"Aren't you supposed to be in school?" FP asked, with a light-hearted, yet somehow tired voice. "You know, learning something?"

"I have twenty minutes until Algebra—my first class, by the way. You have some explaining to do."

"Do I? Well...if you could enlighten me as to what about-"

I rolled my eyes. "Don't play dumb with me. What business does a South Side Serpent have with Hermione Lodge? On the North side, no less."

Up ahead in the hall, Archie was walking my way. So I ducked left into the girls' locker room before he could notice me. Yes, this was child's play. Running for cover from the big bad wolf. But I didn't care. Knowing what I know, I could not run into Archie. It would only turn into a verbal fist fight in front of half the student body.

FP was saying something on the other end but I missed it due to my theatrics. I took a deep breath and asked him to repeat it. "I don't know what you're talking about," he reiterated. I may not have been a Jones, but I didn't need to be to know when FP and Jughead were lying to me. This was one of those times. I could feel it in my bones.

"Will you stop? Are you in bed with Hiram Lodge or not, FP?" I demanded the answer.

He sighed heavily on the other end, followed by silence. "It's just some unfinished business," he finally answered. "We were just settling debts so we could part ways. Okay? The Serpents are Lodge free after the night is over. You don't need to worry about it, Kid."

The bell sounded abruptly, and I sighed. "I hope you know I'm only taking that answer because I'm late for class."

"Wouldn't expect anything less."

I ended my side of the call and sprinted to the Algebra classroom. Once again being tardy did not harm me in any way. Especially considering it was only in one class. And it only started recently. Since I started seeing Sweet Pea two weeks ago. It made me think of him, that comparison of time. It made me wonder what was truly happening to us. Or if there even was an 'us' to be worried about. Maybe I'd taken it all too seriously?

Maybe I was just a bit of fun for him—but didn't I deserve to know? Didn't I deserve a text back telling me we're done? Maybe I didn't. Maybe I truly was the reason Sweet Pea stopped loving me. Maybe I was truly the reason Archie never really loved me at all. Algebra was the first time Archie and I were within three feet of each other all day. All week, even. When it was over, I grabbed his arm and asked if we could talk.

It would mean skipping English, but he didn't seem to mind, seeing as he agreed. Every muscle in me cried against it. Against seeing him, talking to him. But I needed this. I needed some kind of closure so I could focus on my next falling apart relationship. Archie followed me outside, to the bleachers at the football field. "What do you wanna talk about?" he asked, curiously. I hopped up onto the first level of bleachers, sitting down on the second.

He stopped walking, turning to face me. "I need you to answer me honestly, Archie," I said, to which he nodded silently. "Why didn't you just break up with me when you started whatever is going on between you and Ms. Grundy?"

"You know? Did Jughead tell you?" his eyes widened, eyebrows rising.

"How I found out seems kind of irrelevant. Answer the question."

Archie sighed heavily, glancing around before resting his hands on his hips. He shook his head and shrugged up his shoulders. "I don't know. I just...I didn't know how without hurting you."

As I listened to his decrepit explanation, I felt myself slipping further and further off the ledge of this bad idea. I had been hurting before. But this was worse. Before I fully registered my own emotions, a strangled sob came out of me, silencing Archie's monologue. "Do you not get it?" I asked, looking up at him, tears streaming my cheeks. "Why don't you understand, Archie? You were cheating on me. All you did was hurt me."

His eyes were saddened, his shoulders slumped—but I looked him in the eye through my tears. If I was going to feel this pain, so was he. "I'm sorry, Diana. So, so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen. I still love you—it's just in a different way now," he quickly spat out.

This was not working. It was a mistake. And I saw that the second he spoke those words. I rolled my watering eyes and slid off the bleacher. "You're pathetic," I shot right back at him, before walking back to the school entrance. Spending the whole walk drying my face. Just more tears Archie Andrews brought me. Just more pain I had to live with.

Another day had started—I was more than halfway through it—and there was still no word from Sweet Pea. I honestly gave up trying. Last night I texted him and told him that if he wanted to keep seeing me, he needed to text me back before school ended the next day. It was night. School was over. And so was whatever relationship I had with the South Side Serpent known as Sweet Pea.

I was on my way back to Kevin's truck from visiting Jughead in his 'office' on his last day of work, when I noticed the Serpents hanging around in the yards behind the truck's parking spot. A few sat but most stood, drinking, and making a ruckus. That's when I noticed Joaquin. At first, I couldn't believe it. But he was one of the only ones sitting and actually watching the movie. I slid my hands in my pockets and altered my course to swing wide.

As I walked up, I jutted my chin. "Hey. Joaquin. Long hiss, no slither."

He glanced up and a smirk spread across his lips. Obviously not expecting to see me here either. He held out his popcorn bucket. "One seat available, bottomless popcorn...you in?" he asked, shaking the bucket a little. I knew he meant sitting on his lap and eating out of his bucket by that choice in wording.

And I knew it wasn't because he was into me. Joaquin wasn't into any girl. But I shook my head, wrinkling my nose, regardless. "Can't, I'm here with some friends," I shrugged up one shoulder. "Have you seen Sweet Pea lately? I don't expect a geographical location, I just...need to know he's okay."

Joaquin stood with a sigh and tipped his head, guiding me a few steps away from the other Serpents with an arm across my lower back. His demeanor worried me. But not as much as the possibility of Sweet Pea not being okay. So I walked with him in slow steps and I listened. "Look...I'm not supposed to be telling you this. But he and FP had quite the fight a couple nights ago," he explained, in a hushed tone.

"What about?" I questioned, my eyebrows popping.

"All I got was the gist—FP was yelling at him to 'stay away from her', whoever 'her' is. It wasn't pretty, though. Pea's been all beat up about it."

My features steeled as my resolve hardened, but I tried not to let onto my distain. "Is FP here with you guys?"

"No, he didn't come tonight. He'll probably be at the Wyrm later, though."

"Thanks, Joaquin," I nodded once, lightly patting his upper arm.

I walked back to Kevin's truck, but I couldn't help but feel like he was lying to me. Not about the argument. Or what it was about. Just FP. I climbed into the back of the truck just as Kevin had gone to get a refill of popcorn. Cheryl was in the truck where I had been sitting. She scooted over as Veronica moved into Kevin's seat, and I crawled in.

My heart was racing, making it impossible to focus on the stupid movie. I came here to support Jughead, to support our place, and yet all I could think of was myself and my own problems. Typical Diana. Too full of herself to see past her own nose for two hours. I heard a sound. It was somewhere between a gasp and a small groan. I glanced right, my eyes landing on Veronica. She was looking over the side of the truck to her right.

And then I saw it. Joaquin was lying. Because FP was walking around the backside of the concessions building with Hermione Lodge trailing behind him. "I'm getting a drink," I announced. I promptly slid off the end of the truck, my feet hitting the ground. And then I was walking. Walking fast. The adrenaline only fueled the shaking of my cold legs. Wearing tights beneath shorts at night was not a good idea.

At the time I had been thinking fashion, not practicality. Either way, I marched all the way across the Drive-In lot to the concessions building. I slinked along the side until I'd come to the corner, and stopped. I needed to wait for Hermione to leave if I was going to make my move. FP was holding a paper bag, wads of money half hanging out into his hand. It was impossible to hear just what they were arguing about next, but I would be filling Veronica in on this later.

They finished after a moment, with FP walking the other way. I hid as Hermione came back my way to resume her movie viewing. She missed me completely, just enough for me to slide around the corner she'd just come from. Then I jogged after FP. "Hey!" I shouted at him. It was not a nice greeting. I was angry—that much was evident in my voice.

FP stopped walking as my voice echoed off the building beside us, and he turned around. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be out there with your friends?"

"Who do you think you are?" I questioned, stopping two feet from his position, my arms out at my sides in a questioning gesture. "I don't care about the Lodges—but FP…you told Sweet Pea not to see me anymore, didn't you?"

I looked at him with a saddened expression, my head tilting a fraction of an inch. Honestly, I was more disappointed than angry. He sighed, glancing around. I was bracing for it. Bracing for him to admit what he'd done. But he didn't. He told me to go back to my friends and turned to leave. "You son of a-" I began to spit.

But he faced me once more, interrupting with, "Hey! You watch your mouth."

"Or what, FP? What will you do?" I questioned, raising my voice in frustration.

He leaned closer to me, taking a step toward me. "I'll tell Ben about your late night motorcycle rides and before school rendezvous. How about that? Hm? That threatening enough for you, Diana?" his eyes were slightly narrowed, his expression dead serious. "I don't have to explain anything to you. You're a child."

In my anger, a stray tear fell from my eye. But I wore it with pride as I mustered up all the strength I had left in me to speak. "You took the one thing that was making my life better away from me. I will never forgive you for this. I hate you. I hate you, FP. Is that what you wanted? Congratulations, because you got it."

As he leaned back on his heels, I started backing up. It flickered across his face—the realization of what he'd just done. Of what he'd been doing. But he didn't say anything to stop me from leaving. I turned away as another tear fell, walking straight for the corner of the building. Halfway there, I twisted to shout bitterly over my shoulder, "I expected better from you." I only caught a glimpse of the expression it brought to his face afterward, but that was all I needed.

All I needed to tell myself it was worth it. This was the first voluntary loss. It would not be the last.

I was running late. There seemed to be no other way I could arrive to any event. This time, my tardiness was due to a wardrobe malfunction. I don't wear high heels too often. Mostly just three inch heeled boots. But these were five inch dress heels. They were the most annoying thing in the world. But I made it inside Thornhill and was directed to the memorial. It was due to start any minute as I finally dropped into the open chair to the left of Jughead.

With a heavy sigh, I readjusted the neckline of the black dress I wore. "Did I miss it?"

"Almost," Jughead huffed a small chuckle. "It's just about to start."

"Wonderful."

In a moment, heads began turning back toward the room entrance. It was curious, and I twisted in my seat to see. Cheryl was walking in. She wore the exact outfit from July fourth. I would know. I was there. What I didn't know, was why she kept it. She was the only one wearing white in all of Thornhill. Everyone's eyes followed her as she made her way to the podium, cutting off her parents from doing the same first.

She settled her shoulders and looked across the room of guests. "Welcome to Thornhill. Thank you for coming. If you'll kindly take your seats, I'd like to start the memorial with a few words," she said. Penelope began to get up but Clifford grabbed her arm, stopping her. Veronica whispered something across the aisle, but I missed it.

My mind was too encased in its own world. Replaying that day over and over. The last time anyone would see Jason Blossom alive. Anyone but his killer. We'd parked the car not far up from the bank of the river. As we got out, I recited the plan as it was said to me many nights before. We walked down to the boat and Jason promised he knew every detail already. He said he'd been rehearsing it in his mind for a long time. That's when he hugged me.

I wasn't expecting it. But I returned it immediately. "Be careful out there, okay?" I said, sniffling hard to hold back tears. "Tell Polly I'll watch out for Betty while she's gone." He hugged me tighter in a momentary gesture, before pulling away completely. He didn't look sad. He looked happy. Relieved. Why wouldn't he be? He was escaping Riverdale with the woman he loved. Cheryl's voice up at the podium brought me back to reality. It was a harsh snap, leaving me with an aching whiplash.

"The last time I saw Jason, I was wearing this dress. I know it's impossible, but I swear, when I put it on, it...feels like he's in the room with me," she said, gazing at Jason's picture beside her. "Even though we were twins, I used to demand my own birthday party. Until one year, out of the blue, Jason convinced me we had to combine them into one. It wasn't until years later I found out why. It was because no one wanted to come to mine. And Jason didn't want me to know. He protected me. Every single day. I wish, that day at the river, I had protected him."

Cheryl was crying. Her words were what got to me the most. Maybe if I hadn't encouraged Jason to pursue what made him happy, he wouldn't have been so adamant about leaving Riverdale? Maybe Polly wouldn't have been locked away? Maybe Cheryl wouldn't be crying at her twin brother's memorial? "I'm so sorry, Jay-Jay," she sobbed, putting a hand on the casket. "We failed you. All of us."

She dropped her head onto it, sobbing dramatically. I was almost to tears myself. But I was better at hiding them. I sniffled and pushed myself out of my chair. Something inside me moved me to go to Cheryl. Most likely, it was the shared guilt. She turned and threw her arms around me—almost tightly enough to break my neck from my shoulders. Over her shoulder I could see Penelope get up to the podium. "I think we'll adjourn to the Winter Salon for a light supper," she announced.

Penelope acted as though nothing said or done had affected her. Probably because it hasn't. She was the most heartless human being in the entire town of Riverdale. Maybe even this whole state. As everyone began filing out, Penelope came over to Cheryl and I, and I almost cringed. "Well, that was a lovely speech," she mused, lying through her teeth. "Cheryl, dear, come with me for a moment."

Cheryl pulled away from me, and I wanted to hold onto her. To tell her not to go. But I didn't have a choice. Cheryl gave my hand a reassuring squeeze before following Penelope through the crowds. Penelope grabbed Cheryl's arm and all niceness flew out the window as soon as they were out of the majority's sight. It made me want to track that woman down and slap her until she didn't get up. There was no way I was eating whatever food they were going to serve.

So, instead, I went just out front. I needed some fresh air to calm myself down. As I stood just before the long driveway, I dug my phone out of my clutch. My fingers slid open the lock screen. It was still on my string of messages to my snake emoji contact. It was mostly one sided, considering he hadn't sent me any text messages in four days. But I'd sent him another text message, the night of the last Drive-In, telling him I knew what FP had done.

I'd gotten my hopes up when I saw I had a message from him the next morning. But it was only two words—I'm sorry. My eyes read over them again as I took in a deep breath. This was getting ridiculous. Maybe it was time to go solo for a while? Just pretend like men do not exist and I have no interest in the thought of them? My life would be a lot simpler. But I knew it didn't work like that. I didn't know how long i'd been standing there.

But suddenly Betty rushed by with her father. And by rushed, I do mean rushed. They were in quite a hurry. Betty was dragging him along behind her by the wrist. It seemed urgent but I had no way of knowing what for. It reminded me of my promise to Polly. Sure, it didn't get passed along to her as I'd hoped. But I still told Jason I would look after Betty for Polly. And I was royally failing at that. I wasn't even trying. Jughead appeared at my side, and I rose an eyebrow, turning toward him. "What was all that about?" I asked.

"Well, we kind of...snooped around Jason's room a bit," he admitted, guiltily. My mouth fell open as my eyes narrowed, but he kept talking so that I couldn't scold him. "We ran into Grammy Blossom. Turns out Polly and Jason were engaged. Polly had the family ring and everything."

I tried not to let on to the fact that I already knew that piece of information. My arms folded loosely. "Jason didn't hide things in his room, so I'm not sure what you expected to find. But that was really stupid, Jug. Penelope could have barged in and found you snooping. That woman is a snake."

"Something you two have in common?" he wore a sarcastic expression, one eyebrow loosely elevated.

With a hard scoff, my hand smacked hard against his upper arm, and he shrank away with a hissing sound. Like I'd just sprayed water at a disobedient cat. "Hey, what's going on out here?" Archie walked out of the house, smiling lightly at the odd looking scene of Jughead and I. "What have I told you two about resorting to physical violence to solve your problems?"

"Jughead? Violent? You'd be more likely to see Cheryl working for charity than Jug throwing the first punch," I patronized, turning my eyes into daggers and pointing them at Jughead.

Rubbing his upper arm, Jug bobbed his head. "Yeah...I deserved that."