skin and bone ; riverdale ♡

sixty three ♡

I get to school earlier than everyone else the next day. An hour earlier to be specific. Grandma and Betty of course told Hal and Alice about Dad over dinner last night, so, that means another two people asking me about the funeral, and how I'm feeling. So, in order to avoid anymore "how are you doing?", or "are you sure you're okay to go to school?", I got up extra early, packed my bag for Vixen practice, and clothes for after Vixen practice, and headed off to school.

I jog to school wearing a pair of joggers that needed to be tightened, and an oversized hoodie, and I probably look as if I've raided someone else's wardrobe. So, the second I arrive at school, I head straight to the Vixen's locker room, taking a quick shower and getting changed into my cheer uniform before everyone else arrives.

As I'm coating mascara on to my lashes, a couple of the other girls on the team start arriving, until almost the entire squad has piled in to the locker room, everyone greeting eachother with overly enthusiastic "hello's".

The entire locker room is filled with chatter as I stuff my handbag, and gym bag into my locker. I turn around when I feel a tap on the shoulder, half expecting it to be Katie, and when I remember, my shoulders slump in disappointment.

"Hey, Olivia." One of the girls smiles at me, thankfully not noticing the disapointed look on my face. "It's nice to see you back."

"Thanks, El." I smile, closing my locker. "I'm so freaking glad to be back to practice." I sigh dramatically.

"It wasn't the same without you." She says, reaching her arms behind her back, presumably to sip her top up. "Cheryl's been busting our asses." The black-haired girl scrunches her face up as she struggles with the zip.

"Need some help?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

She nods, her braided ponytail bouncing. "Yes, please."

"Don't worry about Cheryl." I assure her as she turns around, letting me pull her zip up. "I'm sure it's just the stress of being cheer captain. I mean, I'm co-captain, but Cheryl is in charge of everything. She does most of the organization, and choreography, so if she gets a little irritated, it's most likely only because she's stressed."

"I guess." She sighs, turning back around to face me as we both sit on the bench. "Are you two even talking? I mean, you guys are on different sides over the Southside transfer."

I shrug. "We haven't really spoke since, but we'll get over it. It's just a minor disagreement."

As I finish my sentence, I hear my phone ringing from the locker, the Hannah Montana song playing making it too much of a coincidence to be anyone else's. I excuse myself, climbing over the bench to get to my locker.

"Hello?" I chirp in to the phone, using my other hand to cover my other ear so I can hear the caller over the chit chat of the Vixens.

"Where are you?" A female voice asks, and I furrow my eyebrows in confusion as I pull the phone away to quickky look at the caller id.

"Toni? I'm in the locker rooms, why?" I reply, squeezing my way over to a quieter section of the cramped room.

"Do you have a spare few minutes? It's an emergency."

"Uh, um, okay. Where are you?" I ask, making my way over to the door.

"Student lounge."  She replies, and I tell her that I'm on my way before hanging up.

"El!" I call out to the girl who is now talking to another girl from the team. "If Cheryl gets here before I do, can you tell her I'll be right back?"

She nods in response and I shout a loud "thank you" before rushing out, letting the locker room door slam closed behind me.

By the time I reach the student lounge, I have to take a minute before I enter, my lungs struggling to breathe. Once I've collected myself, I quickly make my way into the student lounge, spotting Toni standing by Fangs, and Sweet Pea, who are sitting down.