Psycho ⚕Riverdale

NINE.

CHAPTER NINE

THE FIGHT

"These symbols look so familiar to me. It's like I've seen them before and it's driving me crazy. I can't figure out where" betty said staring at a sheet of paper that had the code on it. Toni was sat opposite Betty, both on the floor. Kevin was sat on the box and Jughead and I shared the sofa.

"Maybe if you loosened your ponytail," Toni said making us all look up at her "What? That was a joke guy" I giggled quietly before going back to the book I was reading.

"Bettys ponytail is iconic beyond approach," Kevin said defensively making Jughead and I look each other trying to cover our laughs with our hands.

"Kev, it's fine. I'm willing to try anything at this point" She said taking out her ponytail.

"Per Ms Paroo's books, I've been looking for common-letter associations, like T-H, A-N, I-N-G," Jughead said changing the subject.

"I've been looking at doubles. Double L. Four-letter words like kill" Toni informed us.

"That's morbid" Kevin commented making me roll my eyes.

"We don't know if this thing even in English. Could be an anagram" Jughead said.

"Juggie, I don't really get it" I whispered to him finding it too embarrassing to say out loud.

"Hey, don't worry about it" He whispered back smiling and put his arm around my shoulder letting me lean my head on him.

"Like, literally on the top of my brain" Betty spoke out loud to no one in particular.

"Let's go back to basics. What do we know about this guy? Who is he?" Jughead said trying to help jog Betty's memory.

"Uh, he's a white male, late 40's," I said trying to be more involved making Jughead smile at me.

"Like every serial killer, ever" Toni added on making me laugh.

"No, I mean like... why is he killing people? Or at least why now?" Jughead asked taking his arm from my shoulder and clasping his hands together.

"We know the Hood's obsessed with cleansing the town of sinners and hypocrites, right? And he seems to be attacking anyone with ties to the Northside" Betty said.

"Here we go with the fake news again" Toni piped up "You Northsiders and your privilege. All you do is demonise the Southside so of course, you think the Black Hood is from there"

"It's not demonising, Toni. It's stating facts. There's way more drugs and gangs and--"

"The drugs you mean are primarily sold to Northside crackheads," Toni said interrupting Betty "And what about the Northside Neo-Nazis? The Red Circle? The Red Psychos you mean. Betty, I'm surprised you haven't said it yet"

"Said what?"

"That you think the Black Hood's a Serpent. We all know how much you hate us" She said looking up at Jughead and me.

"Toni, that's not true," Jughead said trying to defend Betty.

"I don't hate the Serpents," Betty said. Kevin and I looked at each other, silently agreeing to stay out of the drama for once.

"Then why is it that your boyfriend and best friend lie about sitting with us at lunch," Toni told Betty making Jughead and I drop our heads into our hands when Betty looked at us shocked.

"I'm gonna go" Kevin breathed out awkwardly.

"Yeah, you know what, I'm gonna get out of here too," Toni said standing up alongside Kevin.