Chapter 11: Processed

Archie called Kevin and Reggie, and the three of them agreed to find players to join the Riverdale bowling teams. Archie knew that it would be a lot of work, but he was sure he could handle it.

When Archie got home, his cell phone rang. It was Cheryl.

"Archie?", she asked. It sounded like she was crying.

"Cheryl, are you okay?"

"Jason's funeral is taking place tomorrow."

Archie's heart pounded wildly.

"I'm not sure I can do this alone. I feel so much fear."

"Cheryl, you don't have to do this alone", Archie said. "I'll be there for you."

"Thank you, Archie."

"I'll just have to ask my dad permission to stay over at your place", Archie said. "Hold on for a few minutes, I'll be right back."

Archie ran to find his father. He was in the kitchen, talking to someone on the phone.

"Thank you, Hermione. Make sure that everything in my office is taken care of. Thanks."

Fred hung up the phone.

"Hey, Dad", Archie said. "Can I stay over at Cheryl's house? She needs some emotional support because of Jason's funeral tomorrow."

"That's not a problem, Archie", Fred said. "But I thought that I should warn you about your relationship with Cheryl."

"Dad, nothing could possibly change my mind about Cheryl", Archie said. "I genuinely love her, and I am proud to consider her my girlfriend."

Fred sighed. "Archie, I'm not saying Cheryl isn't a good person. I think she is, and like you said yourself, she's really hurting because of the toxic environment she was raised in. However, human beings like yourself have very tender hearts. I was in love with a girl when I was in high school and I genuinely thought our relationship could last. I thought she would permanently feel the same way about me when we were dating."

"Who was she?", Archie asked.

"Hermione Lodge."

"Veronica's mother?"

"Yep."

"What happened?", Archie asked, clearly intrigued.

"She met a rich kid named Hiram Lodge and chose him over me, and that was the end of our relationship. We're thankfully on good terms now, but I thought that I should give you advice. Just be careful. Relationships don't always go the way we would expect. You and Cheryl might be together for a long time, maybe not. You don't know if your relationship will permanently last. You don't know if the two of you will end up being mere acquaintances. I would rather you and Cheryl remain good friends and still care about each other's well-being than have an unresolved conflict."

"I would never dare to break Cheryl's heart", Archie said. "I have you, Mom, and Jughead. Cheryl has no one to turn to now that Jason's dead. She clearly needs me."

Fred hugged Archie. "I love you, Archie. I will always love you. I just want what's best for you. To be safe and happy. If you and Cheryl want to be there for each other, I will be more than happy to encourage you."

"Everything I've done has been for Cheryl so far, Dad", Archie said. "Are you going to the funeral tomorrow?"

"I might as well", Fred said. "I would imagine the entire town will be there."

Archie got dressed and headed to Thornhill. He knocked on the door. It opened, and Archie saw Cheryl smiling at him.

"Archiekins", Cheryl said, with a wide grin on her face.

"Cheryl", Archie said.

Cheryl whispered, "Meet me upstairs."

Archie followed Cheryl upstairs to her bedroom. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say. He didn't want to say anything stupid, but he knew he had to comfort Cheryl somehow. What do you say to someone about to go to the funeral of their twin brother?

When they arrived to Cheryl's bedroom, Archie then broke the silence.

"Cheryl, I know it's going to be a hard day for you tomorrow", Archie said. "But I'll be there for you. I will be there to comfort you."

"Thank you, Archie", Cheryl said.

She then walked over to the other side of her bedroom. She picked up a framed photo. Archie walked over to get a better look at the photo. He saw that it was a photo of Jason and Cheryl after their middle school graduation.

"Wow", Archie said. "Where did the time go?"

"It was such a great day", Cheryl said. "Jason was the only one that wanted to take a picture with me."

Archie looked at the ground. He felt guilt for not doing anything about that at the time. He simply didn't know.

Well, now I do, he thought. I can't change the past, but I will do everything in my power to help Cheryl in the present and future. She needs me. If I don't help her, who will?

"I wished I had done things differently", Archie said. "I should have been there for you. If I had tried to be more friendly with you back then and hung out with you more, maybe Jason would still be alive."

"That's nonsense, Archie", Cheryl said. "This isn't your fault."

"Do you have any other pictures of you and Jason?", Archie asked. "Maybe we could look at them."

"Sure."

Cheryl walked over to her desk and pulled out a large photo album. Archie looked over her shoulder as she started pointing out pictures and explaining the situation that had happened in each of the pictures.

"This was my kindergarten graduation", Cheryl said. "I had a perfect attendance record. Jason intentionally was absent for one day of kindergarten so I could win the award."

"Wow", Archie said. "He really was a good brother to you, Cheryl. I wish I had a sibling. Then I would know what it feels like to have a family member near your age by your side."

Cheryl then pointed out another photo.

"This is a picture that was taken during my sixth birthday party. Jason and I both had strawberry cakes."

"Pink", Archie said, smiling slightly. "Your favorite color."

"Archie, I think I see you in this picture", Cheryl said, peering closely at the photograph.

Archie looked at the photo, stunned for a quick second. Then he said, "That is me. Wow."

Archie could clearly see his six-year old self in the background of the picture, sitting at the table eating some cake.

"Those were good times", he said.

After the two redheads looked at more pictures, Cheryl then yawned.

"We should probably get to bed."

"Agreed. I'll sleep in the guest room, if that's okay with your parents."

As Archie laid on the bed, he wondered what he was supposed to do now. He was certain that tomorrow would be quite stressful for Cheryl. How would anyone feel having to say goodbye to their fallen twin brother?

Archie knew that what happened to Cheryl was a huge injustice. He couldn't just simply sit around and do nothing. He had to take action, at least for her sake.

He decided that maybe he and Cheryl would do some investigating after the funeral. If they worked together, perhaps they would stumble upon some clues that might help them.

Archie wondered why Cheryl was going through this. She didn't deserve this treatment. She already had been through so much emotional trauma.

The next morning, Archie woke up early. He stretched his arms as he thought about how the funeral would take place.

An hour later, he and Cheryl were eating breakfast. Archie wasn't saying much, trying to choose his words carefully. He had to be careful about how he spoke to Clifford and Penelope, and he also wanted to make sure he didn't say anything that would hurt Fred.

"So, Archie, how is your father's construction company?"

"Um, everything is fine", Archie said. He had to be cautious and surreptitious. Anything he said here could easily give away vital information. So, he had to act like everything was normal and that nothing was suspicious in the slightest.

"That's good. You know, Fred and I played on the Riverdale High baseball team for one season together", Clifford said. "He was a good hitter."

Archie nodded but didn't say anything.

An hour later, Archie and Cheryl were preparing the seats for the funeral. Tom Keller had arrived early and had started asking Penelope and Clifford questions.

"So, are you sure having this funeral publicly is a smart idea?", Sheriff Keller asked.

"I'm positive", Clifford said. "We have many enemies. There's no doubt that the killer will come here, probably to infiltrate. Jason's killer could be in this very room."

"We're going to be watching everyone carefully", Penelope said. "There's no good reason to trust anyone that walks through those doors.

Archie and Cheryl walked to another room in Thornhill where they would have more privacy.

"Cheryl, you'll be fine", Archie said. "No one will cause you any problems. Not if I can help it."

"I'm glad you've been so helpful, Archie", Cheryl said. "Especially after you retired Jason's jersey number. No one else would have done that."

Hearing Cheryl mention Jason's jersey number had Archie thinking for a slight second. Then it hit him.

"I'll be right back", Archie said to Cheryl.

He ran out of Thornhill and towards his house as fast as he could. His numerous practices with the Riverdale Bulldogs football team had caused him to be a very fast sprinter. He raced into his house and ran upstairs to his room and grabbed Jason's jersey. He left without saying anything to his father.

By the time Archie had arrived back to Thornhill, the room where the funeral would be taking place (the dining room) was almost packed. Archie walked over to Penelope.

"Mrs. Blossom, here is Jason's jersey. He and Cheryl would have wanted you to have it."

Mrs. Blossom accepted the jersey. She then stroked Archie's hair.

"You're so much like him."

After she walked away, Kevin glanced at Archie.

"She touched your hair?" Kevin asked rhetorically.

Reggie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead were sitting right next to Kevin.

"You know, I'm surprised that Penelope Blossom didn't beat the crap out of Alice Cooper for writing that obituary", Kevin said.

"Beat the crap out of her?", Reggie asked, scoffing. "Knowing Penelope, she would probably tear Alice into pieces, then eat the insides."

Kevin laughed, but not that hard. They all knew that Penelope Blossom was the wrong person to provoke or offend. If any of them said the wrong thing, it would be a recipe for disaster.

"Guys, I better go check and see how Cheryl's doing", Archie said.

Betty looked at Archie for a brief second, as if telling him not to do it. But Archie had to be there for Cheryl.

Archie walked all the way to the front row.

"Cheryl, how are you feeling?", Archie asked.

"Better now, I think", Cheryl said.

Archie squeezed her shoulder.

Then Clifford raised his voice to get everyone's attention.

The funeral is about to begin, Archie thought.