sweets • riverdale [1]

22.

"You look perfect."

Her mother's words make Thorn cringe inside. In her fitted dress, Thorn feels unbelievably visible. It clings to her body, the red in perfect contrast to her skin. She wishes she could hide, but, in a dress like this, it's impossible. She can never disappear. In this dress, she is a Blossom. Thorn can see the pride in her mother's face from it. The only time her mother has ever shown any interest, any sign of love, is when Thorn is perfectly a Blossom.

As soon as she walks into the dining room at the Belmont, Thorn can feels eyes on her. She's in red, the Blossom colour, and only Penelope Blossom wears really red at the dinner. Most opt for a different colour as not to oppose the leading family at their own dinner party. Red isn't mandatory at the dinner like it is at the tapping-ceremony, but still Thorn wears red.

She sticks out like a sore-thumb, and the eyes of the trustees turn to her just like Clifford and her mother had planned. For Thorn to wear red is a statement, planned and executed to perfection. It has been from the moment Clifford purchased the dress for her to wear. He wouldn't have it any other way.

"Stop slouching." Violet pulls at her daughter's shoulders. "Chin up," says Violet quickly. "Hold yourself properly."

"God forbid if she doesn't," Axel says sarcastically. "The room could split in half and hell could swallow up every last Blossom in the room, or - or," he says mockingly, "Thorn could spontaneously combust if her shoulders dare pass her ears fully." He rolls his eyes. "Come off it, mother." He says, "Give her a break. She looks great," he adds, shooting his sister a smile.

"She has people to impress, unlike you," says Violet sneeringly. "In fact, I don't even see why you're here. You quit the company."

"Yeah, well, someone's got to make sure you don't get your talons into Thorn, mother," Axel replies.

Unable to stand their bickering, Thorn moves away. The only way she can go is further inside the dining room, and, now, she's in everyone's direct line of sight. She turns her head away from the trustees and towards the window. The snow is still falling. It now blankets the ground, and Thorn remembers how she and Jason used to go sledging in the holidays. She smiles at how happy she was. Back then, her smile never seemed to be fake.

"You always loved the snow." Clifford joins her by the window. Thorn doesn't flinch. She doesn't move her head to look at him. She just continues staring at the snow falling outside. "You were so enchanted by it. Truly a child at heart," he says.

"Must have been a long time ago," Thorn says. "I can't even remember the last time I acted like a child. I can't pin-point it exactly, but I remember being a child. Everyone was a child once. It all seems so general - my childhood."

"Christmas morning, 2010," Clifford says. "You and Jason raced outside the moment you saw snow. Cheryl was following behind, like always. You and Jason - that's how it was. Swimming made you closer, and that day - seeing you two playing in snow together - I saw how the company could succeed. You and Jason."

"That was the moment it all changed," Thorn says softly. She lowers her head. "That was the moment you decided to choose me."

"You looked so much like your mother that day, so young," Clifford says fondly. "You and Jason, it just fit together. It looked perfect." He turns to her. He takes in Thorn, how she stands out among the crowd. He knows she looks like a Blossom, and it is all his work coming into motion before everyone's eyes. "You look stunning, Thorn - perfect," he says with pride.

This is what Clifford Blossom wants, what he's been working for since she was still a child.

"Thank you," says Thorn, still not looking at him.