DISMANTLED | riverdale

i/

one (i.) || simple syd

I rolled over in my bed at the sound of my phone. Why didn't I have it on silent when I was sleeping? Everyone could wait while I could sleep.

My hand stretches and searches around for it until i find it at the edge of my bedside table. I bring it up to my eyes and see that it's my mom.

The same mother who didn't tell me my best friend died. The same mother who cut me off from all I had ever known.

I think she can wait another hour.

I watch as the call goes through and when it finally ends I unlock my phone to go through my social media. Well what's left of it anyways. I hadn't updated much of anything since I moved back.

"Syd! Why didn't you answer your mother when she called?" My grandma screamed outside of my door.

Well she can't see me right now so I can play this off. 

I grunted loudly.

"What are you talking about? I'm sleeping."

I can hear her footsteps pad away and I breath out a sigh of relief. Maybe she feel for it or maybe she didn't. At least she can understand that I don't want to talk to my mother when it's this early in the morning.

I look back a my phone - more importantly at my Instagram. The last photo I posted was going on a few months old and it was getting new comments. I didn't really recognize any of the usernames except one, Reggie's.

Him and a bunch of other kids i can only guess attend riverdale high all commented the snake emoji. 

It shouldn't get to me. I should be tougher than this. But I'm still a person. A kid. 

My fingers tap quickly until there is nothing left of my profile. All my photos taken down. My profile picture cleared out. 

I don't care if it let's them think they won. This isn't some type of game. I'm just trying to live my life in riverdale. I'm not going back upstate. I can not go back. I will not be that girl again. 

My phone buzzed for the second time this morning but it's Harrison.

I answer quickly.

"Hey! I'm downstairs, we're gonna be late if you don't hurry up. And why'd you delete your insta?" 

"Did you not see the flood of snakes that graced my last picture?"

"I did. But we know high school sucks. It's like common knowledge. Why not just disable the comments?"

"I didn't want to do that. There's not much to post anyways. I'll be down in a few minutes."

-

"Did you hear about the party going on at Archie's house?" Harrison asked me as we both ate our lunch on the gym bleachers.

We were the outcasts I guess? Just didn't seem right to sit in a lunchroom where everyone was gonna stare anyways. Wasn't gonna take the chance with the way these kids grew balls within the past few days.

The Instagram comments were the last straw for me. After the locker thing, the staring and gossiping and rumors, I didn't want anything to dow with it. Just let it run it's course while I focus on school.

I'd put up with it if it meant I didn't revert back to old Syd. Or going back upstate with my mom.

"Honestly, I know for a fact Cheryl will be there so I know for another fact I will not." I quipped as he chuckled at my enthusiasm.

"I mean yeah, but what about Betty, Veronica? I thought they were your new gal pals?" 

Now that had to be some sort of joke.

We were class friends at best. We only talk to each other when we see one another in class or in the hallways. But besides that we are pretty much strangers.

"Nope. They are just nice people. And besides they're on the team with Cheryl. I wouldn't be surprised if they succumbed to her hbic powers." I poked away at the lettuce in my tray. I was only interested in the fries. 

"I don't know. Those two seem cool. Don't get me wrong they are preppy- but I mean they seem to be the nice preppies compared to everyone else." He explained a little bit.

The door to the gym opened and in came the cheerleading team. In their short shorts and white tube socks.  Just when I thought Riverdale couldn't get more cliche it smacks me in the face and makes me eat my words.

I can see all of them come in with their pretty captain leading them. The other girls sit down and begin stretching, not taking note of us on top of the bleachers but all the way in the left corner. I don't move an inch.

But Harrison keeps on eating.

The girls on the floor don't catch on until they finish stretching and they all line up. The same girl who was writing on my locker is the one to make us. She doesn't even use words she just nods to us and Cheryl turns around.

"Well, it seems we have a few loose snakes in our gym ladies." She says very clearly.

I sigh. Just when I thought I had been hiding away enough. I hold my tray tightly in my hands as I get up from my seat and begin the descent down to the gym floor.

"Hey wait a minute- I didn't even finish my tuna sandwich." Harrison calls out to me but I'm already making my way down.

I don't even want to look at her. Part of me is guilty. I did leave her lonely when she needed it most. But another part of my is angry. It wasn't my fault. I didn't ask for this. If I had it my way we wouldn't be fighting.

If I had it my way then Jason wouldn't be dead. Or my dad. 

I turn my back on the girls and watch as Harrison meets me where I am.

"Not gonna say anything syrup girl?" one of the girls behind Cheryl asks. I know it wasn't her because it wasn't her voice, and I know that all her little evil minions are just bunched up behind her.

Do I have something to say? Maybe.

Am I going to say it? Not likely.

I turn around to face all of them. With a straight face I look at Cheryl for a moment.

"As much as you taunt me, stare at me, talk about me, I'm not going away." I put simply before turning back to Harrison. "Ready?"

I could see him look behind me with a small smirk.

"Ready as ever Simon."