Return to Riverdale

XV

After telling Jughead about our relationship, I've practically been living in their trailer. Jug says he talks to Kevin about me a lot at school to keep tabs for me. I miss Kevin, I do, but he can't try and control my social life and relationships. 

The new sheriff is trying his best to catch the Black Hood and keep Riverdale safe. I can't shake the feeling, though, that even more darkness is on the horizon. Things around town and at The Register have been intense. Alice has me running circles around myself while she tries to wrestle with her personal demons. Her theory on pumping out stories on the Black Hood and the Mayoral Election holds true, business for us has been great. 

The passed few weeks leave my head spinning, but the longer I stay in Riverdale the more I get used to the whirlwind of madness in this town. 

"Kevin's pissed." Jughead announces, walking through the trailer with Betty. 

They discard of their backpacks and sit with me in the living area. Betty holds jughead's hand as it rests on her knee. 

"He can't believe we're cool with you dating my dad." Jug snickers to himself, glancing at Betty who nods. 

"He's barely talked to us all week. He went off about how it's 'sick and dangerous'." Betty adds, using air quotations. 

I shrug, rolling my eyes slightly. It seems like Kevin's opinion will never change. He'll hate my relationship for as long as it lasts, and I won't include him in my life so long as he has a negative attitude. 

It sucks. 

"I miss him," I admit, mumbling to myself loud enough for them to hear. "Sure, he's mad at me, but I miss him." 

Betty's eyes soften. 

"Losing a family bond is hard." She consoles, trying to offer comfort. 

She would know better than anyone else. She's lost two siblings in less than a year. Polly's been around more often with her twins, but their family still isn't the same. Hal doesn't even live at home anymore. I can barely imagine how Alice must be feeling. She's retreated into herself recently, hardly even talking anymore.  

"At least I know he hasn't dropped any hints to Dad. If he did, FP would have to leave town." I muse, trying to lighten the mood and make myself laugh. 

"I'm not going anywhere, Doll." FP assures, walking into the trailer. He leans down, offering me a kiss. Betty gazes at us with a dreamy look, Jughead sitting and smirking. 

I grin up at FP, my heart fluttering at his words. He sits on the recliner and starts playing with my hair. 

"Hey stranger," Kevin greets, smiling at me warmly as I take a seat across from him at Pop's. 

Somehow, between Jug, Betty, and I, we convinced Kevin to meet me so that we could talk. I was surprised and delighted when he agreed. Now I don't know what to say with him sitting across the booth. 

A waitress comes over and takes our orders before I get a chance to try and sell my side of the story to Kevin. I want him to understand and accept me, but I don't know how. He's hurt and possibly offended. I wish I had the perfect solution to fix everything. 

"It's so nice to see you, Kev." I admit, unable to contain the growing smile on my face. 

Our closeness has felt like a distant, fading memory. Things change with time, but I thought me coming back home would help us regain our close sibling bond. 

He sips his milkshake, raising an eyebrow at me. 

"You could see me a lot more, you know." He offers, sounding guarded. A silence falls between us."Dad misses you. He's always worried something's gonna happen to you and he'll never see you again." 

I sigh. 

"Well, maybe he would see me and I'd spend more time at home if it didn't feel like a fake attempt at a normal family. He's chosen to give up on the family we had, I can't forgive him for that. It's too hard to be there, Kev." Tears brim the edge of my eyes. "I can't stay there and spend time with him knowing he's given up on Mom and everything we've wanted." My voice gets quieter as I speak. 

Kevin reaches across the booth and holds my hand. I feel bad for him. I've left him to deal with everything I don't want to bother dealing with. That's not fair of me. 

"I miss you, Kim." He says, sighing. 

I return to the trailer, careful not to make too much noise. I may be staying here, but I'm here as a guest. With a sigh, I retrieve a beer from the fridge. Jug enters the kitchen, my back turned while I discard the bottle cap. 

"You alright, Kim?" He worries, knowing all too well the way alcohol aides in numbing pain. 

I turn to face him, a tear rolling down my cheek. He pulls out a chair, offering me a seat. We sit across from each other, a faint, yellow-tinted light above us. 

"Look," he sighs, "as someone who left home, hurting from familial downfall, I know what you're going through. It sucks. But now, my dad and I are good, I'm living at home, and we're happy. I forgave him and he took that as his chance to make things right. Look at him now." Jug ends with a knowing smile. 

I thank him and head off to the bedroom with my beer. FP lies in bed, his breathing barely heard in the quiet trailer. Standing at the foot of the bed, I smile, admiring the man FP has become. He's turned into a responsible, hard-working family man. I love him. 

With that, I leave my beer on the bedside table, strip from my clothes, and crawl into bed. Feeling subdued, I snuggle up to FP and drift off to sleep.