September 1991, school, sex, drinking, drugs, being the new kid, parties, death, pregnancy scares, homophobia, STD's, sports, fashion, parents, fights, abuse, cheating, just some of the turbulent challenges any regular teen faces in the quiet New Ha...
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Winter had descended onto the town: The one time of the year where the creepy and desolate aesthetic that Riverdale gave off was actually very fitting, especially with the frail leafless trees, the Misty sky, the frosty pavements and dreary grey atmosphere.
The day also happened to be the day of the annual Riverdale fair, celebrating the towns inception and history. While citizens were baking pies and prepping fairground grounds and entertainment stalls ready to set up at Pickens Park, the only concern that plagued Alice's mind as she stared absentmindedly out the mist and ice covered window by the kitchen sink helping Alicia with the dishes, was the unexpected news of her Mother's financial situation.
She had barely slept, barely ate and barely focused on anything more, and the worry of not knowing what was going to happen her family ate away at viciously.
"You get any sleep last night?" Alicia wondered, snapping Alice out of her thoughts.
"Not much."
Alicia may not had graduated high school, but it didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on in her daughters head, and it was written all over her taut but pretty make up free face.
"Baby-" Alicia began, soft but stern. "I don't want you worrying-"
"I'm about to be homeless, because my Mom's boyfriend won't get a job to support his family, of course I'm worrying!" Alice furiously burst out, slamming a plate down onto dish rack as she did. "Where is that lazy twit anyway?"
"The Wyrm. First thing this morning." Alicia answers in a disappointing hiss.
"Of course." Alice chuckled condescendingly. Typical Pete she thought. Trust him to run to the local bar when real life bites him in the ass.
"I know you're angry, but this attitude isn't gonna cut it." Alicia firmly stated, throwing a dish cloth down onto the surface before facing her sulking daughter.
"I will, handle this Ali, okay? Have I ever let you girls down?" She rhetorically added, her answer speaking volumes in Alice's silence and understanding look.
"Fine." The young blonde reluctantly accepted with a tight lip. It was in fact, far from fine, but she knew how stubborn her Mother was, and deep down, she knew there was likely no getting out of this on her Mother's part, and as usual she would have to sit idly by while chaos occurred, which always lead to her destructive and manic outbursts.
"Can I go?" She bluntly asked, already placing the plates and dishcloth down and preparing to leave regardless of whether her Mom gave her permission or not. "Because I said I'd meet Hal."
"Sure. I'll see you later on."
And with that, Alice made a beeline for the front door, grabbing her baseball jacket from the coat rack and rushing out, thankful for the breath of fresh air she was able to inhale as soon as she braved the chilling temperature, but more importantly, she was grateful to be out of the house. Her only concern was forgetting about her family's financial snag by any means necessary.
•••
Besides alcohol and marijuana, sex was always the best distraction for her when life was taking an unexpected U-turn, and the second she had turned up at Hal's, she acted on that habit and getting that fulfilment immediately, practically jumping his bones the second he opened the front door, much to his pleasure.
And for the 10 minutes it lasted, it sure did feel thrilling and liberating, and she basked in that brief pleasure happily, forgetting about her Mother going broke for just a moment, but it could only last so long, and now down from her high and back to reality, she was laying lonely against his headboard as the shower in his en suite bathroom ran, the negative thoughts raving through her mind as she pensively stared at the wall.
She was far too distracted to notice a dripping wet Hal with a towel wrapped around his wide tank like body and the abundance of steam slowly emerging from the bathroom.
"Well that was, unexpected." He suggestively declared, running his hand through wet hair.
"I need, to borrow some money." Alice suddenly blurt out, not caring for his jibe like comment at all.
"Sure. How much?"
She pulled her lips inward, sucking her cheeks in before poking her tongue through the corner of her mouth. "$10,000."
Hal abruptly turned his head to face her, his thick untrimmed brows raising into his hairline as his lips parted in alarm. "As in, dollars?" He rhetorically added before scoffing. "You been hitting the pipe like the rest of the girls in your neighbourhood?"
"You can swing it!" She encouraged in a plea, so desperate in that moment that she didn't even care he'd insulted her neighbourhood, once again. "That's chump change for you."
"Wait-" He aggressively halted with a raised hand. "Is that why you came here practically gagging for it?"
"What, no!" Alice disputed. "Don't be a jackass."
"Well what the hell am I supposed to think?" Hal argued back as he vigorously pulled his shirt over his head.
The disapproved expression that crossed Hal's features sent her a clear message that she wasn't going to get what she wanted from him, and even approaching him with the suggestion was ridiculous, but desperate times called for desperate measures, and she'd do anything for the people she loved. Even if it meant swallowing her pride, but not at the cost of being looked down upon.
"You know what?" She scoffed condescendingly as she threw the duvet back and scooted herself out of the bed, pulling her V neck button vest over her body in record time. "Forget I even asked. It is too much." She settled, reaching for her thigh thigh leather boots and pulling them over her legs.
Hal watched attentively as she zipped up her boots and buttoned up her denim skirt, before standing to reach for her baby blue baseball jacket, a twinge of guilt hitting him as he saw her disappointment.
"Look, I'm sorry. It's just-"
"Save it!" She dismisses before strolling to the door. "You gonna give me a ride home or what?"
Once dressed, the two of them marched down the steps anxiously, only to be met by a fiercely displeased appearing Caroline at the bottom. Her pale blue eyes shot a narrow glare Alice's way.
"The two of you off somewhere?" Caroline nonchalantly enquired, not actually caring either way and wanting Alice out of her home, feeling even more and more inclined to throw the young girl out physically especially as she stared her down with a devious arched brow and mischievous flick of the corner of her mouth.
It was no secret that Caroline hated her guts, but she'd never do anything about it in Hal's presence, Alice always took it upon herself to get deep under the cold hearted cows ageing skin, provoking her by any means, just to test her patience and raise her anger level.
"Just gonna give Alice a ride-"
"On second thoughts, I think I'll stay for lunch." Alice innocently suggested, smiling wide between Hal and his mother. "You don't mind, do you Carol?"
"My name, is Caroline." She sternly corrected. "And it's Mrs Cooper, to you."
"I don't care." Alice mumbles carelessly walking to the kitchen and following the enriching smell of fresh salmon.
"Even at the peak of winter, she's dressing like a hooker." Caroline bitterly scolds with a sour face, unaware that Alice heard every word. And this was one foul comment that she wasn't going to rise above from either.
