Sweet Tooth (Sweet Pea)

Chapter 22

Archie and Dad went to the Lodges for dinner last night but I opted out but apparently they want Dad to run for Mayor. Which is weird really and I don't know how I feel about it. I think Archie is starting to finnaly see how shady the Lodges are. "Are you still going after Hiram?" Archie asked Juggy as he bursted into the classroom for Swords and Serpents. No one was here, so Juggy asked me to hang out with him. He hasn't even asked about Sweet Pea stuff with I'm not sure if i should he relived or worried. Which reminds me, I've been kinda avoiding Sweet Pea around school cause I don't want to make anything public yet.

"That depends. Who's asking? You? Veronica? The arch-fiend himself?" Juggy asked.

"Jug... Freya already knows about this but there's going to be a speck election... to replace Josie's mum."

"Hiram Lodge wants dad to run." I told Juggy.

"What? Why?"

"Ask Archie." I shrugged.

"Who fricken knows? Jughead I'm with Veronica. That means I'm with the Lodges. But my dad... I can't let him get in any deeper with them."

"So, tell him he shouldn't run."

"Veronica would kill me if I did, ditto the Lodges."

"And he might not even listen to us." I added.

"Maybe I could give you something, maybe you could write about it and that might make my dad hit pause."

"Okay." Juggy nodded.

"You remeber when Hiram Lodge gave Pop Tate that charitable donation to keep the diner open?" I looked to Archie confused.

"Yeah, we were all there."

"Except Hiram Lodge didn't give Pop's a donation. He bought the diner."

"What?" I looked at him shocked. "I work at Pop's, Archie.

"And for some reason he doesn't want anyone to know about it. Can you do something with that fact? At least enough to make my dad think twice about this mayor idea?"

"He bought the diner?" Jughead asked confused and shocked.

"Yes." Juggy stood up and grabbed a map and circled Pop's as we looked at the map.

"My God. Hiram is like Dracula. He's snapping up properties from all over Riverdale to expand his empire and feed. If what you're telling me is true... everyone is in danger."

$$$

I was in the kitchen with Arch grabbing a snack when Dad called out to us. "Hey, Arch, Freya, check this out." We walked into the dining room to see boxes of stuff and a future of Riverdale flyer. "When I applied to college to be an urban planner, this is before Grandpa Artie got sick, this was the presentation I made for some program I never for into. Riverdale 2020: Small Town with a Big Future." Dad read out his flyer. "Sounds corny, huh?"

"No way."

"This is awesome." Archie and I smiled as there was a knock on the door.

"Hello?" I heard Veronica's voice. "Archie? Freya? Mr Andrews?" I turned to see her walking towards us. "Oh, goody, you're all here." She walked to the table and put down a folder. "So, I fully realize I'm putting the cart before the horse, but I was spitballing some design ideas," she opened up the folder showing us blue, red and white flyers with my dads name for president. "And I think I may have come up with a few potential campaign logos." I looked to Archie who had furrowed brows.

"I- Veronica, those are terrific. I gotta say, but- Oh. Now, that one," He pointed to a circular one that read Vote FRED ANDREWS Mayor. "That's my favourite."