The Forgotten Blossom | A Riverdale Story

Chapter 31: Initiation

It had been a couple of weeks since Christmas and it was time for Claire's Serpent initiation, Jellybean had settled in nicely and had made plenty of friends. 

"Alice, I'm scared" Claire said, sitting on the edge of Alice and Fp's bed.

"Don't worry honey, you've been an honorary Serpent for months now and you're family. All you have to do is recite the laws and retrieve the knife from the rattlesnake's cage" she mumbled the last bit.

"What? No one said anything about a rattlesnake!" Claire exclaimed.

"Don't worry, it's not a big deal. It'll be over in no time. Plus, I did it when I was your age" Claire rolled her eyes and fell back onto the bed.

The Andrews would not be in attendance at the initiation. Despite the fact that their friends were Serpents, they couldn't see past the violence and crime enough to join them.

"Bye guys" Archie shouted, opening the front door.

"Where are you going son?" Fred and Hermione were sitting in the living room.

"Football practice" Archie hesitated.

"On a Saturday?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"We have a big game next weekend"

"Okay, see you soon" Fred smiled at his son as he left. Hermione frowned. 

"I'm not sure" she didn't fully believe the boy. 

"He'll be fine love" Fred reassured his fiancee. Hermione sighed before resting her head back on his shoulder, her mind still racing at what he could be up to.

"Claire, Betty, I'm going out for a few things but I'll be back soon" Alice upstairs to the girls.

"Okay, see you" Claire replied, silence from Betty. The sound of the front door opening and closing was heard throughout the quiet house. "Betty?" Claire knocked on her cousin's bedroom door.

"What?" Betty shouted

"Can you do my hair?" Claire asked quietly.

"No"

"Please Betty"

"Why don't you just get Veronica to do it" Betty came out of her room so that they were both standing on the landing at the top of the stairs.

"I just though-" Claire stuttered.

"You ruined everything so just stay out of my way" Betty growled.

"Is it just your goal to make me miserable" Claire exclaimed. In that moment Betty's mind stopped, her hands reached out and pushed her. Claire fell back, grabbing at the wall but her hands slipped. Her screams pierced through Betty's ears, a tear rolled down her cheek. Claire struggled as she fell down the staircase, hitting her head on the banister. Why? Betty thought, why did she feel the need to push her? Her mind raced as she watched Claire's motionless body at the foot of the stairs. Betty wiped her cheeks, breathing heavily, she ran down the stairs and stepped over Claire. She ran to the front door, grabbed her coat and left.

"Hey Arch, I've got your washing" Hermione pushed the boy's bedroom door open. Archie had just got back from football practice and in the time that he was gone, Hermione had figured out what was going on.

"Oh, thanks" Archie smiled as Hermione handed him a pile of clothes.

"Can we talk quickly?" she asked causing Archie's heart to race.

"Sure, what's up?" he replied as Hermione sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Are you working for Hiram again?" she asked bluntly.

"What? No..no I-" Archie stumbled, trying to quickly think of a reply.

"It's okay if you are, I just need you to tell me the truth because then I'll be able to deal with it"

"Please don't tell my dad" Archie pleaded.

"I won't, let me deal with it and in the mean time, don't make any contact with Hiram" Hermione patted his knee, smiling slightly before leaving the room.

"Hermione honey, I'm going to see if Alice has any milk because we're out" Fred called up the stairs.

"Uh, okay. See you soon" Hermione replied, going into their bedroom and taking out her phone. She found Hiram's contact on her phone, god only knew why she still had it.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Hiram, can we meet?" Hermione asked.

"Of course, where?"

"Pop's, in half an hour. See you there" she hung up, putting her head in her hands and sighing.

Fred knocked on Alice and Fp's front door with no reply.

"Alice, Fp" he called out. Still no reply. Fred tried turning the door handle and to his surprise, it was unlocked. "Ali-" he began, immediately noticing Claire lying at the bottom of the stairs. "Claire? Claire!" Fred knelt down beside her and checked her pulse, luckily it was steady. "Hey, hey, wake up" he shook her gently, blowing on her face lightly. Claire began to stir, her eyelids fluttering open, she began to sit up.

"Wha- Fred?" Claire groaned.

"It's okay, I think you fell down the stairs" Fred's face softened.