Chp. 1 - Jughead.
"Riverdale must do better, we must do better."
Easier said than done. We were living in a town swallowed in darkness, sin and secrets up to our paled faces. It was a good speech and marked the start of the revolution, but I still felt empty and cold inside. Still, I always up until recently, had felt empty and cold inside.
Shutting the trailer door behind me and nodding the Serpent's farewell, I careful hooked my new jacket over the crooked coat stand in the corner. I could feel Betty's eyes boring into me like molten lava. I inwardly sighed, not having the juice to face another argument about right and wrong, not right now.
"I know what you're going to say." I sighed, moving closer to her hunched frame in the tiny kitchen. She looked at the jacket and bit her lip, eyes moving back to me.
"I'm sure you do," she murmured. "But I'm too tired to fight. It's been a long day, long week, long few months." The worried frown disappeared on her face and she lit up into a sweet smile. "I don't want to waste any more time fighting, worrying about everyone else." She uncurled her arms and approached, dropping the shirt she'd been clutching onto for dear life as I answered the door a few minutes ago.
"Betty.." I began, interrupted by the sweet kiss she planted on my waiting lips. As all of our intimate moments, I burned it into my memory and let myself fall into the present, the world ebbing away around us. Betty tugged on the bottom of my grey shirt which I pulled off once again and tossed over the sink. Her hands found their way to my hair, fingertips playing through the scalp, I felt so weird to take off my beanie – I felt naked somehow, but it felt right. It felt so right to have her hands all over me as mine were on hers.
I was aware our breathing was becoming heavier and rugged as our two damaged hearts beat along together in sync. I pulled her towards my small bedroom towards the back of the trailer as more of our clothing fell off along the route until we were both literally on the precipice of taking the next stage in our relationship. My heart now thudded for an entirely different reason and the urge to run away was very strong.
Betty pulled the dusty curtains across the windows so that we were plunged into mid darkness. I couldn't help but take in every inch of her perfect figure, not that it mattered to me. I wanted this amazing girl for a very different reason than most other guys would.
She turned back to me, face flushed from our intense making out session and I imagine, embarrassment at the situation. She took my hands in her little dainty ones, staring deep inside me, searching for the inner-Jughead that she so knew and loved.
"I love you." I said. It was still exhilarating on my lips, I was riding on a high that I never even knew I possessed.
"I love you too," she whispered, hands running up my bare chest until I shivered, "Is this right?" She indicated towards our current situation.
"It's up to you," I smiled crookedly. Something I only ever reserved for my girl. "Whatever you choose, Betty. It's okay."
She smirked, kissing the nape of my neck slowly and hands reaching for my hair once again. Fuelled entirely on instinct, I picked her up and met her lips hungrily, passionately. We so needed this after all of the crap we'd waded through since Riverdale became Jason's personal murder mystery extravaganza. I could feel both of us, kindred spirits almost merging into one form as we tumbled onto my bed and slipped off what little clothing we had left. Every moment was electrifying, terrifying, satisfying and felt right. A perfect memory for both of us.
It was Betty that woke up first thing the next morning. Her mother had called, wondering where she'd been all night.
"At Veronica's," Betty replied automatically, sitting up and pulling the covers around her. "Mrs Lodge is making pancakes soon." It was unspoken law that Betty and Veronica were honour bound to cover each other in all situations, no questions asked and no explanations expected. Alice Cooper seemed to find it a suitable excuse as she asked Betty to come home soon and disconnected. Betty placed her phone back on the old rickety table next to the bed and stretched her arms up to the ceiling, the covers fell away to reveal all.
"Betty Cooper." I muttered, smiling. She jumped, clearly not realising I'd been awake for hours watching her sleep. She scrabbled for the covers and blushed madly, sinking back down into the bed, which now felt like a very welcome and warm home for me.
"I've seen you naked, I'm pretty sure I'm equipped to handle it." I reminded her gently, arms twisting around her small form so we were spooning.
"I could hardly tell my mother that I was currently laying naked in bed with the infamous Jughead Jones could I?" She rolled her eyes, I kissed her shoulders.
"No, she'd have a cardiac arrest knowing that I deflowered her precious little Betty. Last night was amazing by the way." She turned in my arms to face me and wound her arms around my neck. I'd only just realised we were both completely naked still but there was no point in being shy now. We had shared all of our secrets with each other, knew one another inside out.
I closed my eyes, still exhausted from the long night's activities. She kissed my eyelids, moving onto my temples and forehead.
"I love you Jughead Jones."
I smiled. "I love you more, Betty Cooper." I met her eyes, melting into them and the memories of last night flooded back in almost an instant, sending my heart beat racing and eyes smouldering.
"Round 2?" I said softly, nuzzling her collar bone and kissing a trail up her petite neck. I smirked as she tried to wriggle away and resist until I nibbled on her ear lobe and suddenly she was in the mood again.
It was a Saturday, so we opted to stay in bed for a long as possible before deciding to venture back into the land of the living once again and leaving our perfect little bubble. Dad had paid off the trailer long ago when Mom and Jellybean were still living with us, so technically the trailer was now mine and Betty's to escape to whenever we felt the world was getting too difficult. I made a mental note to get a key cut for her.
Our hands met automatically as were wandered across the near silent trailer park toward the entrance. For the South Side border, the park itself was in a pretty good shape and I didn't have any trouble with any of the kids living nearby. It was a shame they didn't go to my school.
With a heartfelt pang, I realised that I was now an official student of South Side High. A school for troubled teenagers, delinquents and shady characters. I was now one of those faceless kids stuck inside the social care system; a mother who I was seriously questioning if she even wanted me and a father facing a pretty long vacation from fatherhood.
"Juggie," Betty said quietly. I already knew from the tone of her voice what she was going to approach before she even uttered the words; "We need to talk about last night."
"Oh god," I groaned. "What did I do wrong?"
"Nothing. Not with that. I loved every moment." She smiled wholeheartedly. "I mean you. The Serpent's. The jacket."
"I wasn't expecting that," I said truthfully. "Dad said that they look after their own, but inviting me to join?" I shrugged my shoulders.
"Well surely you aren't seriously considering it?"
"I don't even know how I'm going to get through each day at the moment, Betty. Let alone what I'm going to tell the snakes." Truth be told, I imagined I would have a lot easier of a time living on the South Side and running with the gang, where I knew deep down I belonged. With other outcasts living on the edge of society and rules. Of course I knew better to voice my opinion to Betty before even having a chance to consider all possibilities and form a confident argument.
"What do you want to do today?" She changed the subject.
"I'm thinking Pops, celebratory milkshakes and hamburgers. In whatever order you want. Oh, and another steamy night in our trailer would really make my weekend." I winked.
"Our trailer?" Her eyebrows raised. "Juggie, did you just ask me to move in with you?"
"Not officially I'm afraid. But we can spend our time there together, away from everyone else. I like it when it's just the two of us."
She nodded. "Me too. I love Archie and Veronica but there's something special about being alone with you."
When Betty said things like that, it never failed to give me a glimpse of hope for a happy future inside my dark hard centre. I was so used to pushing people away that it felt alien to be allowed to be this close to another human being. Jellybean was different, sibling rivalry and pranks were always our thing but at the end of the day, she was just as guilty as Mom for not bothering to check in with me.
"Are you okay with the whole Archie and Veronica thing?"
She frowned. "Yes, of course. As I said, I'm with you."
"Would you be bothered if we weren't together, if you were single?" Did I even want an answer to this question? Betty furrowed her brows and gave me a suspicious side eye.
"Archie and I were never a thing. Whatever I felt for him beyond a friend is gone now."
"Just like that? Gone?"
It was her turn to shrug. "Yes, I guess so. I don't feel anything more than pride when he sings, or when we're together or even alone," she squeezed my fingers gently. "Don't worry Jug – you aren't my scapegoat. This is real, you and me."
"I want it to be, Bets."
We stopped walking through the tall grass and stopped at the broken 'Cherub Trailer Park' splintered sign. She took both my hands and pulled me closer, forcing me to look her dead in the eyes.
"What's wrong, Jug?"
I rolled my eyes. "How much time you got?" She wasn't amused. I was uncomfortable, not yet used to displaying or explaining how I feel to another life form.
"You – Betty Cooper – are with me. The kid from the wrong side of the tracks, messed up family and baggage as long as the eye can see! I hope it's real, us."
"Endgame?" She smiled, extending her pinky finger. I shook it with my own and we continued walking through the quiet back roads and farm tracks towards her side of town.
I inhaled deeply. The world hadn't smelled this fresh in a very long time and I struggled to recall my last happy memory before Betty. The trees swayed above softly in the sunny winter breeze and the air was crisp with melting frost from the night before. It hadn't occurred to me then why these normally active back roads were so quiet for early lunch time.
The area was dubbed 'midway' for sitting on the infamous border between north and south. Living on the midway itself I felt suited me more than I cared to let on. I was in the middle and neither belonged with Betty and the perfect little houses or slumming it with the Serpents and the grunge of society. Thankfully I spent my time at Pop's, which also sat just before you hit the border. We rounded the last tree lined road until we stopped dead in our tracks at the sight before us.
Pop's neon lights shone dimly against the midday sun, adorned by the lights of several ambulances and police vehicles around the building. A perimeter had been set up with yellow tape and a couple of police were trying to shepherd anxious bystanders away. The frantic gossip carried across the wind from hushed voices about the latest town event.
"What the hell?" I muttered and grabbed Betty's hand to lead her towards the scene. Together we fought to get through to the front of the small gathering and were met with Kevin's dad. As soon as he caught sight of me, the corners of his mouth turned down and he placed his hands on his hips.
"Jughead, Betty."
"What happened?" She muttered, looking frantically toward the windows.
The Sheriff scowled. "Terrible incident, surprised you haven't heard?" His eyes scanned me suspiciously as if waiting for some kind of confession. My knuckles clenched, I was not my Dad.
"We haven't," I frowned. "Is Pop okay?"
"He's okay. Shaken actually." Sherriff Keller stopped. "You guys heard from your friend, Archie?"
Betty and I glanced sideways at each other, mirroring confusion. I pulled my phone out from my back pocket and scanned for any signs of contact from my red-headed best friend.
"Haven't heard from him since last night," I put the phone away and nodded towards the establishment. "We were all here last night actually and went our separate ways about midnight. Why do you ask?"
I didn't miss the wave of inner turmoil on Keller's face as he seemed to be wrestling with some inner strain of thought. With a quick glance towards his deputy, he gestured for us to follow him round to the back of the building where the staff entrance was also covered in tape. Another quick look around to check that he hadn't been followed.
"I'm only telling you both this because you're Archie's best friends and I'm damn sure he needs the company and support right now," he muttered gruffly and paused. "Archie was in here with his Dad this morning and.. Something happened."
"What?" Betty pressed. I could feel her hand dig into mine sub consciously as her fingernails sought to do their usual stress self-mutilation. I ignored the slight pinching and blocked out the sound of my racing heart.
Keller looked genuinely stressed, continuously looking backwards and forwards as he released this information to us. "Fred Andrews is dead. He was shot by an unknown assailant. I'm sorry."
It was definitely one of those moments where the world stood still and all sound and feeling disappeared from around us. I focussed so hard on trying to move my mouth and find any words to reply to him, but nothing tumbled out. My heartbeat was loud in my ear drums that I could barely understand what was being said to us.
Breaking away from Betty, my hands found their way to my face and I held my head in anguish. Fred wasn't perfect by all means but he was a great man and stuck his neck out for his son's skinny emo friend when the world turned its back on me. I could see that Keller half regretted his decision to reveal such sordid details to us but it didn't matter and the damage was done. Betty's arms wrapped around me and nodded in agreement when Keller suggested we get home as soon as possible and await further details. She managed to pull me away from the back of the diner and veered away from the main street and everyone else.
"We need to get to Arch, Jug." She half sobbed. "Oh my god."
"H-How? Why?" I whispered and scrabbled around for my phone, struggling to find Archie in my contacts and tapped the call icon.
As expected, it rang for a long while before shooting to voicemail. "Arch, it's Jug. We've just heard. Give me a call."
"Oh god, do you think he saw it happen?" Betty looked at me in sheer horror, tears streaming down her cheeks. I hated to see her cry and it broke my heart into a million pieces every time. But there would be no easy words and comfort that would get her through this ordeal any easier than I. More importantly, my best friend's life has imploded around his own shoulders today and everything he'd ever known and loved had just been ripped away from him. This was not how I envisioned Betty and I to spend our first day in the next stage of a serious relationship, but this is what we were given and Riverdale was not much of a giver.