❝ SEASON ONE, EPISODE ONE ❞
🌊The Rivers Edge🌊

──────────❝ 🐍 ❞──────────

Our story is about a town, a small town, and the people who live in the town. From a distance, it presents itself like so many other small towns all over the world ─ Safe. Decent. Innocent. ─ Get closer, though, and you start seeing the shadows underneath.

The name of our town is Riverdale.

And our story begins, I guess, with what the Blossom twins did this summer. On the fourth of July, just after dawn, Jason and Cheryl Blossom drove out to Sweetwater River for an early morning boat ride.

The next thing we know happened for sure is that Dilton Doiley ─ who was leading Riverdale's Boy Scout Troop on a bird-watching expedition ─ came upon Cheryl by the river's edge.

Riverdale Police dragged Sweetwater River for Jason's body, but never found it. So, a week later, the Blossom family buried an empty casket and Jason's death was ruled an accident, as the story that Cheryl told made the rounds.

That Cheryl dropped a glove in the water, and Jason reached down to get it and accidentally tipped the boat, panicked and drowned.

Meanwhile, on the darker side of the tracks in the plotting town ─ the fates pluck a golden string from their cauldron, thinning it out with teasing grins.

A former vibrant star within the shadows of the Southside fell from her aura as a cold sickness seeped into her veins leaving a beautifully smart brunette broken in time.

As for us, we were still talking about the "July Fourth tragedy" on the last day of summer vacation, when a new mystery rolled into town.

──────────❝ 🐍 ❞──────────

──────────❝ 🐍 ❞──────────

A bead of sweat trailed down Isabella's cheek as she grunted with her next thrust, her fist colliding with the leather bag with a harsh blow. Another jab followed as she steadied her breathing and focused on her balance, focusing on her stance and letting out her frustrations.

"Belle, you punch that bag any harder and it'll fly off of the hook," Christian Larkin ─ Isabella's father ─ warned playfully as he worked on the family car. "I'm frustrated, dad. Jason's death is a sudden mess and Cheryl doesn't deserve that pain," Isabella replied through her next few jabs.

"Perhaps you need a new way to vent those frustrations, Belle?" Christian asked with a raised brow before looking at the punching bag that was slowly beginning to tear at the ongoing abuse. "Dad... that sounds so bad," Isabella teased with a smirk making Christian grimace.

Isabella's phone buzzed gaining her attention, she lowered her wrapped fists and picked up her phone. "Where are you? Betty and I are at Pops already!" A message showed on screen making her sigh before taking notice of the time.

"Archie wants me to head to Pops. I'm gonna shower and head over," Isabella told her father as she unwrapped her knuckles. "Is anything happening between you two?" Christian questioned her as he wiped the oil from his hands.

"What do you mean?" Isabella asked with wide eyes. "He's your cousin... I'm not suggesting dating... I just mean you two didn't hang out much during the summer. He hasn't been around much, so I wasn't sure if you two were... friends," Christian expressed while Isabella sighed and shook her head.

"I don't even know, dad. He was too busy to hang with me. But schools back so maybe things will be normal... or as normal as Riverdale can be," Isabella replied and walked towards him, she leaned over and kissed his cheek before heading into the house from the workshop.

As Isabella walked up the stairs of her home, coughing echoed through the hall causing the brunette to falter. She turned her head towards the open door to see her mother, Annélise Larkin. She was formerly known as Annélise Andrews before she married Christian Larkin, the younger sister of Fred Andrews.

She was laying on her bed with machines connected to her and her eyes focused sleepily on the television within the room. Isabella let out a slow breath before making her way down the hall and into her room, closing the door and letting out a broken breath.

The summer was a nightmare for the Larkin family; one moment they were preparing for a vacation away from Riverdale and then the next, they were spending days in and out of the hospital. Annélise Larkin had been diagnosed with a brain tumour that couldn't be removed and not too long after, she became so frail that the former vibrant woman had become trapped in a bed.

It was a breaking tie on the loose thread that was once a solid rope, each thread snapping clean as the days go by with no desire to slow its pace before death would be knocking down their door. And with every taunting second, the woman slowly lost the bright light behind her eyes.

⊱ ──── {⋆🐍 ☠ 📓⋆} ──── ⊰

Isabella let out a quiet sigh as she entered Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, the place was basically a second home to her with all the time she spent there. Her eyes scanned the small diner slowly taking in the small crowd of occupants throughout the popular hangout spot before spotting a beanie clad head in a booth alone, her gaze moved from the common customer.

She knew who he was but she had yet built the proper courage to speak to him, they had passed each other in the halls and even had many classes together and yet, she finds herself searching for him in every space she enters. She didn't know a lot besides his friendship with Archie, but a part of her was interested to learn.

Shaking those thoughts away she turned her head to see Betty and Archie sitting in a booth across from each other with milkshakes in front of them, a third one next to Archie. Isabella made her way over with a smile before climbing over the booth into the spot next to her cousin.

"About time you got here, we've been waiting for ages," Archie complained as Isabella adjusted her white shirt under her red plaid flannel that was paired with mom jeans and her usual black Converse Chuck Taylors. "Oh hush, Archer. I'm here now, aren't I?" Isabella asked with a smirk before taking a sip of her vanilla shake.

"So, what'd I miss?" Isabella asked the two as she leaned back in the seat, her knees up to her chest as she made herself comfortable. "Betty was telling me about her internship," Archie explained as Betty nodded along. "And I was gonna ask... How was working for your dad?" Betty questioned with her gaze on Archie, the brunette girl smirked.

Isabella knew about Betty Cooper's feelings towards Isabella's cousin, Archie Andrews. The two were good friends and Betty had confided in Isabella who had encouraged the blonde to tell Archie how she felt before school started. And so Isabella was hoping that the Cooper teen would say something to Archie.

Archie went on to tell the two about his new passion for music, the two girls were impressed with Archie's new spark but Isabella wasn't gonna tell him that considering she'd take any opportunity to tease her cousin and so she continued to taunt him about being terrible while Betty ─ very clearly showing her feelings ─ continued to stick up for him.

"Will you ask Ms Grundy to tutor you?" Betty asked Archie as Isabella finished her milkshake, pushing the empty glass aside before leaning forward. "I'm not sure, maybe," Archie answered but Isabella had an off feeling about the mentioned teacher and the Andrews teen, she had spotted them once during the summer but they were talking in hushed whispers before Isabella was whisked away by her dad.

"What about football? Can you do both?" Isabella asked Archie, she knew the importance of the sport to Archie and his father, Fred Andrews aka Uncle Fred. "I'll try out, at least," Archie answered her, his tone filled with doubt. "Well, have you told your dad?" Betty asked him. "No," Archie replied with a sigh.

"Archer," Isabella breathed out, the red-haired boy smiled softly at the nickname before looking at her. "Until I've got things more figured out, you're the only two I'm telling, okay?" Archie asked as he looked from Betty to Isabella, the two sighed and nodded. "So you can't say anything to uncle Chris," Archie told Isabella who raised her hands in surrender.

Isabella felt a sudden tingle, the kind you'd feel when someone is watching you which caused her to raise her head and look around until her eyes locked with the boy seated alone. Dark green meets light green in a spark of light, the brunette teen smiled softly at the lonely teen who returns the small smile before looking down at the screen of his laptop, his cheeks tinted a light pink that was unnoticeable for the girl a distance away.

"Well, I'd love to hear them some time," Betty told Archie before glancing at Isabella who caught on to the look she was giving her. "Excuse me... I need another milkshake," Isabella told the two before winking at Betty and moving away from the two for their privacy. "Hey Pops, I'll get another milkshake but Double Chunk Chocolate this time," Isabella told the owner with a smile as she stood by the counter.

"Of course! I'm surprised you haven't corrected Archie about your love of chocolate over vanilla," Pops told her bringing a smile to her face. "Now, why would I do that? As far as he knows, I always have vanilla before chocolate to soothe the taste," Isabella replied with a grin on her face. "Or because he'll pay for both milkshakes without refusal," Pops corrected before the two of them laughed. "I'll make that milkshake for you," Pops told her.

⊱ ──── {⋆🐍 ☠ 📓⋆} ──── ⊰

Isabella looked over to her cousin and friend before letting out a quiet sigh, she turned her body towards the lonely teen and smiled, making her way over before her mind could convince her not to. "Whatcha working on, Jones?" Isabella asked as she slid into the booth across from him. He lifted his head to look at her, to say he was surprised would be an understatement but he didn't mind her company.

"Writing a novel," Jughead answered her before looking back to the screen and typing on the keyboard like it was the most important thing in the world. "Can I ask what it's about or should I wait for my own sighed copy when it's released?" Isabella asked him causing him to lift his eyes to her face. "What makes you think you'd get a sighed copy?" Jughead asked with a small smirk resting on his face but before Isabella could respond, the doorbell jingled.

Isabella and Jughead turned their heads to see a girl reveal herself from her cloak, her raven hair was as dark as night as she looked around before approaching the counter. "I called in an order... For Lodge?" She spoke to Pop Tate as Isabella noticed Archie staring straight at the new girl, the look in his eyes screamed interest leaving Isabella feeling bad for Betty who was probably in the middle of confessing her feelings.

"Two burgers, yeah, almost ready, but you gotta wait," Pop Tate told her before turning away and finishing what he was previously doing while the raven turned her head towards Archie and Betty. Isabella couldn't quite hear their conversation but by the look on Archie's face, things weren't going the way Betty wanted them to. However, Jughead had lost his interest in the three teens conversing and was now focused on the green-eyed brunette sitting across from him.

"Can we get some onion rings, too, please?" The Raven called out to Pop Tate suddenly receiving a 'yeah' back from Pop Tate. Isabella's focus was on the interaction a few feet away from Jughead's everyday booth, she was mentally cursing at Archie for not paying attention to Betty who had been crushing for so long that Isabella was ready to plaster it everywhere so the daft ginger would wake up and realise.

Isabella watched as the Raven left the diner with her order, Archie watched her leave before locking eyes with Isabella who narrowed her gaze causing the boy to gulp and look back at Betty. Pop placed the milkshake in front of Isabella, "Your milkshake, your majesty." Isabella laughed at his teasing nickname. "Thank you, peasant," Isabella teased back as Pop Tate bowed his head and walked away with a chuckle.

Before Isabella could even reach for the milkshake, Jughead reached for the cherry sitting on the whipped cream and locked eyes with her as he ate it. Isabella swallowed slowly as Jughead then rolled the cherry stem between his fingers dropping his gaze from Isabella to his screen, a small smirk settled on his face due to the slight tinge of pink on Isabella's cheeks. Isabella cleared her throat and shook away the thoughts in her head before sipping her milkshake.

"Bella!" Archie called as he walked towards the door to leave, Betty was nowhere in sight so Isabella assumed the confession didn't happen. "That's my cue," Isabella told Jughead before pushing the milkshake towards Jughead, "My shout. Well, technically it was Archie's so enjoy it." Isabella winked at him before standing up and walking by, she stopped for a moment before looking back at Jughead who was watching her.

"Also, we both know for a fact that I'd get a signed copy, Jones," Isabella told him with a teasing smirk before she followed after Archie, the two shoved each other playfully before they rambled about whatever came to mind. Jughead watched the two leave with a small smile on his face before grabbing the milkshake and enjoying it, he couldn't help but wonder if this was possibly the start of his friendship with Isabella Larkin.

──────────❝ 🐍 ❞──────────

──────────❝ 🐍 ❞──────────

Rosemary Speaks

What is your first impression?

Reupload May '24 ─ I have brought this book back as I finally know what I'm going to do for the second season. It may take time for the updates to come out as I refresh my mind but this book will finally be completed!

Thoughts, Suggestions or Questions?

See you in the next chapter!