Jughead and I avoided cleaning out my mom's cabin, for many reasons. The biggest one being Desiree advised against it with the whole Jason thing going down. I happened to agree two kids from the Southside in an abandoned summer cabin wouldn't read well. Jughead now had a story, Jason's tale interested him and he felt like he must write it.
It was the last night of summer Vacation and Jughead was working at the Twilight Drive In. I call him in between movies.
"I'm grabbing some pops, you want some?"
"I'd love some, The usual please"
"Of course" I pull up to pop's in Desiree's truck that I borrowed. I walk inside and call over to Pop.
"My usual and Jughead's as well please" Thats when I saw her. I'd only seen a few times, all of which ended in some shape of humiliation... why she hated me I would never know, but maybe she didn't remember me. Veronica Lodge was standing talking to Archie and Betty, whom I only recognized from pictures Kevin Keller showed me. I walk over trying to be friendly.
"Hey, Sorry to interrupt but I had to know. Archie Andrews?" I point at the Fiery red head who beefed up over the summer "Betty Cooper?" I point at the girl with the blonde ponytail, classic Betty.
"Thats correct who's asking?" Betty looks up at me.
"Jeez guys I get that its been a good six years but have I really changed that much?"
"Quinn, Your order is almost out. It should be ready with the Lodge order."
"Okay Pops no rush!"
"Quinn? Kathleen?" Archie stands up, Veronica takes a step back. Archie gives me a huge hug.
"Hey Arch its been a while" I laugh. Betty smiles slightly jealous Archie was hugging me. He sits back down as I turned to the raven haired girl.
"And I don't think I know you." I extend a hand "Kathleen Quinn though I mostly go by Kat."
"Veronica Lodge." She shakes my hand and I smile sweetly. Her father has done horrible things to good people, but then again so did my dad so I can't really say much.
"Would you guys like to join us?" Archie looks at us, earning another upset look from Betty. "Maybe we could un-fill you with dread" Archie looks at Veronica with a small town boy charm. Archie Andrews you are so lucky we aren't alone or I'd have your ass.
"My mom's waiting for me but, too be continued."
"Actually someone is waiting for me too. But I'll see you guys at Riverdale tomorrow."
"Wait you are like really back?" Archie looks up at me as Veronica walks away.
"I'm here for good Arch" I shrug just as Pop call my order. "See ya" I wave noticing how upset Betty was.
Jughead and I hung out at the drive-in for a long time, we ended up falling asleep in the control room.
*********
Its my first day back at Riverdale high, I pull of my white tank top that was over a grey under shirt and shove it into my bag. I take one of Jughead's flannels and pull it over my shoulders, it was hella baggy but I was okay with it. I braid my hair to the side and slip on a black beanie. Jughead smiles as I brush my teeth with a bottle of water.
"What?" I ask him pulling the toothbrush out of my mouth
"You've mastered the roughing it life style" he shrugs doing the same thing I am.
"I've had to Juggie, its the only way to survive the system. Especially after you come marked with emotional damage" I put emotional damage in air quotes. I shrug as Jug finishes and we start the walk to Riverdale High. Desiree had picked up her truck last night to get home from the drive-in.
We reach Riverdale High School, the place where so many dreams live and die.
"I already hate this place" Jug laughs
"Join the club. Come on"
"I have to get my schedule from the front office."
"Oh yeah" Jug laughs as we walk through the front door. I walk into the office to see Veronica standing there.
"Oh thank God someone I know. Please wait with me for Betty to get here"
"I was actually gonna go with" I turn to my side to see Jughead was gone "Never mind" I sigh just as my phone buzzes in my back pocket.
Jugs- see you at lunch
Me-I hate you
Jugs- no you don't
I shake my head smiling just as Betty clears her throat form the doorway. I turn to see her sickly sweet grin.
"Ready?" she asks. Veronica and I nod and then follow Betty out into the hallway.
"So I usually start my tours with a little history and context" Betty starts Veronica walks her heels clicking on the ground "Riverdale high first opened its doors in 1941 and-"
"And hasn't been redecorated since, apparently. Honestly, I feel like I'm wondering through the lost epilogue of Our Town." she pauses and gives a slightly chuckle. I just roll my eyes as she continues. "So what is the social scene like? Any night clubs?"
"A strip club called the Ho Zone and a tragic gay bar called innuendo. Friday nights, football games and then tailgate parties at the Mallmart parking lot. Saturday night is movie night, regardless what is playing at the Bijou, and you better get there early cause we don't have reserved seating in Riverdale. And Sunday nights... Thank God for HBO." Kevin Keller had officially walked all the way around us until he put is arm around Betty.
"Veronica Lodge, Kevin Keller." Betty says pointing at the two I already waved at Kev. "Veronica is new her Kevin is-"
"Gay, thank god," She reaches over to him "Lets be best friends."
"Is it true what they say about your dad?"
"And That is my cue to leave, see you losers later." I wave walking away from that conversation. I get just a little ahead of them until Betty catches up then stops me. Kevin and Veronica catch up shortly after her.
"Also there is the back to school semi-formal dance this weekend." I roll my eyes just as Veronica starts again
"Oh! theres the hottie we were with last night." I walk over to Kev laying my head on his shoulder. "the red-headed Ansel Elgort. Is he your boyfriend?"
"No, he's straight" Kevin says
"No, we're just friends" Betty says
"Gross" I mumble, all three were at the same time.
"In that case, mind putting in a word? I've had every flavor of boy but orange." I gag behind Kev who elbows me in the side.
"Actually to clarify... Betty and Archie aren't dating, but they are end game."
"You should ask him to the semi-formal then."
"She should, but I hear it might be getting canceled. Cuase of what happened to Jason" Kevin continues and this time I really did walk away. I can't be around that, not today. Dads and Jason all in the same conversation. "They're gonna tell us at the assembly." I hear Kevin still talking as I try to get away from them
"Who's Jason and what happened to him?" Veronica said. And it was the last thing i heard before running into Jughead. I grab his arm and whisper into his ear
"I hate you so much" He just laughs as we walk into the assembly.
*******
"Thank you for that moment of silence." Cheryl Blossom stands at the front of the school behind her are pictures of Jason. She is wearing an all black dress with a black vale, she has a red belt around her waist. I grab Jughead's arms seeing as he was typing on his computer. "Many of you were lucky enough to know my brother personally. Each and every one of you meant the world to Jason. I loved my brother, we was and always will be my soulmate. So I speak with confidence only a twin could have... Jason wouldn't want us to spend the year mourning. Jason would want us to move on with our lives." Jughead puts a hand on my knee and I sigh. I take my camera out of my bag and snap a picture of Cheryl, then I move through out the audience taking pictures of people. Until I stopped on Archie who I noticed was staring at the music teacher, I quickly took his picture thinking The hell did you get your self into Andrews? Then I turn my attention back to Cheryl who was just finishing her speech. "To celebrate my brothers too too short life on this moral coil. Thank you all" the crowd slowly cheers as I look over to again see Archie staring down Ms. Grundy.
********
The rest of the day goes by somewhat quickly until I'm at lunch. I'm looking around for Jughead when the one person I didn't want to see spots me.
"Kat!" I hear Veronica call. I pretend not to hear her "Kathleen!" She shouts even louder. This time I can't ignore her.
"Hey Veronica." I sigh
"Sit with me?"
"I was trying to find..."
"Please?" I sigh and nod following her silently. We reach the table with Kevin, Betty, and Archie. Some song is playing until we walk over.
"Can we join?" Veronica asks.
"Yeah" Veronica sits across from Betty and I walk to the other side of Kevin across from Archie.
"What are we doing?" She asks
"Listening to one of Archie's songs." Betty says beaming
"I thought we were gonna have to pretend to like its actually really good."
"Wait that was you singing? Something you wrote?" Veronica asks, I again lay my head on Kev's shoulder this time flipping through my camera trying not to pay attention to the people at my table.
"It's rough." Archie says
"No, its great." Betty continues beaming
"It's Incredible, actually, the little snippet I heard. Right Kat?" Damn you Veronica Lodge.
"Yeah totally" I sigh not really apart of the conversation.
"Is that your thing? Music?" Veronica flirts hard. I just roll my eyes and tap Kevin to show him some of my stuff. "Are you doing something with that?" And I give up avoiding the conversation and look up, Betty Kevin and I give each other the same look.
"Yeah that's the plan." Archie nods looking around the table. "So how's your first day going? Good?"
"Oh my day is fine Arch, its not like we were best friends or anything, i'll just continue being invisible its fine..." I mumble earning a back rub from Kev.
"Not to be a complete Narcissist but I thought that people would be more..."
"Obsessed with you?" Kevin says getting slightly snippy. "Any other year you'd be trending number one, for sure. This year, though, It's all about Cheryl trying to win the Best Supporting Psych Oscar for her role as Riverdale High's bereaved Red Widow." Kevin says.
"Hey, I should go. I got that meeting with Grundy and then football tryouts, so." Archie stands
"You play football,too? What don't you do?" Veronica says.
"Like shallow pertinacious city girls" I mumble earning a slight chuckle from Kevin before he continues.
"Before you ask, Blue Jasmine, no, she has not invited him to the dance yet."
"Not yet, and don't talk about Archie" Betty says quickly as Cheryl walks over. She stops looking at me her smile fading just slightly before looking at Veronica. "Veronica Lodge I heard whisperings. I'm Cheryl Blossom, may I sit? Betty, would you mind? So, what are you three hens and Quinn gossiping about? Archie's Efron-esgue emergence from the chrysalis of puberty?" She asks looking at all of us. Betty shakes her head
"Extracurriculars. Weatherbee wants me and Kat to sign up for a few."
"Cheerleading you must." Cheryl says looking around "I'm senior captian of the River Vixens."
"Is cheerleading still a thing?" Kevin and I say together
"Is being the gay best friend still a thing? Some people say its retro, I say its eternal and iconic." Cheryl says messing with her hair. Kevin and I just chuckle about the gay best friend comment.
"At Spence, I sat at the top of the Elites' pyramid. I'm in." she pauses "Kat, Betty, You are trying out too."
"Of course, anyone's welcome to try out, but Betty's already got so much on her plate right now and being a Vixen is kind of a full-time thing. And Kat well, Kat and cheer don't go together."
"Thanks Cheryl" I flick her off under the table while giving her the sickly sweetest smile I could muster.
"But open to all! Follow me on Titter and I'll do the same. My handle is at Cherylbombshell."
She goes skipping away and then Veronica turns to us. I get up and leave the table.
"I have never, nor will I ever be a cheerleader. Bye guys. Call me Kev" I wave and walk off calling Jughead.
*******
The rest of the day speeds by as Betty and Veronica drag me into Vixen try outs. "I thought I told you, I don't want to be a Vixen"
"Yeah, Yeah. Just come to tryouts you don't have to try out." Betty says I roll my eyes.
"I guess I can take pictures, Cheryl never turns down a photo session." I sigh. We walk into Try outs I pull out my camera and start snapping pictures of everything, Cheryl sitting on her throne in the Gym the girls who were trying out and then Veronica and Betty walk up. I wasn't really paying attention to their cheer but I did snap a pic of them in lip lock.
"Check your sell-by date, ladies, faux lesbian kissing hasn't been taboo since 1994. So let's see if you do better with the interview portion of our audition." Cheryl gets a smirk on her face "Betty, how is your sister doing?"
"Um, Polly's fine thanks for asking." Polly and Perry were the same age, they were both friends of Jason though Polly was more than a friend.
"Veronica, has Betty told you about her sister yet?"
"Uh, no" Veronica looks at me then Betty
"Go ahead, Betty. Tell Veronica about your sister and my dear brother.
"Polly and Jason dated." Cheryl scoffs
"I wouldn't say dated" She spits out the word like it was poison.
"It didn't end well" Betty says under her breath
"In fact, Jason's probably why your sister had a nervous breakdown and now lives in a group home, isn't it?"
"Thats what my parents think" Betty sighs.
"What do you have to say about that, Betty? Go ahead, the floor is yours. Whatever you have been dying to spew about Jason and how he treated Polly, unleash it. Destroy me. Tear me a new one. Rip me to shreds. Annihilate me" Cheryl leaned forward with every threat
"I just.." Betty started
"Finally" Cheryl sat back
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry about what happened to Jason. I can't even imagine what you and your family are going through."
"Right" Cheryl sighed pissed. "Veronica, welcome to the River Vixens." and with that I packed my bag and stormed out of the Gym. Texting Jughead to ask where he was.