Collateral Damage ▻ Riverdale [1]

2.25

THE AFTERMATH
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

"Well, well, look at who it is." Queenie smiled brightly when she opened the front door of Archie's house to see Joaquin.

"Hey, Queenie." He greeted her and Queenie instantly wrapped an arm around him as they made their way over to the rest of the group. Archie, Ethel, and Kevin were already there, but they were still waiting up on Veronica for the surprise party.

Joaquin and Queenie made their way over to where Kevin was standing. Kevin offered Queenie the drink he had just poured himself, but Queenie shook her head no.

"If it's a double feature, does that mean I have time to use the bathroom?" Ethel asked them curiously.

"I would hold it, Ethel," Kevin suggested and Ethel sighed deeply.

Archie walked over to the group of three and slung his arms around Queenie and Kevin's shoulders. Queenie cringed in disgust when she smelled Archie, "Dude, you reek of whiskey. The party hasn't even started and you're already wasted." She commented and Joaquin smiled at her, knowing that she was being a hypocrite, she had done that numerous times in the past, "Oh, shut up."

"I didn't even say anything," Joquin complained, holding his hands up in mock defense.

"Oh!" Ethel spoke up when they saw someone at the front door.

"Surprise!" Kevin shouted out at the same time as the others, only to see that it was just Veronica.

"Do I look like Jughead to you?" Veronica asked with attitude and Queenie rolled her eyes.

"Bitchy much?" She muttered, but it was loud enough for the three boys to hear. They smiled at her comment and quietly laughed.

Kevin's phone buzzed, indicating he got a text. He took it out of his pocket and looked down at it to see it was from Betty, "Oh! Betty just texted, they're almost here," Kevin informed them before pointing over at Joaquin, "You meant my boyfriend, Joaquin, right?" Kevin asked Veronica curiously.

"I haven't had the pleasure," Veronica replied as she quickly shook Joaquin's hand.

She and Kevin walked toward the other room as Veronica began to complain to him about something to do with her father.

  Queenie watched as Joaquin eavesdropped on the conversation. She couldn't help but wonder if he was doing all of this for Serpent Business. And by 'this', she meant dating Sheriff's kid. Joaquin had given her so much crap for dating a Northsider back when she was dating Jason, but here he was, dating the Sheriff's son. Of all people.

"Guys, they're really coming this time. Everybody, hide!" Ethel told the whole group as she quickly moved away from the window.

"Ugh, I am so over this," Veronica complained as knelt next to Archie's father liquor cabinet.

Betty and Jughead entered the Andrews residence and Ethel flipped on the lights, "Surprise!" Everyone shouted, except for Queenie.

She knew the face her brother was giving, he clearly didn't want this one bit. Jughead laughed humorlessly, "Hah. This is why we left the double feature early." She told Betty unamused.

"Happy Birthday, bro." Archie smiled brightly as he walked over to Jughead and pulled him in for a hug, his cup of alcohol still in his right hand.

"You really shouldn't have," Jughead whispered to him as Archie patted him on the back. Jughead's face showed disgust when he smelled alcohol all over to Archie, "Ugh. You reek," Jughead told his friend.

"That's what I told him." Queenie smiled as she walked over to the two boys.

"Are you drunk?" Jughead asked Archie concerned.

"No," Archie answered, shaking his head a bit.

Veronica then walked over with a smile on her face, "Feliz cumpleaños,
torombolo." She stated.

"Thanks, Veronica," He replied with a nod of his head.

Kevin then walked over, extending his arms out for a hug, "Oh, it's Kevin." Jughead said and it was clearly Jughead was becoming more and more uncomfortable by the second.

"Happy Birthday, Bud." Kevin smiled as he quickly Jughead before gesturing to Joaquin, "This is my boyfriend, Joaquin. Queenie told me that you know him from you guys were all friends when you were kids."

Both Joaquin and Jughead looked over at Queenie, who was smiling innocently, "Hey! It's a better explanation than saying that Joaquin, Mandy and I used to bully you and Archie when we were all younger."

"You used to bully your own brother and Archie?" Kevin questioned and Queenie's face faded.

"Okay, it sounds way worse than it really was," Queenie replied.

"You sent Archie home from school crying. Twice." Joaquin and Jughead shouted out in unison, causing them to glance at each other.

  Jughead then looked around to see if he could find Betty, "Uhh, has anyone seen Betty?" Jughead asked them all curiously.

Only about a second later, Betty walked toward them, a birthday in her hands. The candles were all lit and she sang 'Happy Birthday' in a voice that seemed odd as she walked over to Jughead. Queenie could see by the face Jughead was getting flashbacks of the birthdays he had when he was younger.

Jughead stared at Betty for a long moment before she placed the cake in his hands. Betty stood beside him as Jughead got ready to blow out the candles, "That was haunting, Betty." Jughead commented.

Betty only smiled at her boyfriend as she placed a kiss on his cheek, "Blow out the candles, make a wish." She told him, still smiling.

From the corner of her eyes, Queenie watched as Veronica walked away, into the kitchen. She was clearly going through a lot after everything her dad was doing from behind bars.

"I wish it were just the two of us right now," Jughead whispered softly to Betty, "Maybe even add Queenie to the equation, also."

Betty just sighed in response before Jughead began to blow out his candles. Betty began to clap as Ethel turned on the lights, "One blow!" Kevin stated enthusiastically.

The core four made their way to the kitchen, leaving Queenie with Joaquin, Kevin, and Ethel. Kevin was in the middle of talking to Ethel, so Joaquin his way over to Queenie, "So, this is what you Northsiders do for fun? Huh." Joaquin asked Queenie sarcastically, ending up with her playfully punching him in the shoulder.

"Oh, stick a sock in it." She laughed just before the doorbell. Even before she made her way to the door, Queenie could hear numerous people talking and even music blasting. The whole group of friends made their way to the door, only to have it be opened by a smirking Cheryl with Chuck Clayton by her side.

There was a large group of teenagers behind them, including Moose, who was holding a large keg on his shoulder.

"Did you really think you could have a party without inviting moi?" Cheryl asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Or me?" Chuck added in, a smirk on his face.

"Archie, where do you want the kegs?" Moose asked, smiling.

  Archie was hesitant at first, given all the nervous glances his friends were giving him. Finally, he spoke up, a smile forming on his lips, "Screw it! One in the kitchen, one in the backyard!" He shouted out and the teenagers began to cheer as they entered the house.