Riverdale Is My Home BOOK 1

Forty One-Tuesday

     I walked with Ethel into Pops. My hair was up in a messy bun, and I looked like shit. You could also tell I hadn't slept in a few days. We made our way to a booth, where we sat down and FP came over. "Can I just get a coke and fries please?" I asked, and he nodded before turning to Ethel.

    I rested my head on the table, my hands resting above them and Ethel rubbed them lightly. "Hey guys" I heard Betty's soft voice, and my head shot up to see Betty, Veronica, and Kevin. Kevin sat beside me, and Veronica on his side, while Betty sat with Ethel. I moved my head to ret on Kevin's shoulder as I stared at the glass of coke FP brought me.

     "How are you feeling, Caden" I heard Veronica asked before Kevin wrapped his arm around my shoulder and held me close to him, "Like I was cheated on again," I said dryly before I picked up the soda and took a drink from it.

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    I walked into my front door from shopping, because Cheryl suggested it would help and distract me. It did, but it still hurts, a new dress isn't doing t make me feel better. Walked up to my bedroom with the bags and started to take everything out, any clothes I took tags off and tossed into my laundry basket before I picked it up and walked it into the laundry room downstairs and started a load.

     I took my laundry basket back up to my bedroom before I walked into my mom's office, where she was typing away on her laptop with her door wide open "Mom?" I asked, and she turned to me, giving me a smile. "Here, let's go into the living room," she said before doing something to the laptop and closing it. We walked into the living room, where she sat in her lazy boy chair, and I sat on her lap, she wrapped her arms around me and rocked the chair lightly.

     "How are you feeling today baby" I shook my head as I felt tears prick at my eyes, so I looked up at the ceiling. "There you guys are" I turned my head to see Moose and Archie walking over, both smiling before sitting on the couch beside us. I turned around in her lap to face them and rested my head in moms neck. I looked at Moose, he had a bruise on his cheek, and his lip was busted open, but his knuckles were disgusting, they were wrapped up and the wrap was bloody.

      I couldn't help but think of what Reggie must look like.. Which, caused more tears to prick at my eyes before I let some fall, and sniffled loudly. Mom rubbed my back with one hand, as the other held my calf. "When will I be good enough," I asked mom as my voice cracked. Mom moved her hand up to the other side of my head, before pulling it to her and kissing my face with her painted pink lips.

     "I know you're heartbroken right now baby, but I did not take 9 months to form your heart, don't let a dumbass destroy it in 9 seconds" I laughed a little as I cried before I wrapped my arms around her neck and pulled her closer to me.

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      I walked with Archie and Moose to pops, after I decided to get dressed and try to look good. We walked into the diner, and made our way over to a booth where Archie sat on one side with me, us facing the door, and Moose across from us, facing away from the door obviously.

     "What can I get you guys," FP asked while walking over "Can I get a burger and fries with a coke" I answered and he gave a small nod while the boys ordered. FP brought our drinks over quickly, and I put my straw into it as we sat there.

     While we did, the boys got into a conversation, but my mind wondered to Sweetpea. He cheated on me, but they only showed me photos of him kissing someone, and nothing more, while Reggie on the other hand, let me walk in on him having a girl bent over a bed. I don't think I was fully over Sweetpea when I did decide to say okay to be with Reggie.

     I would think about him sometimes when we were intimate, in any form, even if it was just a kiss or he was holding me from behind. Hell, most of the time I thought about Sweetpea. I pulled out my phone and started to text him, just as FP brought out our food. When done texting, I put my phone down and started to eat my food.

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      Around 11:50 pm, I got in my car and drove to Pops. I stripped myself of my jacket but left the one around my waist. I walked into the diner, giving the waitress a smile as I made my way towards a booth in the back, "Can I just get an iced tea" I asked as she walked over, and she gave me a nod before walking off.

    She brought it over quickly and took a drink from it as I heard the door open. I looked up to see Sweetpea walking over, and he sat in the opposite side of me, as the waitress asked what he wanted, "Can I get a coffee" he replied before she walked off. I sat the cup down, and crossed my arms over one another, placing them on the table while staring at him.

    "What happened to your eye," I asked when he looked up at me, and he gave me a small awkward laugh, "Would you believe if I say I ran into a door" I rolled my eyes with a small smile tugging at my lips. "Actually, this is from Jughead" I furrowed my eyebrows, and tilted my head a bit. "Why did Juggie punch you," I ask as the waitress sat the coffee down.

    "Because I kissed another girl while you and I were together," he said, as he reached to pick the cup up. I nodded a little "But, that was a while ago, it wouldn't still be bruised" I said, and he gave a small awkward chuckle, "You're right, he uh- he did it the night of graduation" "Why?" "He said if I wouldn't have kissed that girl, we still would have been together and you wouldn't have thought you weren't good enough" I nodded, as my head fell to my hands, as I played with the ring on my finger.

     "Can you just tell me why?" I asked softly. "You're gonna call me an idiot and I'm probably gonna have another black eye, but yes" I smiled a bit before I looked up at him. "I-um, first of all, I'm an idiot, and nobody said I made a good choice" he started, But, I-I got freaked out. Because I've never been in a serious relationship like that, so it freaked me out" he said, looking at me, "And, I really just, okay you're gonna fucken hit me, I wanted to make sure I wasn't just messing around, and I wanted to confirm that I cared about you, because I fell in love with you so quickly I thought it was unreal" he said, crossing his arms and putting them on the table, "I really did, well I do, love you, and I was going to tell you, I was gonna come over that night, or even that morning and tell you about it. But, it was blown out of proportion." he finished, his eyes dropping down to his cup of coffee.

     I stared at him for a moment, as I could feel my heart in my throat. "You, you just said you love me" I whispered, and he looked up at me "I know what I said" I looked down at the table, as I felt tears prick my eyes. "I-I don't know. The last person that said that loved me bent Macey Johnson over a bed" I said. I heard movement before I felt him sit by me, and pull me close to him. "I'm not Reggie, I know I kissed that girl, but that's all it was. I understand, you're still hurting right now though Caden" He rubbed my back with one hand, as the other wrapped around and held my waist.

     I leaned against him, before starting to giggle and wipe my tears away, while shaking my head, "Alright you're freaking me out why are you giggling" I shook my head and looked at him, "I just, I do love you" I said and watched a smile grow on his face, "And I thought of you most of the time with Reggie" I said, as I moved to face the table, looking down at it.