Savanna feels like there's nothing that can surprise her anymore after living in Riverdale. The town with pep certainly still has a few tricks up its sleeve including an anonymous camera man, a castle-school full of pretentious teenagers waiting to...
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A lot was up in the air following the destruction of The Farm, and by that, I meant where exactly the Cooper girls were going to live. As I sat on the couch the next morning in the Jones household next to Jughead and Betty, I began to wonder if my nightmare of an idea would be coming to life in the next few days.
"What... what is this?" Alice asked as the VHS tape played on screen. Jughead and I had already watched it as soon as it arrived, skimming through when it got too long (6 hours too long to be precise) but now it was time to let everyone know what exactly happened.
"It's literally six hours of this house."
"Why would somebody do that? Film it and then leave the evidence on the front doorstep?" Mrs. Cooper continued.
Charles, Betty and Jughead's half-brother that I had finally been introduced to, stood behind us alongside FP. "To unsettle you," He answered, "Let you know you're being watched."
"Yeah, but why a videotape?" Jughead questioned, "Why something so anachronistic?"
"Maybe it's just a prank," FP suggested with a shrug. I knew it wasn't that easy, as much as I wanted it to be. Nothing is just a prank in Riverdale anymore.
--
If it was... it was an elaborate one. Over the next few days, then weeks, more and more citizens of Riverdale received copies of similar tapes, footage of their houses being watched from across the street for hours and hours. No messages were included in the videos, which somehow made the whole thing more disturbing so that by Halloween, the entire town was on edge. Who would get the next tape? What did they mean? Were they a warning? A test?
--
"What do you mean they're moving back in? Moving in as in living amongst your family as cohabitants and in tandem? As in using the same refrigerator and couch and TV? Jughead!"
As I predicted, the nightmare of an idea was coming true. Betty Cooper was finally moving out of my apartment and, wait for it, into my boyfriend's house. I had an itch that this would happen when The Farm dissolved, but now that it was actually happening, I didn't know what to think. The blonde had yet to speak to me, probably letting Jughead take the heat first before she crept in.
"Babe, I promise it's not as bad as you think," He attempted to reassure me through the phone. "It's not like I'll be on the same floor as her either. That's why we redid the basement, remember?"
He was right, in a sense. Betty's room was left untouched so Jughead took over the basement and one weekend over summer, the two of us went full out on decorations and furniture to truly turn the space into his own so it didn't feel as creepy as it sounded.
"That makes me feel a little better, but still, Jug. It just makes me nervous," I explained as I sat on my couch and picked at the threads of my hoodie in worry.
"Nervous why? Because you don't trust me?"
"It's not you that I'm worried about!"
He sighed, "Why are you worried about Betty?"
I groaned, running a hand through my hair as I thought about my answer. "It's not Betty specifically. If any of my close female friends were moving in, I would be concerned, okay? You can blame it on my trauma, I don't care, but just... try and consider this from my point of view, please."
"Babe, it's not my decision. It's my dad's and you know he and Mrs. Cooper have had history. But, I get it, okay. I understand why you're nervous but I can promise you that Betty will never come between the two of us. I promise."
"Jug," I whined as I flopped back on the couch completely. I was trying so hard to think of the good things about this, but I had zero. None. At all, whatsoever. Betty living here didn't bother me at all, half the time I couldn't even tell she was here, but the idea of her living within a 50-foot radius of my boyfriend at any given moment.... not cool.
"And I'm at Stonewall, so it's not like I'll be there as often and when I do come home, I'm not leaving your side, alright? I have to go to class, but I promise everything's going to be fine, okay? I love you."
I grumbled out an I love you too before hanging up with a pit in my stomach. Not only was I back to being in my apartment alone with my dog, but these tapes were showing up nonstop, with everyone in our friend group already receiving one including Veronica and me. My mind was clouded by the idea that a lingering threat was waiting for someone every time we left the door.
The hallways were slowly clearing out as our free period started, our group settling into the student lounge as we typically did during this time.
"B, you okay?" Veronica addressed the blonde across from me who looked spaced out and slightly terrified.
Betty sighed, "I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little on edge this Halloween. I mean, people are dressed up like the Black Hood and the Gargoyle King...and there are those damn videotapes."
"Oh, I'm with you girl," I piped up from my spot next to Kevin. "There's a fine line between costume and terrifying and some people are tripping on it. I've been setting my alarm in my apartment every night."
"Ever since my dad broke into the Pembrooke, I've been looking over my shoulder," Veronica added, "And if the town's got a voyeur now..."
"What's up, guys?" Reggie called out as he walked into the room. "Who wants to TP Mr. Honey's office with me tomorrow night?"
Part of me wanted to volunteer right away, but then the other half of me stopped myself short. Honey wasn't a force to be reckoned with especially because Veronica and I were already on thin ice with him due to the trials going on surrounding us.
Betty gave him a small smile. "Reggie, it's senior year. We're seniors."
"Exactly!" He emphasized. "It's senior year. This is our last Halloween at Riverdale High."
"I'm in Reggie," Kevin volunteered without any further persuasion. When we gave him shocked expressions, he explained. "Honey gave me a week's detention for going to the bathroom without a hall pass."
"That's what I'm talking about!" Reggie cheered as he high-fived Kevin.
The moment was interrupted however when Munroe entered from the other side of the hallway. "Yo, Red. I just got some distressing news. You remember that crew that was working out of the arcade? Dodger and his boys? He's still pissed that he got beat up and jumped by... that, uh, vigilante. They're planning on wilding Halloween night, looking to bust up some heads."
"Damn it. The kids in the neighborhood will be sitting ducks," Archie groaned, "We got to do something."
Munroe nodded. "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Maybe keeping the center open later than usual."
"Why don't you guys host a Halloween party at the community center? That'll keep the kids off the streets and out of harm's way," I suggested with a shrug.
Veronica pointed at me in agreement. "That's perfect. And don't worry about costumes. One of my gal pals in New York, Katy Keen, she goes to the High School of the Performing Arts and is an amazing designer. Let me see what she can whip up for you two."
