Chapter Twelve
Two days, that was the max her father would give her to stay home. For those two days, Emma did nothing but lay in bed, not changing from her pajamas, or contact anyone really for that matter. Archie sat on her bed, handing her dinner knowing she wouldn't eat it, "Mayor McCoy wants you, me, and Betty to be showcased at the Jubilee. She asked to me to see if you wanted to show some of your art. Maybe hang it or display? She said 2-4 big pieces would be great."
She snorted as she picked at her food, "Yeah well she can shove it. Veronica already told me she ostracized Jughead."
"Come on, just think about it. Jug doesn't even care, he never planned to go." She looked at him as he pleaded, "Betty is doing a speech, I'm singing-"
She chuckled, "-Please don't choke this time."
They laughed and soon he left, leaving her to consider the offer. As quick as everything happened, it had left, Her two days were up and she was stuck, staring at her dark green blouse and high waisted tan pants. Her hair was longer than she remembered, going halfway down her back. Grabbing a clip, she pulled the side of her hair back. "You ready?" Archie asked her.
"Yeah, guess so." She picked up her bag, heading downstairs to go to school.
"You and I have a lot in common." Veronica chimed as she sat next to Jughead at their lunch table, everyone was MIA, except for the two. It had snowed like crazy in Riverdale, forcing them to now move indoors for the next few weeks. Jughead raised his eyebrow and looked at her, "Oh because my dad's going to prison and yours is getting out?"
"We're dating each other's close friends, I was going to say. But yes, the prison thing too."
Emma had approached her with paint on her cheek and a stressed look, she sat down pick at a fry off of Jughead's plate. "You told her?"
She looked at Jughead confused as she chewed, "Told who what?"
"That we are dating?" He gestured towards Veronica, who waved causing Emma to roll her eyes. Jughead had confirmed Veronica's suspicions by asking the strawberry blonde.
"Um, no. I didn't because that would imply that we are and she had no idea," Veronica smiled as Emma spoke. "you just confirmed it for her. Great play, Forsythe." She chuckled grabbing another fry.
"Uh, Em? You have a little something?" Veronica pointed to her cheek. Mimicking the action, Emma felt the paint that began drying on her face, looking towards her hand, she spotted the source of where it came from. "Ugh, stupid thing." She attempted to wipe it off.
Veronica eyed her, "Why are you covered in paint?"
"Decided to paint for the Jubilee," She said in a chipper fashion. "I'm taking full advantage of the pre-paid huge canvases and free art supplies. Finally gives me a chance to branch out."
Before anyone could respond, Cheryl popped out of nowhere causing Emma to jump, "Jughead."
"Jesus, Cher. You scared the crap out of me."
Smiling down at her friend, she offered a smile. "Sorry Emmie." She looked back at Jughead, "I'm sorry. I had no right to pummel you the way I did that day. As recompense, I'd like to give you this." She tossed her brooch to Jughead who caught it and examined it. "My iconic spider brooch."
Veronica and Emma exchanged glances before Emma spoke, "Cher, you love that brooch. Jason bought it for you when we turned 12."
She nodded in agreement, "I know, but it's time to let it go, after all this. Anyways, it'll score you a pretty penny at a local pawn shop. Enough to keep you well stocked with burgers and "S" t-shirts for years, if not decades."
Veronica looked at her oddly, "Cheryl, what is going on?"
"I'm-"
"-Guys hurry it's Betty's locker. Come on, it's bad. come, come on." Kevin ran up behind Cheryl with panic on his face. The group looked at one another before running towards the blonde's lockers, Veronica dragged Archie in tow.
Emma was met with a hoard of people, taking pictures surrounding Betty and Polly.
"Go to hell, Serpent Slut." Pushing themselves through the crowd, they saw her locker trashed with copies of her article and a hanging 'Betty' doll. Jughead pulled her away, as she tried to tear it down. He held Betty who was horrified and annoyed.
"What the hell are you guys looking at? Do you really need to take 17 pictures in row, one will do. Now get out." Emma yelled, pushing the student's back, allowing Jughead to get Betty out of there.
"It was pig's blood, dad." Archie had gone into a full-scaled rant and his dad drank his beer. Emma leaned against the sink, watching Archie as he got himself even more mad. "Where do you even get pig's blood? I wanna slam whoever did that through a wall. Betty's getting threats. Jughead is being thrown into a snake pit, hell even Emma has become a walking zombie the last few days. And I can't do anything to help them."
"Hey! I'm right here you know." Emma retorted.
Fred sighed and shook his head slowly and shrugged, "Sometimes you help them by showing up."
"I've been showing up all year, dad. And it hasn't made one bit of difference. We're getting our asses kicked."
Emma sighed as her brother bowed his head and leaned over the island. She walked over to him and rubbed his back, "We are fine. We are gonna be fine."
The following day Emma met up with the rest of the group near a frozen Sweetwater River. "What is going on?" She asked frantically as the group ran up to her.
"It's Cheryl, she-she texted me saying she wanted to be with Jason now!" She said as she continued running, pulling Emma's hand. "She's gonna kill herself, that's why she's been acting off, Em."
Emma ran harder than she ever had before. The group called Cheryl's name, hoping she would answer. They slowed down, beginning to jog to see if they could spot her but she was untraceable.
"She's not here." Archie said.
Emma paced as the stopped near a clearing, "No, no, no, no. She has to be, Arch. She has to." She looked him in the eye, panicking that her oldest friend might hurt herself. As millions of thoughts raced through her mind she blamed herself for the feud that caused them to fight and even after they fixed it, she barely had time to reach out and talk to her. She had prioritized the wild goose chase about FP to not see that her friend needed her.
"O-over there. Oh my God. She's over there." Betty yelled and pointed to where Cheryl was hitting the ground.
Jughead screamed as did the others, "Cheryl stop! What are you doing?"
Speeding down the hill fast, they heard the crunch of the ground underneath them, Archie stopped, holding the group back. "Wait, wait, wait, wait. Hold on, Jug."
"The ice. He's right. Too much weight and we'll all go under." Jughead stated. As they began to scream, Emma shook her head, knowing it would do nothing to stop her friend. She shook her head and began running full throttle towards Cheryl, who continued to hack. Archie screamed for his sister. They yelled, saying that she could fall but in that moment all she could think of was Cheryl.
She neared Cheryl causing her to sprint even faster. But as Cheryl turned around, she fell. Emma dove to try and grab her, but was cut by the ice as Cheryl fell under, floating with the current. The group had ran coming behind her, "The current!" She ran forward as the group tried to find the current.
"Spread out, spread out!" Jughead yelled.
Archie looked at the group, "I have her. She's here." Emma stood over him as he began punching the ice, hoping it would open up. Emma watched as Cheryl slowly began to sink downwards. As blood painted his knuckles, he began to slow down. Emma began stomping down in place of her brother, not caring that she could very well fall in. Using the heel of her foot, she and Archie used as much force to break the ice.
With a firm stomp on the ground, her leg fell in the water causing Jughead to grab her before she fell in. Archie fished Cheryl out as Veronica called 911. The redhead attempted to revive her as she coughed up the water. Emma let out of breath of relief, "Oh thank God. Thank God."
Jughead hugged Emma, kissing her all over her face. "Don't do that. Don't ever do that again, Thea."
The group looked at one another as Archie picked Cheryl up and walked towards solid ground.
"To Andrews twins, who saved the cheerleader and saved the town." Veronica toasted as the group held their milkshakes up. Archie smiled, "You know what, actually I think it was Betty's speech."
Emma nodded, "Ah yes, let us toast to the ultimate scolding of Riverdale as if it was bad child. To Betty Cooper."
"Here, here to Betty Cooper." Veronica chimed in agreement as they clinked their milkshakes.
Jughead Narration: We had many milkshakes that night and we all felt that as dangerous as the world around us had become, here, at least in this booth, we were safe.
Emma walked into the trailer, where Jughead had began living in again. Despite his father still imprisoned, he felt as though he was there with him, thus why he decided to move there. She smiled at the small trailer, "Glad to see it hasn't changed." He smile and nodded. She knew as much as she missed him at Riverdale High and even in her house, he was were belonged. Veronica told her about the group of people at his school laughing at his story and how he seemed to transition well. However, that was a discussion for another night.
"You know, I still can't believe you ran towards Cheryl, dove towards her and then almost fell in the water when you and Archie tried to break the ice."
"Yeah, yeah. I know it was dangerous and reckless and stupid, Archie gave me the whole speech." She looked around as her eyes landed on him as he smiled.
He nodded, agreeing with Archie. Something she had knew he would. "Yes, but noble." He stalked towards her. "It was stupid, and crazy and reckless. But, it was admirable and brave and the ten thousand other reasons why I love you."
She looked at him and smiled softly. He pulled off her gloves, tossing them on the coffee table. He lifted her hands and kissed them, "I love all of you. The good, the bad, and the worst sides of you, Emma Theodora Andrews. I would be crazy enough to not tell you that after an eventful day or even week as this one."
Emma's mouth salivated as she looked at him, In that moment all she wanted was him, and him alone. She kissed him passionately and hard, as if she would lose him in the next second. His hand roamed over her body as he took off her coat.
He chuckled, "So I'll take that as a ditto?"
"Yes, Forsythe Pendleton "Jughead" Jones the third, I am so in love with you." She kissed him again.
"Does that mean you'll be my girlfriend?"
She squinted her eyes and mockingly inhaled, "Perhaps to be discussed over many fries, many dates and many Grease movie nights."
"Sounds like a plan, Thea." Before he could kiss her again, there was a knock at the door. He looked at her as she did him. "Who is that?" He asked.
She shrugged, "As if I live here?" Furrowing his eyebrows he walked towards the door and stepped out onto the porch. Emma watched through the crack of the door as she heard a man speak, "Easy, Hot Dog. He's family."
"Hey." Jughead said causing Emma to roll her eyes. 'Hey.' that was the only thing he could come up with? Really? She thought.
"Heard your dad could have named names but didn't. Serpents take care of their own." The rain was beating down hard as he spoke. Opening the door more, Emma caught a glimpse of the guy, Jughead was speaking to. "We wanted you to know, no matter what happens to him, how long he's gone, we've got your back. This is yours, if you want it."
Emma watched as Jughead reached his arm out, grabbing the leather jacket. He looked at the Serpent emblem and smiled. Turning it around he put it on, smiling at the group in front of him and eventually meeting eyes with Emma.
She leaned against the door frame, smiling.
Hoping he wouldn't regret the choices he made.
"Leather suits you, Forsythe."
Emma left early the next morning, unraveling herself from Jughead's grip. She smiled as he woke up, "Hey," He rubbed his eyes, "where are you going?"
"Dad wants to meet Archie and I at Pop's." She kissed him lightly, "Go back to bed. I'll see you later."
Standing up, she exhaled lightly and rubbed her arms at the temperature of the trailer. Jughead chuckled, "Come back, I can warm you up again with a little cardio." Rolling her eyes she put on her clothes, "Relax Casanova."
She grabbed her things before saying goodbye to him, giving him one last kiss, she left.
She smiled upon seeing her dad, "Hey, there."
"Hey, Peanut." He smiled. They spoke a bit while waiting for Archie who came in beaming like he had found the secret to life itself. She watched as he went to the bathroom to wash his hand, "Why is he all happy?"
Her father shrugged, "Probably had a goodnight with Jughead, holed themselves in the trailer watching movies." She raised her eyebrows as she drank her tea, knowing he had to be at Veronica's and by his smile, he had gotten some when with her. She walked up to the counter to ask Pop for an orange juice for Archie, "How are things, Emma, now that you're back?" Pop asked, handing her the orange juice.
She smiled, "It's been can't complain. Missed it, Chicago didn't have the same feel. Nothing like home, I guess." She shrugged as the door chimed.
"Who's in charge here? Show me where the safe is!" Emma whipped around, dropping the orange juice on the ground beside her. Pop had stammered to respond as Emma looked at her dad. Grabbing Emma, the masked man held the gun to her temple.
"Show me the safe, or I'll shoot her!" She could feel the cold barrel against her head as breathing began to shorten.
She saw Archie, creep out from the corner looking at her and then her dad who began to stand. Shaking his head at his son, he neared the man. He pleaded for him to let go of his daughter. Emma cried as she watched her dad move towards her causing the man to aim his gun at Fred. Archie then took his moment to slide out of hiding, guarding his dad.
With that, the sudden movement had startled him causing him to fire at Fred. Trying to push the gun out of his hand, he fired a second shot before running out. Archie held his dad as he watched Emma look at him with blood on her shirt.
She stared at him with shock as she kneeled towards the ground, clutching herself in pain.
She had been shot.
Jughead Narration: Imagine this instant, frozen in time. People will look back at this as the exact moment that last bit of Riverdale's innocence finally died. When darkness won. Marked by an act of violence that was anything but random.
