𝓛𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓑𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭

𝑜𝓃𝑒

In a small town in eastern USA, life as we know it had changed when Jason Blossom was brutally murdered. But it was only the beginning of a vicious spiral that pulled everyone down into the dark abyss that fell over Riverdale, formerly known as the town with pep. For discord was on its way.

+ + +

As the rain poured down onto the streets, a foreign figure exited the bus and glanced up towards the warm lights that illuminated The Pembrooke Appartments in a curtain of rain. She pulled her hood far over her head, nearly managing to cover her dark brown eyes.

Strands of her short pixie cut black hair escaped. She tilted her head back, observing the windows of the building in front of her.

A figure appeared in one of the windows. The girl held her breath as she realized the man standing on the other side of the glass was the man who had abandoned her and her mother when she was no older than twelve. She observed how he embraced a woman with similar pitch black hair, whispering into her ear.

The girl's heart stopped. Jealousy and heartache fought for dominance as she tore her gaze away from the loving couple. Biting down her lip, she contemplated one last time if she truly needed to ask for Hiram Lodge's help.

She did. After her mother had passed away earlier in the year, she had barely managed to survive three months on her own. She ran out of money, was kicked out by the landlord and found herself scraping the last bits and pieces of her savings to find a ticket to Riverdale. The town where her father resided after his time in prison.

Swallowing away the bitter taste of defeat, she lowered her head trying to protect herself from the downpour and ran across the street, straight into the lobby of the Pembrooke.

A young man looked up surprised when she entered, the rain following her inside. His uniform told Nellie he worked in the Pembrooke and was no resident in the luxurious apartment building.

"How can I help you, miss?" the butler said politely but don't failing to throw her a scrutinizing look.

Nellie followed his gaze over her pair of worn jeans and soaked deep green hoodie. She shrugged her unease away and managed to throw the man a bolt and daring look. In as convincing a tone as she could, Nellie addressed the butler.

"I would like to talk to Mister Lodge,"

The man shrugged and shook his head. He threw an obvious look at the clock in the lobby indicating it was nearly ten p.m.

"At this hour Mister Lodge doesn't receive any guests, Miss."

"I think he'll make an exception for me," Nellie replied, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Although her hair was dripping on the marble floor of the lobby, her stance implied confidence. The butler took a look at her with a frown.

"Tell him Miss Hearst wants to see him. I am certain he'll make time for me," Nellie continued nodding her head towards the direction of the elevator.

Shaking his head, the butler reached for the phone on the desk. With a press on one single button, the phone rang and moments later, the butler was speaking to Mr. Lodge.

"I have told her so, Sir, but she insists." The butler said, his eyes not leaving Nellie as she wandered through the lobby to observe the paintings on the wall. Anything to keep her mind from her raising heartbeat and nervous sweaty palms.

She turned around when she felt his gaze burn in her back. Pointing at herself, she whispered, "Miss Hearst," loud enough for the butler to hear. He repeated her name and was met with an unusual silence on the other side of the line.