The New Girl In Riverdale

Five

"Oh my god, Audrey. Are you okay?!" Veronica asked me after I explained my ordeal with the kidnapping and the ghoulies. We were seated in the livingroom of the Pembrooke, sipping tea as I nodded slowly, still a bit shaken up about the whole thing.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I don't know for sure why I was targeted, but I feel like Josie and or Ethel may have something to do with it, as far fetched as it sounds" I explain setting my cup of tea down on a coaster. Veronica's eyes widened, and her face was remorseful, reaching her hand out to pat my arm lightly before grabbing some more tea.

"I'm so sorry, Audrey. Since you supported me, I wouldn't put it past those two." she replied, sighing. After realizing something, she tilted her head slightly, curiosity piquing.

"So who helped you out of that ghoulie mess?" she asked, taking a macaron from the dessert tray her butler had set out.

I grimaced slightly. "Well, Sweetpea was in the area doing I don't know what, and I guess he took pity on me, surprisingly" I explained.

Veronica nodded in understanding. "That is a bit surprising seeing as he always looks like he wants to kill you" she replied, making me laugh lightly.

"Very true. Either way I'm just glad I'm in one piece" I remark, taking a butter cookie from the dessert tray.

"So am I" Veronica started to say until her cellphone started ringing. She smiled apologetically before taking the call.

"Hello? Hey Kevin. Yes I heard, rehearsals are soon. Oh yeah she's actually here let me ask" she replied, putting a hand over the receiver and turning to me.

"Kevin's asking if you want to audition for the play he can put your name on the list" she explained to me, and my eyes widened, shaking my head.

"No, thanks though. Um, I could offer to do more behind-the-scenes job though, if they need any  help with set building, painting kind of thing" I explained. She nodded at this.

"Yeah, stage-hand she said, okay yeah great see you tomorrow, bye" she replied hanging up.

"Audrey, I know you're still a bit spooked so if you wanted, we could have an impromptu sleepover here at the Pembrooke, if that's okay with your family" she explained, and I smiled softly, nodding.

"Sure, that'd be great, thank you" I agree, getting up to put my teacup and plate away.

As I get to the kitchen, Mrs. Lodge is sitting with a cup of coffee in front of her, reading some documents.

"Hi Mrs. Lodge, I'm--" I started to say, but was cut off by the matron of the house, as she stood up shaking my hand.

"Audrey, yes. Veronica told my husband and I what you did for her, and we're so grateful she still has someone on her side" she said with a smile.

I nodded back at her, smiling slightly. "It was no problem at all, I'm sure she would've done the same" I say sincerely, and excuse myself to go to Veronica's room to help her set out whatever she needed for the sleepover.

"Should we invite anyone else or are we still in a bit of a cold war?" I ask, fluffing some pillows and setting out the inflatable bed near her mattress.

Veronica looked a bit dejected, shaking her head. "No, probably not a good time. But I hope soon" she said with a small smile.

I smiled back at her, changing into a pair of pjs she had lent to me, as we spent the evening just chatting, watching reruns of Gossip Girl until we fell asleep.

~

The next morning, Andre had dropped Veronica and I off at school, going our separate ways until it was time to go the audition.

As I made my way inside the auditorium, a number of people were already seated, Kevin near the front of the stage with his clipboard, Fangs beside him, as the first person went up for their audition.

Midge motioned to me and the other people who had volunteered to be stage hands to follow her. My eyes widened slightly at seeing Sweetpea, and he turned away from me, walking lazily towards backstage, along with Dilton Doiley, one of Cheryl's minions, Lea I think her name was, and a couple of other students I hadn't met before.

"Alright, so I guess it's better to just do things in pairs so let's see, Sweetpea, Audrey, painting the sets on the west wing of the stage, Dilton, Lea, arranging the backdrop for the scenes, Elton, Mark, Janice, you'll be helping with setting up the sandbags and the lighting." Midge explained going through a list on the clipboard in her hands before showing us all where to find everything.

Grabbing a smock, I draped it in front of me, tying the paint apron around my neck before grabbing a paintbrush and started to paint one end of one of the moving sets in slow careful movements, Sweetpea on the other far end.

"I didn't peg you as a backstage type" he said after some time, dipping his paintbrush in the paint can.

I glanced back at him with a raised eyebrow. "Really? I'm actually more comfortable with the scenery than being on stage, but you probably weren't asking for a whole life-story" I remark somewhat dryly, and continue painting.

He let out a low scoff. "For someone who just got their ass saved, you sure don't sound very grateful" he replied, setting his paintbrush down.

I glanced back at him in disbelief. "I am very grateful. I gave you a sandwich, and I know that's not exactly calling it even, so if you need any other favor, just let me know" I reply in a quiet voice, going back to painting.

He narrowed his eyes slightly before contemplating about this for awhile with a shrug.

"Yeah, I'll think about it, Oliveros" he replied, smirking slightly and I rolled my eyes, ready to paint the next set of scenery, as I heard Cheryl Blossom's singing voice ringing clear through the auditorium, and she was surprisingly very good.

"Wow, I wasn't expecting that" I murmur to myself, and Sweetpea just smiles a half-smile shaking his head, grabbing two more buckets of paint to bring back to where we worked on the side of the backstage.