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The Sticky Maple

Before I knew it, a whole week had passed at Riverdale High. But then again, Time stops at nothing, and for no one. Jug was still working on his book, and Archie had been taking classes with a new teacher called Miss Grundy. Betty and Veronica had become good friends, but V didn't notice what I did. I knew that Betty suppressed her feelings for Arch in front of Veronica, I guess she was just a really loyal friend?

My morning jogs were crisp and short, sometimes with Arch, sometimes not. Smithers knew it was a daily routine, so he made me cold coffee when I came back. Mum didn't know about the jogs, and I was planning to keep it that way. Lunches were still pretty much alone, excluding Reggie, however much Veronica tried to make me sit with the Gang. I liked to go up to the abandoned lab at times, but sometimes to no avail, as it was occupied by lovey dovey couples or people who were planning to bunk the whole day of school. Classes were mediocre, nothing special, except for art.

However clumsy I may be, however lazy, I know that I am pretty good at art. The art studio at school was a bit messy, but not overcrowded. Most people chose music over art and the teacher, Mr Prince wasn't uptight. He would give art students full freedom to draw what they liked. I sat at the window seat, staring at the clouds, and drawing them with soft pastels on the back of my hand. Mr Prince walked up to me and cleared his throat. A startled me knocked over my pencil case and dropped the paper I had been given to draw on. He chuckled, his dimples prominent in his grin.

"I didn't mean to scare you," he said.

"It's quite alright Mr Prince, I'll just clear up," I said.

"Let me help, and please, call me Daniel."

"Sure, Mr Pri- Daniel."

"I noticed the drawing on your hand, I must say, it's beautiful."

"Thank you,"

"Now, why don't you put that down on paper so it doesn't fade away when you wash your hands?"

"I can't do it on-"

"Paper? Then don't! Follow me."

I cocked an eyebrow, but I followed him. He took me to the store room behind the art room, and I stood there in awe, staring at the numerous colour pencils and art materials. He handed me a cloth. Linen probably.

"Am I to draw on this?"

He nodded. He then handed me a wooden frame to stretch the cloth before I drew. I was beginning to like this teacher even more.

*timeskip brought to you by Jughead's beanie*

Again it was lunch break, and after a week of being at this school, I knew that I should get out of the cafeteria and sit outside instead. I went to the field, and I saw seating steps. I sat on them, eating my pasta. As I turned to face the field, I saw a bewildered Reggie running up to me and the Vixens, led by Cheryl walking to my sister's table. Reggie sat down next to me, huffing and panting as if he had just finished a marathon.

"Listen, Clematis."

"What is it now, Reginald?"

"Your sister. She's" he took a deep breath, "She's being slut-shamed."

"What?!" Thoughts raced through my head. I knew my sister was flirtatious, but she was being called a slut? Did she do something or were they just rumours? I got up to go. Reggie grabbed my hand. "Wait," he got up, "don't go to her right now. You're going to get attacked. Can't you see those Vixens? Why d'you think they're going to her right now? Chuck Clayton has given your sister the sticky maple."

"The sticky maple?"

"It's a term used in Riverdale. And it isn't good news. When I was new to the team, the Bulldogs used to do this to girls more often. One date and the girl was gone. Ever since Jason did this to Polly, everything stopped."

"Wait, Jason Blossom?"

"Yeah, he uh, yeah."

And something I did probably shocked me more than him, because I hugged him. "Thanks," I whispered. And I left. My sister had Betty to back her up right now, but I was running to the Blue and Gold's office. Jughead would have to hear this.

∆

"Jason and Polly?" asked the Burger King.

"That's what Reg said, but who's Polly?"

"Before I answer your question, are you and Reginald...?"

"No," I said, "we're not dating."

"Okay then. Polly Cooper, is Betty's sister. And now I find out that Polly had something going on with Jason. But Jason's dead. I'm not liking where this might lead..."

"You're thinking that Alice Cooper killed Jason?"

"Or Hal, I mean they're really protective of their daughters."

"We'll need more proof of that, we can't just accuse anyone, Jug."

"I know, Heather, but I guess we have our first two suspects?"

I nodded.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, except for Veronica's wrath. She wanted revenge, and so did Betty. They had called together a group of girls who had suffered the same fate as Veronica. There was apparently a record of all the girls. It was called the playbook. And it belonged to the Bulldogs.

Was that why Reggie ran after me all the time? Was my name in that "Playbook"? I knew that no one wanted to touch it, and they had locked it away somewhere, so I decided to talk to Reggie about it. But could I confront him? I mean, I was thankful to him, but if he had anything to do with what happened to V, I would seriously injure him.

The limo pulled up in front of the school gates. Veronica was shook. I put my hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. She smiled a weak smile at me.

We slid into the car and she began telling me her story, of how her Instagram and Twitter had been bombarded with hate mail.

We reached home, and she locked herself in the bathroom for a nice, warm bath. I went to my room and put on some music, Death of a Bachelor resounded outside. I took out a pencil and a scrap of paper, hoping to start a sketch. Nothing came to my mind, but my fingers were subconsciously drawing something. I looked at the paper to see a Bulldogs jacket and a head with slicked back hair.

"No, no, no!" Subconsciously drawing someone was crazy even for me. Specially drawing him...

Half of me wanted to read the paper up and throw it into the bin.
The other half wanted me to put it in my diary. I felt so split. I felt powerless to my emotions, and that isn't normal for me. Come to think of it, nothing is normal here in Riverdale. Even people once sane get pulled into the entangled mess of reality and revenge.

Word count: 1171 words.
Sorz for the late update, life's been busy, I will put up the next chapter ASAP!!