affluenza // riverdale

prologue

Riverdale might be a small town, but it is the town. It had its own version of the Hamptons and had some of the most beautiful real estate in the world, owned by those who have made a name for themselves and have established their brands. It oozed money, power, and authority; the three things that everyone in Riverdale seemed to have.

Riverdale's population wasn't overwhelming and everyone knew everyone. There are those who are more prominent than others though, depending on who their family is or who they're seen socializing with.

The Lodges were almost always surrounded by scandals. They were a family of three:

The wife, Hermione, who is a retired actress now turned to a reality star who is rarely seen without her glass of expensive chardonnay.

Hiram, the savvy business man who owns many of Riverdale's establishments and had rumored ties to the mafia.

And their daughter Veronica, who dreams of owning her own fashion empire and is regarded as Riverdale's Park Avenue princess.

Their reality show was both a blessing and a curse, as it brought them closer together and through it, they often gained the world's affection, despite the fact that they almost always end up in pathetic situations involving tons of miserable accusations and scandals.

The Blossoms are heirs and heiresses to the Blossom Maple Empire, famous for their maple-infused alcoholic beverages and signature red hair.

Clifford, the current patriarch, and his wife Penelope have been clouded with scandals ever since traces of evidence have linked them to the Maple Club, which apparently is the sex dungeon for aristocrats.

Since then, they have barely left the confines of their gothic mansion, Thornhill, with Nana Rose, the oldest Blossom alive.

And who could forget about the twins? There's Jason, the (fuckboy) football star who is rumored to be the father of Polly Cooper's child, and Cheryl, the self-proclaimed Head Bitch in Charge and (red) queen bee of town.

The Coopers were considered Riverdale's stepford family, although they've had their fair share of scandal—they were only good at hiding it.

Hal, the head of the household, controlled nearly all media outlets so he had power in filtering what people know about them. Gossip was harder to get rid of, though, especially since everyone seems to have their nose up their business.

His wife Alice was a prominent movie star in the 80's era of classic films, then dove into the gossip pool after she apparently had an illegitimate child early on in their marriage.

Charles, the rumored illegitimate child considering that this blonde adonis only seemed to manifest one gene of Hal—his blonde hair.

Polly, the rebel of the bunch, got herself pregnant at seventeen (by fuckboy Jason Blossom) and was put on house arrest ever since.

Lastly, there's Betty, who is considered America's sweetheart with her mesmerizing green eyes and innocent appeal. So far, it's only Betty who hasn't been caught up in a scandal...at least, none that they know of yet.

The Andrews were one of the more humble households in Riverdale, choosing to stay out of the public eye as much as they could ever since the divorce was made official.

Fred, the father, was a former male model who ran his father's construction business at the side. He was a very nice man but apparently has lost touch with his emotions ever since his divorce.

Mary, his now ex-wife, has been a model for quite some time and rode on the waves of fame with her former husband before she decided to pursue her law degree and is now regarded as one of the best lawyers in the country.

Their child Archie has been labeled as Riverdale's golden boy, torn in between wanting a career in football and music. However, in matters of the heart, he's...well, he's Archie. He also happens to be my best friend.

The Kellers are famous for two things: detective work and film production.

Tom, the only living parent left of the Kellers in Riverdale, worked as a private detective for huge companies and well-known celebrities.

His late wife Maria, sweet and respected by many in the film industry for her work as a director, passed away from cancer no less than two years ago. It left Tom devastated, but no one's pain could ever surpass that of Kevin's, the couple's beloved child. He was very close to his mother and has decided to follow her footsteps in the big screen.

Besides his wife's untimely death, they became the talk of the town when, just after a year from his wife's passing, Tom's affair with a mayor from outside Riverdale was exposed.

The Joneses were one of the more (if not most) dysfunctional families in town. Trouble seemed to always be a step behind them wherever they go. They came from a long line of successful business people, and so far, it's FP II who is yet to fuck everything up.

Between FP II's cunning personality that makes him such a great business man and inability to remain sober, alas, it's the latter that weighs more.

Gladys, his wife, was a famous singer who got herself mixed up with the wrong people (more like, the wrong man) and nearly drove herself to a tree while she was high and drunk, causing her to serve time in a rehabilitation center.

Jellybean, their daughter, is just a few months shy of entering middle school, and thus has been kept out of the public eye often. For good reason too, because despite how much the Jones couple disagrees on, they agree that they cannot let their daughter be corrupted by the spotlight.

Then there's FP III shrouded by a cloud of danger and grim that has earned him the title of Riverdale's bad boy. That's me, although I do prefer to be called Jughead instead of my father's name.

Riverdale might be the dream town, but beneath its breathtaking, glamorous facade was a growing pile of skeletons buried beneath an abundance of money. Apparently, money solves everything in Riverdale.

Feeling sad? Buy drugs and booze. Feeling lonely? Pay for a night with an "escort" from the Maple Club.

Honestly, I'm not looking forward to returning to town. You see, I've spent the past two years in Stonewall Prep, a prestigious private school outside Riverdale. I was recruited and offered a spot in their world-renowned writing class—but of course, no one knows that.

Everyone assumed that I followed in my mother's footsteps and got thrown into a rehabilitation facility for drug abuse. Remember what I said about buying drugs and booze when you feel sad? My parents made that their personal mottos. In everyone's eyes, that's what being a Jones is.

If it weren't for my sister, I wouldn't even plan on coming back. Screw the Jones empire! My father already started burning it down, anyway. I planned on running away and building my own reputation not as a Jones businessman, but as a writer.

But because both of my parents were declared "unfit" to take care of my sister, I needed to return. I would never leave my sister behind, even if it meant returning to this crap town and facing the things I hate most.

My own name. The Jones legacy.

Welcome to the town where every face is a mask and every smile is a lie. Where every move is calculated and every relationship is either business or meant to end up in flames. Where people bathe in riches, money tainted with blood and reeking of secrets.

I fucking hate it here.