ROYALTY | RIVERDALE

chapter -10

chapter 10 || 010

'what was done that night'

**CHAPTER CONTAINS STRONG THEMES (death,violence, assault, etc) PLEASE BE CAREFUL AS YOU READ.

I can't go back to that trailer. 

I only told FP about what happened with my dad and a little about how I got here. Not about everything. Especially not what happened in Greendale. 

Just calm down first. Don't think danger first, think about here and now. 

Where could I go? 

The door opened- it was probably FP or Jughead. Probably wondering how I knew Penny. I can't tell them. They'd only want to help. I can't bring them down with me. I can't ruin them.

"Diana," That wasn't any of the Jones's voices. I spin around to see Fangs there, with Toni and Sweet Pea. "Are you okay?"

Of course I was okay. I'm gonna be okay. 

I nodded my head and faced back around but my insides were betraying me slowly and surely. I wrap my arms around my middle as my face gets hotter and hotter. That meant tears were next. 

Like clockwork I felt one stream down my cheek and then another down the opposite side. I still kept on nodding though, I'm not sure. If I kept nodding maybe I'll be okay. Maybe I'll stop worrying.

Taking a long breath I felt a body collide into mine. 

Then another. 

Fangs and Toni were hugging me? They didn't even know why I was crying, they couldn't know. 

"It's okay. Come on, we can go somewhere else." Fangs's voice rumbled from his chest. 

- **

I had to bite my lip to keep from crying on the ride they were taking me on. I didn't even know where they were taking me but anyplace is better where Penny isn't.

Fang's bike came to a stop and we both jerked a little bit forward. It made me stop thinking about Greendale for a moment. A tiny moment.

I detangled myself from him and got off his bike as he did the same. 

Looking around, wherever we were it was beautiful. The stars were out and the dark trees seemed to highlight the place instead of making it look scary.

I had to tell them.

I had to have someone on my side. Someone to look out for me. I'm getting tired of looking out for myself and look how good that turned out.

"It was before I came to Riverdale. I was on my way here, but got stuck in Greendale. With Penny." I cross my arms over my chest to try and hold it together. I have to own up to this, to she's use it against me. 

"Diana whatever drugs she had you move it's fine- we all had our little run in with the snake charmer." Sweet Pea spoke out of the blue which made me look at him in sadness. It wasn't drugs -god I wish it was!

"It wasn't drugs." I spoke clearly, scoffing. "I wish it were drugs. It's much worse than that."

Toni appeared by my side and placed a loving hand on my shoulder. How could she just be so trusting with me? After this would she still be as trusting? I looked at her for another beat. She was the closest thing I had to a girl friend.

"When I got to Greendale I didn't have my bike yet and there was this guy. He was watching me-following me." My head ducked into my chest just thinking about that filthy man. And what I did to him. "I just got a job as a dancer and whenever I left the club he was waiting for me."

One of them hissed through their teeth.

"I couldn't tell if he was one of the men I was running from or just a sick soul from Greendale. But there was one night another dancer was outside and he- he was gonna assault her. He thought she was me or he couldn't tell the difference, he didn't care really." I sniffled to keep my nose from running. My body went stiff just remembering that alley near the club,  that guy's harsh blue eyes. 

"I shot a bullet into the ally just to get his attention and that scared him enough to stop, and for her to run away. And then there was blood flowing out from his chest. And Penny she watched it all unravel. She seemed so nice, like she would help me. I just wanted to stop him. I didn't want to-" My voice was raising with every thought of that twisted night. I looked up at all three of them. There on their faces was the thing I never wanted to see on anyone's faces. "I killed him. I shot him and buried his body and she helped. But she took a few pictures of me doing it. She's got evidence."

Sighing I shut my eyes for a quick second. 

In that second I wasn't that girl. That girl who was on the run. Who killed a man. Who danced for money. Who did her father wrong.

"We won't let her threaten you. We won't let her." Toni's voice was the first to speak to me. My eyes opened slowly and she was standing right in front of me. A brave look on her face. "Right guys?"

"No serpent stands alone." Fangs came closer and brought me in for a hug, as did Toni. 

I wasn't expecting this at all. Who do you know that is willing to help you through a situation like mine? To get involved with a girl they barely kew.

"But you barely even know me. How can you want to help a stranger?" I asked the both of them as they let go of me. Sweet Pea had the right idea, he wasn't saying anything. He was the only here thinking rationally.

"In unity there is strength." Sweet Pea's strong voice called from a foot away. 

My eyes met his- for a fraction of a second. And in his eyes I didn't see judgement. Or disgust. I just saw a person staring back at me, helping me. Helping me go on. 

I looked at Fangs and Toni and sure enough there eyes looked the same.

"In unity there is strength." I replied back with a little bit of hope resting it's self in the pit of my stomach.