Anarchist | Riverdale

Shadow of a Doubt

On the eve of the mayoral debate, as Archie Andrews goes door-to-door, he doesn't mention the murder of his classmate Midge Klump. Most people believed Midge was murdered by someone else. But not Archie. He was certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the Black Hood was back. As was his next-door neighbours, Betty Cooper. Who had, in fact, laid eyes on the Black Hood. And suspected he was much closer.

"Penny for your thoughts, hon?" Hal says to wake up Betty out of her daydream. Ellie stayed silent, she had visited the next morning to make sure they were all okay because Sweet Pea and her crashed out on the couch once he had calmed Ellie down. Betty had told her everything, Ellie now having a found out a new trait of Betty's. She always said she had a darkness in her, just like Ellie does, but when she told her sister that she gave Chic away to the Black Hood last night, she really believed it.
"I was thinking that he was a test." Betty says after a moment.
"Who was?" Hal asks.
"The imposter. Chic. Everything that he did to us and brought to us was kind of a test. But we survived and we're stronger for it."
"Well that remains to be seen." Alice sighs, taking a sip from her coffee cup.
"No, Mom, we are." Ellie says, in a soft tone. "And we'll survive whatever comes next."
Betty offers a small smile to her sister and Hal nods in agreement.

The two sisters walk to school together, their umbrellas protecting them from the rain.
"Any word from Chic, or the Black Hood?" Ellie asks, breaking the silence.
"No. Nothing from either of them, so who knows? Maybe he's gone for good." Betty answers.
"The silver lining to all this Chic stuff over the last weeks is, that's as bad as it gets Betty. It can't get any worse. How could it?"
"My dad could be the Black Hood." She says sharply.
Ellie chuckles slightly. "Yeah. Okay, well, that would be worse.

"War Baby called my father and I from Shankshaw. Our old adversaries, the Ghoulies, have been released." Jughead tells the Serpents at the next Swords and Serpents meeting.
"Word on the street is that they want Serpent blood. They're gunning for a rematch. They want war." Ellie adds.
Before anyone could say anything, the door bursts open and in comes the Bulldogs, Reggie up front.
"Which one of you reptiles was screwing Midge Klump?" He asks.
"What the hell is going on? This is a private meeting." Jughead says, standing from leaning on the desk, Ellie following his actions.
"I'm guessing it was you, Sweet Pea." Reggie points a finger at the tallest guy in the room, Ellie's blood boils at the sound of her boyfriend's name falling from Mantle's mouth.
"Still jealous are we?" Ellie asks, smirk on her face.
"Babe, let me handle this." Sweet Pea says, gently moving her out of the way and standing face to face with Reggie.
"Reggie, that's enough." Archie warns his friend.
"You ass. I didn't even know Midge. But I get why she wouldn't want fleas from you mangy Bulldogs." Sweet Pea attacks and before anyone could do anything, Reggie and Sweet Pea were fighting, pushing each other around, the other Serpents and Bulldogs begin fighting too.
Ellie gets in between the two, knowing neither would swing whilst she was there, no matter how much of an asshole Reggie was. "Stop fighting!" She shouts, tears threatening to fall, she was so so sick of fighting and arguing and drama all the time. She had only seen Sweet Pea fight once, the night of the Bulldogs verses Serpents outside Andrews' house but she it didn't last long and her vision was impaired by the dark and the rain, and she definitely didn't want to see him fight now, she didn't want to see him end the fight.
"Serpents back off! Now!" Jughead orders.
"Dark Circle, stand down." Archie demands.
"Can your boyfriend not fight his own battles?" Reggie teases.
"Of course." Ellie turns to the boy in the varsity jacket. "I recall me knocking you to the floor, Sweet Pea is ten times stronger. I don't wanna see him in handcuffs and I'm sure you don't wanna be in a hospital bed. So, if anything, I saved your ass and you should be thanking me." Ellie says, sternly.
"No you're not." Reggie scoffs. "You, Ellie Peabody, are a fucking psychopath. You always have been and you always will be, definitely got Mommy's genes."
Sweet Pea was about to go for him again but Ellie puts a hand out to stop him.
"You must have a death wish." The redhead shakes her head. "Just turn around and leave before you make this worse for yourself."
"No, I-" Reggie begins.
"Turn around and leave!" Ellie snaps, screaming in his face, taking Reggie and everyone in the room aback a little. But Mantle takes her advice and leaves, the Dark Circle following behind.
"Ellie-" Sweet Pea goes to say before being cut off.
"Don't." She scolds and he cowers back into his seat and remains quiet.