[ TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE ]
word count: 1006
not edited
Archie Andrews opened the door to his home, seeing someone he didn't expect to see.
"Mom?"
"Archie!" She brings her son into an embrace, "Hi, how are you?"
"I had no idea you were coming."
"I've missed you." She says before walking toward the kitchen, his father then walking inside with her suite cases.
"All this contract stuff with the Lodges.. time to call in the big guns." Fred said to his son.
☆
"I wish you'd called me in earlier, Fred, before you gave the Lodges 20% of Andrews Construction."
"Mr. Lodge said he's work this out, didn't he?" Archie said.
Fred scoffed, "Yeah, son.. your mother and I have known the Lodges a lot longer than you have."
"Meaning what, Dad?"
"Archie!"
"It's okay, I better get to school anyway." Archie said, "We're helping Veronica with her campaign. Are we still on for lunch, mom?"
☆
"This isn't a demolition notice. It's a notice of extermination." Jughead said standing in the front of the History room as a Swords and Serpents meeting took place.
"We've already said our goodbyes to Southside High, Jughead." Toni said.
"Today, it's Southside High. Tomorrow, it's the Wyrm. Everything that makes the Southside home is gonna disappear." Jughead said, "If we roll over now, it's all over."
"It's just a building, Jug." Jade said.
"Siding with the northsiders?" Sweet Pea said, right before a book flew beside his head, barely missing him.. thrown by yours truly, Jade Jones.
"No, Jade. It's the soul of the southside." Jughead said, ignoring Sweet Pea and her throwing a book at the guy. "The Uktena fought and died trying to protect that land. Our parents fought to keep it safe during the riots. Now it's our turn. It's our time. This is our fight. So, who's with me? Who's ready to go to war?"
☆
"Archie, I really hate to see you and your father fighting." Mary Andrews said to her son as the two sat in a booth at Pop's Chock' Lit Shoppe.
"We're not, Mom."
"And look, you and Veronica, it's your first real relationship.. I just want to make sure you aren't being lead astray.."
"Veronica and I aren't dating, mom." Archie said.
"What?"
"I'm not with Veronica, I'm with Jade."
"Oh.. I just assumed you were with Veronica. Since, you're always defending her and.."
"Why do people keep saying that?"
☆
"Well, well, well.. The calvary's finally here. Guess that means we got Hiram's attention." Jughead said as Archie stopped his bike in front of, what used to be, Southside High.. where nine teenage serpents were chained to the building.
"Are you guys nuts? Chaining yourself to this place? They're gonna tear it down in two days.."
"Not unless Hiram wants to blood of eight young serpents on his hands. Go and tell your boss we said that."
Jade wasn't going to be happy when she heard about this. She didn't stay the first night with her brother because she had to go do something at the school for Veronica and Betty's campaign tomorrow..
☆
"We live in uncertain times, but there's one think I'm certain of.. my girl Ronnie here, along with her running mate, Betty Cooper, has my vote to be Riverdale High's next President and Vice President. And, of course we remind everyone, especially the women, to vote and be heard this election." Josie McCoy said on the small stage. Her and Veronica were giving a little concert for Veronica and Betty's campaign. Everyone started cheering before they started singing.
"Wait, what's going on?" Veronica said as she saw Ethel handing out flyers to everyone. The red head girl handed Veronica a flyer, the raven haired girl quickly reading it. "Where did you get all this information?"
"Does it matter?" Ethel said, "It's the truth, isn't it?"
"I don't understand.." Veronica said stepping off the stage, "I told you that we were making amends, that.. that your dad would get a job offer.."
"You mean your half-hearted bribe? Yeah.. too little, too late."
Betty then turned around and walked away, shoving the flyer into Kevin's chest.
"B, wait!" Veronica called after her, but there was no stopping the Cooper girl.
Veronica went after her, Jade getting up and following her.. then Archie walking behind her, grabbing as many flyers he could.
☆
Veronica pushed open the bathroom door, Betty following her with Jade close behind.
"That day, in the student lounge, when Weatherbee announced that Southside High was closing, you acted like you didn't know." Betty said after the door closed.
"When my parents asked me to help them, I.. I didn't feel like I could say no."
"Of course you could've. You could've told your parents that you didn't want to be their teen accomplice, or you could've told us the truth. Instead, you just played us like fools."
"No, I was just trying to keep them honest. That's why I started working with them. Betty, you have to believe me."
"Even if I did, I can't be your running mate anymore. You know that, right?" Betty scoffed, "I can't trust you, V."
Betty then left the bathroom, leaving Veronica with tears in her eyes.
"Hey, Hey, V. It's going to be fine.." Jade said as she rushed to her friend.
"Why are you still here Jade? Out of everyone, you should be the one mad at me. You should be wanting to rip my head off. You should hate me."
"V, I'm your friend. I know what it's like to have literally everyone hating you. I know what it's like to be alone. I don't care about what your parents have planned. I care that you trusted me enough to tell me. You trusted that I wouldn't tell anyone, and I swear I didn't tell anyone about any of this. I wouldn't hurt you like that, especially after you've been so nice to me."
"I love you, J. I swear you're, like, the only one in this town that doesn't hate me."