TWO
july 11th, 9:22am
They never managed to find Jason's body in Sweetwater. There had been an endless amount of rumours that had furiously piled up within the last week. Some believed his body had been swept away by the tide and the sand, far from Riverdale. Others thought that the boy's corpse had been eaten by the carnivorous reptiles that supposedly lived in the murky waters. The, somewhat, sane believed that the authorities had just not searched the lake hard enough.
Whatever the rumour, the Blossom's were burying an empty casket; a delicately framed, portrait photograph of their star child, and nothing more.
Lea had been invited to the small funeral, held at the Blossom family home, Thornhill. Cheryl had told her that she didn't want huge crowds there, something that had surprised her. Cheryl Blossom not wanting a mass amount of attention was a first. Although, Lea had thought; this was her twin brother's funeral.
A week after the death of Jason, the funeral was being held. Lea was composing herself in her long mirror before she was interrupted by a knock on her bedroom door.
"Come in!" She reached for a lint roller and began to drag it down her black dress as her father solemnly walked in.
"Luke's here. Do you want me to send him up?" He softly asked, hands in pockets.
"Sure, I'm almost ready." Lea said, beginning to gather her belongings into a small, black shoulder bag.
There was a moment of silence as Liam made a move to walk out of the room, before he spoke again.
"Are you sure you don't want me to come? Or your mom?" He asked. "It's a bit of a - a brutal funeral."
Lea scoffed slightly. "I'll be fine, dad. In all honesty, if he wasn't Cheryl's brother, I probably wouldn't even be invited. She needs her best friend there."
"I thought Josie was her best friend."
"Don't be silly." Lea chuckled. She swung her bag onto her shoulder and picked up the small bouquet of white roses she was going to give to the Blossoms. Liam chuckled slightly before leaving the room. She could hear his footsteps on the stairs as she adjusted the flowers in the bouquet.
A few moments later, Luke was walking into the room, playing with the cuffs of his shirt.
"Are you ready?" She asked softly, watching her boyfriend closely.
This had to be a hard day for him, burying his best friend. Luke had originally been asked to carry the coffin down the isle, but declined, as he later told Lea; 'there's no point - he's not in it.'
The sound of her voice caused the blonde boy to jump slightly, his head snapping upwards and his eyes meeting her own. Lea furrowed her eyebrows at his jitters.
"Y - yeah, I just can't get these damn cufflinks on." He said, letting his arms fall loosely to his sides. The cuffs of his shirt were wide open.
Usually, Lea would have a smartass comment to give, but not today.
Wordlessly, she placed the bouquet down on her bed and walked towards Luke. Taking the cufflinks in her own hands, she held his hands in her own as she fixed his shirt.
As she stood in front of him, Luke looked around her room, out of the window, at the floor - anywhere but at Lea.
"This is probably a stupid question but, how are you feeling?" She closed the clasp on the last cufflink and intertwined her fingers with his.
Luke finally looked at her, and some part of her wished that he hadn't. His eyes were dark, holding deep circles underneath them. It broke her heart.
"I, uh - I'm doing alright." He sighed, finally not looking away.
Lea could tell that he meant the opposite, for when she tried to remove her hands from his to put them on his shoulders instead, he held on a little tighter. It was a subconscious thing that Luke did; an action that often contradicted his words.
She smoothed out the top of his suit jacket. "You know, you're allowed not to be."
He placed his hands on her waist. "Some part of me is convinced he's still out there. I think it's what's keeping me sane."
It was perhaps the most that Lea had gotten out of him in the past week. Luke often avoided the topic of Jason, but it seems as though that would be a particularly hard thing to do on a day like today.
She straightened out his tie with a solemn smile before leaning up and pressing a kiss to his cheek.
"Let's go." She practically whispered.
The couple left the house. Lea carried the flowers and cards, and Luke carried his car keys and a flask hidden in an inside pocket in his suit jacket. As he walked around the car to sit in the drivers side, Lea opened her own door with a sigh, sitting down and placing the flowers on her lap. The two were relatively silent as Luke started the engine and began to drive. Every now and then Lea would glance over at the boy on her left. Some part of her felt guilty that she had even began to question his morality when it came to his best friend.
"Luke, do you want me to drive?" Lea eventually asked, even though there was barely five minutes left of the journey.
"Why would I want you to drive?" He asked, glancing over at her, taking note of her expression.
Much like Luke, Lea had a subconscious response to uncomfortable situations. It was an expression that captured her confusion, hesitation and doubt.
"Lea, I promise you, I'm okay." He glanced over at her a few times.
Luke slipped his right hand from the steering wheel and gently grabbed hold of Lea's left. He rubbed his thumb over her own in an attempt to stop her worrying. With a small sigh, she squeezed his hand slightly as a response. They drove the rest of the way to Thornhill in silence.
july 11th, 1:02pm
The funeral went surprisingly well, Lea thought. As Cheryl had mentioned, not many people attended; only close family members and friends. There was a minimal amount of reporters and news outlets left outside, due to the fact they had all initially swarmed the family upon Lea's and Luke's arrival. They weren't interested in the Wake - only the burial.
Instead of a body, Jason's coffin was filled with some of his belongings. Some of his favourite books, his old mp3 player with his favourite songs, and a pair of bright cherry sneakers. A mahogany frame held a picture of the football star at the end of the aisle, and now, in a corner in the Blossom's foyer. The wake had been moved to a larger room in the back of the house, away from intruding eyes.
Lea had had little time to speak to Cheryl, so when she saw her talking with some friends in the Blossom's living room, she made her way over.
"Cher," Lea approached her best friend with her bouquet of roses, causing Cheryl to give her a sad smile in return. "For you, your mom, dad, and nana." She handed them over gently.
The roses looked pure and bright in a room full of black and maroon; that's how you could tell they were from Lea Lawson.
"Thank you, L." Cheryl brought the blonde into a one armed hug, and Lea held her close. Her friends said goodbye and walked away, leaving the two alone.
"How are you holding up?" Lea asked, releasing her and holding her at arms length. Only last week had she held Cheryl for hours as she cried, hunched over old photographs.
"I'm - holding. I guess." She smiled. "JJ wouldn't want any of us to be sad, so I'm trying my best."
"You know you don't have to try, right? At least not for me." The blonde played with the small frills on the sleeves of Cheryl's dress.
"I want to. I want to make the effort." Cheryl sighed. "It'll all be okay, anyway. We'll be together again."
There it was again. That damn sentence that sent Lea's head spiralling and sat uneasy in her stomach. Before she could ask the girl what exactly she meant, a familiar figure caught her eye.
Looking past Cheryl's shoulder, she could see Luke, in what looked to be a distressed discussion with Clifford Blossom, Cheryl's father. She watched as Luke pulled Clifford into a more discreet corner, leaning in closer to quickly talk with him. Lea watched his face change from angry, to defeated, to worried, all in the space of a minute.
"What's your dad doing with Luke?" Lea asked Cheryl, not taking her eyes off of her boyfriend as she watched his frantic movements. They were juxtaposed with the calm and controlled statue of Clifford.
Cheryl furrowed her brows and turned to see the situation. "I don't know. Daddy was saying that he wanted to give him a few of Jason's things." She said. "As a thank you, for being there for Jason, and now, us." Lea watched at Clifford did in fact give something, greatly concealed, to Luke. "Why do you ask?"
"It just seems odd, that's all." Lea squinted her eyes. "They don't exactly look civil."
"He's probably just upset. How was he this morning?" Cheryl asked.
Lea finally removed her eyes from Luke, darting them over to Cheryl's own. "He said he was fine, but I know him better than that. As much as he hates to admit it."
"He's a boy. He just doesn't want you to see his tears." She chuckled.
"He's cried in front of me before." Lea sighed, her shoulders dropping. "He's just being weird."
"All boys are weird, L." Cheryl smiled.
The two were ready to continue their conversation, before they were interrupted by a family friend, wanting to talk to Cheryl. Lea said her goodbye and waved her away. She turned around to look for Luke, only to find him to have disappeared from her sight.
The hallway where him and Clifford Blossom spoke in whispers was empty, and he was nowhere to be found in the small sea of people in the room. Lea's heels began to click against the hardwood floor as she quickly walked around the space, looking over heads and around doorways for the boy. In her search, she bumped into a body as she rounded the corner that lead her to the hallway.
"Oh, god. I'm so sorry." Lea apologised, taking a step back and looking up slightly. She was met with the bright Blossom eyes she was so familiar with. "Mr. Blossom, hi, sorry about that."
"It's no problem, Lea. Just watch your step." A smile cracked through the otherwise vacant features on his face.
A part in Lea's brain was screaming at her to say something, to interrogate; she was sick of being a sitting duck.
"Yeah, um - have, um - have you seen Luke by any chance? " She asked, scanning his face for a reaction.
"Luke, - ah, yes. Kid was stressing over the fact someone had knocked over Jason's memorial photograph." He chuckled slightly, as Lea nodded slowly. "He seemed so worked up over the past week - I'm sure I saw him heading out."
"Heading out?" She repeated, arching a brow.
"Yes. I think it was too much for him." He answered. "You know how those two were."
"Yeah, I do." Lea furrowed her eyebrows and began to step past Clifford. "Sorry, Mr. Blossom, I have to go. Y'know, make sure he's okay and all." Before she could get more than a foot away, her arm was held in an ice cold grip. She whipped her head to face the man as she was stopped in her tracks.
"You know, Lea, I think you're best laying off of Luke for a while." Clifford sighed. "The boy doesn't know which way is up right now, and you don't want to make it worse - do you?" He raised his brows, almost as if he knew her answer and intentions.
Lea had never been on the other end of such a threatening stare. She could hear her own heartbeat thud against her chest as she was filled with a mixture of anger and fear. Thinking tactfully, she went for the softer approach.
"N - no. No, I guess not." She said. The grip on her arm relaxed, and Clifford's arm fell back to his own side.
"I wish you both the best." He nodded and turned to stroll into the large room filled with mourners. Lea watched, stunned as he walked away with such confidence. Her arm remained numb, as if his ice cold hand remained, keeping her in place.
A bright text tone brought her out of her frozen state. She was already walking towards the front door as she scavenged her phone out of her small bag. Large, bold letters filled the screen as she lifted her phone out, tilting it towards her.
From: l u k e
had 2 go babe, sorry x
In confusion, her hand latched around the front door, pulling it open. As she stumbled down the front steps and outside, she was met with an empty, cobblestone driveway. No reporters, no cameras, and no Luke. Both him and his car had disappeared from the scene, leaving Lea in the dust.
july 11th, 2:10pm
Lea left the Blossom residence in a rage, angrily dialling Luke's number multiple times as she began to walk home. On her way, she had called his number numerous times, with no answer.
"Your call has been forwarded to an automated voice messaging system. 202-555-0186 is not available. At the tone, please record your message. When you're finishe-" She hung up, with a groan of frustration, and clicked Luke's contact to begin again.
She didn't notice the sudden buzzing sound approaching.
"Your call has been forwarded to an automated voice messaging system. 202-555-0186 is not available. At the - " She hung up again, clutching her phone tighter.
The buzzing grew louder.
Lea raised the phone to her ear. "Your call has been forwarded to an automated -" It seemed as though before she could scream in frustration, she was interrupted.
"Phone trouble?"
The sound of another voice that was so distinctively familiar caused Lea to jump and stop in her tracks, bringing her phone to her chest as she stared at the Serpent boy on her left.
She was suddenly more aware than ever of the motorcycle buzz.
His helmet was in his lap, with one hand on the bar as his feet on the ground kept him and the bike upright. The boy had his eyebrow raised at her, awaiting an answer.
"None of your business." Lea snapped.
"Ouch." The Serpent chuckled, bringing his hand to his chest as if he was wounded. "There's that hostility I've been missing."
She stared straight at him for a moment, speechless. He wanted something. Why else would he essentially be following her? Her eyes scanned his face, taking in his features before she shook her head and began to walk away, tucking her phone deep into her bag. The rumbling sound of the motorcycle engine slowly followed as she walked, clutching her belongings to her tightly.
"What do you want?" Lea deadpanned, crossing her arms.
"I just saw a familiar face." He shrugged. His forearms rested on the bar as he lazily steered.
"I don't know who you are, therefore, you're a stranger." She glanced at him.
"If you don't know who I am then why did you judge me before you met me?" He sat up straighter, awaiting her response. It was a genuine question.
Lea blinked and halted. She looked at him blankly. "Maybe it has something to do with that reptile you wear." After a moment of silence, the boy began to grin wider. "What?"
He scratched the back of his neck. "You really hate us, huh?"
She scoffed. "Don't act like the feeling isn't mutual."
"Oh, it is." He swerved slightly, avoiding a pot hole. "I'm having a great time being an annoyance."
Lea shook her head in disbelief, turning to walk away. "Evidently."
The next few minutes were filled with the sound of a bike motor and the clack of heels on the pavement. Lea wasn't happy with the boy's presence, and what angered her more, was the fact he seemed to be enjoying himself.
Glancing at him from the corner of her eye, she saw him swerving like a child on the bike, presumably avoiding tiny pebbles or dips in the road. His feet occasionally dragged on the ground, keeping him balanced as the drove at such a slow pace. For someone who supposedly hated the Northside, he sure was spending a lot of time in it.
"If you don't stop following me, I'll call the police." She threatened.
"Who said I was following you?" He asked.
Infuriated, Lea didn't say a word, and instead walked quicker.
Not a while later, she stopped outside her path, causing the boy to halt beside her. He turned off the engine and swung out the kickstand, allowing him to swing his legs around to sit sideways and face the girl. A moment passed.
"What? Are you expecting an invitation inside?" She asked.
"I wouldn't say no." He shrugged casually.
Lea rolled her eyes and went to walk away and inside the sanctuary of her home before she was once again stopped.
"Wait, hold on." She turned back around with a glare. When he didn't continue, she raised her eyebrows and gestured for him to carry on. He lifted his arms out in front of him, both fists clenched. He chose to ignore how she subconscious stepped back. "Pick a hand."
Lea stared at him as if he was insane and let out a laugh of disbelief. "Are you kidding me?" He watched her with an amused face - one that was without a doubt, not kidding. "What happens if I do?"
"Whatever hand you pick, I keep what's in it. You get the other thing."
"Is it not the other way around?" She asked.
"No, this is my game."
With a sigh of frustration, Lea reached out and tapped his left hand, her fingers grazing his rings. She watched him chuckle and pause, before opening his hand to show an empty palm.
"Great, so you get nothing." She said.
"Yeah - and you get this." He opened his other hand, revealing a folded sticky note. Just to get rid of him, Lea grabbed the note and turned to walk up her driveway.
"Thanks for the trash." She called out behind her. She turned around when she got to her front door, to find him still at the bottom of her drive.
"I'd read it first, but it's up to you." He swung his legs back around the bike, kicking the stand back into the end of the motorcycle. She watched, clutching the note in her hand, as the engine was brought to life. She watched as he revved it as loudly as he could. She watched as he drove away.
She watched a lot longer than she probably should have.
july 11th, 9:47pm
Lea never planned on opening the note. In fact, it went straight into the trash as soon as she got into her room earlier that afternoon. She sat at her desk for an hour or two, starting with studying, then morphing into much more morbid search results.
Jason Blossom's death was everywhere. Even bigger news outlets from surrounding towns and cities had an article on the recently deceased. Every now and then Lea would stumble over a word or two, having to zoom in on the page so closely in order to make out the correct spelling of the word. Although, it was just routine at this point.
She highlighted the sentences as she scanned through yet another article. It began to criticise the work ethic of Riverdale's Sheriff Station, claiming that they should have been able to find something of Jason's. Whether that be a shoe or a fingernail. The people of the town were also being criticised, but it was aimed more at some than others. The article went on and on about the Southside and the delinquents it supposedly harboured.
Even as much as Lea thought she might, she just couldn't see the murderer being from the Southside - or even a Serpent. Jason had no reason to be involved with them, making the whole thing more concerning. The murderer resided on the Northside of town, at the very least. As menacing as he might think he is, the Southside boy Lea had met didn't seem capable of murder in Lea's eyes. In fact, he was probably lazing around at home, watching tv or having a nap.
By midnight that night, Lea had convinced herself that Jason didn't drown. Her internet browser was cluttered with dozens of open tabs containing articles, podcasts, and news videos. All questioned the morality of the town, the police, it's residents; everything. Every half an hour she tried to call Luke, but to no avail, as his phone went straight to answer machine. Only one time did it ring, but he still didn't pick up.
She knew there was only one person she could speak to about this. Someone who wouldn't think that she was crazy.
With a few mobile rings later, she was in contact.
"Hey, are you alright?" Jughead Jones' voice was heard loud and clear through her phone.
"Jason didn't drown." Lea said.
The boy sighed. "Glad we're finally on the same page."
"I need you to tell me everything you've found out." She paced around her room.
"That could take all night, Lea."
"Fine with me." She said, opening an empty word document on her laptop. "Shoot."