."
Betty was smiling at me when I met up with her, "Wow."
-
The next day, I showed up in the classroom where Evelyn waited with a bunch of random kids.
"Hello, Letti." she said.
"Evelyn." I fake smiled.
"Welcome to the Farm." she said, "Today we're going to reveal a deep dark secret that nobody else knows. Remember, the Farm has a strict confidentiality agreement so we don't divulge each other's pasts. Letti how about you."
"My show got cancelled, not because of ratings but because I quit." Little did I know Jughead Jones was by the door.
"Nicolette?" he gasped, "You left the show? I thought you..."
"Oh my god." i snapped out of my vulnerable state, "Why the hell am I talking to you, Evil Evernever? God, Jughead, thank you for saving me from being zombified by this cookie cutter cult!"
-
I arrived fashionably late to Archie's welcome home party and was surprised to see the redhead upstairs crying. His face lifted from the table as the bell rang. I frowned, "Hiram?" He nodded. To be quite honest, I didn't want to come to this party specifically due to Veronica's resemblance of Hiram. Archie Andrews was framed for murder by my father but I was also hurt by him.
However, I decided to give it a chance. Music blared and Veronica's voice filled the room, speaking Spanish, sounding exactly like a female version of her father, my father. The room began to spin. Suddenly Hiram was in front of me and I pushed Jughead away when he attempted to hug me. Running out of the speakeasy, Archie Andrews caught me in his arms, "It's okay, Colette. Sssh, he hurt a lot of people. We'll do this together." His hand enveloped mine and he furrowed his brow as if he felt something.
"Colette. What the hell is on your hand. Why do you have the same brand as me?"
The following afternoon during gym class, Veronica cornered me.
"Goddamnit, Nicolette. You seriously had to make a scene at Archie's party. How selfish!"
I put on my normal purple blouse, failing to button it. "Excuse me? If you're referring to my panic attack, PTSD isn't selfish, it's a common disorder. Daddy can cause it but he can't get you educated on it can he?" I stormed out of the locker room, blouse buttoned, Cheryl and Toni behind me. I stopped, "What do you want anti-Serpents?"
Cheryl rolled her eyes, "Peace. With you atleast. The Southside-"
"It's just Starlet." I clarified.
"Well," Toni said, "You could convince Jones to make me queen."
"Over my dead body, TeeTee." I said, "I'm also a serpent by blood and Jughead is my boyfriend so no. However, as much as I love you, Cher, you need to be cut loose and let Toni get back in by herself. We all know it was your idea to rob Hiram."
Cheryl looked at the floor, "Regardless, tell your king TeeTee and I come as a package deal."
"Cher-" Toni stayed behind, "I'll think about it, Starlet."
-
When I got back to the Andrews residence Fred had something for me.
"A girl named Evelyn stopped by." he said.
"Ugh. psycho bitch." I sighed.
"Language." Fred reprimanded.
I sighed, going to Archie's room and opening the package with him. Betty and Jughead were up there studying when I barged in, "Goddamnit that psychotic little bitch! I swear to god I fucking can't with her! How dare she send me this." In my hand was a tape, "She recorded out damn conversations. Betty, I don't care if we get into any trouble. I want Evelyn dead."
"She's across the street. With my mom." Betty said.
I bolted over there, Betty ditching her second study session to come with me, using my key to get in, "Where the hell is she, ALice?" I saw her, "EVELYN! We need to talk. WHy the hell are you stalking me? Why does this tape have my vocals on it without my permission?"
"Letti, I was only trying to-" I slapped her. Alice pulled me off her.
"Nicolette, stop detracting. Edgar says he'd love to meet you to discuss your recent outbursts."
I sighed, "Look, Aunt Alice. I decided to move back in with you."
Alice sighed, "I can't have a detractor in my house, Nicolette."
"Mom!" Betty sighed, "Nicolette, of course you're welcomed here. You're family. In fact, you are going to be moving into my room. Let's go."
Evelyn followed us there but we closed the door and locked it.
"Hey. Hey! KEKE!" Betty shouted, "Look at me. Think about Jughead not about Evelyn or her blackmail. Just me and jughead. The two of us need to stick together right now. I won't let my first cousin be taken away from me."
I looked up, tears in my eyes, "Betts. It's just why the Farm? Betty. Goddamnit, why not Hiram fucking Lodge? I would be a million times happier if she was hawked up on Fizzle Rocks doing his bidding."
"Ssh... So would I but right now we are going to Pop's. And yes, Jughead still has his window ladder in your old bedroom."
We snuck out of her window leaving the door locked.
-
Later that week, Betty and I were ready to take the SATs and Evelyn sat right beside me. My pencil broke and something inside me and I guess Archie Andrews snapped. I followed him into the guys' restroom and witnessed him smashing a wall. "ARCHIE! Let's get the hell out of here."
Where did we go, you might ask?
Sweetwater Swimming Hole, where our friendship restarted.
"Hey, remember when we dated in eighth grade?" Archie asked.
"You ass, we dated all of middle school. And yeah, I kinda miss it. Jughead and I feel liike we're drifting, Arch."
"To be honest being back with Veronica is also very awkward." Archie said, "It's like she... Hello? Oh my god."
"Archie. My demonic father got shot in the chest."
-
Archie and I rushed to the hospital where Veronica stood, "What happened?"
"He was shot, shortly after you two left the SAT." Veronica spit.
"Shortly after we... wait you don't think that we-" Archie said.
"Did you- Archie Andrews did you-"
"No. The fact that you can even ask us that... It's over isn't it?" Archie asked.
"Yeah," Veronica sighed as Archie hugged me.
"Andrews. I gotta call Jughead." I went into Hiram's room, "Hey, Jug. I... uh... I'm fine... it's just I feel like you still like Betty... No, Juggie. I just need a break. MY DAD GOT SHOT JUG! Forgive me for not wanting to date anyone at the moment.