Sleeping through the pain [S1-The killers curse]

Episode six: The hate brigade

"I'm just always there, and they don't even notice, but they sure will soon."

Archie was suspended. For something he didn't even do. But, to everyone's surprise, he was going to use this as the perfect opportunity. After seeing him and Charlene's mother, Holly, kissing in Fred's car, Archie was determined to use being suspended as an opportunity to figure out what the Lodge's were doing with Greendale, after hearing from Veronica that Holly was working with them on whatever they were up to. "You were what?" Fred says angrily, standing next to Holly, her face pinned to Archie's, her expression impossible to associate with any emotion. "Suspended, I know. But I swear I didn't do it!" Archie says frantically to Fred, while still looking at Holly, searching for even the slightest crack in her expression. His search is unsuccessful.

"I'm not going to take any of that crap Archie!" Fred shouts, slamming his grippy hands on the kitchen bench, startling Archie a little. Fred was acting a little different around Holly, Archie couldn't exactly pin what it was, but it stood out like an elephant in the room. It was strange, there was something so different but Archie just couldn't uncover it, and he worried he never would. "Look, whatever, Holly is staying over until your mother arrives. She's m-my girlfriend." Fred says, seeming shocked at his own words. Archie's heart drops, he thought they must have been dating, but there was still a little ray of hope and purity inside him, but when those words were said, that ray was sharply and quickly decimated. "Well, congrats, I'm going to my room." Archie says sliding away from the kitchen, his eyes still creepily locked with Holly's, it was like they were both trying to figure each other out, but were both miserably failing to get anything out of each other. Holly almost found this hilarious.

Meanwhile, Betty finally showed the note she got from the dark justice to Chic and Alice. "Betty, oh my god." Chic says, his eyes widened. "I know, I don't even know what to think." Betty replies, crossing her legs while the three of them stared at the note. "We are publishing this note right freaking now! People need to stay safe." Alice shouts, grabbing the note before rushing off to her computer. Even to her own surprise, Betty let Alice take the note, and for the rest of her life, she could never tell why. Why for two reasons: One for simply why? And the other because publishing this note was going to be responsible for a living hell for every single resident of Riverdale.

But, nonetheless Betty did it, and she couldn't take it back. "Betty, why didn't you tell us earlier? We've been through exactly what you have. I feel even worse because Hal hated me, I wish before he died I could at least get him to tolerate me." Chic says sighing, tipping his head downwards, almost in humiliation. "I know, but I don't know if he ever would. He was always never great at accepting new things." Betty says back, showing little to none compassion for Chic. She still didn't know really who Chic was, she couldn't really trust him, just in case he was to suddenly hurt any remaining members of her "real" family. It was strange and ultimately terrifying.

"As much as I agree, I can't help thinking he could have liked me. And now it's all my fault, per usual." Chic states, throwing a little bit of shade to Betty, since she was the one who blamed him for virtually everything. Betty quickly ignores this comment, but can't help thinking about it the entire day, running the last line in her head over and over again. She was close to trusting him, but also at the same time not rusting him more and more, it was an unbearably confusing thought.

That night at Archie's house, he, Holly and Fred sit down for dinner. At first it is completely silent. But as a few seconds pass, Holly breaks the silence. "So, how was everyone's day?" She says flatly. "Well, we already know, I got suspended and that was it." Archie replies, with a hint of aggression as he begins to eat silently. "Oh, right. Well Archie, on another note, would you be interested in how your father and I have met?" Holly asked. "Well, fine I guess." Archie said, avoiding eye contact and mushing his food around with his fork.

Thirty minutes later after Holly explained a complex and boring story of how the two of them met at Pops the room got sucked back into silence once again, the awkwardness able to be cut by a knife. "Well, I'm going to bed. Goodnight everyone." Archie said hopping out from his seat at the dinner table and heading for the stairs. "This early? It's only 7:30!" Fred said looking confused, but as he turns to lock eyes with Holly, the feeling fades off his face. "Yep." Archie says, hopping up the stairs without saying goodbye.

The next morning every citizen in Riverdale was woken up by a terrifying surprise. The Riverdale Register had published the clue the dark justice had given to Betty. "Archie, come down here!" Fred called from downstairs, reluctantly, Archie came down the stairs to find Fred and Holly standing anxiously at the kitchen bench with a newspaper on the table. "Look." Fred said handing Archie the newspaper.

"New threat emerges in Riverdale! So called 'Dark Justice' leaves clue on the murder of Hal Cooper! Read more on page .45!" Stated the headline of the Riverdale Register. Archie's heart sunk. And as he turned to page 45 to check if the clue was actually there he was unpleasantly  surprised. The clue was there all right, and this only meant war in Riverdale.

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Time taken: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Words: 1032
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Next Chapter Trailer:

With Riverdale now on edge after the clue, the gang must protect themselves at all costs, and Kevin finally faces his demons.

-Sketchbox🌻