Southside Duchess || S.P.

Chapter 7

Mom and I arrived back at the hospital after I showered and changed clothes at home. As we walked back in I let go of mom's hand and parking myself right next to Betty. When she noticed she grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently. As I looked around I noticed many blue and gold letterman jackets. "Is that Cheryl?" Betty asked before her and Kevin jumped up and followed. I was too tired to follow, so I opted for leaning my head back and closing my eyes. I'm not sure how long my eyes were closed for before I heard Juggy's voice. "Veronica is back Caila, and she has news on Archie." I immediately jumped up and rushed over with Juggy. "Wait Archie is where?" Betty asked. "At the Sheriff's station doing a line-up. He asked me to stay here with Fred until he gets back." "Well that must be traumatizing for him, we should go down there!" Betty said reaching for Jugheads hand. "Actually can you guys do me a favor? Mr. Andrews wallet is missing, we think it might be at Pop's or the guy who shot Fred might have it." I nodded. "He just might, after Pop's told him he didn't have a safe he told us to give him our wallets." I interjected myself into the conversation and Betty nodded. "Okay, well if he was just some rando who only wanted money, then he's probably took the money and ditched the wallet." Betty said. "Unless it wasn't a rando and it was premeditated." Juggy said. "Is that a real theory?" Veronica asked. "Not according to Sheriff Keller, but if you ask me, people have grudges. People have enemies, I mean think of where we live. Fathers are killing their sons.  It's entirely conceivable that this was a hit." I started tearing up at the thought of someone wanting him dead, it just couldn't be that could it? "Or the wallet is just at Pop's. So we will check it out V." Veronica nodded as Betty and Jughead walked away. I looked at Veronica and she watched her mother walk away. "Excuse me." She told me following her. 

I quickly perched myself back in my chair, tucking my legs underneath me. I stared out the window, watching the birds fly around, or the cars drive by. Even people taking casual strolls as if everything was okay, when in reality it was like the world as we know it was crashing down around us. "I'm sorry about that." Veronica said sitting next to me. "Oh it's okay. Everything alright?" She nodded. "Yeah I just needed to speak with my mother for a second. So I guess we could use this time to get in some quality V and C time." I furrowed my brows turning so my body faced her. "V and C?" I asked. "Veronica and Caila time! You are close with my bestie and beau and I want to be close with you too! You mean a lot to my friends Caila so you mean a lot to me." I smiled at her as she took my hand and laced our fingers together. "So are you from Russia yourself?" She asked and I shook my head no. "No, i'm the first American born family member on my mom's side. My mother was born there and lived there till she was eight and Babushka and Dedushka brought her over. They renovated the house we live in and now we live there." She smiled at me. "That's so cool, I love your house by the way! It's very Gothic chic." I laughed. "I do too, it's so much bigger than what we had in Mississippi. A lot more room for the things we need!" "What part of Mississippi did you grow up in?" "Biloxi, down on the gulf coast. Or well actually we lived a little north of Biloxi out of the city limits but within the county." 

Looking up I noticed Archie come in and a guy with black hair walk up to him. I walked up quietly as Veronica hung back, "Thanks Reggie." Archie said. "We're here for you man." Reggie told him and three girls walked up, "So are the pussycats. We're sending your dad our prayers and giving him as many of our nine lives as he needs." I knew she meant well but I couldn't help the small eye roll. "Thanks Josie. Caila?" Archie looked at me and I rushed up to him, almost plowing Reggie down before pulling Archie into a hug. "I guess the last two days have been a rollercoaster for you." I pulled away wiping my cheeks. "Damn straight." I said. "Veronica said that you were down at the sheriff's station? That maybe they got the guy." Josie asked as I pulled away. Archie's face fell at her question, "Yeah but it wasn't him. He's still out there." I felt a cold chill go up my spine at his words.