Ghost Town • Riverdale

Six

Ethel was probably the last person Poppy expected to see in the crowded room of The Blue and Gold. She had not been particularly open about what Chuck had done to her all those months ago, but the girl could tell that it had affected for the worse. Ethel had never been popular or openly friendly, everyone knew that, but she had become a sort of happy presence in their school for the past couple of years. She was always happy to help and Poppy appreciated that immensely. There had been more than one occasion when the brunette had tutored her in Chemistry, even staying with her in the school library until the dead of night until she finally understood the material. It was her kindness that had made Poppy so attached to her. Now, that has changed.

No one knew what actually happened, but a few months ago, she had become more closed off. She went straight back home everyday after school, not stopping in the hall to talk to anyone like she used to, not speaking up and answering questions in class, she even stopped attending debate club, something that she had poured her heart and soul into and loved with every fiber of her being. It was not until three weeks after her strange behaviour had started that Poppy had heard the rumor going around school. Chuck had spread that he had "gotten with" her in the library after hours, and in high school terms, that had branded her as a slut. Slut shaming was something that Poppy hated, girls should be allowed to do what they wanted without being shamed for it, but these were teenage boys, they were never understanding.

Poppy hung back in the dimly lit room of The Blue and Gold, patiently waiting for Veronica to arrive. She was doing much really, just trying to support her friends. Her only role in the school newspaper was the photographer, but seeing the context of the story might help her capture the right image. For a story like this, the right pictures were definitely needed. The girls around her were already talking in hushed whispers, as if afraid that someone else might hear what they have to say. She did not blame them, she would have been afraid too.

The loud click of heels against the tiled school floors soon echoed through the halls, and Poppy only knew one person that actually made an effort to wear stilettos to school. Veronica stomped into the room, her eyes widened when she saw the large group of girls crowded together around the room. Poppy grinned at her, "I guess the story was bigger than we thought, huh?" She remarked with a reassuring smile.

Betty nodded seriously. "I asked around to see if what happened to you happened to anyone else," she explained, "and if anyone would come on record." Veronica gaped at them in surprise. It was definitely more girls that she had anticipated. However, it was not the many girls in the room that surprised her the most. These were only the girls that were willing to go on record, there could be many more who could have been too afraid to speak out. And it shook her to the core.

"I will, one hundred percent!" Ethel spoke up for the first time, voice filled with such determination that it made Poppy smile with pride.

Betty looked up from the notes she was taking and turned to Poppy with a nod. She walked out of the dark corner she stood in, stepping into the center of the room. Right in front of everyone. "There are five guys on the football team, Chuck and his gang of fiends. They've been doing this for years. Ethel was just telling us about them." She gestured for the small girl to continue.

"One day last year, Chuck and I talked in the library for like ten minutes. I helped him with a pre-calc problem, and nothing happened." Tears formed in Ethel's eyes as her words became more choked up. Her eyes were now a bloodshot red and her face was completely flushed, the tears in her eyes struggled not to flow. Poppy pat her shoulder reassuringly. She hated that her friend was hurting. "But the next day," Ethel continued, "He started telling people that... that I let him do stuff to me. Like, sex stuff. And then him, or one of his goons, wrote 'Sloppy Seconds' on my locker-"