𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍, 𝐣𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐣𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬. [2] HIATUS

05

CHAPTER FIVE
WHEN A STRANGER CALLS
∘∘∘

UNFORTUNATELY, THE NIGHTMARES HAVEN'T STOPPED. The only difference now is that she doesn't cry in her sleep or scream herself awake. It's a step in the right direction at least.

Wearing the same blue t-shirt and grey sweatpants that she slept in, Sloane walks into Riverdale High looking quite the mess. She hasn't even brushed her hair. It just rests on her shoulders in tangles. People stare at her and leave a wide path in the hall where she walks. Sloane bitterly mumbles to herself about deja vu.

Morning classes drag ass. No one talks to her. Not that they did much before, but now they avoid eye contact like she's Medusa. Not even the teachers will look at her. Sloane isn't in a very cheerful mood by the time she joins Kevin and Veronica in the student lounge.

"He's an outrageous flirt, but we never dated." Sloane hears Veronica tells Kevin. "We'd hop from club to club, go on these madhouse adventures. Stay up all night . . . " Archie and Betty appear behind the Latina as Sloane plops onto the couch, stretching her legs across the cushions. Betty sits next to Kevin. Archie lifts Sloane's legs and props them in his lap as he sits down, seemingly without a second thought. Kevin and Sloane both raise an eyebrow but Archie's attention is solely on his girlfriend.

"Who is this, now?" He asks her.

"Oh Archiekins," Veronica coos and pats his arm. "Don't be jelly. It's just a ghost from my bad girl past, Nick St. Clair, breezing into town for the open house. You have nothing to worry about." She assures.

Sloane hums. "I've heard of him. Total player, kind of a bitch?"

Veronica laughs. "You've heard correct." But her smile becomes either a sympathetic one or one of pity. Sloane isn't sure. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been double penetrated." Sloane blurts. Kevin chokes on his water and Betty's eyes widen comically. Archie coughs awkwardly and Veronica just smirks.

"I see what you did there."

Sloane shrugs and sinks further into the couch. "Doctor says I'm unable to perform any physical activities for a few weeks. 'Tis a shame. The party comes to town when I'm broken."

"Hey now," Veronica interrupts enthusiastically. "Doctor never said that no one can do physical things to you, right?" Sloane squints in thought. "Exactly. You can party, the party just has to come to you." She winks.

Sloane just laughs, partly in response to Veronica and partly because of Archie, Betty, and Kevin's uncomfortable expressions.

∘

When Betty publishes an article in the Blue & Gold the next day, Sloane can't contain her shock or her giggles. Leave it up to Alice Cooper to be the biggest hypocrite in Riverdale, what with her history of being a Southside Serpent. But what could have prompted Betty to out her mom like that?

And the day after that, Betty is acting . . . off. She can see it in her eyes when Veronica snatches both Betty and Sloane in the hallway to introduce them to Nick St. Clair. The boy is a charmer, no doubt about it. There's something about him, though. Something that makes her uncomfortable. She nearly recoils when he leans down and kisses her hand.

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Sullivan." The way he looks at her sends chills down her spine, and not the sexy kind.

"Likewise." She mutters before turning to Betty, Veronica, and Archie. "I've gotta get to class. I'll see you guys—"

"Not so fast, gorgeous." Nick purrs, catching her wrist. Betty wrinkles her nose at him. He pays her no mind. "You should come to my party tonight. My room at the Five Seasons. Ten o'clock." He gives her a smirk.