Always and Forever

Chapter 26: The Tell-Tale Heart

The next morning I was walking out of my room with my backpack on my shoulder. I opened the front door to see Sweet Pea. 

"I already took you on a date and have walked you home, so it was bound to happen that I'll walk you to school," Sweet Pea said as he held an umbrella and two cups of coffee. 

"Let's go then," I said as I closed the door behind me. He handed me one of the cups of coffee. 

"Just saying," Sweet Pea began. "I really enjoyed our date yesterday." 

"Same here Pea," I agreed as I kissed him. I could feel him smile in the kiss, which made me blush. 

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At school, I was sitting in the student lounge as Veronica explained to Jughead about a negotiation. 

"Veronica, are you trying to manage me right now?" Jughead asked. 

"Define manage," Veronica instructed. 

"People are going to lose their homes," I stated.

"Jughead, why don't you come over with your Dad and sit down with my dad, and hash this out like civilized humans, face-to-face?" Veronica suggested. 

"Okay. Two conditions," Jughead suggested. "Dani gets to sit in on it, and your dad comes to Sunnyside Trailer Park. I want him to see the people that he's gonna be displacing." 

"Fine," Veronica agreed. "And trust me, no one is being displaced." 

"Are you for this Dani?" Betty asked. 

"After a cup of coffee then maybe," I stated, then Sweet Pea walked in, gave me a cup of coffee, kissed my cheek, and then walked away. I saw Betty and Veronica's eyes widened at Sweet Pea's PDA. 

'I'll tell you later,' I mouthed to them. 

"Oh, my God, did you guys hear?" Kevin asked as he walked in. "My dad's scanner's blowing up. The police found another dead body this morning, there's blood everywhere." 

"Could the Black Hood have risen from the grave?" Jughead asked. 

"Did they know whose body?" Archie asked. 

"Where did they find it?" Betty asked. 

"The investigation's ongoing but apparently, it was a gruesome, gang and style execution at the motel, with blood and brains splattered all over the duvet--" Kevin began to explain. 

"Okay, Kev, we get it," Archie cut him off.

"I gotta go," Betty said as she left. 

"Dani come with me to the Mayor's office," Jughead suggested. 

"What for?" I asked. 

"As Dad said before, you are a trusting voice," Jughead began. "The Mayor is most likely to listen to you, then me." 

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After school I stood in the mayor's office with Jughead, he had a map of Riverdale and a red marker. 

"Riddle me this," I began. "Sunnyside Trailer Park, Twilight Drive-In, and Southside High, all have in common?" Jughead circled the places with the marker. 

"I'm sure I don't know," Mayor McCoy answered.

"They were or ore townland. You control them," I explained. "The drive-in was shut own as was Southside High. Now the trailer park is in jeopardy."