Chp. 7 – Jughead.
New Year's Eve once again rolled around in blue of neon lights and terrible cliché songs about self-improvement and changing the world. All this night achieved year on year, was remind everyone just how wrong twelve months could possibly turn, how much life could change.
The New Year was always filled with the potential of new possibilities, experiences and empty promises. All of which meant nothing when the old, dead ones still hung over like bloated corpses.
One thing was for certain, my next year was assured to be a difficult one, with only three goals in mind: Do what I could to be there for Betty. Find out who killed Fred Andrews and bring them to justice. Get my own life back on track.
With all of the white noise, I'd forgotten how to take care of myself. A normal 'date night' with Betty, was enough to make me realise just how much I wanted it to be my reality. Hell, I would sit down and gladly watch chick flicks with her nightly, just to achieve this impossible goal.
Lately, I was struggling and drowning inside my own skin; wishing in despite all of his faults, I could have my father's guidance on how I should navigate the minefield before me. But reality was cruel and he was locked inside his cell, awaiting a long punishment. I was alone.
Thankfully, my only saving grace was that Betty and I had worked things out between us. Neither of us had mentioned the Snakes aloud since our initial argument, but I could tell that it preyed on the very edges of her mind. On mine, too.
She was sorry for blocking me out, but I deserved the radio silence. Most days, I couldn't help but ask myself if I even deserved her at all. A daughters of Riverdale's esteemed Stepford family – with me; Jughead Jones.
Man, I loved that girl so much, it killed me to know that I hurt her with my Serpent idea. But I knew she understood why it would be something I'd have to do. That was the most important thing. I was confident we'd get through it together.
I entered the Cooper family home, with the spare key hidden under the plant pot on the left-hand side of the door. The house was empty and silent, meaning I'd have no awkward encounters with her parents. Travelling up the stairs, I could see that Betty's bedroom door was slightly open at the end of the hallway, spilling golden light into the darkened space. Nudging it open further, I was met with an underwear-clad Betty – frowning at a pile of clothes on her bed.
She was stunningly beautiful as always. I'd memorised every curve and shape of her body with my fingertips, knowing it better than my very own. I longed to reach out and touch her milky skin to hold her close for eternity. I couldn't help myself from feeling my heart pull.
Her expression was what stopped me. She nibbled at the corners of her lips, deep in troubled thought. Catching sight of me in the doorway, she turned and opened her mouth slightly, words dying on her lips.
My curious smile slipped. "What is it, Betty?"
She swallowed. "Fred was targeted. He was murdered."
Urging her to sit down on her laden bed, I sat with her as she proceeded to recall the events of her love morning of investigation with Veronica. How together, they'd successfully managed to track down the mysterious Bugle journalist. How he had confided his recollection of events to them. The blood ran ice cold in my veins and an involuntary shiver ran up my spine.
"And so," Betty choked, hands flapping. "I have no idea what to do now. Do I tell Archie?"
"No," I said firmly. "He'd go straight out on a suicide mission to look for the killer - we both know that."
"He's dying without it, Jug. He's mad at the universe. He needs to know this. It might give him hope for justice one day." She sniffed, wiping at her eyes sub-consciously. I pretended not to notice that her hands were covered in dots of blood from many hours of stressing.
"It'll give him an excuse for revenge," I murmured and leaned over to stroke her cheek. "He needs to learn how to grieve properly without anger or bloodlust." Although the truth hurt us both, it was something we could agree on to keep Archie safe from himself. I could tell from the look in her eyes that she was struggling – we both were. The consequences if Archie ever found out that we knew this information without telling him, would ultimately kill our friendship.
"I'll let Ronnie know not to mention anything," she said shakily. "We need to plan our next move, Juggie."
"Tomorrow is literally a new day and a new year. Come by the trailer tomorrow afternoon and we'll work it out."
She paused and met my eyes. "I don't want to be alone tonight. I'm scared. The thought of this guy walking around our town is just…" She trailed off.
"Okay," I didn't miss a beat. "Stay, tonight. With me." I moved my lips across hers and cocked my head, slipping a strand of hair over her ear.
She nodded, gratefully and shivered. "I'll make some excuse to my parents."
"You'll be safe – I'll keep you safe. No matter what, okay?"
"Okay," she pasted on a smile. "How was your Dad this morning?"
"Bored," I smirked. "He just wants his trial to hurry up so he can serve his sentence in peace. He asked after you, how you were." I neglected to mention that he'd spent an hour lecturing me on how not to 'let this one go' after my father managed to push my mother away and sorely regretted it.
"Does he remember if Fred mentioned anything weird to him, that morning?" Betty moved back to her feet to slip on a medium-length red dress, that hugged her figure. She went over the dresser to fix her hair and makeup.
"Nah, he's in denial at the moment. Doesn't want to believe he's actually gone." I fell silent, the ghostly images of my emancipated father burned into my brain. It terrified me how hollow and pale he was - no longer he esteemed leader of Riverdale's biggest gang. However, my father was proud at heart and would rather die, than admit he was struggling. FP jones did not admit failure. It wasn't in his nature.
Betty stood up and glanced into the mirror for a final time. "How do I look?"
With the flawless red dress she'd selected, she'd opted to go for a black shawl around her shoulders and matching shoes. It was one of those occasions she deemed special enough to let her hair down and flow over her shoulders like liquid silk.
"Your boyfriend is extremely lucky." I smiled crookedly, earning a slight blush across her cheeks.
"You clean up pretty good yourself, Jones."
I glanced down at the brand-new suit Mrs. Matthews helped me pick out. "Oh? This old thing!"
We finished up and left the safety and warmth of the perfect Cooper household to venture out into the freezing December air and walk the short distance to the town hall. There were easily, hundreds of residents out on the streets, swaying and laughing merrily as they clutched their alcohol and drank away their sorrows of his small town. I interlaced my fingers with Betty, protectively as we walked.
One thing I noticed, was that not one person was out on the streets alone. Everyone seemed to be sticking with someone else, regardless of who they were. It was an obvious, sad indication that no one felt safe alone, on their own streets.
As we turned into the main shopping area and into the business district, stalls had already been setup throughout the day and were now in full swing; selling an array of kids toys to neon lights to scarves. We passed through a mini market and ran into Moose and Reggie – who nodded at us as they went passed, laden with giant hotdogs.
There were lights everywhere, illuminating the entire town against the pitch-black backdrop of the sky. For one night at least, people could attempt to let go of their inhibitions and go back to suspecting their neighbours of murder tomorrow.
There was a real tangible excitement in the air, infectious to everyone. Even I had to smile to myself and enjoy where my own life had taken me - hand in hand with my girlfriend. In the positive atmosphere, even I could happily admit we looked amazing together. It was for the first time ever, I felt that I deserved to be there with her.
It felt amazing.
Passing through the festival stalls and activities, we reached the town hall. Inside, Betty proudly led me into the main hall to show me the fruits of hers and Kevin's labour.
The entire room was pooled in pink and purple light, covered with streamers that hung down from the ceiling. There was a DJ up on stage, controlling the thrumming beat of the music – contrasting wildly to what I normally chose to listen to. But I could make an exception for one night.
Kevin and Joaquin – upon seeing over entrance, glided over to us with extra drinks in their hands.
"Well, if it isn't the Jones's," Kevin grinned and handed us both a red plastic cup with mysterious liquid in it. "Glad you guys worked things out."
Betty blushed, embarrassed. I threw my arm around her shoulders and drained the contents of the plastic cup – unknown alcohol with a slight fruity and bitter taste. All three of them stared at me in utter surprise of the sudden spontaneity.
"Wow, Jones," Joaquin grinned. "And here I thought we'd have to hold you down."
"Crappy year," I murmured and glanced at the girl at my side. "Well, some bits were pretty cool."
"Oh, tell us all about it." Kevin winked suggestively, earning an elbow in the ribs from Betty. He still retained his all-knowing Cheshire cat grin as he looked between the both of us and raised his eyebrows.
"Smut aside," Betty rolled her eyes. "Has Arch turned up to play his set yet?"
"Your guess is as good as mine. If he does – that's great. If not, I have someone to fill in." He took a swig from his own cup and exchanged a long glance with me. He didn't need to use words to elaborate further – we'd been texting back and forth for days, trying to locate our lost friend. It worried me that no one had heard from him.
"What is that?" Betty demanded, glancing between the two of us.
"What?" I shrugged innocently.
Her eyes narrowed. "I saw that look you both shared. Spill, now." She folded her arms defiantly. Kevin and I laughed airily, unanimously shaking our heads in confusion.
"Clearly, this girl is not yet drunk enough!" Joaquin announced and stepped forward to grab Betty's hands, leading her to the huge spread of food and drink along the back table of the hall. As soon as her blonde head disappeared from sight, Kevin inched closer to raise his voice above the music, all previous traces of humour now gone.
"It's worse than we thought, Jughead. Joaquin's friends saw Archie around the South Side border today."
"Wha-… What was he doing there?"
"I don't know. I think he's looking for clues or something, checking out who enters and leaves via the South Side road." He glanced around the room to check we weren't being overheard, biting his lip anxiously.
"That doesn't even make sense. There are way more ways into the North side than just by that one road." I muttered, scanning the drunken bodies around us. I signalled for Kevin to follow me to the quieter side of the room.
"Joaquin has a theory that he may have glimpsed the killer get into a car and drive off-…"
"-… And now Archie is waiting to see if that same car drives along the road one day." I nodded as the pieces fell into place. "Yeah, that sounds like our red-headed scoundrel. That's a crazy plan – he'd have to scout it all day! Plus, we don't know if this guy is even still in Riverdale."
"And what if he is?" Kev hissed, brow crinkling. His tone was serious. "Can you explain where he's been all day every day? Even Reggie of all people, has been visiting the house trying to see where he goes. Mary doesn't have a clue. He just goes out and returns home later."
I sighed, rubbing my face with my hands. "What if the killer does drive along one day and see him? Recognises him and runs him over. I mean, we know killing isn't off the table for him. What's one more witness?"
"Maybe," Kevin said carefully. "But there still a small chance that this was a very unlucky robbery. If he had any sense, he'd have run by now."
I shook my head firmly. "No. There isn't." With another glance to ensure that no one was eavesdropping on our heated conversation, I leaned into the side of his head and retold the exact story that Betty relayed to me only an hour before. As I concluded, Kev leaned back and downed the rest of his drink, a troubled look spread across his features.
"Jug, this is serious." He said finally, lost for any more words.
"You think I don't know that?" I snapped quietly. "This shooter really sounded as if he made sure to memorise every single face in the diner that morning. What if this Chic Hawkins guy is right to be afraid and he's being watched?"
Kevin paused only for a fraction of a second. "That would mean Betty and Veronica?"
I nodded slowly. "Yeah, exactly. That's where I am right now," I scowled. "I wish she would have asked me to go with her!"
We fell into a heavily pregnant silence as we contemplated the impending doom of what this entire day had turned into for us all. Now there was a real fear in the air as our suspicions were confirmed. But what did it mean for us next?
"Betty is a maelstrom. When she gets an idea in her head, she'll go for it." Kev muttered finally.
"We're going to have to protect them both, in case they've been marked too." I concluded. "I'll cover Betty – you should have seen her face earlier. She's terrified."
"She's right to be," he agreed and glanced sideways at me. "The Snakes wanted to swear you in, right?"
"What does this have to do with that?" I groaned, not wanting to get into another conversation on morals and right and wrong. Kevin paused, thinking for a moment.
"Jughead, Betty told me everything about your fight – super perk of being the gay best friend. But what if you could guarantee hers and Ronnie's protection?" There was a strange determined look on his face.
"What are you talking about?"
He sighed, exasperated. "What if you went ahead and joined the Serpents. And in return, they offered to keep their ears to the ground and keep watch over them?"
I scoffed. "They don't owe anything to a skinny, emo seventeen-year-old. Why would they even entertain that idea?"
"Your father," he said simply. "He took the fall for them and faces more time because he won't name, names. They owe him, and by extension, they owe you. They sought you out to offer you a spot. Loyalty is one of the most important virtues to them." He watched me steadily as I processed his argument.
"Look – I get where you're coming from. But joining the Serpents is going to be the last possible choice for me."
"Do we have any other way?" He asked honestly. "Archie is going to get himself into serious trouble, sooner or later. Betty and Veronica could be marked for roughing up the witness. Mary Andrews is out of her mind with worry and fury," he exhaled deeply, a deep tired sound. "It's all falling apart, Jug."
There was no argument I could meet him with. He was of course, completely right and we were all near-powerless to change anything. As much as I hated to admit it, I was in the best position to take the next step.
"Leave it to me." I surrendered, heart sinking. Even though I knew inevitably I would be faced with joining the Serpent's, I stupidly still held onto hope that somehow a miracle would happen in the form of a confession or sudden arrest – and I wouldn't have to ruin my life. Deep down, questions were beginning to form if I really felt that I had to do this for Archie. This was short lived, the answer was absolutely yes. My father would have chosen the same path without a second thought, if faced with the same situation. Archie was my best friend. I would go to hell and back for him.
"Let's get through tonight," Kevin said kindly and squeezed my shoulder. "We can start planning tomorrow." He left me with a weak, sad smile and excused himself to wander back off into the crowd for another drink. He was soon replaced by an intoxicated Betty, who made a beeline for me and swung her arms around my neck with a deep kiss.
"Wow," I erased my worried face with a smile. "You smell just like the liquor store, Betts."
"Tough year, too," she said by way of explanation, laughing. "However, I am indeed now drunk enough to want to dance and make a fool out of myself." She began tugging on my hands to lead me towards the dance floor.
"Oh, no," I protested and planted my feet firmly. "Last time I danced, Jellybean made me enter the North American Ballroom Championships with her, when I was nine. It wasn't pretty."
"You're seventeen, I'm sure the trauma has worn off for now," she teased. "I'm not taking no for an answer, Juggie. Besides, everyone here is drunk. They won't even remember the sight of your flailing limbs anyway."
"You'll remember."
"Of course," she smiled. "Please?" For the first time during our 6-month relationship, she actually pouted and resorted to the infamous puppy eyes. Feeling my resolve waiver, I begrudgingly allowed her to pull me towards the dance floor, where thralls of people were moving along to the surging tempo blasting out from the speakers.
The music moved into a heavy bass beat, a complete opposite end of the spectrum from the slow song a few minutes before. Betty – plied with alcohol, at once began to move along with the bass and join the myriad of people swelling around us in their trance. She moved fluidly with the music, swaying her hips side to side in time with the beat. She glanced up through her eyelashes at me, biting her lip. It was honestly the most free spirited I'd ever seen her.
I let go of the world around me and moved along with her. She was completely right – everyone around us was plastered already and would struggle to remember anything from this night. It was shockingly easy to let go of Jughead Jones and completely forget our messy predicament we found ourselves in.
I grinned involuntarily, grabbing her hips and pressing them against my own. It was possibly the first time in my life, I could admit to myself that someone made me feel glad to be alive.
The tempo changed and melted away into a slow, sweet melody. People were pairing off around us automatically. Betty must have sensed my anxiety at the thought of slow dancing because she wound her arms easily around my neck and swayed from side to side, as I gratefully followed her lead.
She glanced up, lips pulling into a smile. "You've got this, Juggie. You've surprised me."
"Apparently," I scoffed. "I'm full of surprises though. This year has been filled with more 'firsts' than I can count. Why not cram as many more in before midnight, as possible?"
"I like the sound of that." She mused, leaning forwards so that our lips were almost touching. I moved my hand across her cheekbones and rested it on her neck.
"I wish I could convey just how much I feel for you." I sighed.
"I didn't ever imagine love to be like this," she admitted. "But it feels right, you know?"
"I know." Gazing into her azure eyes, I could feel my heart hammering softly against her chest, I was pretty sure it would drown out the music. Soon enough, the song ended and was replaced by a stressed looking Kevin Keller addressing the audience from the stage.
"Riverdale," he greeted. "We've got some excellent entertainment lined up for tonight's events – followed by a spectacular firework show at midnight – that's when the real party begins!" He grinned as the hall erupted in cheers and whoops.
He paused, glancing down at the schedule in his hands before flashing another confident smile. He scanned the audience, momentarily locking eyes with me.
"First up tonight – Riverdale's local wonder boy – Archie Andrews!" He stepped back to clap, trying to mouth something at me. There was a shuffle of movement at the corner of the stage, where our red-headed friend emerged from the curtains and half stumbled to the microphone, laden with his guitar. He smacked Kev hard on the back and sank clumsily into the stool provided, grinning stupidly.
I didn't need to look at Betty to confirm that we were wearing matching expressions of horror.
"He's drunk out of his face. He's going to totally humiliate himself – I can't watch this…" She hissed and began to make a bold move towards the stage. I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back against me.
"Betty – you'll draw more attention to it if you jump on the stage and tackle him," I soothed into her ear. "We'll catch him when he finishes." She struggled against me but I held on tight, careful not to hurt her.
Not at all phased by a whispering audience, Archie took a moment to fumble around with his guitar, getting his fingers into the right position. Bleary-eyed, he didn't bother with an opening speech and launched straight into his song.
See, I've been working on a Jailbreak.
Got no time for a mistake.
Any moment till the day breaks.
No more time to get to know you.
Slurring his words slightly and nodding overly-enthusiastically, he strummed the guitar passionately in time, without too many mistakes. I instantly recognised the song, a vast difference from the usual love-melodies he preferred to play. This was darker, resonated at a much deeper, angry level.
Now I'm living in a dream.
And I don't think I'm ever gonna wake up.
At the chorus, he slammed his palms against the glossy wood of the guitar until it nearly slipped clean out of his hands altogether. I could feel Betty's head fall into her hands from embarrassment.
Got no time for a new fate.
Any moment they'll replace me.
Should have tried to get to know you.
I've been working on my timing.
Insecurity beside me.
Going into the chorus one last time and with more drunken gusto, he finished the song abruptly and stumbled back off the stage once again, not bothering to continue with the rest of his set and no words or comments to the audience. A confused and bewildered Kevin took to the stage once again to announce the next act – looking relieved it was over.
"That was the most awkward thing I've ever watched," Betty whispered. "What's going on with him? Does he have any idea what he's putting us through? We want to help, but he refuses to let anyone in. He's clearly struggling!" She gestured violently towards the stage.
"I'm going to go and find him," I suggested. "Why don't you see if you can track down Mary and console her or something? I bet she's beside herself with worry at the moment. Apparently he's hardly ever home nowadays."
Her eyes flashed dangerously. "No way Jones, I'm coming!"
"I want to talk to him, bro to bro. Get some answers. Can you trust me on this?" I cupped her cheeks, forcing her to look me straight into the eyes. She deflated, rolling her eyes dramatically and stepping out of my hurried grasp.
"Get through to him, Jughead. Before he ruins everything for himself."
I kissed her and made my way through the crowd towards the back of the hall, near the array of adjoining corridors. I had to move quickly before he had the opportunity to disappear on us again – I was not about to let that happen.
Peering into each room as I shot by, I sourced the lengths of the backstage areas and hallways for any sign of red hair. I was fast becoming desperate.
With a pang, I thought about leaving Betty alone during our special night, as once again – something had come between us and interrupted the night. I was fast growing bored of my life standing still, with no means of escaping impossible situations, that a seventeen-year-old should not be tackling.
It was the sound of breaking glass that immediately grabbed my attention. Thinking the worst, I began to run to the kitchen area and pushed through the heavy double doors to locate the source of the sound. I was standing in the middle of an industrial looking food preparation area, adorned with silver instruments hanging above the dozens of silver machinery. The room itself was empty, but I could hear rustling sounds coming from the walk-in stores cupboard.
Poking my head slowly around the ajar door, I found Archie Andrews sprawled across the floor, kicking shards of glass under the huge metal racking. He was carrying three bottles of alcohol under his arms.
"Need a hand?" I offered.
He grinned. "Nah, it's all good." I pretended not to notice that his eyes were dilated to the size of dinner plates, or that his breath was irradiated with the smell of heavy whiskey.
He was unrecognisable from the focused, fair looking friend I'd always known and respected. This guy wore a suit covered in alcohol splotches and what I could have only assumed – was stray food spots down his white shirt. His hair hung limp over his sweating forehead.
Satisfied that enough glass was kicked away from him, he took a long swig from one of his bottles. "What can I do for you, Juggie?"
"For starters, you'd better put those bottles down – you know what Kevin is like with inventory. Secondly, you can start by telling me where you've been all week! No one's seen you around since Christmas."
"Six days ago?" He laughed airily and clung onto his bottles protectively. "I think it's time we cut the umbilical cord now, don't you think Jughead? I'm allowed to do things on my own…" He made an awkward face.
"Yes, sure bro," I nodded sarcastically. "Unless of course – you mean hanging out by the South Side border? Oh yeah, I know about that one."
He blanched, looking me up and down. "It's a free country, you're following me now?"
"No," I muttered. "Someone said they saw you hanging around out there. Arch – were you waiting to see if the killer's car drove along the road into the North one day? Do I even need to remind you how stupid that is?"
At my words, he scowled, obviously rumbled. He took a defiant sip of whiskey and glared at me. "I'm a big boy now Jughead, it's also none of your damn business."
My fists clenched as I struggled not to step forward and smack some sense into him. "Of course, it's our business – you're my best friend. I promised to work it out with you, not against you! I have your back, bro."
"In case you haven't noticed Jughead – what with your tongue being down Betty's throat – my Dad is dead. Super dead. Not coming back. Please enlighten me on how you 'have my back' on this?" He snorted, amused by the skinny emo teenager stood defiantly before him. I concentrated more than ever, on not punching him.
"We want to be there for you. Support you. Be there whenever you need us. Together, we'll get you through this. Your friends are worried about you."
"Right well, there it is," he paced around the small room like an irritable predator. "The next time I feel like sitting in a friendship circle and braiding each other's hair – I'll give you a call. Until then, I suggest you stay out of my way and leave me alone to track down the murderer-..."
"Arch, you need to talk to someone and stop lashing out to keep people away from you-…"
"I can't," he roared. "Jug – you really don't get it, do you? I'm not just going to accept this and move on. The police so far, haven't done a damn thing. It's time to take matters into my own hands," he took another glug of the brown bottle. "I am so angry. I literally won't and can't rest until his guy gets what's coming to him."
"It doesn't need to turn into a big revenge plot, Bruce Wayne," I hissed. "I have a plan on how we can forward our investing-…"
"I'm going to stop you right there," he scowled and held up his hand to shush me. "We're not teaming up on this one."
"Tell me you're joking Arch." I sighed and rested my head in my hands. He looked like joking was the very last mood on his mind. His eyes flashed with annoyance and he took a step towards me, semi-menacingly.
"Stay out of this, Jughead," he warned. "I am going to catch this guy, myself. Me. I'm going to be the one to avenge my father." He moved to cross me in an attempt to leave the storeroom, but my arm snapped across the doorway, blocking him.
"Then, why aren't you?" I challenged. "So far, all I see – is a wasted, scared teenager who's acting out and attacking all of his friends because he's hurting inside. If you were really hell bent on justice, you would take all of the help you could possible get!" I forced myself not to drop his cold, steely gaze as his fists clenched in the corner of my eyes. My words must have hurt, but I didn't care. The time for sympathetic words was over, he'd single-handedly alienated himself from everyone – the very last thing that Fred would ever want for his son. Archie desperately needed to face reality soon, before he got hurt.
"I'm not wasting my life away talking about my feelings." He sneered at last, breathing heavily. With one quick movement, he stepped forwards and shoved me roughly into the doorframe so hard, that my face connected with the metal racking on the other side.
He stopped for a moment, perhaps inwardly shocked at his own violence. It was short lived, as he cradled the bottles closer to his chest and disappeared from the kitchen altogether.
Shocked, I took a few minutes to compose myself and calm my breathing as my back found the cool hardness of the wall behind me. My right cheek throbbed gently in pain where it had connected with the rack. I was shaking slightly – more from rage than anything else. Archie was in pain, it wasn't his fault. But it was extremely difficult to feel sorry for him when he didn't want to help himself.
I was only more confident than ever, that Betty and I made the right choice not to tell him about Chic.
In the space of a few hours, my New Years Eve had only confirmed that someone needed to find out about the truth before Archie spiralled down any further and finally snapped.
I tried to imagine in my head, what Fred Andrews would do or say in this situation. The thought was redundant in itself – Archie would never have spiralled if Fred was still around today.
At this juncture – I finally decided that it would be best if I spoke to the Serpents ASAP.
Returning back to the festivities, Josie and her Pussycats were in the middle of one of their songs. Hundreds of people had squashed into the hall from outside to hear them play, nodding their heads in approval along to the beat. The surging crowd was so tightly packed together, that I had real trouble trying to navigate my way through to find Betty. Giving up, I headed towards the nearest exit, leading to the botanic gardens.
The air outside was refreshing and crisp, filled with conversation and twinkling laughter from billowing groups of people on the outside streets. Thankfully, the gardens themselves were enclosed with pretentious iron fencing and large hedges, leaving me free to reflect quietly on one of the empty benches situated under an oak tree, drenched in fairy lights.
"Decorated it myself." Betty's voice floated over to me. I turned to see her emerge from underneath the line of Chinese lanterns, floating softly in the breeze. She reached up and ran her fingers over the windchimes, each one singing quietly for her.
"It's beautiful." I agreed. She smiled and took the seat next to me, sipping a glass of wine. I noticed that her hair had a natural wave to it when she allowed it to hang free over her shoulders.
She rose an eyebrow. "You want to tell me why your cheek is bleeding?"
My hand flew to my face and immediately sourced the small cut and dried blood. "I uh… Caught up with Archie." There was literally no point in trying to lie or downplay my best friend. I needed Betty to understand and see that we weren't dealing with the boy we normally knew.
She blanched, mouth hanging open. "He punched you?"
"He pushed me into a doorway," I clarified. "I caught my face on something. I'm pretty sure he didn't intend to hurt me." Or at least I hoped he didn't. Running my finger over the cut once again, I was unsure of what to make with my meeting with Archie or where this even left our friendship. I doubted we would be sharing a plate of fries anytime soon.
"He's falling pretty far," I admitted. "He doesn't want anyone's help. He wants to face this alone."
She shook her head sadly, glaring into the darkened flower beds. "He's an idiot."
"I'm worried at how he's going to react if he actually manages to catch up with this guy." I could barely even stomach the thought of the internal battle that would rage within him. I neglected to mention that Kevin and I knew what he was up to daily, it would only worry her more.
Betty glanced sideways at me. "He wouldn't kill him in revenge. He's not like that."
"I literally have no idea what he's capable of, right now," I gestured to my face. "Once upon a time, he wouldn't put his hands on me either. Plus – the shooter is a killer. He may not have any trouble dealing with another issue." I trailed off, not needing to elaborate any further as the truth finally sank and resonated with her. She froze, a horrified expression on her face.
"So what do we do now?" She was helpless.
"I go back to my original plan. Join the Serpents and find out what they know. Try and find this guy first, get some hard evidence to Sheriff Keller and go from there." I sighed aloud, speaking the words physically felt so real, so final. Betty's eyes closed slowly, her worst fears and worries realised. She trembled, seeking out my hands, not at all due to the wintery weather.
"I'll stick by you," she vowed. "Whatever you need from me, I'll do it. I'm not going to let this civil war split us apart, as I mentioned before. More importantly, I'm not going to let my personal feelings stop you." She smiled weakly, emotions riling up inside and spilling out of the corner of her eyes. I couldn't help but smile back at her, heart fluttering.
"I'm counting on it. It's not going to be easy."
"Our lives are predominantly difficult anyway!" She had to laugh whole-heartedly, rolling her eyes. She opened her mouth to say something more, but was interrupted by the sight of Kevin Keller flying through the double doors to the hall. He took a moment before he found us sat by the fountain. The sounds of Josie and the Pussycats spilled into the cool air.
"B – I need you now." He panted, out of breath. "Ronnie caught up with Archie. Big fight. She's drank too much and is in a predicament in the bathroom. Can you go and check she hasn't thrown up a lung?"
"It must have been bad," she muttered. "Ronnie never over-drinks."
Kev smiled, tight-lipped. "Archie doesn't normally come up with some colourful language and insults for her either." He returning back into the thrumming building, a concerned Betty at his heels.
I stood up to follow and slowly make my way back into the party, but was stopped immediately by a perfectly manicured hand pushing the door open one again. I found myself stood eye to eye with the demon that is Alice Cooper.
"Mrs. Cooper." I greeted and nodded. She regarded me with a frosty expression that could easily cull a field of innocent lambs, totally poker-faced. I made a tiny movement to indicate that I intended to step past her to go inside, but she stood still, refusing to budge. My polite smile waivered, feeling that my night wasn't yet over.
"Can I help you with something?" I asked hesitantly.
"We need to talk," she said pointedly and began to stroll slowly around the flowerbeds, following the gravel path around the circumference of the quad. Feeling that I wasn't going to get out of this, I reluctantly followed her.
"So, how's your New Year's going?" I said conversationally.
"I overheard your conversation with Kevin Keller earlier," she drawled, launching straight into her thoughts. "More interestingly, what you're planning to do to help Archie?"
"And what's that?" I lamely feigned memory less.
She smiled. "You don't need to dance around the point with me, Jughead, I'm a reporter. I can practically smell the guilt." She enhanced her point by looking me up and down with the critical eye. I shrivelled in her gaze like an ant under a magnifying glass. The woman was both notorious and terrifying at the same time and I was nervous to be alone with her. Additionally, I'd never had a proper girlfriend before and it would be a lot easier if she actually liked me.
"I've been thinking about it for a while," I said finally. "Going over it in my head. At the end of the day, Archie and his family have always been there for me and I owe them this."
Seeing my apprehension, she began to talk. "Once upon a time, I used to live on the South Side of Riverdale. I grew up there, the daughter of two poor shopkeepers who struggled even to put clothes on my back. We fought for every single day for basic needs, sometimes it was my father who decided to go hungry for an evening so we could eat."
"I would have never guessed you had that background." I muttered and glanced at her expensive looking gold and black dress.
She smirked and closed her eyes. "I hide it very well. Not even Betty or Polly really know. As far as they're aware, I've always lived here in the North. When I got older, I went to South Side High – I believe that's where you've moved to now? I ended up getting in with the popular crowd and got mixed up in a lot of sketchy stuff. Anyway, this big, stocky guy approaches me one day and announces that he's starting up a gang. Tells me his name is Forsythe Pendleton Jones the Second," she snorted and waved her hand. "Of course, I shot him down straight away, thinking it was a bad joke. Who the hell is unlucky enough to be landed with that name?"
"Tell me about it." I groaned, shoving my hands into my pockets. Alice stopped walking to gaze at the illuminated fountain. Through the hues of interchanging blues and purples, I could see a strange expression on her face.
"The South Side Serpents were born after that. FP eventually convinced me to join after hounding me for a couple of years. He had this crazy idea of all members getting matching tattoos."
"You have a snake tattoo?" My eyebrows disappeared into my hair along with any previous first impressions of my girlfriend's mother, as she changed right before my very eyes. She held up her left arm and tugged at the sleeve of her long-sleeved dress, to reveal a slightly bumpy patch of skin.
"I had it lasered off a long time ago, not soon long after I moved to the North." She said thoughtfully and pressed the bumpy skin with a manicured forefinger and slid the sleeve back down. "FP and I eventually got into a haphazard relationship, his heart was always in the South and he refused to budge, so I moved alone and we ended it."
Mind exploding and recoiling at the thought of Alice Cooper and my father together, my nose wrinkled involuntarily. "So what did my Dad say when you told him what you were planning to do?"
"Tried to stop me of course, he was always so damn persistent! He insisted that I would be betraying my tribe, or whatever. But I'd already made up my mind and he wasn't enough for me anymore, no matter how much I liked him." She cleared her throat and checked her hair was still in perfect place. "One day, I met Hal Cooper and FP moved onto your mother. The rest is pretty much history. We both got on with our lives and have rarely talked since." She trailed off as we walked in silence, but I didn't miss out on the slight wistful tone as she recounted her memories.
I was confused at why she was telling me all of this, but didn't want to offend her. Alice Cooper never did anything pointless, unless there was something else she was aiming for.
"Anyway, she continued. "During my time in the Serpents, I became known as 'The Tigerlilly'. I grew to learn a lot about myself and others. It really shaped me as an impressionable teenager, but also left a lot of scars as well. Some of which I still struggle with today. There were so many reckless and stupid things we did, but because I was so immersed in this totally different world – I didn't stop to think about myself and got in deeper than I wanted. You're swallowed into the gang and suddenly, every decision becomes about the best course of action for everyone, not just you." She sighed bitterly and cast a sideways glance at me.
"You're talking about me now, Mrs. Cooper?"
"Alice," she pressed. "Yes I am. You're too young to get involved with them, but I have no power over you. I agree that Fred's killer needs to be brought to justice, but you're thinking of something very extreme."
"And what else do I do?" I held out my arms in exasperation. "You heard that Betty's in danger too, I assume? If anything is going to control this situation – it'll be me joining the gang."
She scowled, pleasantries and politeness clearly out of the window. "Betty will be in much more danger with you having one foot on the North and one on the South. Don't you see, Jughead? The snakes will command your absolute respect and loyalty. They won't tolerate you only giving half of yourself to them! If you want some friendly advice; cut off all ties here and go deep. That's the only way you'll gain the trust to get what you're looking for." She sub-consciously glanced around the darkened garden to check that we were still alone, lowering her tone.
"Can't do that," I said. "I promised Betty a long time ago that I would be there for her."
"Being a Serpent," she whispered. "Is a way of life, not a hobby. You will live and breathe it. You won't have the time to be distracted."
"I refuse to break Betty's heart. I'm not leaving her." I idly wondered if this was the plan of the infamous Alice Cooper all along? How long had she been planning and scheming this one?
"You really think so low of me that I would purposely want to destroy her happiness?" She snapped, reading my expression. "Betty's never loved anyone or anything more than what she seems to feel for you. As a mother – it's rewarding to see her so happy and confident. But as long as you're involved with other things, she'll end up getting hurt."
"Mrs-… Alice," I breathed in the cool air deeply, desperate not to lose my edge. "I love Betty more than I could ever hope to describe. She is literally my everything and without her, I'm nothing. I would die gladly, before letting anything happen to her." I firmly held her steely gaze as she stared at me. Eventually, she relented and backed down.
"Just like your father," she sighed. "He was so sure of himself too." A rare smile played on the edge of her lips and she turned her head towards me. "It may not seem like it, but I don't hate you, Jughead."
"You don't like me either." I ventured.
"I don't like any boys that get too close to my daughters," she admitted. "But I'm doing better than Hal at least and learning to slowly let go."
"Whatever happens, just know that I won't let Betty down." I promised.
She nodded slowly. "You better hope you have an idea of what you're getting into." She warned finally, snapping back into her frosty, business like exterior. Without another word, she turned on her smart heels and marched swiftly back into the hall and joined the party, leaving me to ponder on what the hell just happened.
