sweets • riverdale [1]

26.

"What the hell is Secret and Sins?"

"It's a variation on truth or dare," Cheryl answers Jughead's question. She looks at her victims, all sitting together in front of her. Thorn feels like she's in an interrogation room as she sits in her chair waiting for Cheryl's rulings. "In which we own our truths," says the ginger, "by telling it like it is. I'll start the game with... Veronica Lodge."

"Naturally," replies Veronica, unsurprised by the choosing.

"Let's begin," Cheryl says, "with the day you and your mob-wife of a mother came to town for a so-called fresh start," she mocks. "Tell us, Veronica, what's so fresh about defiling Archie Andrews in a closet?"

"A, that didn't happen; and B, that was your doing," she answers.

"Moving on," snaps Cheryl, "to dear Daddy Lodge. Isn't it true that your father, from prison, illegally purchased the drive-in land?" she asks, "which makes me wonder, what else is he doing from behind bars?"

"Well, I can't speak for my father, but I can think of someone with a very dirty secret. Specifically," Veronica leans forward in her chair, "Cheryl killing her very own brother."

"Everyone knows how much I loved my brother," defends Cheryl.

"Exactly." Veronica looks the ginger girl over and says, "But did you love him in way that maybe a sister shouldn't love a brother?" she questions, "and as you got older, Jason started to think it was strange, unnatural. So he chose Polly over you. So you shot him between the eyes with one of your father's many hunting rifles."

Kevin gasps in shock, loving every bit of drama. "This is riveting," he say, lapping it up. "I can't breathe."

Cheryl wipes away a stray tear, and then Dilton Doiley stands up. "This game is sick," he announces excitedly. "I want to go next."

"That's the spirit, Doiley," encourages Chuck. "What secrets do you have to reveal to us?"

"I saw Miss Grundy's car by Sweetwater River, the day Jason went missing," claims the ex-scout leader. "I told Betty and Jughead, and then, Miss Grundy quit her job and left Riverdale, like, two days later. And let's not forget who was also there that morning," he looks to the two friends sat next to each other, "Archie and Thorn were both there at Sweetwater that morning, but here's the fun part." Doiley looks Thorn deep in the eyes. "I saw Thorn swimming, naked I might add," causing a few boys to whistle.

"You're a pig," spits Thorn.

"But she wasn't with Archie," Doiley finishes, and Thorn drops her tough-act.

"Oh my god," Cheryl's smirk widens, "Colour me shocked, Archie Andrews. Is that why you became a mediocre musician overnight? Because you and Miss four-eyes were pulling a Mary Kay Letourneau?"

Archie goes to open his mouth, but Veronica speaks for him. "Don't say anything, Archie." She looks to him. "Don't get in the gutter with them."

"Wait, what?" Chuck's amusement grows. "Andrews was banging a teacher? Well, damn, I wish I would have known," Chuck says, "I would've have added you and Miss Grundy to the board of conquests."

"Classy, Chuck." Thorn speaks up, her sarcasm clear, "as classy as always."

"Oh, you're one to talk about being classy." Cheryl rubs her hands together in excitement. "Shall we talk about your summer escapades? Oh..." Cheryl's smirk grows as she glances at Betty briefly, and Thorn notices. "Everyone knows Riverdale's golden trio has expanded now," Cheryl says. She gestures to the three sitting in a row. "Before it was just Betty, Archie and Thorn. But what, I dare say, happens when the one that was getting in the way, goes away for an entire summer?" asks Cheryl knowingly.