We have our first chapter from a different person's POV! There will be more of these for sure, the first couple have just been Betty to set everything up. In this chapter, there is a gossiping chain, and some of our characters team up.

Riverdale: Did you know that it was in the Top 10 on Netflix because of Chapter One Hundred and Nine: Venomous. I really enjoyed that episode. The way they had some things happen went beyond what I had been expecting, because I'd been trying not to get my hopes up, but then they did. And Camila Mendes really killed 'Toxic'. It was so good. Archie dancing was 99.9% KJ Apa. How are we all feeling about Riverdale ending? I mean, I wasn't really surprised. This had been speculated quite a bit with all the contracts ending and whatnot, but it's still sad. At this point, I don't know how they're going to wrap up things like relationships and keep all the fandoms for different ships happy. Maybe either have them all single, or like a choose your own adventure type thing. I don't know. I doubt either of those things will happen.

Anyway,

Chapter 6

Jughead

"Hey bro." Archie came and sat next to me.

"Hey." It was weird. This whole Selection thing, yes, but also Archie and I becoming friends. I usually stuck to myself. I was a self-defined loner-weirdo. Ask anyone that really knows me. But Archie was persistent. He was determined to be friends with me. Why? I wasn't even sure.

"Has the princess come for breakfast yet?" He asked, grabbing the tray of bacon and placing a couple on his plate. I took the plate from him and grabbed my seconds.

"Not that I've seen."

"Oh?" He looked skeptical.

"'Oh?'. Care to elaborate?" I chuckled.

"No. Just that you and the princess seemed pretty…buddy-buddy."

"'Buddy-buddy'?" I asked, incredulously. "What do you mean? Why would you think that?" I asked, my second breakfast forgotten.

"I mean, you've already had a date with her. Two, if what I heard during our little greeting with Betty, is correct."

"Those weren't dates!" I hissed, trying to keep my voice low so no one else could hear. "We just happened to run into each other!"

"That's not what's going around." Archie shrugged. "But I believe you. It's the others I'm worried about."

"Who's all saying this?"

"I don't know who started the rumour, but I heard it from Reggie."

"Mantle? From SoDale?"

"Yeah." Archie nodded. I stood, glancing around the room, looking from Reggie. "Jughead," I looked at him and he sighed. "Just don't do anything stupid." I glared at him. "Yeah, okay. I'll come with you." He followed me up from the table. As we headed out of the dining room, a raven-haired girl turned the corner walking towards us.
"Archie! And… Jughead, right?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"I'm Veronica. Nice to meet you again." She held out her hand and I shook it.

"Yeah. You too."

"And where would you two fine young men be heading off to?" Veronica looked back at Archie.

"Um…" Archie glanced nervously at me.

"Uh, we were headed to…" I shrugged. "Back to you Arch."

"There's a gym here, right? I was going to teach Jughead here," Archie grabbed my shoulder and gave it a little shake. "Some boxing moves." I glared at him.

"Yeah. Where is the fencing room, oh fair lady?" I asked in an old English accent.

"Thatta way, my good sir." Veronica mimicked my accent and pointed down the hall.

"Wait, there's an actual fencing room?" Archie asked in disbelief.

"No idea." Veronica laughed. "I've only been here a couple days. But, I'd be glad to accompany you wherever you really are going."

"That's probably not a good idea." I said quickly.

"Oh! I get it. You're going to see Betty! I heard your first two dates went pretty well." She smirked.

"Betty told you that?" I asked in surprise.

"No. That's what I heard from… well I probably shouldn't say my source of gossip." She hesitated.

"Lady Veronica, please. Tell me." I could practically see Veronica toying around with the idea.

"Please, just Veronica. And alright." She sighed. "I heard it from Cheryl, who heard it from Toni; who are definitely getting close by the way. I mean, they've only known each other a couple weeks, I think. Fast friends. Then again, I feel that way with the girls too. Our chemistry just works so well together-" She rambled.

"Ronnie?" Archie cut her off.

"Ronnie?!" We both retorted at the same time.

"Sorry. It just slipped out. You were saying Toni heard it from…"

"Oh yeah. Sorry. I heard it from Cheryl, Cheryl heard it from Toni, Toni-Fangs, Fangs-Sweet Pea, and then beyond that, I don't know. Sorry."

"I heard it from Reggie." Archie looked at me.

"Great. Then like, half the palace thinks I'm trying to beat out every other guy here immediately by stealing the princess away. I mean, how's this going to look for her?" I rubbed my face with my hands.

"So, it's not true?" Veronica asked.

"No!" I cried. "We just happened to run into each other!"

"Oh my god. Poor Betty. This'll look really bad to the public. They're going to think she's already decided before giving anyone else a chance." Veronica started pacing.

"So, what do we do?" I asked, getting desperate.

"We have to stop this." Veronica murmured.

"Or…" A red-head entered the room, a mischievous smile on her face. "We give the people something else to talk about."

"What are you talking about Cheryl?"

"If we don't want Betty and Jughead's illicit affair getting out-"

"It was nothing!" I cried, exasperated.

"Whatever." Cheryl rolled her eyes. "My point was if we don't want 'nothing' going public, we let something else slip."

"I see…" Veronica murmured.

"Like what?" Archie asked.

"Is there any guy that you guys just… I don't know, get a bad vibe from? Someone who we could get kicked out and no one would care?" Veronica asked.

"Is that really up to us to decide?" I asked.

"Would you rather Betty go down for this?" She retorted. Fair enough. I shook my head.

"Great. Now spill." Cheryl said.

"Jug, we can't do this. That's like cheating." Archie insisted.

"So what do I do?" I cried again.
"I don't know!"

"Or maybe, you all should just try, oh, I don't know, talking to Betty instead of trying to make these decisions for her?" We all turned as another voice joined our group. Toni. "What, you guys thought you were being quiet? It wouldn't surprise me if she already knew at this rate."

"Toni, do you know where Betty is?"

"Not at the moment. I think there's a council meeting though and she usually eavesdrops at the door."

"Why doesn't that surprise me."

"Yeah, you'd think the palace could afford better security while discussing the country's top secrets, but no." Toni smirked.

"Why do I get the feeling you two have met before?" Veronica asked, pulling us back to the others.

"Uh, Toni and I grew up together." I said.

"Jughead has been the most consistent family in my life since we were born." Toni added.

"Was that what the secret meeting you and Betty held during the meet and greet was about?" Cheryl asked, stepping forward.

"Um, sort of." Toni glanced at me for help.

"Our families had a lot of friends in other provinces that we would go visit lots, so there's actually a couple here that we know pretty well."

"Really?" Archie looked surprised. "It seemed like you didn't want to befriend anyone."

"Jones is a loner by choice. Always has been." Toni explained for me.

"Thanks, Toni, but I can speak for myself." I reminded her.

"Sorry, but it's not everyday I get to talk about you in front of you anymore." She punched my arm playfully, then turned to head off. "Anyway, I'd start with the council room. Archie, you know where that is, right?" She didn't wait for a response before exiting completely.

"Wow." Veronica looked like she was still processing, where Cheryl looked impressed.

"She gets things done." Cheryl nodded, appreciatively.

"Archie? The council room?" I prodded.

"Oh yeah. I ran into Betty up on the third floor the other day. I think she said something about a meeting."

"Let's start there."