Wrong Side of the Tracks

Chapter Seven

I opened my door, not even noticing how it was unlocked. I walk inside to the kitchen and grab some Advil for my headache. Behind me, I hear someone clear their throat. I turn around to face my father.

"Um, hi? I uh, thought you were at work."

"And I thought you were at school."

"Heh, about that..." I looked down suddenly interested in the floor. What was I going to tell him. If he knew the truth, I would be grounded for weeks on end. "I really did go to a friends house, I just didn't feel good when I woke up." I looked back up at him. He nodded, looking at me skeptically.

"And they have a motorcycle?" I nodded, hoping he wouldn't point out that it was usually only Southsiders who had motorcycles. He sighed. "Okay. I'm on my way to work, it was a late night. But don't ever go anywhere again before telling me, okay."

"Okay. Bye dad, I love you." With that, walked up stairs to my room ans changed into a pair of sweatpants and a loose T-Shirt. I laid down on my bed and started to go through my notifications. I had about a dozen texts from Cheryl, most of them asking why I wasn't at school and saying how boring it was without me there. I ignored them, and rolled over so I was facing my ceiling. I let my thoughts wander, and soon, they wandered over to a certain tall serpent. I closed my eyes, remembering his scent, and the freedom of the motorcycle ride. I felt my lips curl into a small smile as I fell asleep.

****
"Skyler!" I yelped as I rolled off the bed, landing on my hip. I wince as I get up, trying to ignore the pain.

"Thanks a lot Kev, I think you just broke my hip." He just gave me a blank stare. I look at him, trying to read him. "What's wrong? What's going on?" He looked down at me.

"You don't know?"

"Know what?" He swallowed.

"Cheryl was just arrested." I looked sldiwn and shook my head.

"No, no, this doesn't make sense. I know she didn't kill him." I paused, remembering what had really happened. I took a deep breath. "What did she say exactly?" Kevin looked at me.

"It was in biology class. Dad came in with Weatherbee. She said that she was guilty." I sighed, not quite in relief, but I knew what she was talking about. "Um, hello? Sky that is not a good thing." I rolled my eye at his dramatics.

"She didn't kill him."

"But she con-"

"She said she was guilty, not of murder, but of lying." He looked at me, confusion covering his face. I walked over to my bed, not wanting to go through this explanation standing. "On July 4th, Cheryl and Jason planned to 'flip the boat' and fake his death. And they did, successfully."

"But Cheryl spent all those weeks crying. You spent hours, even days over there. And why would they fake his death?" I sighed

"I was getting there. She knew she was going miss him, and she hated the thought of him going away. And for why, Jason and Polly were going to meet and runaway sonewhere to live out their lives together." Kevin nodded, taking all the information in.

"So dad doesn't really have a lead." I shook my head before getting up off of my bed. I grabbed my phone, seeing a few different notifications. I shrugged placing it it my pocket, knowing that none of them really mattered right now.

"I'm sure that Cheryl's parents are going to get her the best lawyer money can buy, and then we will get on with our lives, obsessed with the death of Jason Blossom." I continued to walk out of my room, ignoring the stares from Kevin. I smiled to my self as I walked, life in the Northside might not be as boring as it used to.

****

"What the Hell is this?" I threw a paper with the headline CHERYL BLOSSOM GUILTY AS SIN at Betty, fuming with anger. It was Monday morning, and I was pissed off at the article Betty's mom wrote. She look at me apologeticly, knowing how close I was with Cheryl.

"Calm down Sky." I glared at my brother.

"Calm down? Why should I when her mother is posting lies about Cheryl. Not to mention that she leaked Jason's autopsy report!" Kevin looked around, while shushing me to be quiet. I continued to glare at him, and but not surprised at him defending Betty. I didn't notice Betty came up next to me until her and was on my shoulder and she was talking.

"I don't like it either." She said softly. "That's why I decided to start writing for the schools newspaper, so I can write my own story, with the facts, and the facts only." I turned to her.

"If you want help, let me know. I will gladly help you." She smiled at me as the bell rang and we said our goodbyes.

****

"If print journalism is dead, then why am I here?" I looked up from my phone as Jughead Jones walked into the office of the Blue And Gold, the schools news paper.

"The Blue and Gold isnt dead Juggy, its just dormant." I cocked an eyebrow at the nick name 'Juggy', something that I heard no one call him before. "But waking up. Your writing a novel, right? About Jason Blossom's murder?" I stood up, looking at Jughead, curious to see what he has

"I am. Rivderdale's very own in cold blood." Betty smiled slyly and took another step towards him.

"Which started out as a series of articles. I'm hoping that you will come and write for the Blue and Gold." He sighed, looking at her.

"I just don't think that the schools paper's fit for my voice." I laughed at little.

"Is the schools paper for for any voice, I mean really. I don't think its been published in years." I smiled sweetly as Betty shot a look at me.

"Juggy... Jason's death changed Riverdale. People don't want to admit
That but its true. We all feel it. Nothing this bad was ever supposed to happen here, but it did. I want to know why." I rolled my eyes. Riverdale was just and ordinary town.  There isn't anything that 'wasn't' supposed to happen here. Things just happen.

"Would I get complete freedom?" I laughed again, earning a look from both Jughead and Betty.

"Under Betty? There's no such thing." Judhead cracked a smile, while Betty just rolled her eyes.

"We'll help...and ill edit and suggest. But it's your story, your choice." Jughead raised an eyebrow at Betty.

"Doesn't sound like complete freedom, but... I'm in." Betty practically jumped up and down like a two year old who just ate candy.

"Okay, great! Um, in that case, I have your first assignment. There's one person who was at the river on July 4th that no one is talking about.

"Dilton Doiley and his scouts." Jughead and I said in sync. Betty smiled.

"Exactly." I watched as Jughead smiled and left. I got up from my seat and headed towards the door.

"Now that we got that settled, I'll be there for the interesting stuff. Just call me. But if all you're going to do is write and look at eachother count me out." Betty smiled at me and nodded.

"Okay. But hopefully nothing life threatening happens." I smile devilishly.

"Oh, I'm counting on it."

A/N
I statted adding **** to signal line breaks, just to make sure I'm not confusing anyone. I hope that you all are enjoying it. Also this is currently Season 1 Episode 3 in case you were wondering where we are at in the show.

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