DISMANTLED | riverdale

iv/

four (iv.) || syd is sincere 

I sat on the grass with my textbooks sprawled out in front of me. I had to get this last equation right for my math class. I wasn't here to fool around after all. Not just a emotional change was what my mother expected but an academic one.

But it was a nice day in Riverdale. The snow had melted from last week and the sun was out. Maybe I could just take in my sights and take a break for a few minutes.

"Hey is that algebra two?" Harrison's voice asked from behind me. I jumped a little bit at the sound. 

He stood there with a big goofy grin on his face.

I sighed and rolled my eyes at him. "Yeah. I think we're gonna have a pop quiz in math today."

"How do you know you're gonna have a pop quiz? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of a pop quiz?" He sat down next to me and put his bag down in-between his legs as he asked.

Well...

I winced "I may have looked at the calendar on Ms.H's desk and saw pop quiz on today's date."

"Wow! You're a little nosy bird aren't you!" He joked and I faked laugh at that. 

"Well at least I care enough to be nosy this time around." I blurted out. Why did I just do that? Why did I just say that willingly?! He didn't even ask me anything! Am I the type of person to just blurt out personal things like that?

"Care to elaborate?" When he asked that I looked to him with a guilty face. "You don't have to if you don't want to. Remember I'm not pushing you."

I nodded and went back to my textbook. With my pencil in hand I circled the equation a few times while my mind wandered off.

But now I feel like I should explain. I mean not everything of course. Not at this second. But just enough to show that I trust him and for him to understand.

I dropped my pencil and my book in my lap and looked out into the yard of kids.

"When I was upstate, I didn't care much for my grades. Almost got left back because of it but my mom with all her money and power somehow found a way for me to keep up with my grade. And knowing that made me fall even further because then I knew I didn't have to do much if she was just gonna bribe someone so that I could pass." I said a mouthful without even bothering to glance his way.

I can hear him shuffling in his place in the grass. 

"Okay. Well, now that you are changing into a better person you do care about your grade. I support it." He answers back and that makes me turn to look at him again. He was always surprising me time after time.

Instead of saying anything I just nodded at him.

-

The news of Fred Andrews getting shot struck me. He had been the one I first bumped into when I came back. He was the one who told me about Jason. And I know that he's the town's golden boy. 

So for someone to go and hurt him like that? Really doubles down on the fact that riverdale is changing. My grandma didn't need to tell me to go and visit him, I was already going to do that. Just didn't want to go empty handed.

I put my truck into park right in front of the Andrews house. After school I went straight to the bakery and grabbed four fresh pastries to bring over. Harrison helped me pack that box since he was on shift.

Quickly I exited out of the truck from the drivers side and walked around to the passenger's side to get the box. Once I did I walked up the stairs of the house and knocked on the door lightly. I could hear movement from the inside.

It didn't take long for the door to open and there was Archie. 

"Syd? Hey, what uh- what are you doing here?" He asked- the boy had a lot on his mind I could tell. He could barely even string a sentence together. 

I held up the box. "For you and your dad. He was the one to help me when I got back into town, and I know your dad is a good man. So it's the least I can do."

He opens the door wider and lets me though as he points to the living room. As I head in I can see his dad sitting on the couch. For a man who got shot he didn't look too bad. He looked like he was healing. 

"Hi Mr.Andrews. I wanted to drop off some goodies for you and Archie, you know something to bring a little sweetness to your life. From me and my grandma." I explain as I set the box down on the coffee table and open it for him.

"Thank you Sydney." He smiles at me and I smile back.

-

I anxiously sat at a booth in Pops. Harrison texted and asked me to meet him here. I don't know under what pretenses but I'm not sure it's a good thing. I mean isn't good news usually the start of a conversation.

The only types of conversations that start with 'we need to talk' are ones that go down hill. I remember my mother started a conversation like that before. Then she told me of my father's passing. She did it again when she told me we were moving.

I don't have fond memories that start with 'we need to talk'

Another thing that's circling around my mind was Cheryl's confession. Ever since she told me she deliberately set the fire to her house I felt- guilty. I mean her mother ran in there to try to get some painting, Cheryl didn't stop her.

I feel like I overstepped.

I know the Blossoms have their issues but now we're older. And there are somethings that I can't ignore or put in the back of my head anymore.

The bell at the front door rang out and I could see Harrison come through it. He saw me and made a b-line for the booth I held for the both of us. 

He sat down with a smile. "Hey, did you order anything?"

"No I was too anxious. 'We need to talk'? Come on and spill the beans already." I spat out, wringing my hands as I wait in anticipation.

"I, um.." He began but trailed off looking at someone behind me. I moved in my seat to see who it was, it was Cheryl. I sat back down and waited for him for about a few more seconds before saying anything.

"Harry?"

He looked back at me, his trance gone. "Sorry for texting you like that, it's not something that you did. You didn't do anything. It's more so my Aunt who is now out on parole."

"Are we happy about it?" I asked since it seemed like he didn't seem to be. Maybe he was just in shock.

Harrison looked around the booth and shook his head. "Not exactly since I'm the one who put her in cell block C."