Author's Note: Riverdale, it's plot, cast and characters do not belong to me. Only Diana and Daniel Kennedy do. Everyone is 16 and starting their Junior year in this story.

PS. Please fave and/or review each chapter. Positive feedback and suggestions and ideas are always welcome.


Guilt, innocence.

Good, evil.

Life, death.

As the shadows around Riverdale deepened, the lines that separated these polar opposites blurred and distorted.

"I'm guilty." Cheryl said in Biology class. But of what?


"To clarify, I didn't mean I was guilty of killing Jason. I loved him more than I do myself. But I am guilty of lying about what happened on July 4th." Cheryl explained to Principal Weatherbee and Sheriff Keller.

"The autopsy puts his death about July 11th. When was the last time you saw your brother?" Sheriff Keller asked her.

"It was July 4th. I don't know what happened the week after that, but…" Cheryl recounted.

"Cheryl, in your own words, what happened at Sweetwater River?" Sheriff asked her.

"The plan was bananas, even for me. Jason wanted to leave Riverdale and never come back. He said he wanted to be with Diana forever. He asked for my help to stage a tragic accident, so that our mom and dad wouldn't come after him. Our story would be, we went for an early morning boat ride, and the boat tipped, and capsized and Jason drowned. In fact, we made it to the other side dry as bones. We said goodbye on the Greendale side of Sweetwater River. He promised he'd call me as soon as he was in a place where he couldn't be reached or pulled back by our parents. One month, at the most. Every day, I waited for him to call, for an email. That's why I was surprised to find out that Diana and Daniel had come back to town." Cheryl recounted.

"You tell anyone about the plan? Any way that you can corroborate it? And you have no idea why your brother wanted to run away, fake his own death? Doesn't that seem cruel?" Sheriff Keller rapid-fired questions.

"No, he wasn't… Jason wasn't cruel." Cheryl defended her brother.

"So maybe this is all just a web of lies you're spinning to cover your own tracks." He accused.

"I didn't kill Jason! There was a gunshot that morning. We heard a gunshot on July 4th. Maybe whoever killed Jason took a shot at him, and missed that morning." Cheryl quickly told him as she remembered.

"You heard a gunshot, and you're just telling us this now?" He fired back at her.

"I was upset. My brother was murdered."

"So upset that you sang and danced at a pep rally yesterday." Sheriff said just as the door slammed and the Blossoms walked in.

- TIMESKIP (FREE PERIOD || STUDENT LOUNGE) -

Betty, Kevin, Diana, Daniel, Archie and Ronnie were seated in chairs at the lounge room, talking about what happened when Archie confessed to Principal Weatherbee and Sheriff Keller about the gunshot he heard.

"So, are you a suspect now?" Daniel asked Archie as he sat on a couch with Diana's head on his lap.

"My dad says we all are, including me." Kevin says as he ate more licorice.

"Not me, girl. I don't know these people." Ronnie stated.

"Why the fuck would I want my future husband killed?" Diana stated angrily and everyone looked at her. She just raised her left hand out as a reminder.

"Same, I mean, Jason was my brother in all means but blood. He meant a lot to me and my sister." Daniel supplied.

"Guys, we should maybe re-binge Making a Murderer on Netflix tonight?" Kevin offered.

"Sorry. Can't. Gotta stay late to work on the paper." Betty told him.

"I can't as well. I have, uh, stuff to take care of at home." Diana said as she sat up properly on the couch.

"Count me out, too. I've got a date tonight." Ronnie confessed.

"You do?" Archie asked.

"Which Riverdale hottie made the cut?" Kevin asked as Chuck Clayton called out to Veronica.

"Hey, Vee-Lo. I'll swing by the Pembrooke to pick you up at 8:00?" He asked her.

"I'll be waiting." Ronnie replied.

"Cool." Chuck said as he took his leave.

"Chuck Clayton?"

"You're going on a date with Chuck?"

"Ew, Clayton."

"What the fuck, Chuck?" Were the respective responses of Betty, Kevin, Diana and Daniel.

"He's kind of a player." Betty told Ronnie.

"Who cares? He's one of the hottest guys in campus, and he's the varsity football coach's son. In Riverdale, that's like dating a Kennedy, without actually dating Daniel Kennedy. No offense, Daniel, I mean, you're the hottest of the hot." Kevin said as he nodded to Daniel.

"Uh, none taken?" He asked, confused and was met by giggles from his sister.

- TIMESKIP (AFTER SCHOOL) -

Diana was about to board her car and drive away when she heard Archie call after her.

"Hey. Di! Wait up!" She turned to see him jogging towards her car.

"Archie? What's up? Do you need anything?" She asked as he got to her car and bent over the passenger window.

"I was thinking, maybe I could come over to your house and you could help me work on my music?" Archie asked her.

"Well, I guess you could. Hop on." Diana said as Archie jumped into the front seat.

"We're stopping by Pop's and you're buying me food, by the way." Diana said with an innocent smile as she started driving off.

- TIMESKIP (A FEW HOURS LATER || ANDREWS RESIDENCE) -

"Hey." Archie greeted his dad as he walked into their home.

"I texted. Where were you?" Fred asked his son who was playing with Vegas, their dog.

"Football practice. Then I was writing." Archie said as he continued to play with Vegas.

"Songs? Your Music? I thought you and Jughead were on a road trip on the 4th. Then I talked to Sheriff Keller. So, guess that was a lie." Fred said as he stood in front of his son.

"Dad, we were gonna go, but…" Archie tried to explain.

"You should have come to me, Archie. We could've gone to the Sheriff together."

"I didn't want to drag you into it, Dad."

"That was an error in judgement." Fred stated as Archie stood up and started heading up the stairs.

"Sorry, Dad. Sorry I'm not perfect."

"You know, you're pretty far from perfect lately, Archie. That's why you're grounded."

"What? Are you serious?"

"So, in this house every night for two weeks, 7:00. You want some alone time with your music? You got it." Fred told him.

"I'm not 10 years old, Dad! You can't just…" Archie complained but his dad cut him off.

"You wanna go for three?" He said and Archie had no choice but to accept his punishment and walk away.

- TIMESKIP ( THE NEXT DAY || RIVERDALE HIGH) -

Betty, Kevin, Ronnie and Diana were in the hallways, gathering stuff from their lockers.

"So, how'd it go with Chuck?" Kevin asked, wanting all the details.

"Chuck has muscles for days, but his conversation is not the stuff of Oscar Wilde, or even Diablo Cody." Ronnie explained.

"Hey, Veronica. How was the Sticky Maple you had last night?" One of Cheryl's minions asked as she passed by.

"The what now?" Ronnie asked, confused.

"The Sticky Maple Chuck gave you? How was it?" Another girl questioned.

"We had a brownine sundae, if that's what you hyenas mean." Ronnie retorted.

Suddenly, Betty, Kevin and Diana's phones started beeping. Kevin and Diana took theirs out to see.

"Oh, my God." Diana said as she looked at the post.

"What? What the hell is a Sticky Maple?" Ronnie questioned as she took the phone from Diana and looked at the photo.

"It's kind of what it sounds like. It's a Riverdale thing." Kevin explained.

"No, Kevin, it's a slut-shaming thing. And I'm neither a slut, nor am I going to be shamed by someone named, excuse me, Chuck Clayton. Does he really think he can get away with this? Does he not know who I am? I will cut the brakes on his souped-up phallic symbol." Ronnie said, getting riled up.

"Or we can go to Principal Weatherbee." Betty suggested.

"About the coach's son? Who is captain of the football team, and Riverdale High's resident golden boy?" Ronnie clarified.

"Or I can expose him in the pages of the Blue and Gold. Yeah, I can do that!" Betty suggested again, trying to keep Ronnie out of trouble.

"No. Spoken like a true good girl who always follows the rules. Well, I don't follow rules, I make them, and when necessary, I break them. You wanna help me get revenge on Chuck, Diana and Betty, awesome. But you better be willing to go full dark, no stars. What do you say, in or out?" Veronica said as she walked towards the boys' locker room.

When she reached the door, she stopped and waited for Diana and Betty to catch up.

"It's gonna be packed full of half-naked guys in there. The plan is to shove them out the way and determine where Chuck Clayton is." Ronnie told them but before she could open the door, Diana stepped forward.

"Or, you could avoid sweaty and smelly boys and send me. Watch and learn." She stated as she banged the door to the locker room open and caught a few guys' attention.

When they saw that it was Diana Kennedy who had entered their territory, they immediately gave way.

"I'm looking for Chuck Clayton, have you seen him?" She sweetly asked one of the guys to her right who pointed her in a certain direction.

"Thanks." She looked back as she started walking which caused her to bump into someone.

"Diana? Veronica? Betty, what are you guys doing here?" It was Archie who was struggling to make sure his towel didn't fall off and to keep his private parts private.

Veronica stepped forward this time.

"Don't worry about it. I mean it, Andrews. Hit the showers and stay out of my way." She said as she led the group this time to where Chuck supposedly was.

"Sorry, Arch." Diana stated as she passed by him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

They finally saw Chuck who was talking to Moose about something and whose back was turned to them. Veronica cleared her throat and Chuck faced them.

"Huh, B, D, and V. Menage a right on. Ladies." He greeted in his cocky manner.

"This is disgusting. Take it down." Ronnie said as she showed him the photo.

"Whoa, whoa. Why are you so wound up? It's a badge of honor, and you're not exactly virgin territory after your closet date with Andrews." Chuck replied and Betty decided to speak up.

"Okay, that's beyond irrelevant, Chuck. You're not allowed to go around humiliating girls, for any reason, under any circumstances, you jerk."

"Look, I get you're not a closet kind of girl, but hey, if you wanna ride the Chuck Wagon, that can be arranged." Chuck bragged.

"Let's keep this simple, so that your preppy-murderer half-brain can grasp it. Take. This. The hell. Down." Ronnie ordered him.

"Okay, that high-toned bitch attitude may have worked on the betas you dated in New York, but you're in Bulldog territory." He said as Moose started barking.

"But please, fight back. You'll only make it harder on yourself." He continued and started to walk away when Diana stepped in his way.

"But, oh, Chucky. Don't you remember who I am and what my family and I can do? I can make sure you and your family suffer for every bad thing that YOU did. But please, fight back. Because It's been a long time since someone crossed the Kennedys. And I do want you to make it harder on yourself. You'd do well to remember that. I'm watching." She said as innocently as possible with an underlying threat in her tone as she spun on her heel and walked away as all the guys made a path towards the exit.

- TIMESKIP (AFTER SCHOOL || STUDENT LOUNGE) -

Diana entered the student lounge after a long day of classes, tired as hell and saw Archie there, playing some chords on his guitar.

"Hey. Wow look at you, I think it's good that you're really taking this music thing seriously. Not many people do." Diana said as she plopped down on a couch opposite him.

"Hey. And yeah, music is like an escape for me, you know?" Archie told her and she nodded.

"Play me a song? Just any song. Doesn't have to be one of yours." Diana said as she looked at him with puppy dog eyes and Archie sighed.

"Fine. You're lucky I've been working on this cover. As long as you sing with me, too." He said, pressing a few buttons on his phone before strumming his guitar to a familiar tune.

(Now Playing: Mirrors by Justin Timberlake)

Archie:

Aren't you somethin' to admire?

'Cause your shine is somethin' like a mirror

And I can't help but notice

You reflect in this heart of mine

If you ever feel alone and

The glare makes me hard to find

Just know that I'm always parallel on the other side

'Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul

I can tell you there's no place we couldn't go

Just put your hand on the glass

I'll be tryin' to pull you through

You just gotta be strong

'Cause I don't wanna lose you now

I'm lookin' right at the other half of me

The vacancy that sat in my heart

Is a space that now you hold

Show me how to fight for now

And I'll tell you, baby, it was easy

Comin' back into you once I figured it out

You were right here all along

It's like you're my mirror

My mirror staring back at me

I couldn't get any bigger

With anyone else beside of me

And now it's clear as this promise

That we're making two reflections into one

'Cause it's like you're my mirror

My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me

Diana:

Aren't you somethin', an original

'Cause it doesn't seem merely assembled

And I can't help but stare, 'cause

I see truth somewhere in your eyes

I can't ever change without you

You reflect me, I love that about you

And if I could, I would look at us all the time

'Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul

I can tell you there's no place we couldn't go

Just put your hand on the glass

I'll be tryin' to pull you through

You just gotta be strong

Both:

'Cause I don't wanna lose you now

I'm lookin' right at the other half of me

The vacancy that sat in my heart

Is a space that now you hold

Show me how to fight for now

And I'll tell you, baby, it was easy

Comin' back into you once I figured it out

You were right here all along

It's like you're my mirror

My mirror staring back at me

I couldn't get any bigger

With anyone else beside of me

And now it's clear as this promise

That we're making two reflections into one

'Cause it's like you're my mirror

My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me

Archie:

Yesterday is history

Tomorrow's a mystery

I can see you lookin' back at me

Keep your eyes on me

Baby, keep your eyes on me

Both:

'Cause I don't wanna lose you now

I'm lookin' right at the other half of me

The vacancy that sat in my heart

Is a space that now you hold

Show me how to fight for now (please show me, baby)

I'll tell you, baby, it was easy

Comin' back into you once I figured it out

You were right here all along

Archie:

It's like you're my mirror

My mirror staring back at me

I couldn't get any bigger

With anyone else beside of me

And now it's clear as this promise

That we're making two reflections into one

'Cause it's like you're my mirror

My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me

As Archie played the last chord, he looked up to see Diana looking down and holding her necklace to her first before kissing it. She went to put it back in her shirt but not before Archie caught what the pendants were.

"Wait, are those?" He trailed off, not knowing how to ask but Diana seemed to know what he was thinking.

"Wedding rings? Yes. They're mine and Jason's. Infinity rings that he had, specially made." She answered with a small smile as she tucked them back into her shirt, safely.

"Wow. I never realized even though we were very close friends before cause you never had difficulty separating time for him and us but you guys really did love each other." It was all Archie could say as he noticed a gnawing feeling in his stomach.

At that exact moment, Diana's phone beeped with a text and picked it up and read it. After a while, she stood up and gathered her stuff.

"Well, I gotta go, Arch. Thank you for cheering me up with that song. Laters." She said as she kissed his cheek and walked out the lounge.

This time, Archie felt his heart start beating faster. Did he start developing feelings for Diana Kennedy?