Return to Riverdale

VI

I storm into the house, letting the door slam behind me.

"Dad!" I yell, not wasting any time to let out my anger. "Dad, where the hell are you?!"

His car is parked on the street so I know he's home. The house is completely quiet, allowing me to hear the clanging of his work out gear in basement. I rush down there, not wasting any time. As soon as I spot him, I pick up whatever I can reach and start to throw it in his direction. The first beer bottle hits the wall and shatters. Dad lurches away from his bench press, standing alert for whatever comes his way. I continue to throw beer bottles at him and he dodges them, the shattering glass leaving an echo throughout the basement, the smell of beer taking over the air.

"Hey, hey!" He yells, trying to snap me out of my rage. "What's going on, Kim. What's the matter?"

Unable to control myself, I let out a scream. He walks closer to me, ready to calm me down, but I push him away with all my might, nearly knocking him over.

"Kim, what's wrong?"

"Are you fucking kidding me? How could you?" I yell, angrier than ever, tears spilling uncontrollably. "I come home just to find out you're betraying Mom! What about Kevin? What about me? What about our family?" I continue, screaming at the top of my lungs. "Just because Mom is away doesn't mean you get to go off to cheap motels and sleep around with the mayor!" Dad's face sinks, taking in my words and how much he's hurt us.

"And, of course, I get to find out from Kevin who found out from the mayor's daughter?! What the hell is that? Fucking bullshit, that's what that is." I spit at him.

He stands, dumbfounded, staring at me. My chest rises and falls rapidly from my screams, tears and sobs still escaping me.

"I mean, sure, families have their problems, and divorce is more and more common- but I never... I never expected..." I continue, letting the sobs take over me, sinking to the floor of the basement. I sit in a ball, crying into my hands.

"Kim-" Dad starts in a whisper, walking cautiously over to me.

"Don't." I spit, venom in my words. He stops, but doesn't move away. "Don't touch me. Get the fuck away from me." I demand through gritted teeth, tears still sliding rapidly down my cheeks.

Dad sighs, slinking away and heading upstairs. If Kevin is home, I hope he clocks Dad in the face.

"I'm so sorry, Kev." I hear as I make my way to their booth at Pop's. Kevin sits with his crew: Betty, Veronica, Archie, and Jughead. Betty consoles Kevin, reaching for his hand. Once they sense me coming over, they all look up.

Almost immediately, their faces collectively fall, all four pairs of eyes softening. Archie stands, allowing me to slide into the booth. I let out a sigh and look over at Kevin. My face still feels raw, and my eyes still dry and sore.

"Dad!" Jughead calls, signaling FP over to the booth.

"Hey, what's up?" FP asks, glancing around the solemn group. His eyes land on me and his face changes just as the other's had. "How about a round of milkshakes, on the house?" He offers, still looking in my direction, waiting for me to lift my eyes and meet his. I glance up ever so slightly, and his eyes change. "I'm on it." He declares, heading back to the kitchen.

He returns with six milkshakes, as promised. He carefully slides them to their respective customer and tips his silly little hat at me before walking away. His gesture got the slightest bit of a smile from me.

"Don't worry, Kev. Anything you need, we'll be right here for you." Betty offers.

"Yeah, besides, we've all experienced what you're going through." Archie adds.

"Remember, my mom and his dad even started hooking up?" Veronica chimes in, shuttering after she finishes her sentence.

I snicker at the idea of Veronica and Archie possibly being step-siblings despite their own relationship. This town really is fucked up.

"And, Kim, you know all about my mom and dad." Betty continues, trying to console us with empathy.

We are a sad bunch. Each of us suffers some variation of a broken home. It sucks, it's awful. Nothing is pure anymore.

I glance up to see FP at the counter, trying to distract himself with a nonexistent spot on the counter. Am I the other woman?  I couldn't do that to Jug, especially now that I know what it feels like to experience it first hand. I excuse myself to the bathroom and slump down to the floor, for the second time today. Thinking about ruining whatever relationship FP and Jug's mother might have breaks my heart. What hurts even more is the fact that FP was becoming a sense of comfort for me in this town I don't recognize. I didn't need a sense of familiarity in this ever changing town- I had FP.

But I can't do that anymore. I can't ruin someone else's chance at a happy family life.