People like to say that the death of Jason Blossom changed everything at Riverdale High. But certain things, certain traditions, never change. Take homecoming for instance, though Jason's jersey had been retired, the Riverdale Bulldogs would still be playing their archivals, the Baxter High Ravens, with the River Vixens cheering them on. As in previous years, graduates from days of Riverdale's past will come to town to relive their more youthful, more carefree days. Or, to make up for lost time.
"I'll pick you up later princess, try not to stress." Sweet Pea tells a slightly hungover Ellie with a light kiss as he drops her at Riverdale High after last night's antics.
"Thank you." The blond smiles as she hops off the bike and starts walking towards the school building to meet Betty, Veronica and Alice in the Blue and Gold office.
"Oh finally. Close that door." Alice says as Ellie enters the room. "Ladies I need you to look around the room. Whoever is not in this room is on the table as a possible murder suspect. Including those Pussycats."
"Oh my God, Mom." Betty shakes her head.
"Now, let's talk about your father." The older blond turns to Veronica.
"He has an epic grudge against the Blossoms, so... yes, it's totally within the realms of possibility that he hired someone from jail to kill Jason, maybe Jughead's dad." Veronica explains.
"You really believe that?" Ellie asks, crossing her arms, defending Mr Jones.
"My dad paid Jughead's dad to trash the drive-in. Maybe he paid him to-."
"Commit murder." Alice interrupts. "And for all we know, that gay greaser Serpent is an accomplice. Or your Sweet Pea, Ellie."
"Don't you dare, Sweet Pea would never-." Ellie starts to snap but Betty buts in to stop Ellie getting angrier.
"What are you basing that off Mom?" The youngest Cooper girl asks, also wanting to defend FP. "That you saw FP and Joaquin talking?"
"It didn't look like they were talking. It looked like they were conspiring."
"Conspiring about what?" Ellie asks, feeling the anger build up as she finds this so far fetched and targeted.
"That's what I need you to find out, through Jughead or FP or Sweet Pea directly. Without raising suspicion of course. Which is why I have prepared a seemingly innocuous list of questions." Alice tells her eldest daughter, fetching a piece of paper from the desk.
"I already asked Jughead point-blank if he thought his father had anything to do with Jason's death, and he said no. And I believed him, and I still believe him." Betty defends the Jones men.
"Both of you, you're too close to this." Alice tells her girls.
"I'm not going to insult my boyfriend or my best friend or betray them by entertaining this. Now if you'll excuse me, I have my real mother to talk to." Ellie snaps, all three other faces in the room, gobsmacked. "Oh yeah, I found my mother, Penny Peabody ring any bells? And if you dare lay a finger on my best friend or his father, i'll kill all three of you." The blond threatens before storming out of the office.
"Ellie." Betty catches her sister by her wrist and turns her to face herself. "What the hell did you mean back in there."
"I've found my real mother Betty. She's a Serpent and she seems really great, from what I can remember of last night. I'm happy for once and I don't need Alice fucking that up for me. Please be happy for me Betty." Ellie explains, her sister trying to take in all this information. "You'll always be my little sister, no matter what." She adds.
"Of course I'm happy for you." Betty wraps her arms round her sister and Ellie lets out a sigh of relief.
"Thank you Betty, I'm speaking to her properly, sober, today. I'll let you know how it goes." Ellie smiles widely, Betty letting go of her.
"Look, I've got a homecoming dance to plan but I'll see you at lunch?" Betty asks, walking away slowly, Ellie nods which causes the younger Cooper to smile and turn to walk faster towards the gym.
"Sorry to interrupt, but I have an announcement to make." Cheryl Blossom announces to the lunch table. "One that tangentially involves you, Betty and Ellie. I'm bringing Polly to the dance as my date and we're campaigning as co-queens off homecoming court."
"Because why?" Ellie asks, a confused look plastered on her face.
"Because Nightmare Smurfette, by all rights it should've been Polly and Jason on that stage being crowned. This is the next best thing. So, don't forget to vote, and I'll see everyone at my coronation." She finishes and hen walks off, not giving anyone a chance to respond. Ellie and her haven't spoken since the search for Polly in the woods after Ellie found out that it was Cheryl who outed her to her mother about Jason and Sweet Pea after finding some journal of her brother's.
"Betty, about the homecoming dance, can I play a couple songs? I kinda told my mom that- whoa you don't want me to?" Archie stops himself once he sees the look on Betty's face.
"No it's not that, Arch. It's just, um, this dance needs to be.. fun. And your songs as amazing as they are-."
"They make you wanna slit your wrists." Jughead jokes and earns a laugh of only Ellie, dark humour is something they also have very much in common. "In a good way." He adds.
"In an amazing way." Ellie says.
"No need to fret Betty, cause Archie asked me to sing with him and we're thinking of doing some upbeat covers." Veronica smiles.
"We are?"
"Aren't we?" Ronnie replies and Archie looks a little confused.
Ellie makes the announment that she's leaving, telling everyone she's going to Sweet Pea's but really she's off to visit Penny Peabody, her mother.
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Anarchist | Riverdale
FanfictionIn which the other Cooper daughter questions her past and her present. In which she believes she lives on the wrong side of the tracks and that she was born to wear a jacket with a snake embroidered on the back. 'They say I'm an anarchist, not like...
