Desperado

Chapter Nine

Heart of Darkness

"Betty, you're positively radiating Nicholas Sparks. Tell me everything about this Trev." Roni asks as we all walk the bleachers.

I scan the area taking in every minor detail that is overlooked. I glance down at my tray looking over the food I picked out. An apple, some form of grilled meat -possibly chicken who knows-, spinach and a yogurt.

"Oh, there's nothing to tell. Just one of Betty's sources, there's nothing romantic in the offing." Kevin says behind me.

"Why is everything weird here? Why can't a date just be a date?" Roni asks as we all sit down, me taking the seat beside her.

"What about you Archie? How's life in a PG world?" Betty and Archie look back to us and I notice their confusion. "PG. Post-Grundy. What, too soon?"

I roll my eyes as they look away. Leave it to Roni to annoy people and make fun of their situations. Oh, even I know I lie. I do the same thing to people.

"Coach Clayton says I have a shot at being varsity captain. So I'm not thinking about anything else right now."

"And it sounds like you're avoiding your feelings."

"I'm not. I'm just trying to get my life back on track."

"Sure thing, ginger cakes. You were doing pretty damn good when you were fucking your music teacher." I state.

Roni nearly chokes at hearing me say this as Betty looks back toward me in disbelief.

"I can change that. I know Ms. Grundy was tutoring you."

"Understatement of the year," I comment and Roni and I smirk at each other.

"There's this amazing songwriter from New York, who's an adjunct at Carson College? Incredible mentor. He does some coaching on the side and I told him about you. You wanna meet him?"

"Yeah, yeah I'd love to, but football-"

"No, Archie can. And he will." Betty enforces hitting his arm.

Woah there, Bets don't hurt him. Valerie places a note in his jacket pocket patting his chest as she gives him a number. I look back toward Jughead and Kevin and since Kevin was too busy stuffing his face I caught Jughead eyes. I glance him over noting all the resemblance with his father. I look away and finished the last of the grilled item. It was probably chicken breast but I have no idea.

"Sorry to interrupt Sad Breakfast Club, but I'm here to formally invite you to Jason's memorial at Thornhill this weekend." Cheryl hands out the invites giving me and my sister one. "To my surprise and chagrin, mother added the two of you to the guest-list. In case you're tempted to steal our silver candlesticks, don't. We'll be searching bags."

"And I guess we'll be chopping your head off instead and selling it as a pig head on the black market. How does that sound, CherryPig?" I question and she glares at me.

I smirk tilting my head looking for her to challenge me further. She snarls her nose and leaves.

"Hey, try to remember she's burying her brother."

"Doesn't give her the right to be a royal bitch," I tell Betty.

Roni leaves soon after and I walk off.

++++++

"Thank you for having us."

I glare up toward my sister for dragging me into this. I hate the Blossoms and I see no point in me being here. Roni was the one who invited me and Cheryl agreed for some bullshit reasons.

"Cheryl invited you. I have no idea why you're here."

"Me either. I thought there'd be other girls." I state and Roni looks at me apologetically.

"Nana Rose, would you like some more ham?" When he didn't get a response he seems uncomfortable or annoyed. I don't know which. "Veronica, would you like some more maple ham?"

"I'm good. It's delicious, though."

"Katie?"

"No, Blossom. I'm fine. I can really taste the maple." I state.

I remember for some reason that some of the things I use to sell smelt like maple. Now I wouldn't say it was much of a coincidence. But I don't trust anyone and I know how the money flow worked.

"You do know that Riverdale was founded on the maple syrup industry."

"I did, actually. I'm not that stupid." I state and Roni glares at me. A silent plea for me to stop it.

"That's where Sweetwater River got its name. Were you aware of that?"

"Are you building to something or are you just going to keep asking me question I don't give two shits about answering," I state.

"I'm sorry about my sister. She's been distant for awhile."

"Well, I understand due to your father being in prison. Maybe you two should ask him, sometime." I feel my blood boil as I glare at him. Clifford looks at me seeming to know something about me. Or my father since he loves bringing him up. "How is he, by the way?"

I clench my knife wanting to stab it into his jugular. I wouldn't mind watching him bleed out and choke on his own blood. I truly wouldn't.

"He's doing okay," Roni answers as I glare at Clifford.

"There are worse thing than prison."

"Like this dinner party," Cheryl says softly.

"What did you say?" Penelope asks her daughter.

God, she doesn't have class. I turn my eyes from Clifford looking toward Cheryl and Roni. Both who seem equally uncomfortable. The sound of her knife and fork hitting the plate drives me insane.

"It must have been hard for you. Watching your father being handcuffed and dragged out of your home in front of you and your neighbors." My eyes narrow as he says this. I think I found exactly who I was looking for and with the payments, I'm certain I'm right. "All those reporters."

"The worst part is how fast it happened. He was just, gone. We didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. That's why I think it's so great. You're all getting a chance to say goodbye to Jason tomorrow-"

"Not all of us." Cheryl interrupts.

"That's because some people already got to say goodbye to Jason. While rowing him across the river to his death."