It felt strange to be back in Riverdale High. I sat next to Archie in front of Principal Weatherbee's desk, waiting for him to finish looking over the files in front of him.
"This is a unique situation we have," he said, looking up at us. "The two of you have missed quite a bit of school, especially you, Ms Sullivan. You've been out for almost a year. Have you been pursuing education elsewhere?"
Archie looked over at me. He knew I hadn't been and how much convincing it had taken everyone to get me to come to this meeting. "Not in the traditional sense," I answered. "But I've never really done well sitting in a classroom listening to a lecture. And I have a job where I cover all the major subjects every day."
"Abigail, you run payroll for my dad's company and pay the bills. That doesn't really cover much of anything," Archie protested.
"I'm afraid I have to agree," Mr Weatherbee said. "Unless there's more to what you do?"
I nodded, sitting up straighter in my seat. I had to get this right, it could be my only chance to prove to Weatherbee that I didn't need to come back to school. "As Archie said, I'm doing math when I run payroll, pay invoices, collect payment from customers, reconcile the bank and credit card statements, and when the time comes, I'll be handling the quarterly taxes for the company. In regards to English, I create and review contracts from vendors and customers. I cover history by referencing old contracts from previous jobs and research the history of buildings we're preparing to do work on, looking to see what renovations have been done already that could cause trouble for us. And if you really want me to do science, I could try and figure out what the hell is spilled on the paperwork the foremen turn into me at the end of the day."
Weatherbee sighed. "Be that as it may, I should still report you for truancy."
"You might want to check my file again then," I replied. "I was emancipated several years ago, so you'd just be wasting your time."
"I didn't know that," Archie said as Weatherbee flipped through my file once more.
"So you are," he said, lifting a page. "So would you care to tell me why you're here then?"
"Moral support," I shrugged, looking to Archie.
Archie nodded, leaning forward, launching into the speech we'd worked up for him. "Mr Weatherbee, I know a lot has happened and I've been gone a long time, but I want to return to Riverdale High. I just...I wanna get caught up and I wanna be a normal student again. I'm ready to put in the work and with the support of my friends, sir, I know I can get up to speed."
"I would be more than happy to welcome you back into my school," Weatherbee replied. "However, Mr Andrews, as you transition back into your life at Riverdale High, I would advise you to be realistic in terms of your goals."
Archie nodded. "I am Mr Weatherbee."
"The SATs are this coming Saturday," Weatherbee stated. "I"m guessing you haven't really had a chance to adequately prepare?"
"Not yet, sir," Archie replied.
Weatherbee sighed, giving us both considering looks. "Mr Andrews, given your situation, I would strongly recommend that you repeat your junior year."
"And not graduate with my friends?" Archie exclaimed, nearly jumping out of his seat.
"In the long-term, I believe it would be best for you," Weatherbee said. "However, I have a proposition for you. Dedicate all your extra time this week to studying. Depending on your SAT score, I may reconsider having you repeat the year."
"He'll do it," I said quickly. "We'll make sure he's ready."
Archie nodded quickly. "Yeah, yes, Mr Weatherbee. I'll do whatever it takes."
"Good," Weatherbee replied, folding his hands on the desk in front of him. "Because Ms Sullivan, I expect to see you there Saturday as well."
"Me? I thought we'd already established the fact that I'm not interested in coming back to school."
"We have," Weatherbee nodded. "But, if you prove to me that you can score well on the SATs without traditional schooling, I would be willing to help you earn your GED, something that would benefit you greatly in the future."
"Come on, Abigail," Archie said encouragingly, "take the offer. You're gonna be helping me study anyways, you might as well take the test."
I sighed. "Okay. But no matter what my scores are, I'm not coming back to school."
"Understood. Now, I believe the two of you have work to do," Weatherbee said, dismissing us.
"This is what I get for helping you," I groaned as we walked down the halls. "I get to spend my Saturday taking a bunch of tests."
"I'm sorry, but thank you for coming along," Archie said, pulling me to a stop. "It meant a lot that you were there. And won't Sweet Pea be here for the SATs too? It's not like you're going to miss out on time with him."
"Sweet Pea and I are perfectly capable of spending time apart from one another. But I am going to find him before I get out of here."
Archie gave a small laugh, holding his hands up in defeat. "Okay, okay, my bad. I'm going to look for Betty, see if she has anything to help get me started on studying for the SATs. See you at home?"
I nodded, continuing my way down the hall towards the Swords and Serpents classroom where I'd been told the Serpents still spent much of their free time together. Hearing voices coming from the room, I stopped in the doorway to watch and listen.
"Next is...demagogue," Brett said, reading the word off the card in his hand.
"A person who uses their popularity to get what they want?" someone guessed.
"Close," I said, getting everyones attention.
"Abigail, what are you doing here?" Sweet Pea asked, turning around with a smile.
I raised an eyebrow at him. "Did you forget? I came with Archie for his meeting with Weatherbee."
"That's right," he muttered as I sat on the desk beside him. "How'd that go?"
I sighed, thinking back over the discussion in the office. "Could have been better. We're both expected to be here Saturday for the SATs."
"Why are you taking the test? You're not even in school any more," the Serpents around us questioned.
"Unfortunately, that became part of the deal," I said. "But so far, it seems like I'm the only one who'll be getting a decent score on this test."
"Alright then, Ms Know-it-All," Sweet Pea teased. "Tell us what a demagogue is."
I rolled my eyes at him. "A demagogue is a politician or political leader who says and does whatever's necessary to gain popularity among the people, even they don't have any intention of following through with any of it."
"Sounds a lot like Hiram Lodge, if you ask me," Brett muttered, the others laughing in agreement. "Okay, next word..."
I stayed there for a while, taking over quizzing the boys before the bell rang, sending them all back to class. "Tell me about this deal with Weatherbee and Archie," Sweet Pea requested as we walked slowly down the hall.
"It's not a bad deal. As long as I score well, Weatherbee's gonna help me get my GED so I don't have to come back to school."
"But I miss you being here every day," Sweet Pea whined. "Seeing you in the halls, just being there with you at lunch and between classes."
Someone slammed their locker across the hall from us harder than necessary. Looking around, I spotted Josie McCoy stalking away. Was she upset about Sweet Pea and I?
"Tough it out," I said, turning back to the boy in front of me with a smile. We still have plenty of time together. Are you still coming over for dinner tonight?"
"Yes, I"ll be there," Sweet Pea replied. "Right now though, I need to get to class before I get detention again."
As he hurried off, I made my way back to Mr Andrews's truck where Archie was already waiting to take us home. "Looks like Betty gave you somewhere to start," I said, looking at the stack of books on the seat between us.
"Yeah, she said she's already been through those. Shouldn't you be studying too?"
"I"m good. I"ve been helping Sweet Pea and the other Serpents for the past few weeks already. And it looks like I"ll be helping you study too now. That oughta be enough."
At the house, Archie wasted no time sitting down at the table with a book open in front of him. I grabbed another, flipping through it and occasionally pausing to read something here and there. The book had the usual test-taking tips like "pay attention to what's being asked" and ""guessing is better than leaving it blank." The remaining books were the same, phrasing all the same information in different ways and in a different order.
Archie didn't even look up when I pushed myself out of my seat. Seeing that Veronica was calling, I let myself out into the backyard so as not to disturb him.
"Abigail, you're coming to my party tomorrow night at La Bonne Nuit," she ordered, foregoing any greeting. "It's a Study/Welcome Home party for my Archiekins." I rolled my eyes at her ridiculous nickname for her boyfriend. Or was it ex-boyfriend? "Casual attire is fine, though I will be performing a song onstage to kick the night off."
"You're really having a party combining those two things?" I asked when I was finally able to get a word in. "That's has got to be the strangest combination I've ever heard of."
Veronica sighed. "I know, but I'd already been planning this study party, and now that he's home...well, I don't know if you knew this, but Reggie and I kind of hooked up while Archie was gone, an even though we were broken up, I still feel guilty about being with one of his best friends."
"Sorry to break it to you Veronica, but you and Reggie weren't exactly discrete about it. Anyone who was paying attention could see there was something going on. If it were me, I'd tell him before someone else does. Archie's been through enough already."
"You're right, and I will," Veronica sighed. "But after the SATs are over with. I don't want to put anything else on his plate right now. I want this party to help him relax, have a little fun. He's feeling...unsettled and stressed. I may not be able to do anything about the former, but I definitely can about the latter...with something that'll help all of us blow off some steam."
"Don't wait too long, it'll only make things worse. But I'll be there tomorrow," I sighed.
"Perfect!" Veronica chirped happily. "And I want it to be a surprise, so don't say anything to Archie."
I stayed outside after Veronica hung up, thinking. Of course Archie was unsettled and stressed. In less than a year he'd been framed for murder, forced into an underground fight club, escaped juvie, skipped town with his best friend, and spent several months living alone in an isolated cabin in Canada where he was mortally wounded by a bear, only to return home just in time for the most important test in a high schooler's life. Even if he didn't show it, he was still coping with everything.
The door opened behind me and Sweet Pea stepped out. "Archie said you were out here. You okay?"
I nodded, leaning my head against his chest. "Just thinking."
"That can be a dangerous thing when it comes to you," he said jokingly, wrapping his arms around me.
"Veronica's having a surprise party tomorrow night that we're going to," I said after a minute or so. "She thinks it'll help Archie jump back into his old life like nothing happened."
"And you don't think it will?" Sweet Pea guessed.
I shook my head. "No. I really doubt he's taken the time to process everything he's been through. He's forcing himself to ignore it all and keep moving forward. If he keeps on like this, I'm afraid he's gonna self-destruct." Like I did, I added silently.
"If there's anyone who understands what Archie's going through, stepping back into an old life, it's you, Abigail. And as much as I don't want to share you with anyone else, another guy especially, spend some time with Archie. Figure out what it's going to take to get his head where it needs to be. I know you can do it."
"You have way too much confidence in me," I said, looking up.
Sweet Pea smiled. "Nope, just the right amount. Now come on, let's go back inside. I have homework to get done and there's a meal to cook."
"That sounds a whole lot like our old life," I replied, leading the way back into the kitchen. Archie was nowhere to be seen, and the study guides were no longer on the table. "But no more secrets."
"No more secrets," Sweet Pea agreed, pulling me to him once more. "I love you, Abigail. I never stopped loving you."
Author's Note: I originally intended for more to happen in this chapter, but if I kept going it would be a really long chapter and part of me likes keeping all the chapters similar in length unless there's really no good place breaking point.
As always, thank you to those of you who vote and comment. Keep them coming!