Collateral Damage ▻ Riverdale [1]

2.7

THE AFTERMATH
CHAPTER SEVEN

On the closing night of the Twilight Drive-In, Cheryl arrived with Queenie, pulling up in front of Kevin Keller's truck before getting out. Kevin and Veronica sat up a bit in the back of his truck, giving Cheryl a confused look while giving Queenie a genuine smile.

"Make some room, Outcasts," Cheryl demanded and Queenie slightly laughed at her. Cheryl climbed up onto the back of the truck before holding her hand out for Queenie to take. The Jones girl gladly accepted and the two girls sat beside Kevin and Veronica.

Later on during the movie, as always, Queenie didn't pay much attention. She wondered where Jughead was, probably watching the movie from inside where he was living at the moment. That's when she frowned, realizing that he wasn't going to have anywhere to live after this place closed down.

"That hair," Kevin sighed.

"That jacket," Veronica added in also.

"Jason always adored the Drive-In," Cheryl commented, causing Kevin to share a confused look with Queenie, who had chosen to just block it out.

Queenie sighed when she began to hear all of the Serpents behind them, making as much noise as possible. She peaked her head over to see her friends Joaquin and Mandy sitting next to each other. They seemed to be the only one actually trying to watch the movie. Someone next to Mandy began to become too loud so she kicked him in the leg. Mandy always seemed to kick people when she got mad at them, it was definitely involuntary for her by now.

"Southside Trash," Kevin grumbled before turning to look at Queenie, "No offense to you, Queenie."

Queenie sighed before grabbing a handful of popcorn, "None taken."

"They've been doing that since the opening credits," Veronica told the group and Queenie just laughed.

"Tell them to be quiet, then," Queenie suggested and Kevin quickly turned his head and shushed the Serpents.

When it didn't work, Kevin sighed and turned back around. By then, Veronica became frustrated also and decided to stand up she could tell them off, "Hey! You know what happens to a snake when a Louis Vouton Heel steps on it? Shut the hell up or you'll find out."

Queenie let out a sigh as she also stood up, "You better listen to her, you animals," She shouted, causing the Serpents to look up and give her a confused look, "We're Serpents, not barbarians. Get it right." She said with a goofy smile.

By then, all the Serpents were smiling at her and cheered when she made her way over to them instead of staying with Kevin, Veronica, and Cheryl.

"Whoo! The princess is back!" Someone shouted and Queenie smiled at them, taking a seat near some of the Serpents.

Just then, Sweet Pea arrived just in time to see Queenie, "You finally decided to join us and ditch your Northside Buddies. Great." He smiled as he took a seat next to her, wrapping an arm around her as they watched the movie.

"I'll-uh-be right back," Joaquin told the group before walking off. Queenie slightly smirked when she realized that Kevin was not in his truck and had left also.

"They're so hooking up," Queenie told Mandy and Sweet Pea, who only laughed.

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The next morning, Queenie stood inside the booth at the Twilight Drive-In with her brother as he packed up his belongings, getting ready to leave and find a new place to live. She smiled as she picked up an old picture of her, Jellybean and Jughead. Jellybean and Jughead smiled as Jughead had his arms wrapped around her while Queenie stood to their left with her arms crossed and a small smile on her face. It made her nostalgic for the past. Back when everything was going well for the Jones family. Now, the whole family was torn apart.

Queenie sighed as she handed her younger brother the photo, which he placed in his large backpack before slinging it over his shoulder. Once exiting it and closing the door behind them. Queenie bent down and picked up the can of spray paint she had left there just a few minutes before. Jughead dropped his backpack on the ground before Queenie tossed him the can. He spraypainted his name before tossing it back to Queenie.

Queenie shook the can before she began tracing her name also. By the time it was done, the words read: 'Jughead and Queenie Jones were here'.

Jughead traced a crown on the top of their names before looking back over at his older sister, who had a sad look on her face. The two of them were losing yet another important thing they had cherished so deeply for years.

The two siblings stared at the words for a moment before Jughead walked over to his large backpack and picked it up. He slung it over his shoulder before him and Queenie started to walk away. They stopped walking when they saw their father about twenty feet away from them, his hands in the pocket of his leather jacket as he stared at his two eldest children.

"They'll tear that booth down, too," FP informed them, "Raise the whole place, send it to the junkyard, and us with it."

"Yeah, but maybe they'll save it, all of the pieces, stored in the Town Hall attic and rebuild it in a hundred years. And wonder who the hell we were," Jughead explained as he slowly began to smile. So did Queenie.

FP let out a small chuckle before he began to speak up, "So, where are you going to live now, Jug?" FP asked his son curiously.

  He already knew where Queenie was living, but he had no idea where Jughead was going to live. But the thing was, Jughead didn't know either. It was still a mystery to him.

"I'll figure it out, Dad," Jughead replied as he got ready to walk away, Queenie following close behind, "Queenie and I always do."