Goodbye Angel

Eight

Adeline's P.O.V

The next night, I sat with Archie as I helped him with calculating the financials for his community center. He seemed to be struggling with what to do and since he asked me nicely, I helped him out.

"Hey, can we talk?" Mom asked us. I looked up at her and nodded.

"Sure. What's up?" Archie asked as we gave our attention towards her.

"I want you both to come back to Chicago with me," mom told us.

"Mom..." Archie sighed.

"You can finish your junior and senior year there. You can start again," mom suggested.

"I don't want to start again. And my best bet at going to college is on a football scholarship. Otherwise, how would I even be able to afford college?" Archie asked mom.

"I don't know how I feel about that anymore mom," I tell her.

"Your father and I started a fund for you two when you two were born," mom told us.

"What? A fund? I have money?" Archie asked.

"I feel like I figured," I tell her.

"I was reluctant to tell you, Archie, because I thought that you would want to use it on the community center," mom told him.

"Of course I would," Archie told her.

"Um, Archie. I think mom and dad's intention for the fund was for college," I tell him.

"Your sister is right, Archie. As noble an idea as that may be, do you really think that's going to make a difference here in Riverdale? I mean, all the crime here, your friend Munroe's little brother beaten up by a bunch of thugs? Is that really the town that you want to invest in? No one is safe here," mom told us. Archie stood up to argue with her.

"Look. I'm not going to give up on Riverdale the same way you did," Archie told her.

"Woah. Calm down there, Archie," I tell him.

"I moved to Chicago because I couldn't find a job here. And don't blame me if I am trying to stop my child from putting his money into a losing proposition," mom said as she started to walk away.

"Yeah. Well, I guess that's the difference between you and me, Mom," Archie said, making mom stop and look back at him. "I don't think Riverdale is a losing proposition. The same as Dad. I'm not moving. And I will make a difference here."

Archie ran upstairs while I looked over at mom. I looked over at mom before going upstairs. I heard Archie punch his punching bag a little before it stopped. I looked over at Archie's door before heading into my room.

As I lied in bed, I heard the doorbell ring making me walk downstairs to get it. I opened the door to see Veronica standing there.

"Hey, Veronica," I greeted.

"Hey, Adeline. Can we talk?" Veronica asked.

"Yeah come on in. Do you want anything to drink?" I asked her.

"I'm fine. Thank you."

We went over to the kitchen to talk. I stood across from her. The kitchen island was in our way.

"I'm sorry I came by so late, Adeline," Veronica apologized.

"It's cool. What's up? Is something wrong?" I asked her. Veronica took out a check before handing it over to me.

"That's $40,000. I'm giving it to you, to give to Archie for the community center. He's too proud to take it from me," Veronica told me. I looked down at the check before looking over at her.

"Veronica thank you. But we can't accept this. We can't be in that kind of debt to your family," I tell her before handing over the check back to her. "My mom would even say so herself. Plus I feel like I should tell you this. Our mom doesn't want Archie and I here anymore. So if you invest into the center, my mom is gonna flip."

"Adeline, I'm not investing in a building, I'm investing in your brother. I believe in Archie, and he makes me want to believe in myself. And I need that right now," Veronica told me as she handed the check back to me. "Tear the check up if you want. But I really hope you don't."

Veronica walked out of the house making me sigh a little. I stared down at the check before walking over to lock the front door. I headed back upstairs to my room. I placed the check on my desk before lying back in bed.