PLEASE READ A/N!
A/N:Thank you for selecting this story to read. I wanted to let you all know that I am going to try and upload one chapter of this story once every 2 weeks on Sunday. I usually have the day off, so I have time to look thinks over. I have 2 more chapters ready to upload, but I'm sort of OCD with this story right now. I've been reading them, making sure that the grammar and spelling is all correct. If you see any spelling or grammar mistakes please comment with them and I will correct it. If you would also like to comment on how the story is going so far, feel free to do that as well. Thank you. I also know that I labeled this as an Archie Love Story, but it will be more of a background topic/theme until later in the story. Now that we have all of that out of the way, Happy reading. :)
Jughead POV
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, and panicked, and drowned.
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.
"Hey, Jug." I look up from my laptop and see Jitterbug looking at me from the other side of the booth. My twin. I'd say the only thing we have in common is our eye color. She's wearing her blue and gold hoodie(Riverdale High colors, blue jacket with gold hood), zipped up with hood over her head as always. I can tell you she does this because she hates her hair. You see, while I got a head of solid black hair she ended up with salt and pepper hair. That means she has grey streaks in her black hair naturally. Usually older people with dark hair have this color, but she's had it her entire life.
When she was younger, she loved it. She said it set her apart from everyone else. But once Cheryl Blossom caught my sister in her bullying sights, Jitterbug started thinking differently. Her hair would be pulled and she would be called a granny. She asked our mom to cut her long hair to above her shoulders, and she would always cover it up with hats, beanies, but most of the time she just wears her hoodie.
"What do you think?" She asks as she holds up her sketchbook so I can see what she's talking about. It's a picture of two characters sitting across from each other in a booth, but they are doing completely different things. I know that it's her interpretation of what's happening right here, right now.
"It looks good, Jit." I say with a chuckle. "But why do you always draw me with a huge nose?"
"I guess it just feels right to me." She snickers as she reaches over my laptop to poke the end of my nose. We share a laugh before going back to our separate activities. "When should we head back to the drive-in?" She asks.
"We can head out once I finish my coffee." I answer her. She nods as she goes back to drawing. Tomorrow is the first day of our second year of high school. I'm not nervous, but I think Jitterbug is. She'll never show it, but I know the signs. She is my twin after all.
The next day
Jitterbug POV
I am so not ready for this school year. With what happened during the summer I can only guess how Cheryl will take out her depression and loss on me. I try not to let it bother me, but it doesn't always work. It's a good thing I have Jug. I always end up crying on his shoulder, venting everything wrong with my day.
I take a deep breath, and make sure my hood is up, before walking into the school building. Jughead walks me to our lockers, they're only separated by a couple, and I get everything I'll need for my classes. For the first day, it's not much. I look down the hall and see a shock of red hair, but it makes me smile instead of feel fear. Jug and I didn't hang out with Archie a lot this summer. One reason was because of him working for his dad. I don't know what the other reason was, but we were supposed to go on a road trip around the time of the incident and he bailed on us.
"What you smiling at, Granny?" I hear Reggie ask from next to Archie, and my smile falls.
"Really, Reggie?" Archie asks him. "Leave her alone." The redhead makes eye contact with me as he walks down the hall past me. "I think her hair's unique." I smile again, but I turn back to my locker. Archie and the other jocks continue down the hall before Jughead and I head off to our first class. The bell rings as we sit down near the back of the class.
The day is fairly uneventful. Teachers giving us syllabi as I doodle some more of my characters. I have one for everyone who is or was a friend of mine. I have some random ones for people like Josie and the Pussycats. I've tried to get up the courage to talk to them about making posters or fliers for them, but I always psych myself out. I always think that they'll just reject it without even really looking at my work.
The only thing of importance is the assembly. Jug and I find a secluded spot on the bleachers for us to sit together and away from the rest of the students. Principal Weatherbee introduces my least favorite Blossom twin and she steps up to the microphone in her black mourning outfit.
"Many of you were lucky enough to have known my brother personally." She starts. "Each and every one of you meant the world to Jason." I look down at the sketchbook in my lap and continue to draw my favorite Blossom twin. Why did he have to die? He kept his sister in line or distracted her to stop her from harassing me. In a way he was one of my personal heroes just like Jughead and Archie. "I loved my brother. He was and always will be my soulmate. So I speak with the confidence only a twin could have..." I look over at my own twin and he just looks annoyed by everything she's saying. "Jason wouldn't want us to spend the year mourning. Jason would want us to move on with our lives. Which is why I've asked the school board not to cancel the back-to-school semiformal." The students cheer, but I don't care about this development. Jug and I won't end up going, and the day will end no different than last night. We always end up at Pop's. "But rather, to let us use it as a way to heal, collectively, and celebrate my brother's too, too short life on this mortal coil. Thank you all." Another cheer erupts before we are sent back to class.
More classes happen before lunch. Jughead and I decide not to eat at the tables. We sit under a tree, hoping no one bugs us. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. As I was eating my burger, with my tray in my lap, someone walks by and kicks it. It startles me. Everything except for the burger in my hand hits the ground and spills.
"Sorry, Granny." The perpetrator, Cheryl, says. "Maybe if you weren't in my path, you'd still have all of your lunch." She walks away and I look over at my brother.
"Here." He says, picking up his drink. "You can have my water, but the fries stay with me."
"Thanks." I say as I take the water and pick up my tray and the spilled fries and cup.
"No problem, Bug." He says. We finish our food. He pulls out his laptop and I pull out my sketchbook.
"Hey." Archie's voice says. I look at his shoes before following the rest of his body up. "You okay? I saw what Cheryl did."
"She's fine." Jughead answers for me. He seems a bit upset.
"Okay," He says. I know he's wondering what's wrong with asking me if I'm okay. "I guess I'll see you guys around then." He walks off and I turn to look at Jughead.
"What was that?" I ask him.
"I'm just done with him acting like we're friends still." He answers.
"What are you talking about? Of course he's still our friend." I tell him. "Just because he canceled on us one time, you're gonna unfriend him? That's ridiculous." He doesn't look away from his laptop. "We're totally ditching the dance, right?" I ask, changing the subject.
"Like every other dance?" He asks with a smirk. "Absolutely." We share a laugh.
Later at the Chock'lit Shoppe
Jitterbug POV
We order a chocolate milkshake for me and a coffee for Jughead to go with our burgers and fries. We ate, then worked on our separate things. He continued his writing and I continued my drawings. Tonight I wanted to focus on Jason as everyone at the dance would be doing. Yeah right. I continue my drawing of Jason, which I started during the assembly, as I used to see him. He was one of the nicest jocks and person I have ever known. He was like the complete opposite of Cheryl. It's crazy how people who are supposed to be so alike can be so different. They were twins, just like Jughead and me, and they couldn't be more different.
Jughead POV
It was midnight, and our old friend Archie Andrews arrived at the one place in town that was still open. He was looking for the girl next door. Instead, he found me and Jitterbug.
I watched him enter and look over at our table before heading over to Pop. Jit notices my distraction and follows my line of sight over to Archie. She quickly turns back to her sketchbook. I know she likes him. She always blushes when they make eye contact, and I've seen a few of her cartoon dream drawings of her and him. Don't worry. They're just kissing scenes. But Archie has shown no interest. Jit understands, but that doesn't stop her from her feelings or the hurt expression on her face whenever he flirts with other girls.
"Hey, Pop. Betty hasn't come in tonight, has she?" Archie asks.
"Nope. Just the night hawks in tonight." Pop replies as he looks over at us.
"Thanks." Archie tells Pop before walking over to our booth. "Uh, can I sit, Jughead?" He asks me.
"I don't know." I say. "Ask Jitterbug." He turns to her, but she doesn't look up from her sketchbook.
"Hey, Jit, can I-" He doesn't even finish his question before she scoots over, still not looking at him. "Thanks." Archie says as he basically collapses into the booth next to her. "What are you two working on?" He asks.
"My novel." I say. "It's about this summer, and Jason Blossom. And that is her own tribute to the dead Blossom." Archie looks over Jitterbug's shoulder at her drawing of Jason.
"Seventeen years old and how will he be remembered?" Archie asks as he sits back, looking at me now. "As captain of the water polo team?"
"The Aquaholics?" I say. "Considering how he died, probably not."
"No, what I mean is...was he doing everything he was supposed to do, everything he wanted? I mean, did he even know what that was?" I don't know the answer, so I change the subject.
"Coach Clayton was in here talking to Pop Tate." I say. "Varsity." He nods before looking down at the table. "Does that make you, what, Mr. Popular Football God now?" I ask him.
"No." Archie answers. "In fact, I kind of terrified I lost my best friend tonight."
"If you mean Betty," Jitterbug pipes in, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. "Whatever happened, just talk to her."
"Yeah, man. You know, it'd go a long way." I tell him. "Would've gone a long way with me."
"With us." Jit adds. Archie nods and thinks things through before running off, probably to go take our advice.
And so, it wasn't one heart that broke that night. It was two. And the night was far from over. By morning, everyone would be talking, texting, and posting about it. We'd all be feeling it. That the world around us had changed, maybe forever. That Riverdale wasn't the same town as before. that it was a town of shadows and secrets now. On Monday, The autopsy on Jason's body would take place. And on Tuesday, halfway through fifth period, the first arrest would be made.
A/N: Thank you for reading. I would love to know what you think about my OC. I have not seen any of season 2 yet, so try not to comment any spoilers. Thank you and I can't wait to read your comments.