Riverdale Is My Home BOOK 1

Eighteen-Thursday

     I skipped school yesterday and laid in Polly's bed all day. Alice checked Betty out during lunch to check on me, and Archie came with her. They didn't tell anyone what happened, because I didn't want anyone to know. But they said Reggie wasn't there either. I had a single stitch on my lip and had to get two extras in my hand, they said I tore it more when hitting Moose. I hadn't texted anyone back, but my phone was being blown up by Sweetpea, Kevin, and Moose. I did reply to Reggie when he asked if I was okay.

      I quickly got dressed before eating cereal in the kitchen with Betty, Alice running around getting ready. I had a bruise on my face, and my lip was swollen, but I couldn't be bothered with makeup. When we finished, Archie met up with us and we got into my truck, I let Archie drive us to school. I quickly noticed all of our friends in the regular spot talking, along with Reggie who was talking to Cheryl about something. He had a black eye, and a bruise on his cheek along with a split lip, but he didn't need a stitch.

      We got out and I grabbed my bag. Betty and Archie walked on my sides as we made our way over. "Oh my god" Kevin mumbled and stared at me with wide eyes, causing everyone to look at me. "Jesus Christ, Caden. What happened!?" I heard Jughead as Cheryl's hands lifted my face up for her to look at me. "She doesn't really feel like talking about it, guys," Archie said, and I looked at Reggie, he gave me a small smile and bob of the head. I turned my head to Jughead and Sweetpea after a minute "Can we go to class" I asked with a raspy voice before Sweetpea grabbed my hand and we started walking to our first period.

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     I walked with Reggie to the student lounge, silently. As we made our way in he kissed my temple before wincing a bit, making me laugh as he walked over to his friends. I made my way over to my own and as I was about to sit down, I heard someone saying my name. I looked up towards the door where my brother came in, holding a small bear and balloon. "Oh my god, Caden I-" Archie got in front of me, but Betty spoke up while getting in front of him "If you even touch her, I'm gonna personally fuck you up" I heard a gasp as Betty said fuck, and I cracked a smile.

       "Look, I didn't mean to-" "Dude, no. Don't even bring that around here! You got mad at her for being upset and then you get into a fistfight with her best friend in her yard, and you fucking hit her. You're lucky I didn't fuck you up right then" Archie said, moving Betty out of his way. "Archie don't" I whispered while grabbing his jacket. "He isn't even worth it," I said while shaking my head. "I think you need to go, Moose" I felt someone's jacket graze my arm, and I looked to see Reggie standing beside me now.

       The look on Moose's face as he nodded before walking out, is one I'll never forget. I dropped my bag to the ground before I turned and put my head in Reggie's chest, starting to shake as I cried. "Caden, do you wanna go home?" I shook my head as I gripped Reggie's jacket tightly. He wrapped his arms around me. "Come on, let's go outside" he whispered to me before we walked outside. Where we sat at one of the picnic tables and he held me into his chest as I cried.

      "Caden, it's gonna be okay. I promise" he said while rubbing my back. After a few minutes, I stopped crying but I was staring out towards the road. "I haven't taken my medicine in four months" I replied softly. "Caden, what the hell. You know that isn't good, why'd you stop taking them?" "Because I didn't like them," I said numbly. "They're antidepressants. Is that what caused your freak out?" I didn't reply, but I felt him tighten his arms around my waist. "You need to start taking them again" I shook my head "I can't, they make everything worse" I replied.

     "I think I need to tell everyone," I said after a minute. "we'll go now, come on," he said as he stood up and helped me up. We made our way into the student lounge where I sat down between Betty and Reggie, who was playing with his busted lip before he gave me a nod to start.

       When I didn't, he took it upon himself, "Caden has something she wants to say" I went to hit him with my stitched up hand, but he grabbed it "Stop hitting things with this hand and tell everyone. Now Caden Mason" I pulled my hands into my lap, playing with the hem of my tank top.

     "I haven't been taking my antidepressants," I said, slowly. "Oh my god, Caden" I shook my head as I felt tears come to my eyes. "They don't do anything, I just said yes to the first thing they offered so I could leave" "Leave where?" I heard Toni ask slowly. "Caden was put into a mental hospital" Betty said, and I still stared at my tank top "After they diagnosed me with PTSD and as Suicidal, they told my parents they had a choice to put me in a hospital that night, or they'd be calling one to pick me up the next morning. So mom took me in." I said softly.

      "Every night, I was allowed to call someone, so I did. I would call Moose and he'd go over to Archie's, where everyone would meet up so we could talk" I said, as my voice cracked "I remember being on the phone with everyone, and hearing Betty cry, listening to Cheryl and Jason say they wanted me home, and Cheryl would start crying and leave. I remember" I started to cry more "I remember talking with Archie on the phone and he'd start crying and say how he wanted me home and better." I cried harder and harder,

     "I remember calling Cheryl and her saying that Jason was dead," I said as I gripped my shirt tighter "And then I knew I had to get out and be there for her so I lied, I said I was better and happy until they finally let out." I finished as I started to cry harder. "I had to get out so I could be here for her, and everyone else involved," I said as I cried. I felt Betty wrap her arms around me and I heard her sniffle.