. . .

Chapter 4 || Aftermath

. . .

As soon as those words left Teddy's mouth I felt like my body was moving on autopilot. I felt like my head was under water, I could hear that people were talking but it was like it was refracting off the water I was submerged under. I could feel my brother grab me to steady me, trying for me to make eye contact with him. I saw his mouth moving but all it sounded like was the adults in It's Christmas Time, Charlie Brown.

I started to just hear my heart beat began to pick up, it was loud. Are heartbeats supposed to be that loud?

I saw Teddy move out of the way as Nancy came into my field of vision, I felt her pull me and then push me down onto a bench. She seemed panicked I wanted to ask her want was wrong, but all I could hear was my heart and…why do I suddenly feel so light headed. I can't breathe. I can't breathe.

Suddenly the submerging feeling was gone and I could hear everything. My heart pounding in my ears, my chest heaving as for oxygen. I could hear someone crying but I didn't know who. Nancy had been in my line of vision was gone, I reached for her. Don't go! Someone help me I can't, help me please.

Then I felt large hands grab my face and keep my face still, I was staring into dark eyes. They were so dark they looked black…I couldn't even really see the pupil. But they were pretty eyes, they reminded me of the ocean at night. Dark and foreboding yet, calm and relaxing.

I didn't notice when my breathing calmed down and my heart beat began to slow. I just stared into those eyes, finally those eyes pulled away from my mine, and the hands caging my face let go allowing me to move. I leaned back staring at Reggie who was on his knees in front of me. His brows were furrowed, his mouth was yet in grim line. I looking up from him and saw Midge crying softly her eyes watery as she held tight to Opal's arm, while Nancy was on my left watching me.

"What happened," I asked. I felt a tear go down my face, but I didn't try to stop it.

"You were having a panic attack," Reggie said, he got up from his knees. He held out his hand, I took hold of it, getting up slowly. "It's normal to have one. It's a good thing Nancy recognized what it was."

"Not a lot of good it did though," Nancy said, she reached for my face and brushed a tear from my face, "Reggie here, knew exactly what to do."

I smiled at Reggie, "Thank you."

"No problem." He smiled softly, he actually looked quite handsome when he smiled instead of that stupid smirk he always wore.

"Hey," I turned to Teddy, his arm was around Cheryl her eyes looked vacant as though she wasn't really there. "We're meeting mom and dad and Auntie Pen and Uncle Cliff at Sweetwater Lake."

I nodded, quickly letting go of Reggie's hand and followed after my brother and Cheryl down the steps. The drive to Sweetwater was quiet, Cheryl seemed numb in the backseat. I caught Teddy glance back there a couple time while he was driving to make sure she was still there, since it didn't appear like she was even blinking.

Upon our arrival to the lake, the deputies were rolling out the police tape, and "trying" to hold back Uncle Cliff. Keyword "trying". When we got out of the car it seemed that the deputies gave up trying to hold him back and let the sheriff deal with him. Cheryl ran toward her parents, the deputies let her through it seemed they had all but given up on keeping the Blossoms back. I just leaned back against Teddy's truck, Teddy walked around the side and stood next to me. We watched Cheryl weep into the arms of her parents while the sheriff only watched them in silence.

I felt Teddy's arm grab around my shoulders pulling me into his chest. I felt him began to shake, his silent sobs shaking my whole body. I looked up at my brother his eyes closed as tears went down his tan cheeks. I wrapped my arms around his back, letting the tears I had kept at bay in the car out. All the words we had said earlier seemed stupid now, because as much as my brother annoyed me. It would kill me to not have him here.

. . .

Sunday passed in a blur of sadness, speculation, and suspicion. The finding of Jason's body although good, because we finally could put his body to rest, was surrounded by murmurs and gossip.

It had been revealed through the gossip mill of Riverdale that Kevin and surprisingly Moose had discovered the body. Something that according to the 50+ text messages I received Sunday, from Midge, Nancy and Opal made Midge highly suspicious and confused.

Minnie Mouse

Wtf?! Freakin Beth said that Tina told her that Moose was at the lake with Kevin!

Nancy Drew da Black Girl Detective

That's what I heard from Ginger!

Minnie Mouse

Say what?! Wtf is going on? Moose isn't answering my calls!

Wth is happening?!

Oh-so-amazing

Chiiiillll maybe his phone's on do not disturb

He just found a body Min give him time to breath

Minnie Mouse

He can breathe when he's answered why the hell he was with Kevin at the lake!

Guys what if he doesn't love me, and is actually been gay this whole time.

I love him.

Omg he took my virginity too! Guys!

Nancy Drew da Black Girl Detective

Like Oh said you gotta give him a chance to explain himself, he just found a body Min.

Oh-so-amazing

Exactly, try talking to him on Monday.

Minnie Mouse

Ok…

I didn't respond to any of their messages, I spend most of Sunday either crying, watching Hulu, or sleeping. And avoiding l social interaction.

Although not confirmed due to the autopsy being performed that Monday, rumors circulated that Jason had been shot. Something that caused even our family, Blossom/West, to look at Cheryl in suspicion.

If Jason was shot? Then why did Cheryl say that Jason had drowned? Things weren't adding up.

As Teddy pulled up in the parking lot for school early Monday morning, it would be an understatement that we'd both rather avoid school for the next week. However our mother, the amazing (pain-in-the-ass) woman that she is, thinks it would be more beneficial if we went to school and most importantly practice to get our mind of things. As we went our separate ways Teddy toward the field, and I went toward the gym. I couldn't help but wish that I was at home, eating my dad's blueberry muffins. My father despite being a scary lawyer is actually a really good baker. Something that my mom envies.

I walked into the gym, most of the girls were either setting up, putting on their shoes or kneepads, or talking. A couple of girls watched me as I past, especially the girls on the lower teams. I walked to the far court where varsity practiced and put down my book bag and volleyball bag. I sat down and began putting on my stuff, I ignored the stares and the whispers, I just wanted to get through the day and that meant getting through practice.

As I was tying my shoe, I felt a shadow fall over me. "You okay?"

I looked up at Yolanda Rochez, then turned back to my shoes. "I'm good."

"Good. I don't want any weakness on the team if we're hoping to go to state."

"Yes ma'am."

She didn't say anything as she walked away toward a couple of the other upperclassmen. Yolanda was a girl of few words. And the first thing I learned is when I joined varsity last year was: what Yolanda say, you do.

After a few minutes, Midge slid next to me. "Did you not see my messages?"

"Minnie."

"No its cool, nice to see when I have a problem it doesn't matter to you. However we always have to run to your aid at any opportunity. Glad to see how that our friendship works."

"That's not it." I began.

"No, you still haven't told us anything about what happened, you don't seem to want to share anything with us. All you've been doing is keeping secrets, for what? Why not talk us?"

"I do want to talk to you guys but, it's hard."

"It's hard talking to your friends about what going on in your life? We use to share everything, now it seems like Opal is the only one you trust. My boyfriend might be…" she took a deep breath, "not who he says he is. And I would really appreciate having friends by my side. But it seems like you can't do that. Be my friend. So I won't waste your time sitting here. " She got up with a huff and marched off.

It was going to be a long practice.

. . .

"What's the 'Playbook'?" I asked reading Nancy's notes on her desk.

"I don't know. Someone sent me a cryptic message to the paper's email a week before school started. Saying there's a huge story there but when I tried to contact them back there was no response."

"Hm, do you think it's legit?"

"Possibly, they referenced the football team. But I asked Chuck and he said he had never heard of a "Playbook" expect of course the playbook involving the strategies for the team."

"Well Chuck's not the best person to ask…"

"At least he talks to me about stuff."

"I'm guessing you're pissed at me."

"You would be wrong on that front."

"Oh."

"I'm not mad, I'm pissed off."

"What's the difference?" I asked exasperated, getting up from my positon where I was leaning against the desk.

"Mad, means I'm letting my emotions control my judgement and I haven't thought thinks through. Pissed off means I've done my calculations, I've looked at the facts and came to my own conclusions."

"And?"

"I think she's right." Nancy set down the marker, "You still haven't told us what happened between you and Archie, hell at this point I would like to be clued in on what the hell is going on with you and Reggie! You don't want us, at least Min and me, to know how you are. "

"I've told you guys – wait me and Reggie? There's no me and Reggie?" I asked confused.

"Really because you could've fooled me, at the dance you accepted his offer when the old you would have never accepted. I mean the moment I said you were having a panic attack he's out there holding your face like you're the Rose to his Jack!"

I opened my mouth, but I didn't know what to say on Reggie and I. After what he said at the dance and then last that night, I couldn't help but puzzle over what was going on but at the same time I didn't have time for him to confuse my life. "I don't understand it either. But you guys know Archie is-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Nancy said waving her hands around, "he's a taboo topic. But friends share that stuff with each other. And you being cryptic doesn't real form a lot of trust. It's just seems like you've changed you were never like this keeping secrets from us, and being so closed off. You use to be so forthcoming about how you felt, you weren't this way a year ago. I knew when Archie and you started dating you changed for the worse. The drama he brought with him, especially Betty! The things she said about you, the trouble she started!"

She stopped to wipe a tear from her face, my vision also blurred with unshed tears, "You've become a shell of who you were. I want the old you back, the girl who was my best friend. When she does decided to show up again. Tell her to contact me."

She turned her back to me, I wanted to stay and argue but there was no point. So I walked out. I frowned as I walked down the hallways of school. After dealing with Min and Nance, I wasn't really looking to stay school.

I was behind the school, the tears I had kept at bay falling down my cheeks. I understood what they both meant. I wasn't as open as I had been. I also had changed a lot in a year.

No one knew what had happened between Archie, Betty and I. I mean the girls knew of Betty's harassment of me and her insistent need to break Archie up. However the full story I had kept close to my chest. Maybe I was a glutton for punishment.

Opal sat down beside me, wordlessly handed me some Kleenex. I wiped my eyes, "Are you here to say your piece. I get, I've been a shitty friend."

Opal nodded her head, "Yeah you have been."

"You know how it all started. Archie and I ran into each other after practice. I thought he was so sweet when he offered to carry my bag for me. Then the next couple days we kept running into each other, and it just seemed to fall into a routine. We would hang out after our practices, go to the movies or go to Pop's. It was fun, natural. But of course, where there are positives there are Blossoms."

"Jason found out?"

"No, Cheryl. She hated that I was slumming it with, in her words "a lame goofy looking JV player who wasn't even that good". She told Jason who told my brother. Teddy wasn't happy but at the same time, he wasn't bothered by it, not like Jason. Jason hated Archie, he thought he was not a good fit for me."

"So what did he do?"

"Nothing really, expect make Archie's life on JV a living hell." I sighed, "If I had known I would've done something. But Archie didn't tell me."

"Who did?"

"Betty. Betty was upset, at me. Cheryl. Jason. Even Polly to an extent."

She furrowed her eyebrows, "Why Polly?

I chuckled, "Polly wasn't innocent before she left. I mean she was dating Jason, she knew him. She knew that Jason was harassing Archie."

"So what did Betty do?"

I sighed again, "She was angry at me, the most I think. She was in love him. I mean you saw what she did to Randall in the 6th grade when he made of Archie for getting braces."

"Yeah, she punched him in the face. She went like ape-shit on his ass."

"Exactly she started messaging all these horrible things about me. Saying I was "bitch" and "whore" and "stupid bimbo" the classics basically. Nothing I couldn't handle. She even tried to get me kicked off the team."

"What the hell? When did this happen?"

"Toward the end of season for volleyball, it was the main reason I wasn't allowed to play the final match of the season. An "anonymous" tip told them I was using drugs."

"That little bitch!" She got up from sitting next to me, "why didn't you tell us?"

"Well I didn't tell you because you were dealing with your own crap at the time. Midge was on the team and knew I was in trouble but she didn't know what for the coach and I both told the team it was for a class I didn't show up for but got knows that wasn't the truth. And when I spoke to Nancy before coming out here, I got the hint that she knew but waited for me to say something. But the biggest reason why was because I had no proof, just suspicion. Coach and Weatherbee didn't believe the tip anyway, it was routine that while an athlete is under revision by the school board they have to sit out the next couple of games. It didn't go on my transcripts so I didn't fight it."

"I can't believe that all happened and you didn't say a word. Everyone wondered why you didn't play in the last match of the season." Opal sat down in front of me, "There's more though right?"

"Yeah, even though Betty and I weren't getting along after Christmas Break everything seemed to settle down. Formal passed and spring break was coming. As you know the Blossoms and West leave for our annual spring break in Hawaii every year. So I was planning on coming back from Hawaii to see the same boyfriend that I had left behind. Archie was different. He started saying things like "you're always changing me" or "I don't fit into your lifestyle". He had never said stuff like that before!"

"Betty's influence."

"Maybe a little of Jughead too, if I'm being honest he never liked me either. But it went even further then words. When school ended and he was working for his dad full time, he ignored my phone calls, texts, and would make excuses. He would say he was hanging out with Betty or Jughead and didn't have time for me."

"He was lying."

"Well at least about the Jughead thing, I ran into Jughead one day and he said he hadn't even spoken to Archie for several weeks. And when I confronted him, I asked him right to his face was cheating on me. The jackass didn't say a freaking word. When I asked if it was Betty he said yes!"

"I know we've already covered that Archie is a jackass but I'll say it again. He's a jackass."

"I was so angry, I hate him…but I do miss him or at least miss who he was." I rubbed my arm, "Honestly Saturday night should have been so satisfying. Finally she knows how I feel. But…"

"But what? You have every right to be angry, at both of them. Archie was in a committed relationship, Betty knew that. Both of them are at fault. It takes two."

"I know that, but I'm so tired of being sad and angry. I just want it all to go away, I want to know why he did it? Why she did it?"

"Well you're the only one who can ask them that. I recommend you go talk to Nance and Min." Opal got up and wiped off her jeans, "I'm going head to class, it's only the second week I'd rather they not think I'm truant. At least until the spring semester."

I chuckled, "True."

"You going to stay out here?"

"Yeah at least until 2 period, maybe I'll walk to Pops or something until then."

"Okay, I'll see you later."

"Bye." I felt better after telling Opal everything. Maybe it was time to let it all go, maybe I'll even go speak to Betty. I open up my phone and sent two messages one to Nancy and Midge asking if I could speak to them both at lunch about everything.

"Oh shit, I didn't think anyone was back here." I looked up from my phone, I staring in confusion at the towering figure in a letterman jacket.

"Moose?"

Okay first of all I'm sorry for being late.

Finals kicked my butt, but I'm happy to say I passed (hopefully). So since I'm about to go on break I hope that I'll be able to write more and get more chapters out to you guys.

Secondly did you see that season finale! The ending omg, let's not even talk about it okay. Season 2 can't come fast enough.

Also thank you guys so much for all the favorites and follows that makes my heart so happy! Also to the three people who reviewed thank you! Your reviews made my day, that's what makes me want to update faster than anything else.

So this chapter is setting up for intermingling my character into the main canon. Next chapter will start with Moose and his role in the finding of Jason's body. And I don't know how many of you guys will like this idea. If you don't remember my ideas on Moose and Kevin please go back to chapter one and remind yourself. The idea I went with is going to push Kevin to be more intermingled with Effie and her gang for sure because of how he's connected to Moose.

Hopefully I'll be able to update again sometime next week! I love you guys and please remember to review please!