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FOUR; ROSES FOR MY ROSE

     "BETTY KNOWS? How the hell does Betty know?"

     Jughead sighed, running his hand down his face in frustration. "We were interviewing Dilton Doiley, and he told us he had a better story than the one about his gun shot. I didn't know he would talk about Grundy, Kalani, I swear."

     Kalani chewed on her bottom lip. "Well, I'm actually glad Betty knows. She'll do some action that I was unable to."

     Their voices silenced when Betty returned to the booth with milkshakes. Veronica and Kevin took a seat across from them. Kalani brought up the first topic of conversation, brushing off the fact that Betty now knew about Grundy being present during the Fourth of July incident. "So, did you guys hear about the drive-in closing?"

     "The drive-in closing is just one more nail in the coffin that is Riverdale. No, forget Riverdale, in the coffin of the American dream," Jughead spat, obviously angry at the fact that the local Twilight Drive-In was shutting down. "As the godfather of indie cinema, Quentin Tarantino, likes to say-"

     "Please, God, no more Quentin Tarantino references," Kevin requested.

     "What? I'm pissed. And not just about losing my job. The Twilight Drive-In should mean something to us. People should be trying to save it," Jughead stammered.

     "In this age of Netflix and VOD, do people really want to watch a movie in a car? I mean, who even goes there?" Veronica asked, not realizing she would be hitting a sore spot with Jughead.

     "People who want to buy crack," Kevin answered.

     "And cinephiles, and car enthusiasts," Jughead argued. "Right, Bets?"

     He glanced at Betty for help, but the girl looked like she was in deep thought. Kalani hoped it was about Grundy, and that Betty had a plan set in motion already. "Totally," the blonde responded. Kevin and Veronica raised an eyebrow, noticing she wasn't even following the conversation.

     "Anyway, it's closing because the town owns it, but didn't invest in it. So when an anonymous buyer made Mayor McCoy an offer, she couldn't refuse," Jughead rambled.

     Veronica laughed dryly. "Anonymous buyer? What do they have to hide? No one cares."

     "I do!" Jughead said in offense. "Also, you guys should all come to closing night. I'm thinking American Graffiti or is that too obvious?"

     "I vote anything starring Audrey Hepburn or Cate Blanchett," Veronica said.

     "Or The Talented Mr. Ripley," Kevin added.

     Kalani rolled her eyes. "Guys, obviously Disney movies are the best. I mean, I'm recommending Lemonade Mouth, a hit classic."

     "Betty, your choices?"

     The girl came out of her trance, confused as to what Kevin just asked her. "Everything okay, B?" Veronica asked, concerned.

     "Yeah, I'm just thinking. Maybe Rebel Without a Cause?" Betty's suggestion caused Jughead to smile and look over at her.

     Hermione Lodge came over, serving the group their food. Veronica thanked her mom and Kalani smiled in appreciation. Her smile subsided when she heard Cheryl's bossy voice from tables over, speaking to Hermione in a rude manner. "Be sure to put all that cash in the register." Veronica stood, heading over to defend her mother while Cheryl kept talking. "You are a Lodge, after all, and Lodges are known to have sticky fingers."

     "Cheryl-"

     Hermione stopped her daughter. "Honey, I got this. Cheryl, I went to school with your mother. She didn't know the difference between having money and having class either."

     Kalani giggled, almost choking on the straw of her milkshake. Veronica rejoined them and the bell chimed, signaling someone had just walked into Pop's. Kevin was in clear view of who it was. "Now, that's an odd combo of people."

     Kalani spun around to see Archie walk in with his dad and Grundy. Her eyes narrowed, and Betty went straight into action. "I'll be right back."

     "Betty-" Jughead said, ready to stop her. Kalani threw an arm against his chest.

     "Let her go, Jughead. Archie needs to hear what she has to say."

     Betty walked over to where Archie had sat, and the two exited the diner. Kalani watched them through the window, and Jughead sunk lower in his seat. "What's happening out there?" Veronica questioned. "Do we know? Is it about me?"

     "I have a strong inkling," Jughead said under his breath. "And no. Also, I'd let it go."

     "Forget that," Kalani said, leaving the booth and walking out of the diner. She was ready to expose Archie for all he was considering that he didn't handle it like he promised Kalani he would.

     She caught a little of what Betty was saying to Archie. "Archie, are you and Miss Grundy, like together? Like romantically?"

     "Oh, my God," Veronica gasped from behind Kalani. Kalani didn't even notice the raven-haired girl was following her. "You and your music teacher are having an affair?"

     "We are-" Archie started, trying to phrase what he wanted to say. "Together. Look, I know that sounds bad, but-"

     "Bad? It sounds scandalous."

     "It sounds like jail time to me. Illegal!" Betty pointed out, ashamed that they were even debating over the topic. Kalani had to agree — they needed to shut Archie and Grundy down, and they needed to do it as soon as possible.

     "Betty, don't go there."

     "Well, I'm already there!"

     "Ronnie, a little help here?" Archie asked.

     "I mean, technically, Betty's right. And ethically, well, what is Grundy to you, anyway? Your girlfriend? Your booty tutor?" Veronica mentioned, trying to come up with more names for the music teacher.

     "More like child molester," Kalani mumbled quietly.

     "I don't know what to call her."

     "You said you were at the river alone. You lied to Sheriff Keller, to all of us. Why? To protect her?" Betty said, still not believing Archie could be so oblivious to the truth.

     "She believed in me when no one else did," Archie tried to justify his actions.

     "Okay, we get it," Veronica exhaled.

     "Betty, say something, please."

     They heard the honk of a car before Betty's mother rolled up. "Get in the car, Betty. Now." Betty threw one last defeated look and complied to her mother's wishes. Once she was in, her mother gazed at her in anger. "What have I told you about those three?"

     "Can we just go?"

     The two members of the Cooper family zoomed away. Archie turned to face Veronica and Kalani. "Oh, Archiekins, you're in it deep this time." The Lodge girl turned back and returned to her seat at Pop's. Kalani didn't give up that easily.

     "You make me sick, Archie."

     "Don't talk to me like that, Kal," Archie said, hands stuffed in the pockets of his letterman jacket. "You don't think Reggie taunts me everyday about you? He mentions you whenever he gets the chance because he knows it hurts me. Everyone's heard about you guys kissing!"

     Kalani took a step back. "And now everyone's going to hear about Grundy. Which one sounds worse, Archie?"

     She shook her head at him, leaving him in the dust.

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     Kalani opened her locker, jumping back when a pile of roses flew out of her. They drifted down to the floor and Kalani's head darted to look around the hallway. She saw Reggie's head peeking around the corner before his eyes widened and he jolted back. She released a breath and gathered the books she needed, leaving her locker and the roses behind.

     She heard a loud sigh from behind her, and she assumed it was Reggie. He had been trying every romantic gesture in the book — roses in her locker, a giant stuffed teddy bear at her front door, chocolate hearts delivered to her in the middle of class, and much more. He was making it extremely hard for Kalani to stay mad at him. She wanted to forgive him, she did, but she still couldn't decipher if his feelings were real or not.

     She found herself standing in front of the music room. She raised her hand and knocked before entering. Grundy was there, fixing up some violins and guitars. She was surprised to see Kalani standing underneath the doorframe. "Kalani Rose! What can I do for you?"

     Kalani slammed the door shut. Grundy flinched at the sound. "I want to know why you think it's okay to have sex with an underage boy."

     Grundy's eyes widened in panic. "Who told you that-"

     "Does it matter, Grundy? I know about you and Archie. I know what you're doing to him. You're manipulating him for your own personal benefit! I'll expose you. I'll expose you for your child preying ass-"

     Grundy rushed forward and clamped a hand over Kalani's mouth. Kalani hissed, shoving the woman backwards. "Please, Kalani. Don't say a word. Did Archie tell you about us?"

     "Don't tell me what to do, bitch. You deserve everything coming to you, and trust me, it'll be a storm," Kalani said. She opened the door again, exiting the music room.

     She felt a surge of assertiveness, smiling to herself when she entered the lounge room. Veronica was already in there, sipping on a cup of coffee. Kevin was at the vending machine, looking irritated. Kalani collapsed on the couch as Kevin spoke. "It's this quintessential rite of passage, making out with your boy or girlfriend at the movies."

     "Why don't you, me, and Kalani go together? We can't promise you any action, but maybe we'll bring you good luck," Veronica suggested.

     "Great. Another night, another hag."

     "Speaking of hags, Veronica, it's so devastating to me that your mother has to sink to such unspeakable lows just to keep those knockoff Hermes bags on your arm," Cheryl insulted. Kalani groaned when she walked into the room. She already dealt with enough bullshit from Cheryl at River Vixens practice, and it was tiring to see her during the day as well. "What's next, selling her hair extensions?"

     "My mom's a waitress, Cheryl, not Fantine. And your faux concern reeks of ulterior motive. What is it?" Veronica said, also done with Cheryl's attitude.

     "Only to remind you of your place in this school, nay, the town's social hierarchy."

     "Threatened much?" Veronica smirked. Cheryl's expression faltered. Veronica began to stand. "Don't worry. You may be a stock character from a '90s teen movie, but I'm not. And what does any of this have to do with my mom being a waitress?"

     "It's just that I saw her talking to a Southside Serpent last night, in the alley behind Pop's. They were having an extremely heated, intimate discussion," Cheryl said, enjoying her edge over Veronica. Fear ran through Kalani at the mention of Riverdale's local gang. "See for yourself." Cheryl showed Veronica a picture on her phone, and Kevin and Kalani stood up to see what was on it. It was clear that Hermione was chatting with one of the members of the gang.

     Cheryl's smile widened until she left the lounge room. Veronica turned to face her two friends so they could update her on information. "Who or what is a Southside Serpent?"

     "They're this gang of bikers who pretty much stays on the south side of town. And thank God, 'cause they're sort of dangerous," Kevin explained. "Drug dealers and petty thieves."

     "Then what was my mom doing with one of them?" Veronica questioned. Kevin and Kalani couldn't give her an answer.

     "Delivery for Kalani Rose," a man chimed, holding a bouquet of white roses in the doorway. Kalani pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation before raising her hand. She signed the paper given to her and took the flowers out of his hand.

     "Thank you," she grumbled.

     "Wow, Reggie is really pulling out all the stops," Kevin said in amazement. He smelled one of the roses while Veronica continued to think of her mother.

     "Yeah," Kalani said quietly. "He really is."

     Kevin read the card attached to the flowers out loud. "Roses for my rose. Love, Reggie."

     They cooed and Kalani groaned.

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     "Miss Grundy showed up in Riverdale a year ago out of thin air. There's no record of her before that. Her Facebook, her LinkedIn account, they were all created a year ago. Before that, she's a ghost." Betty slid everything she dug up on Grundy over to Archie. Her, Veronica, Kalani, and Archie were sitting in a booth at Pop's after Betty called them up. "She doesn't exist. The only Geraldine Grundy I could find was a woman who died seven years ago."

     "Where did you find all of this?" Archie asked, looking over what Betty found.

     "The deep web, the dark internet. JK, it's all online. Simple googling." Veronica was attempting to make the best out of the situation, but Betty was taking it seriously, as it should be.

     "And did you cyberstalk Miss Grundy before or after you interviewed her for a fake article? Why are you doing this, Betty? I'm not in any danger." He looked besides him at Kalani. "And what about you? Telling Grundy that there was a storm coming for her?"

     "Don't talk to me, Archie. It physically hurts me just to sit next to you right now." Kalani rolled her eyes.

     "You don't know that," Betty said, referring to Archie saying he wasn't in any danger.

     "Yeah, I do. I'm with her. I know what we have, and you don't."

     "She taught Jason Blossom, did you know that?" Betty fired back.

     "She taught a lot of people, Betty. What's your point?" Archie said, fed up with everyone meddling in his and Grundy's business.

     "My point is you don't know anything about her, Archie. Doesn't that worry you?"

     "Betty, let this go. If you're really my friend, you'll let this go," Archie demanded.

     "Okay," Betty gave in. "I'm sorry, I'm done. I'll stop digging."

     "Well, I won't," Kalani spoke. Archie shook his head at her. "Grundy is a despicable woman. I'm mortified that she's still allowed to teach at Riverdale High! Archie, I don't care if you stop being friends with me. I'll put an end to her, and you'll thank me for it."

     "Kalani-"

     Archie couldn't finish his argument before his ex-girlfriend stormed out. Turns out that Betty still agreed with her, for she had devised a plan to take Grundy down that night. Kalani was more than ecstatic when she received the call.

     "So much for letting this go," Veronica said as Betty walked over to Grundy's car. Betty took out a metal rod from her backpack and stuck it down Grundy's car door. "Are you really breaking into Grundy's car right now? How did you even learn how to do that?"

     "My dad and I fixed cars together. Thank God she drives an old-" Betty stopped when the door swung open. She exchanged a look with the two girls before she climbed into the front seat. Veronica raced to get into the passenger and Kalani sat in the back.

     "Okay, before going any further, if I'm committing a felony, I need to at least ask a question. Are you doing this because you still have feelings for Archie or-"

     "No, Veronica. We're doing this because Grundy has Archie under some kind of sexual spell and he won't listen to reason," Betty said. "We're looking for anything that proves Grundy isn't as clean as she says she is."

     Kalani grabbed a box from the back seat and handed it to Betty. "Bobby pin," she requested, holding her hand out to Veronica.

     "Okay, Miss Gyver." Veronica pulled out the bobby pin in her hair and handed it to Betty.

     Betty twisted the bobby pin in the lock and smiled when she successfully got it open. "I learned that from the Nancy Drew detective handbook."

     "Okay, go," Veronica pushed. She couldn't handle the suspense.

     "Oh, my God," Betty whispered breathlessly when she pulled out a driver's license. Veronica took it from her fingers and Kalani leaned over to see it.

     "Jennifer Gibson? Who the hell is Jennifer Gibson?" Veronica gasped, reading the name written on the license. Next to her name, there was a picture of Grundy. It was legitimate proof for Archie to know that Grundy wasn't who she said she was. Kalani felt a surge of rage rushing through her. How much had this woman lied about to Archie? Why did she feel the need to change identities if she was claiming she was innocent?

     "That's not the only thing." Kalani's body tensed when Betty pulled out a gun from the box.

     "Holy shit."

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     It was established — Archie Andrews was insane. Even after Betty, Kalani, and Veronica told him about what they found in his car, Archie still said he had faith in her. Kalani couldn't believe she ever dated the crazy football player and his notions.

     She was currently cuddled next to Kevin and Veronica at the Twilight Drive-In in the back of Kevin's truck. Her night was ruined when Cheryl pulled up in her car. "Make some room, outcasts," she said, squeezing next to Veronica.

     Kalani could feel that the night was still going smoothly, despite Cheryl's arrival, until someone said her name. "Delivery for Kalani Rose."

     "Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Kalani breathed. She stood from her seat, but was surprised to see that another delivery man wasn't standing there.

     Reggie was grasping a bouquet of pink roses, dressed in a black suit. From down below, Kevin and Veronica were squealing at the scene. Reggie cleared his throat. "Roses for my rose."

     After hearing a lot of yells and screams to move out of the way, Kalani pulled Reggie to the back of the lot. He was giving her the puppy dog look. She could barely glance at him without wanting to cave. "Reggie, you can't keep doing this to me or to yourself."

     "Do what? Beautiful rose, I told you I'd prove you wrong, and I'm sticking with that promise. Would the old me show up to the Twilight Drive-In in a black suit, holding a bouquet of pink roses? Would the old me be willing to proclaim my love for you in front of every single person on this lot? Would the old me-"

     "Alright, alright," she stopped him. "I get it, Reggie."

     "Then what? Do you want me to say sorry again? Because I will," he said, eyes reaching out for Kalani's forgiveness.

     She could feel the pull. The luring tone of his voice was pulling her deeper into his spell, and she forgot all of the problems before. She forgot the playbook, the previous girls, and his status as a football player. Here Reggie Mantle was, willing to sacrifice his old lifestyle just to be with her. She wanted him so badly that it hurt, and Kalani finally gave up her stubborn ways.

     She grasped the fabric of Reggie's suit and pulled him to her. Their lips clashed in a sporadic matter, and she remembered how good of a kisser he was. He had thrown the flowers to the ground, hands tugging at her waist so she could come closer to him.

     Their intense kissing session was interrupted by a certain blonde.

     "Kal!" Betty said, drifting the couple apart. "We have a major problem. My mom read my diary and she knows about Archie."

     Kalani took deep breaths before pecking Reggie's lips once more, smiling widely. She winked at him and fled the scene while he was still attempting to recover his breath. She followed a frantic Betty and they met up with an irate Mrs. Cooper and furious Mr. Andrews.

     The car ride was filled with Alice Cooper telling the story of Archie and Grundy to Fred Andrews. She made sure to elaborate on every detail as much as possible, and although Betty was quaking in fear, Kalani was floating on cloud nine. She was glad she finally had the guts to kiss Reggie and now, someone was taking action about Grundy. Her day couldn't get any better.

     When they stormed into the music room, they caught Archie and Grundy in an intimate moment. It looked as if they were about to kiss, and Kalani gagged.

     "Well, well, well," Alice said. "There they are. What did I tell you?"

     Grundy pretended to act innocent. "Can someone tell me what's going on here?"

     Alice took ahold of the reigns. "Of course. Archie, would you like to share with us what you and Mrs. Robinson have been doing during your 'music lesson?' And please, don't leave out any of the lurid details, because Betty here keeps a very meticulous diary, and I'm more than happy to fill in the details."

     "Tell her, Archie," Kalani ordered. "Tell her about what this witch has been filling up your head with."

     Alice scoffed, getting close to Grundy's face. "I never thought that I would live to see the day. I thought the one thing we could keep our Riverdale safe from was child predators."

     Archie stepped in. "Miss Grundy is not a predator or a witch, she's a good person!"

     "Archie," Grundy waved off. "You don't have to defend me."

     "No," Fred agreed humorlessly. "He doesn't."

     "Well, they're not denying it, are they? They're clearly guilty." Alice spoke in a condescending tone. Kalani didn't know if she was going after Archie or Grundy in this situation. "I think the next step is we take this to Sheriff Keller, and let the wheels of justice take over."

     "Dad, you can't let that happen," Archie pleaded.

     The arguments continued to fill up the room, and Kalani stepped forward to speak to Archie. "Let them take her, Archie. If they take her in private, no one will know."

     "Leave it alone, Kalani! Miss Grundy is a good person, and she's not the woman you've painted in your mind."

     Like many times before, her knight in shining armor came to rescue Kalani. Reggie called out his nickname for her, and she left the music room with him. She shut the door behind her so that Reggie wouldn't hear what was going on inside.

     "Hey," she hummed. "What are you doing here?"

     Reggie laughed. "Beautiful rose, you can't just kiss me and then expect me to not follow after you? I had to make sure you were okay. Betty sounded pretty concerned about whatever you guys needed to handle."

     She bit her lip. She wondered if Archie would hold a grudge against her and Betty for this. He would have to understand someday that they were only trying to protect him. In order to calm her nerves, she cupped the back of Reggie's neck and pulled him down so they could kiss.

     He was grinning. "I could get used to that."

     She rolled her eyes, smacking his shoulder playfully. He started digging through his pockets until he found something he wanted. He revealed a recovered rose from the bouquet he threw down during their kiss in the lot of the drive-in.

     Her cheeks grew into a bright red when he pushed the flower behind her ear.

     "A rose for my rose."

because sav complains about the angst, i decided to make this chapter equally angsty and equally fluffy