-

''JUST IN TIME, WE'RE CELEBRATING.''

Elizabeth Cooper and Jughead Jones entered the student lounge that Monday afternoon and found Archie Andrews and Kevin Keller taking up space on the couch and Veronica Lodge sitting in one of the chairs.

Betty takes a seat in the chair while Jughead sits on top of the arm rest of her chair.

''Archie was just telling us how he's going to some super exclusive music program this summer,'' Kevin informs the couple.

''Maybe,'' Archie prompts. ''If it happens, though, it would be huge for me.''

''Do you have to audition for it?'' Jughead asks.

After the babyshower, the boys had a deep one on one conversation in Archie's bedroom.

They settled to an understanding and reached a new level in their friendship. They weren't just best friend's, they were brother's.

''Well, not exactly. Mrs. Blossom came by earlier and said she'd put a good word in for me.''

Just as Kevin praises, ''Amazing,'' Veronica counters by discouraging, ''Terrifying.''

The two looked at each other confused. It was rare for them to come to a disagreement. However, you couldn't exactly have a friend who was exactly like you.

''Uh huh,'' Jughead furrows his brows, nodding along. ''What's she getting out of it?''

''I told her I'd take Cheryl to their family's tree-tapping thing,'' He hesitates to tell. ''I already talked to Valerie, and she's cool with it.''

''Cool with you being a gigolo now?'' Jughead remarks.

''I'm doing someone a favor for my music, Jughead. I need to make connections outside of Riverdale.''

Veronica cocks her head to the side and sighs. ''That's the way of the world. It's all about connections.''

''Speaking of connections,'' Jughead mumbles, his gaze trailing after Hazel Michael, who rushed into the lounge room quickly to make her way towards the vending machines.

The group fell quiet, the positivity wavering vastly by her presence.

Then again, who were they kidding? It felt almost empty without Hazel somewhere in the mix. She brought optimism to the table, humor and support.

But after last night, the group was stuck. Who were the Michael's?

At this point, there was a big fat question mark.

''We should talk to her,'' Veronica suggests. ''I mean, she didn't know who Jason Blossom was until the night of the drive-in.''

''But then again,'' Betty pursed her lips. ''Hazel didnt deny anything.''

''She never really agreed to anything either,'' Archie leans forward from his comfortable position.

''Yeah,'' Veronica nods her head. ''Jughead, you overheard the conversation. There could be bits and pieces missing to the story.''

Jughead looks back at Hazel, whose leg shook in place as she waited for her bag of chips to fall impatiently.

''Maybe your right,'' He mumbles.

''But he definitely heard the bit he heard,'' Kevin mentions. ''Meaning there's something fishy going on.''

''Either way, we need to find out,'' Veronica declared.

''Argh!''

Heads had turned to find Hazel shaking the vending machine aggressively.

She was swirling with emotions at the moment and as of now, she was hungry. She wanted her bag of honey flavored chips and she wantsd them now.

She banged it against the wall, the force allowing the bag of chips nearly on it's metal spiral falling down.

She bends down and retrieves her snack and was fast out of the lounge room. She doesn't know how long she could take this. Waiting to the next move to be made.

-

''Thank you,'' Hazel smiled softly to the waiter that placed her order as she hands him the menu.

Hazel pulls her phone out of her pocket and unlocks it to play one of the games she's downloaded, Flow.

She doesn't really have social media anymore after everything that's happened in California.

She was harassed so much, the police had advised that she takes down her pages given there were threats being made.

She never really bothered to start over in that department. She felt it'd be too soon if she did, plus she wanted to be at a good point in order to make them all over again.

But from the looks of it, it doesn't look like she'll be starting up anytime soon.

''Put the phone away.''

She looks up from her screen and her heartbeat excellerated. Her chest was visibly rising and falling and small pants fell from her open lips.

''No,'' She shakes her head. ''How could you- I thought you were-''

''Dead?'' He cocks a brow. ''I know, sweetheart. A lot of people did.''

''Why did you do it, dad?'' She whispered. ''You killed a mother and an infant. You left us homeless, parentless. You beared us with nothing but pain.''

''I know you have a lot of questions,'' He nods his head slightly. ''But I can't answer them. Or they'll go after you.''

She tilts her head to the side. ''Aren't you the one that's going after us?''

''As ironic as it may seem,'' He pursed his lips. ''I'm doing this for your own good.''

She scoffs. ''You're right. That is ironic.'' She leans back into her seat, glaring at him.

''Hazel,'' His voice quieted even lower than before. ''The Blossoms, they aren't good people. They're the reason why I faked my death. I need to stay low unless I actually wanted to die.''

''Dad, what did you do? What did the Blossoms do?''

''It's nothing for you to worry about,'' He waves it off. ''Just leave town. They have nice townhouses down in New York-''

She shakes her head vigorously. ''Francis is going to be here soon. You should probably go.''

''Hazel-buns,-''

With narrowed eyes, she sternly tells him, ''I don't want to see you again, dad. Ever.''

He was astonished. Joseph Michael knew his children wouldn't exactly greet him with open arms, but for his only daughter, his youngest while we're at it, to be so cold. It stung. It hurt.

Without another word, Hazel Michael watched her father slide out of his seat. He walked passed the waiter carrying Francis and Hazel's food that she ordered, who turned at the older man confused before he made his way out through the front.

''Order up,'' The waiter smiles while setting the places down on the table. ''I'll be back with your drinks.''

Hazel forced a small smile. ''Thank you, hun.''

-

Hazel stepped into the girl's locker room with furrowed brows. That next day at school, she caught Veronica running in here with her head down and tears falling from her eyes.

''V,'' She softly calls. She could hear her chest wracking sobs from the doorway. She steps further into the room, letting the door fall close behind her.

She found her crouched down, holding onto the sink to keep herself balanced.

The pearls of her necklace was sprawled out on the ground in all sorts of directions.

''Hey,'' She calls again while walking up to her. She bends to lift her up and turns her so she could be facing her.

Ignoring the fact that she knew about Jason Blossoms murderer, she falls into her arms and hugs her.

Hazel was hesitant. She didn't know what exactly was going on, but she wanted to help her.

That's always how she operated.

She didn't need to know the reasons why, she just wanted to know how she could help.

Slowly, she wraps her arms around her as well and engulfs in the hug.

''Whatever is going on,'' She whipsers and nods her head. ''It's gonna end up okay. It always does some way some how.''

Betty walked in on the girls hugging. Veronica wasn't as hysterical as she first was, but she was still crying out her guilt.

''Hazel,'' She calls. The brunette turns to the blonde who reached out the raven hair girl, wanting her out from Hazel's grasp. ''I got her. It's okay.''

Veronica easily went into Betty's arms, hugging her as well just as she did with Hazel Michael.

She didn't frown. She couldn't show that she was affected. But she was.

Because after everything, she was now an outsider. And she was so tired of being pushed to the outside.