Chapter 2: Small Talk

(Archie POV)

She was gone. I watched her walk out the door of the music room and couldn't feel the floor beneath my feet. Maybe if Jason hadn't been murdered, none of this would be happening. Maybe if I hadn't told Sheriff Keller I heard a gunshot at the lake, Geraldine would still have a job. Yet I couldn't be selfish like that, I had to prove that Cheryl was innocent.

After what seemed like the longest day of my life, I went home and went straight to my room. My dad tried to stop to talk to me, but I couldn't get two words out of my mouth.

"Son..." my dad said to me as he came up to say goodnight. He sighed heavily and then turned off my light. I don't think he could even think of anything to say that wasn't going to turn into a lecture.

I was about to go to sleep and try to shut down my mind, when my phone lit up with some notifications. I normally would have ignored it, but I thought there might have been a slim chance that it was Geraldine. But to my disappointment it was only Veronica. I guess deep down she would be the next person I would want to talk to.

V: Oh Archiekins…

A: Did Betty tell you?

V: She told me enough. Could it somehow be romantically sympathetic that your relationship ended in the room it started? LOL.

A: I guess haha. I need to sleep this off. I'm exhausted. I'll see you tomorrow, Ronnie.

V: Sweet dreams, dearest Archiekins.

I threw my phone on the floor and somehow found a way to fall asleep. That night I had a dream that I was on stage, in front of a huge crowd of people, performing one of my songs. When I looked out in the crowd I saw all my friends and my dad, all cheering me on. I distinctly remember looking and seeing Betty on my right and Veronica on my left, almost as if my brain was trying to direct my body to turn to either side and sing to either one of them.

Of course my dream was rudely interrupted by my alarm. I had to somehow find a way to get out of bed and go back to school, the scene of my scandalous crime. As far as I knew, only a handful of people knew about my relationship with Miss Grundy. Unfortunately Cheryl Blossom was one out of those handful. I would hope she would have my back, as I had hers, and keep it to herself.

"Morning, Archie." my dad said as he knocked on my door. "I'm on my way to work, I can give you a ride to school if you'd like."

I could tell he was hesitant to talk to me. I think he thought I would explode at the mention of the word "school". He was trying to have small talk with me, and I really wasn't in a position to turn that down.

"Sure, dad. I'll be down in a bit." I replied as I finished putting my shoes on.

I threw my backpack over one of my shoulders and made my way downstairs. The drive to school was quiet. The only talking that occurred was that of the radio DJ. I don't think my dad was mad at me, I think he was more worried than anything. He was worried that Miss Grundy took advantage of me, without my consent. I didn't want to bring this up to him before he went to work, so I chose to remain quiet and let him be the one to bring it up. We finally arrived at school and I felt the weight of my sins on my shoulders. I inhaled and exhaled deeply, until my dad put his hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes.

"Mrs. Cooper assured me that she wouldn't let the local authorities know about you and Miss Grundy. As long as Geraldine keeps her end of the deal and stays away from Riverdale, there will be no further fuss."

I only nodded my head.

"You did nothing wrong, Archie. Just remember, that I love you no matter what decisions you make." dad said as he held back tears. This was the first time I had seen him like this in a long time.

"Thanks, dad. I love you too." I said as I got out of the car.

I watched my dad drive away and finally made my way to the school lounge, where I knew Jughead and Betty would be. Them two, along with Veronica, were my safe haven. Just as I was turned the corner of the hall to go to the lounge, I was stopped in my tracks by Cheryl.

"Archie Andrews, the man of the hour." she said as she put one hand on my chest. "Or should I say the most eligible teenage bachelor of Riverdale."

I wasn't in the mood for Cheryl's indirect flirting, so I tried to walk away from her, but she grabbed my shirt to keep me from moving.

"What do you want, Cheryl?" I asked annoyingly.

"Just a minute of your time, since you don't have early morning band practice anymore." she chuckled. "I want to know if you heard or saw anything else, while on your 'sex-ventures' at the lake with our oh-so plain looking and not so attractive music teacher."

I nearly scowled at her and wanted to give her a piece of my mind, but I had to remember I was talking to a girl that had lost her brother and just wanted information, even if she asked in a passive aggressive way. I only had honest answers to give her.

"No. What I told Sheriff Keller was what I heard and all I know. I promise." I told Cheryl.

She looked at me as if I was lying, but took my word for it. "Very well, Archie. I believe you." she said as she let go of my shirt. Cheryl then brought herself up to my ear and whispered into it. "If you were that desperate for some attention from the opposite sex, you should have come to me first instead of our teacher."

I looked at her slightly confused, and she only winked at me in return. At last I was able to make my way to the lounge, where Betty was sitting on her laptop, typing away. As soon as she saw me, she closed it and put all her focus on me.

"Hey..." she said, quietly with a hint of guilt in her voice.

"Hey." I said as I gave her a half smile to indicate that she and I were okay. She smiled at my small peace offering.

"No time for small talk, right?" Betty smiled.

I laughed and shook my head. "Nope."

(Jughead POV)

What seemed like a peaceful moment for my best friend, was only the beginning of a long and endless road of complicated relationships. He would learn that sometimes when people want to have you in their procession, they would stop at nothing to make it happen. Of course I wanted Archie to see all the beautiful colors in this world, but there was one color I wish I could have made him color blind to. The color he was all to familiar with. The color red.