trigger warning in 2nd half of chapter

↳ CHAPTER NINE:

SECRET REVEALED ↵

     JUGHEAD STARED AT THE SMALL FIGURINE TOWN in the mayor's office and Virginia nervously sat in the chair in front of the important woman. Jughead hadn't scheduled an appointment, rather threatened the secretary to let them in. Virginia had laughed at his insistence and the terrified look of the old woman who looked at the grungy teens with a look of disgust. Growing up on the Southside, you would get used to the looks.

"I'm sorry, but the Twilight Drive-In?" Mayor McCoy asked Jughead. "It's a blight that's become a cesspool, and a hangout for criminals... and transients, and the deal's done." She waved papers in the air as she spoke and Virginia felt that if she were gay, the mayor was definitely on her crush list. "Andrews Construction is scheduled to demolish the lot on Monday."

Jughead's mouth formed a tight line as he tried to think of something– anything to save the quaint drive-in. "Mayor McCoy, when I was a kid, my family and I would go to the drive-in all the time. We couldn't afford tickets for everyone, so my sister Jellybean and I would hide in the trunk until we parked. We'd sneak out."

"And I would watch with binoculars from the road," Virginia added with a blush as the powerful women's gaze turned to her.

"It's like our home."

The mayor smiled sadly at the stories, with a look empathy. "That's a very sweet sentiment, Mr. Jones and Ms. Hopkins. But the future of Riverdale is at stake."

"But where else would the transients and low-lives go?" Virginia asked, anger seeping into her voice as she stood up– she didn't understand. "You're trying to better this town but you don't know how! Instead of changing something that's been around that long maybe you should start building homeless shelters around town– have you ever been to the Southside Mrs. McCoy?"

"When I was younger, yes." She replied, impressed with the young girl who spoke with such vindication. "I used to live there."

"Then why can't you see why this is so important to us?" Virginia asked her brokenly, she felt as if everyone who didn't live there was against her.

"I do," the older woman sighed as she stared at the young teenagers before her. "I do but I'm not the one who wants it. I have no real reason to stop this transaction from occurring. I'm sorry."

Jughead and Virginia left the office annoyed more than ever. Jughead was silent as they walked out of the yellow building and Virginia eyed her silent best friend with concern.

"Ah," Virginia said with faux sadness as she made a joke. "And to think if I was lesbian, she would be my type."

Jughead's eyebrows raised in judgement, hitting the brunette girl with his shoulder. "Your type?"

Virginia smiled at him, patting him on the shoulder as they continued to walk down the road.

"Don't worry, you already know my type."

º   º   º

     THE MOVIE NIGHT HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL. Virginia managed the food booth throughout the night, during the summer she used to work there but once she got her job at Pop's, she quit. The brunette girl noticed the time, how the movie was almost over, and left the booth in charge of the blond boy who worked there.

Virginia silently walked through the rows of cars until she made it to the projection room. She jiggled the handle and frowned when the door wouldn't budge. She knocked, calling out to Jughead but there wasn't an answer.

She quickly sent him a text before deciding to go around the building to the window. Virginia noticed Hermione Lodge pass her and she took no notice of it until she was in the back. Before her, was a man. She couldn't see well in the dark but the reflection off of his leather jacket with a serpent on it gave him away.

Ginny's breath was shallow and she tried to leave silently, but stepped on a branch. Her eyes closed in resignation as the man turned and faced her. She was on the side of the building now and her eyes darted to the cars nearby, praying someone would see her.

"Ah, Ginny Hopkins. Haven't seen you in a while."

Virginia was frozen to her spot as he stepped closer. "FP, don't." She warned him and he sent her a smirk. She backed up and her heart stopped when she was trapped against the wall of the projection room.

"Probably, since this summer, right?"

"G-get off of me, please." Virginia whimpered, struggling to push the older man off of her. Her breath caught in her throat as his head found shelter in the crevice of her neck and he licked it.

"Please, stop." She begged. "No," she said weakly as his large frame overpowered hers.

Her body was shaking in fear as he grasped her body in his large hands and her eyes closed in defeat as they fondled her breasts.

"I've missed seeing you," he groaned and Virginia felt his pelvis pressed up against her. "I've missed watching you prance around in a bikini with Ju–"

"No, stop, please." She pleaded desperately. Her eyes were still closed and flashes of the past flew through her mind. When she was younger playing with Jughead, when she went to the public pool with him and his father, the lingering stares from his father. . .

This was it.

"Hey, get off of her you perv!"

FP instantly flew from her body and out of sight, as Virginia's body fell to the ground. The distraught girl sobbed into her hands as she laid in the grass.

The person who had saved her appeared before her and lightly held onto her shaking hands. Virginia peeked through her tears and saw a scared Evie before her.

"T-thank y-you," Virginia whimpered as she stared up at her guardian angel. "T-thanks."

º   º   º

     VIRGINIA BEGGED EVIE TO GET HER OUT OF the drive-in, afraid of seeing FP again– or worse, Jughead. Evie nodded in understanding, ditching Reggie and drove Virginia out of the hellhole. She didn't speak to her old friend, rather curled up in the passenger seat and stared blankly out the window as she watched buildings fly by.

"Has this happened before?" Evie asked her as they sat in a booth at Pop's. Evie had decided that Evie needed some comfort food, especially since she knew the Hopkins home didn't have food stocked up.

Virginia bit her lip as she swirled her straw in her tall glass of chocolate shake. "Y-yes," Evie inhaled sharply but Virginia looked panicked and continued.

"H-he's never done much. FP always says he would b-but never does." Virginia cursed herself over her stuttering and knew when Jughead came to find her, he would wonder why her stutter was back.

"How long?"

Virginia shrugged, "I don't know, a couple years now."

"Are you serious." Evie leaned forward, panic on her features. "Oh my god Ginny, you have to say something–"

Virginia's eyes were wide, she knew that the last person who found out the secret made her life miserable. She trusted Evie but if anyone else found out, it would be the death of her.

"P-please Evie, you can't tell Jug. I-it'll ruin him."

º   º   º

i'm s o r r y if this is really dark yIKES