July the Fourth shook the foundations of Riverdale, to Louis Mccoy it all passed as a blur the summer ended right then and there. His best friend, Leon Brown had informed him of the death and the circumstances surrounding it. Louis had an unreadable expression plastered on his face, he took in all the information and couldn't believe that his crush 'Jason Blossom' died.
"Yeah, it's crazy, I heard Cheryl is devastated" Leon said.
"I'm not surprised, considering how close they were" Louis responded.
Josie then walked inside her brother room and eyed Leon up and down, he then pushed him outside of the room and closed the door while Leon muttered 'What the hell' under his breath.
"So, I see you heard about what happened to Jason" Josie said. Louis looked anywhere but too his sister, Louis only told two people about his fantasy crush. Josie then grabbed his hand and held it with hers, which made him turn to look at her, she then gave him a warm smile.
"Please, talk to me Lou" Josie pleaded.
"I just can't believe he's gone" Louis said starting to tear up. Louis never really had an intimate relationship, but He and Jason have shared a few conversations before. He even tutored him once before, but he never really had the courage to actually act on his feelings. And now he never will be able too.
"It's okay, I'm here for you" Josie told him. They both shared a loving embrace and stood there until they heard a knock on the door. Swiftly the door swung opened and stood Leon with a huge grin on his face.
"Come on, let's go out" He said grabbing the two siblings.
One Month Later
"Lou?" A voice snapped Louis out of his thoughts, he was sitting in the auditorium with Leon, Josie and the rest of the PussyCats. Cheryl had said something about her brother which got him daydreaming again. He turned to his friend and shook his head. Leon knew Louis was still struggling with the death of Jason.
"Huh? Louis asked.
"I asked if you were coming to the Semi-formal" Leon repeated.
"Maybe, If I do go who's going to be my date?" Louis replied, to that Leon just shrugged his shoulders and pointed to Kevin. Louis scrunched up his face in disgust, and playful punched Leon in the arm.
"I will never go out with that ass" Louis said bitterly. Louis was never a person to use vulgar language, but Kevin was a different matter entirely, he claimed he was his friend but all that changed when Kevin took his crush back in Jr high and they been bitter rivals ever since. Louis eyes then drifted off for a split second and caught the Archie and Ms. Grundy staring at each other intently, which got Louis curious.
After the school ceremony for Jason, Louis and Leon found themselves roaming the school hallways. They were chatting about various things such as the academic goals they set for themselves and Louis was discussing the latest song he wrote for both of their sister's band. Just then the bell rung and Louis went to class, while Leon walked down the hallway only to bump into Betty.
"Oh, My bad Bet" Leon said while diverting his attention to the blonde hair and the mysterious black haired girl. Betty smiled and said "Its okay Leo, nothing to get riled over."
Leon flashed a smile and cleared his throat, to formally introduce himself the new girl. He stuck out his hand and said "The name's Leon Brown, but you can call me Leo."
"Veronica Lodge." She replied as she smiled a devious smile while shaking his hand, Leon decided too help Betty with her tour with Veronica since he had a free period anyways, they both started to educate Veronica about the history of the school.
"Riverdale High first opened its doors in 1941 and-" Betty said before Veronica cut her off.
"And hasn't been redecorated since, apparently." Veronica said, Leon chuckled at her remark and chimed in "Riverdale doesn't have much taste."
Veronica smirked at his statement and said "At least someone dies."
"Honestly, I feel like I'm wandering through the lost epilogue of Our Town." She continued.
"I didn't know anybody in our generation still appreciated the works of Thornton Wilder" Leon said with a sly grin on his face
. "Are you kidding me? I love Wilder's works" Veronica replied. With each passing second he enjoyed this girl's company. Betty looked confused on what they were discussing and opted to remain quiet as the two continued on with their conversation.
"So what's the social scene like here? Any night clubs?" Veronica asked. Then out of the blue Kevin Keller came out of nowhere.
"A strip club called the Ho Zone and a tragic gay bar called Innuendo. Friday nights, football games and then tailgate parties at the Mallmart parking lot. Saturday night is movie night, regardless of what's playing at the Bijou, and you better get there early, because we don't have reserved seating in Riverdale. And Sunday Nights…. Thank God for HBO." Kevin told her the whole run down of Riverdale, Leon nodded his head in agreement to all of what Kevin was saying. Even though Louis didn't like Kevin Leon had no ill feelings towards him, but he also wasn't a friend either.
"Veronica Lodge, Kevin Keller." Betty said introducing them to each other, "Veronica's new here. Kevin is-"
"Gay, thank god" Veronica cut in as she stuck out her hand. "Let's be best friends"
"Is it true what they say about your dad?" Kevin said jumping to the point. Though Leon didn't know her he knew of her reasonings of moving down to Riverdale and the scandal her father was in. He got wind of it from Louis when he filled him in on the things his mother shared with him.
"That he's the devil incarnate? I stand by my father. Does everyone here know?" Veronica asked, too which Leon, Betty and Kevin all looked at each other weirdly.
"Wonderful. Ten minutes in and I'm already the Blue Jasmine of Riverdale High." She said as she walked away from Leon and Kevin while Betty walked after her.
After class, Louis was walking alone in the hallways until a certain red head walked up to him. He recently learned from his sister, Josie that Archie tried to give her songs that her wrote. Louis felt offended at the proposal and was pleased that Josie turned him down.
"Um.. Louis?" Archie said trying to come to approach the situation very delicately, he had already assumed that Louis knew about him offering his sister the songs he wrote, and that he would be angry with him.
"What do you want?" Louis snapped, he turned his back to about to walk away
"Are you trying to convince me that you didn't try to take my lyricist spot-"
"Yes….No…I didn't want to take your spot, I wanted to co-write with you. Maybe be partners, I couldn't explain myself before your sister shut me down" Archie cut him off before he could leave. Louis chuckled at his statement and remembered his sister's short temper, he turned his head around and looked at the ginger head boy sternly. Louis pondered for a few minutes until he came up with his decision.
"Give me a few of your songs and if there bearable, I might talk to my sister" Louis said unenthusiastically while stretching out his hand.
Archie sported a huge grin on his face while digging up his songs from his backpack, and handing them over to Louis.
"Thank you so much for taking the time to reading them" Archie said flinging the bookbag around his shoulder. Louis looked up from inspecting the papers and to the red haired boy & had a mischievous smirk tugging at his lips.
"Don't thank me just yet" He said while walking away.
School had ended an hour ago but Leon had found himself in the gym, helping with decorating for the Semi-formal. He didn't initially wanted to help but Betty pleaded with him and Veronica insisted, Leo knew he couldn't refuse them both. So here he was painting the various posters and boards too hang up on the school walls. It showcased many sketches of couples together in each other's embrace. Painting was something Leon was always good at, it was his livelihood and he felt complete when he had a paintbrush in his hand.
"Wow Leo that's really incredible" Betty said admiring his work.
"Yeah I didn't know you can't paint so good" Veronica added. Leon slightly smirked at their praise and did a mock bow and they all laughed but they stopped when the heard a voice clear it's throat. They all turned to see Cheryl with a pearly white grin on her face.
"What are you Hens laughing about" Cheryl said. Leon turned back to his work trying to block out Cheryl and her foolishness.
"Oh just on how we were thinking about joining the River Vixens" Veronica said.
"I don't see the joke" Cheryl deadpanned, she looked between the two girls and continued "But you should still come to tryouts, the Vixens always look forward to new blood."
"I'm sure they are" Veronica replied sly, Cheryl looked at Veronica with a slight smirk and then to Betty with a mug before turning to the dread head boy working on posters, who wasn't paying their conversation no attention.
"Leo, could I talk to you for a second?" Cheryl asked. Leon put down his paintbrush and slowly rose up from the ground and wiped the paint on his apron.
"Sure, no problem" He replied, Cheryl then turned around and walked towards the doors with Leon following close behind. Leon opened the gym doors for her and she stepped into the hallway. There was a pause for a few moments before any of them spoke.
"I…" Leon said
"We.." Cheryl replied at the same time as him, they both looked away. Leon couldn't believe how nervous he was being with his Ex all of a sudden, maybe perhaps it was because this was the first conversation they had after Jason's death.
"Cheryl. I'm sorry about Jason" Leon said sympathetically, he knew this was a tough time for Cheryl with her brother's death and their recent breakup. He and Cheryl was together and for a time they was happy but the Blossom family disapproved of the union and forced them to end it. Leon pressured by Clifford Blossom, broke up with Cheryl a mere three weeks before Jason's death. Leon pitied her situation and wanted to make sure she was okay. He hugged her and she returned it.
"Thanks Leo, that really means a lot" Cheryl said somberly, she then leaned backwards with her arms crossed, she then sported a small smirk on the corners of her lips. Leon felt played a little he knew she got him were she wanted. He knew Cheryl to well, he knew she would have an ulterior motive in finding him.
"Do you have a date for the Semi-formal?" Cheryl asked, Leon scratched the back of his head awkwardly and chuckled a bit.
"Yeah I do actually, I'm going with Veronica." Leon replied, Cheryl gave him a look and quickly became stoned faced.
"Really?... Well I was coming to ask you, could you possibly ask Lou to be my date" Cheryl told him.
Louis found himself in a flashy crimson and gold tuxedo with Cheryl complementing him with her all crimson dress, being the son of the mayor and brother to the head singer of the PussyCats meant he would garner a lot of attention. Cheryl's arm was securely around Leon's as they both walked through the doors. Immediately all eyes was on the duo, Cheryl basked in the reverence while Louis meekly brooded.
"I have to host but I'll be back" Cheryl said unhooking her arm from his and leaving the young man to sulk by the punch bowl. He poured himself a cup and leaned against the table, there he spotted Archie and Ms. Grundy again, but this time it seems even more intimate then before. Leon carefully snuck over to where the pair was and started to eavesdrop.
"We have a secret, Multiple secrets, actually." Leon heard Archie say, this peaked his curiosity even more. A group of people behind him became louder which made it hard for him to hear, so he leaned towards them to hear them better.
"And I won't tell anyone about July Fourth ever." Leon hearing their conversation again, Leon eyes bugled at Archie's comment. Leon's thought became one of angry and hate, he couldn't believe Archie had something to do with Jason's death. That's when he put down his drink and started to make his way over to the two until suddenly he was dragged to the stage by Cheryl.
" As honorary chairpersons and de facto Queen and King if tonight's semiformal, it is my great pleasure to introduce this evening's main entertainment." Cheryl said as the people clap "Josie and the PussyCats, this is for you JJ." Leon took her hand and escorted away as his sister was about to begin.
"Thanks Lou, you have been a fantastic date" Cheryl said.
"We wasn't even together for most of it" Louis deadpanned, to which Cheryl shrugged.
"Don't forget to come to my after-party, also invite Leon and Veronica too." She said as she turned her head to see Veronica and Leon slow dancing to the music. Louis knew something good wasn't going to happen. He could see the look in her eyes, she was in the mood for chaos.
"We're going old-school tonight. Seven Minutes in Heaven. Who wants to tryst in the Closet of Love first?" Cheryl said with a devious smirk playing on her face.
"My vote is "A" for Archie." Cheryl continued, "Anyone care to second it?"
"Hear, Hear" Louis replied, he still couldn't believe that Archie had something to do with Jason's death. He would have to play along with Cheryl's games until now. Louis turned his head to meet Leon's disapproving face he made at him for siding with Cheryl. But Louis knew that Leon would understand when he explained everything.
"All right. Gather round, kids" She said while placing the bottle on the table and spinning it, it spun for a extra few seconds before landing in between Veronica and Betty. Louis made a wolf whistle while Leon rolled his eyes.
"It's clearly pointing to…The new girl." Cheryl said.
"It was left undecided, shouldn't we spin again?" Leon asked, Betty and Veronica nodded on agreement.
"That's up to you. But, if you don't, house rules decree the hostess gets to take your turn" Cheryl snapped back. They all looked at each other, Louis knew Leon hated when Cheryl started to be manipulative.
Hours it seemed to Louis when Veronica and Archie got out of the closet, the both had an expression on their face which proved to Lou that something must've gone down between to the two.
"Where's Betty?" Veronica asked.
"She and Leo left a while ago, I guess they didn't want to wait to see the Lovers emerged" Louis said bitterly. Veronica was about to respond until Cheryl cut her off.
"Between us. She's a lot high-strung than she looks." Cheryl told her.
"You shady bitch." Veronica replied, walking away.