𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐃𝐄, riverdale [2]

THIRTEEN

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The next day before school, Mariah had went to talk to Betty about the whole thing with Jughead. Betty didn't tell her the whole story, because she didn't want to put her in danger. But it had something to do with the infamous Black Hood, the person who shot Archie's dad.

Mariah wasn't sure what was going on but she was sure of one thing: Betty was trying to protect them. In some ways, Mariah was grateful for Betty but in others, she was mad at the girl for not telling her the truth. She had told Betty that she would want the entire story later and to talk to Jughead.

Cheryl hadn't gone to school that day, opting to stay home and unwind. Mariah didn't blame her. With everything that was happening, she would've done the exact same. Mariah would've ditched with her but her mother would have her head if she missed any more days of school. She had been missing "way too many days" for her mother's liking.

She stood at her locker, looking at herself in the little mirror she had in it. Her eyes scanned the inside door of the locker at the few pictures Cheryl had stuck in there and the the few that Mariah herself had put in. Her eyes burned into the picture she had of her and Archie. She didn't know why she still had it in there. Maybe she just couldn't bring herself to throw it away.

Until now.

She took the picture between her thumb and index finger and yanked on it, pulling it off of the door. She shoved the picture into her backpack and closed the locker door, stopping at the sight of Kevin. "Hey," she greeted, beginning to walk. "You dodged a bullet not going to Nick's party," he said. Mariah's hands clenched into fists at the mention of his name.

"Our parents found out about it and how we were doing jingle jangle and totally got on our asses. Pretty sure I'm grounded for the rest of my life," Kevin was saying. "You see, this is why I don't go to parties. Nothing good ever comes from them," Mariah said. "Okay that is so not true. Not all parties are bad. It's just, this one was," he defended.

"Yeah yeah I guess," Mariah said. The two stopped at Kevin's locker and he began opening it. "So, how have you been?" He asked. Mariah shrugged, "Okay, I guess." He nodded, "Just okay? I know what happened between you and Archie. And Veronica. And you haven't really been talking to me much." He trailed off, giving her a look.

"Well, because you've been hanging out with Veronica, right?" Mariah said and he sighed. "I'm not condoning what she and Archie did. It was fucked up and wrong. But, they're my friends and while I don't agree with what they did, I'm not just gonna stop being friends with them for it. Does that make me an asshole?" He said. Mariah shook her head, "No, it doesn't. And I'm not saying that you shouldn't be friends with them. They didn't do anything to you. But I haven't seen you trying to hang out with me."

"The phone works both ways, Mariah," Kevin pointed out. "Touché," she said. "Kevin, I need your advice on something. So Archie and I-" Veronica cut herself off when Kevin closed his locker and she saw Mariah. Veronica's face fell slightly. "Don't stop on my account. You and Archie?" Mariah said, trying to keep the anger out of her voice.

"Mariah..." Veronica wasn't sure what to say. The blonde turned to Kevin. "I'll talk to you later," she said. "You better," he replied in an attempt at lightheartedness. The hallway's atmosphere had shifted into one of awkwardness. Mariah nodded and walked away from the two.

Her fists clenched in anger as she walked to her next class. Her conversation with Nick was coming back to her. About Veronica's boyfriend. The fact that the boy who cheated on her was now dating the girl he cheated on her with was mind boggling. It was angering. Mariah had never felt a rage like this before. She hated that she was so angry. They didn't deserve her anger. They didn't deserve any sort of reaction from her.