Totally meant to update this like last week. All my teachers want to slam work on me right before Thanksgiving break, however XD

Thanks to my reviewers: Boris Yeltsin, Guest43, ClearlySweetZombie, and Guest

Guest43: Thank you so much! It is rather magical ;)

Guest: Bughead will happen in this story, and be a rather large part of it. I haven't decided what the end game ship is going to be, but it very well could be Bughead, depending on how I feel when I write the end of this lol You'll find out what the Blossoms are soon enough ;) And yes, eventually Jughead will turn too! And the Ghoulies are in it, but so far they were just mentioned way in the beginning by FP. They're Barrow Whights and work for the Lodge's. And, are you talking bout the episode where they make a plan to break Archie from jail? If so, I think honestly that was one of the best episodes they've done so far!

Song for this chapter is Superstition by Stevie Wonder.

"Glad to see you here, Jordan." Coach said, nodding to him as he jogged onto the field. He and Betty had walked from her house over together, which felt so...average. So white-picket-fence normal. She hadn't believed him, and still to this point maybe thought it was some elaborate lie, until he explained what Fang's reasoning had been. Even now, until Coach greeted him, she'd been looking at him suspiciously.

From where she stood with the other cheerleaders, Sweet Pea looked over and raised his hands in a 'told ya' sort of way. Betty rolled her eyes and turned to Veronica, sighing dramatically. Veronica looked pleased as punch at their interaction.

Over by the bleachers, a couple of other cheerleaders were looking at him and giggling. When Sweet Pea turned their way, they whispered and looked away before stealing a secondary glance.

He was flattered, sorta.

"What's he doing here?" Reggie demanded, stalking over to him.

"He's going to play the team, Mantle," Coach snapped, "Get over yourself." He said firmly, having heard all about the lounge fight. Mantle was nursing a cut on his hand and Archie had a black eye.

"Coach, you can't be serious-,"

"Oh, I am."

"He's a Southside Serpent!"

"That now goes to our school and has a helluva catching arm. And a throwing arm. I'm not putting him first string, but if he can make this team stronger, we're going to take it. Losing Jason was a big hit, we all know it." At the mention of the deceased team member, most of the players looked at the ground.

"Yeah, but-,"

"Hey, hey," Chuck slid over, cool as a cucumber, "My dad's right, we can't be picky about talent. If he's worth it, we'll see it. If he's not, he won't want to be on the team, right?" Chuck asked, eyeing him down.

"Righteo." Sweet Pea agreed casually, which seemed to infuriate Reggie even more.

"We'll put him through the ringer, Reg. We're not going to go easy on him just because the new kid. If he's good, we'll be good with him, got it?" Chuck asked, looking at Reggie. He mumbled something inaudible under his breath, but stood down. It was clear who was really in charge here. Sweet Pea would play up to that, to get what he needed.

But, he also knew he couldn't cower in front of Chuck. He had to prove he was equal in strength and then swear his loyalty to the Alpha, to make him feel like a champion. It was all psychological, but Sweet Pea knew Pack mentality. Chuck probably didn't even realize he was playin into it, but it was all rather college level theory shit anyway, since he'd it by life and also from Caliburn, one of the only wolves to go to college.

So, he met Chuck's gaze and cracked his knuckles, "Do your worst, Clayton."

XXxxXX

"You're sure nothing going on?" Veronica asked, sliding up to Betty as they waited near the bleachers to come out.

"What do you mean?" Betty asked, feeling her heart race. In between ending their practice and changing into their cheer uniforms, she'd been opening and closing her palm int bathroom stall, wailing a flame. It wasn't as easy in this world, without the help of her ancestral magic. Yet, she'd gotten one, right as Cheryl was calling them out to warm-up. Had Veronica seen it?

"You know what I mean," Veronica said and Betty opened her mouth to explain, until she saw that Veronica was looking to the other side of the back of the bleachers, where the football team was all milling around. Specifically, she was looking at Sweet Pea, "You two walked here together and that look he gave you? Betty, that's a boy besotted."

"Hah, oh, no." Betty felt silly. Of course, it was just highschool drama. Not magical drama. Thank god, she thought with an inward sigh, "No, we're just friends. I swear."

"Mhm. Well some of the Vixens will be very pleased to hear that," Veronica said, shrugging.

"Wha..what's that supposed to mean?" Betty squinted.

Veronica casually tipped her head to where some of the junior and senior girls were very openly examining Sweet Pea (as well as examining the team), but someone was whispering about 'that new boy' so it was clear where their attention laid.

"Ah. Let them," Betty said, although she did feel a protective instinct curl in her stomach, one that wanted to keep them away. Veronica picked up on something more, Betty was sure, but just dropped it.

The girls came onto the field and started doing their stretches. Betty felt one eye almost always on the team, half for Sweet Pea, half for Archie. It was still fresh in her mind, this crush, and even try as she might...she couldn't put him out of her mind.

She noticed Jughead lurking near the shadows and was glad he came. She made a note to share with him she was glad, because he needed that sort of reinforcement. In fact, she needed to just straight up talk to him. They hadn't talked properly in weeks. He was looking a little pale, she realized with a tug on her heartstrings, and she wondered if he was getting enough sleep and food at the Drive-In. She wasn't supposed to know that, of course, but maybe she could find some other way to give him food? If her mother wouldn't throw a fit, she'd invite him to her place. If he knew about magic, she might offer him the portal...but that would still mean going through her house, and that just wouldn't work. Before she had time to contemplate it more, Jughead vanished back under the bleachers, away from her sight.

Just as the team jogged past the group of girls to get into place, Betty caught Archie's face. She blinked in surprise, double-taking. He paused, seeing her worried expression. Without thinking, she reached out.

"Oh my god, Arch. Your eye." She whispered, touching it. A current of electricity ran between them, and a tiny spark from his cheek to her fingers forced her apart. Betty clenched her fist, trying to keep her breathing steady. Archie just blinked in mild confusion at the incident, but Coach Clayton was calling. He opened his mouth as though to ask something, but didn't have the chance.

Betty flexed her fingers, sighing to herself. She'd let her worry and her fear for Archie overwhelm her, overwhelm her control she'd been trying to keep on her magic. She wasn't sure how she'd play off that one.

XXxxXX

Everything was going well, by Betty's estimates, especially this was a pep rally that was decided not as peppy as it should be, since it was in honor of a dead boy. That is, until Cheryl broke.

And really, who could blame her?

Veronica peeled off first and Betty, actually concerned for Cheryl, followed. She ran after the other two girls, through the halls of Riverdale, her mind whirling. Who in their right mind had let Cheryl do this? God, was she in therapy? Maybe she should be ,and Betty didn't mean this in a mean way at all, but to be honest-

Someone grabbed her arm and she nearly shrieked.

"Hey, hey," Sweet Pea said, looking very strange to Betty in his football uniform. She was so accustomed to his leather jacket, flannel shirts, and dark wash jeans that to see him wearing their colors and number 22 on his jersey made him look...very much like a teenager. A normal one. One that girls did giggle over.

"What are you doing here?"

"I slipped away. Betty, what are you doing?" He asked in a stage whisper.

"Seeing if Cheryl is okay! What are you?"

"Following you! Because running off into a dark, shadowy, empty school after a girl who we both agreed give us the creeps is a certifiably bad idea." He answered back, "And don't say you're safe here. Jason probably thought Riverdale, in general, was safe."

Betty didn't have an answer for that, "Fine. I'm still going to check up on her, though. Come with me if you want." She said, brushing past him. She heard Sweet Pea give a quiet sigh of aggravation, but followed her.

The door to the women's locker room was open and Betty arrived just in time to see Veronica consoling a sobbing Cheryl. She shoved Sweet Pea back so that they weren't seen, and considered if she should stick around to hear this.

"He's gone…" Cheryl was saying.

"I know. I know he is." Veronica answered softly, rubbing her back.

"No, no you don't! You don't understand,' Cheryl said in a tone that sent a shiver up Betty's spine, "He was supposed to come back. He wasn't supposed to die like this. He was supposed to die and then I'd fix it all. And now, he's really dead."

"Cheryl, you're not making a lot of sense," Veronica spoke slowly, but seemed to not linger on it. Gerif made people say funny things.

However, Sweet Pea and Betty shared a look. There was something about her phrasing, something that Betty knew she should remember. Sweet Pea seemed to be thinking the same thing.

'I'm alone, I'm alone...I don't know how to make this better. I don't think I can anymore." She admitted, which Veronica merely responded by pulling her into a hug. Betty and Sweet Pea lingered until it seemed like she was going to speak no more, and Sweet Pea took Betty's hand and led her back outside. Once they were in the distant glow of the field, Betty took her hand back.

"What do you make of that?" She asked. She bit her lip, waiting for Sweet Pea to explain. He was supposed to know stuff, right?

"I don't,not yet." He ran his fingers through his hair, "She seems...I'm not sure."

There was a pause.

"So, uh, I was going to invite Veronica to get a milkshake at Pop's after this. You know, and tell her I'm over the Archie thing. I am. And maybe see if Archie wanted to come. Do you?" Her invitation was genuine, if not a little awkward.

Sweet Pea seemed taken aback by her invitation, "Uhh, I was going to-,"

"No, no, it's fine." Betty finished. She shrugged, scratching where her ponytail was, "Just, thought I'd ask." Her smile was soft.

"Why?"

Betty considered it. After a moment, she told him the truth, "You're my friend, Sweet Pea. Despite our strange start, and that it's only been a week...I mean, it feels so much longer, but...it's what I'd ask my friends to do."

She almost had never seen Sweet Pea blush, but she was sure his face got a little red. He almost seemed to be considering it.

"Rain check," He finally decided, "Tonight, enjoy your human buds. It's nice to remember there's a whole human world out there for us too." He encouraged.

Veronica and Cheryl came from the school. Betty and Sweet Pea jumped back, just so they wouldn't see them right off. When Betty opened her mouth and turned, Sweet Pea had vanished back into the shadows.

"You sure you're fine now?" Veronica was looking at Cheryl with utter compassion.

"It was a moment of weakness, Morticia," Cheryl said breezily, eyeing the pearls that Veronica wore even during practice. Veronica only smiled; Cheryl returning to her usual dry insults meant that she was probably going to be okay, "However…" She added after a second, "No one else came after me. I'm truly grateful. Your deeds will not be forgotten."

"Hey, don't mention it." Veronica assured.

Cheryl just gave a quirk of a grin, "The Blossoms repay what's owed," Chery said, as though she couldn't imagine someone doing something out of the goodness of her heart. Maybe she couldn't.

She nodded once to Veronica before straightening her shoulders, fluffing out her hair, and walking back confidently toward the field.

"Hey, V? She okay?" Betty said, acting like she'd just ran up to the school.

"Can you be? After you lose your brother?" Veronica asked, though it was rhetorical.

Betty nodded, "Look, the pep rally is sorta done for. I was going to grab a milkshake at Pop's. Join me?"

Veronica turned, a pleased sigh settling over her, "I could think of nothing better."

XXxxXX

In the locker rooms, not long later, Sweet Pea was texting between his Pack about meeting up tonight, maybe just to go light a trashcan on fire or something stupid, something a normal Southside kid got up to.

"Karan, my man," Chuck said, slapping the lockers next to his, the clatter resounding around the locker room, "I owe you an apology." He crooned, shrugging with a wry grin, "Or, Reggie does, but we both know he'll never say anything."

"No problem," Sweet Pea didn't need validation of his skills from a kid. Coach had said as much after their short practice, when he came and handed Sweet Pea a uniform and gave him a locker.

"Hey, no, really." Chuck said, leaning back, "You're good. With practice, even better. We need a guy like you. What made you change schools?" Chuck asked, and Sweet Pea gauded this was pure curiosity, no sneaky shit viled as polite interest.

"Ah, my legal guardian thought it would be good for me."

"What? No parents?"

Sweet Pea crossed his arms, "Orphan." His dad wasn't dead (or maybe he was) but he might as well be, for all he'd done for Sweet Pea...exactly nada.

"That blows." Chuck clicked his tongue, "So...I wanted to welcome you to the team, officially." Chuck said in a low, conspiritational voice.

Great, hazing. Sweet Pea resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Whatever BS Clayton thought he could throw at Sweet Pea, he was sure he'd had worse somewhere else. If Chuck knew what it felt like to have every bone in your body break, he'd probably be crying. Sweet Pea felt that on a semi-regular basis.

"Fine, let's just get it over with." Sweet Pea closed his locker door, "Here? Now?"

"Dude, we're not going to cover you in tar and feathers or something, chill." Chuck snorted, "No, this welcome is much better."

Covertly, he took out a beaten notebook, titled 'The Playbook'.

"Show me your top secret football maneuvers, ah?" Sweet Pea asked, trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

"Better," Chuck said, like he was holding the Holy Bible penned by Jesus himself. He steered Sweet Pea back near the showers, where everyone else had vacated. This felt strange and suspicious, Sweet Pea decided.

"There's a little...well, a game we play here." Chuck began, flipping the book open. Inside, there held pages upon pages of scribbles in different pens, in different hands. Down the margin, names of boys. Directly after their name, descriptions of girls...with a point system, and then qualifying marks why they deserved such points.

"A game, huh?" Sweet Pea was good at acting. He looked properly interested, though inside, he wanted to punch this idiot.

"Yes. There's a core six of us, well, five now...since Jason died. Thought about bringing Archie into the official fold, but he's just a little too gold, you know what I mean? A Southsider like you, no offence-,"
"Ah, none taken," Sweet Pea said, but in his mind, total offense was taken. Chuck meant he was tarnished. Did he think they were all rapists and dickwads over there? Actually, probably yes.

"Exactly. So, how it works, is every girl in the town, even over on your side, is carefully examined based on a variety of points and given a value. And, how far you go, is extra points onto their base. Obviously, whoever scores the most points is the best."

"And, that's you?"

"Feel free to bow," Chuck said haughtily, "So, you want in? Obviously, we're not going to put you in the inner circle right away, but I could see you moving up quickly. I mean, you're not a bad looking, and I say this as a totally straight man. I've just noticed that more than a few girls would be more than willing to start you off. They're small catches, but some points are better than nothing."

Ah, he must be talking about the flirty and giggling cheerleaders.

"And," Chuck continued, "I've seen you hanging with Cooper. She might be the I mean, we haven't really bothered to chart her yet, but the quiet 'pure' ones are always worth more off the bat. Man to man, how far's it gone? We heard about a little...rendezvous between you two last weekend."

Fucking hell, does nothing stay a secret? Well, obviously the werewolf and witch part was, so manbe Sweet Pea should be glad only this has gotten out.

In his mind, Sweet Pea wanted to vomit. No, first, he wanted to string Chuck up by his toes, and then vomit. This was so...degrading and just plain ultimate douche. FP taught him to respect women, goddamnit. He'd never actually had a girlfriend, or any female lover...yet. He didn't really have the time for that, and his options were sorta limited to the wolves. As for kids his age, there were two female wolves...one of which being Toni, who, god no and the other being Deni, who had a steady boyfriend. But even so, FP had made it abundantly clear that just because he was a male and an alpha, didn't mean that a female couldn't be an alpha either. In fact, the alpha before him had been a female, and she had been fucking legendary. So, this whole thing just felt so very wrong.

"I betcha you were a real Lady Killer, eh? We might be able to pen in your old conquests before you came," Chuck continued. Sweet Pea stifled a snort. Yeah, he was a Lady Killer...literally. At this point, his human death count was three, not counting the original junkie. Supernatural others? A couple more, "So, what do you say."

Sweet Pea had to answer. This was how he got in. As sexist and gross as this way, clearly, this is how you gained footing in this pack. He doubted every guy out there in this school was just as messed up, Archie seemed oblivious and decent, but the bigger bulldogs were all in this scheme. He wanted to tell Chuck to fuck off. However, Chuck- the ringmaster of this- knew shit. While Sweet Pea was sure, at this point, Jason's death was linked to something supernatural and Chuck was for sure not supernatural, it didn't mean that he wouldn't know something or have heard an offhand comment that would tie it all together for Sweet Pea in a moment where, if this was a cartoon, a lightbulb would go off over his head. Sweet Pea could feel it. He needed to also be allowed to know shit.

"Yeah, why not." Sweet Pea feigned a sleazy smile, "So, I see Archie's name in here…" A kiss with a girl, last year. Like, two point.

"Well, we chart any gossip we hear. You know, when boys wise up, we want to give them a fair chance." Chuck said, looking over Sweet Pea's shoulder as he flipped through, with pride.

"What about boys who have girlfriends? Are they all...dipping into the other pot on the side?"

"Naw, boys like Moose for example, his steady girlfriend is Midge. I mean, I guess we gotta give him points, because he is hitting it on the regular, so he says, which is more than the rest of us get. But, it's not encouraged."

Sweet Pea examined it, like he was sizing up his competition and Chuck looked glad, "Jason and Polly? That's Betty's sis, eh? So it was just about the points, then?"

"I don't know, actually," Chuck rubbed the back of his neck, frowning, "I mean, that's what he told us, at the start, but by the time school ended last year...well, I guess maybe he was just stringing her along to get a home run, but…" Chuck seemed unsure. He probably didn't know how to express genuine romantic emotions, or how to see others doing so, so Sweet Pea was sure that Jason might have actually liked Polly.

Sweet Pea closed the book with a snap, "Well, I guess it doesn't matter, right? But yeah, count me in."

Clayton swung an arm around him, "Excellent. Hey, stick around me, and I'll be sure to teach you how to play this school like a fucking fiddle. I think you have the right shit, Karan. Now, let's get you going on some points…."

XXxxXX

"-And then, I told Gwyneth Paltrow that while she might be the resident go-to in Cali for the trendy food scene, even a size 00 model in New York City will tell you that nothing will ever beat a classic New York Hot Dog. Or," Veronica finished her story, sipping up the last of her milkshake, "A damn good milkshake."

In the booth, the three teens listening dissolve into laughter.

"Wow, V, the people you've met! I'm so jealous," Betty said, shaking her head in awe. She'd thought meeting Toni Morrison was the highest of highs, but Veronica had name-dropped a whole host of stars that Betty couldn't imagine what she'd do if she ran into them.

"I call bull," Jughead chuckled, but at least he was smiling, "You did not meet all those people."

"Care to make a bet of it?" Veronica asked with a wicked glint.

"Jug, careful! She's a Park Avenue Heiress. I believe it!" Archie, ever slightly gullible. Or, very gullible. Betty recalled a summer when she'd been able to convince him that an enchilada was a rare endangered animal. Of course, they'd both been eight, but still.

"You bet your ass I am," Veronica replied, winking at Archie, "So, Jughead," She rolled the name around her lips. Betty was sure she'd mentioned him before, but this was the first time they were properly introduced, "Let's wager. Loser buys all of us burgers and shakes next time." She said, and Betty was pleased for her to offer that this- the group of four- would have a 'next time'.

"You sure you want to do this, Jug?" Archie cackled, "Think carefully."

Jughead held up a finger, "Okay. So, after careful consideration...I'm willing to suspend doubt that you've run into, and had small interactions, with most of the people that you just told us about. What I call complete bull shit on is that you, out of all the other extras that were running screaming on the background of the first Avengers movie, became friends with Chris Hemsworth. You would have been what, twelve? Yeah, no way."

Veronica just offered a hand out, "Well, shake on it. Let's seal it."

Jughead bit the inside of his cheek, nodding, as though contemplating if he really wanted to do this. Then, he leaned across the booth, taking her hand in his.

"Give me undeniable proof. Not a 'tweet' from screenshotted from years ago, because that can be doctored. Not a text, because that could be anyone on the other end. Not a picture from a comic-con, because anyone can pay to meet a star. Solid proof." Jughead laid out.

"You, Mr. Jones, drive a hard bargain. But I like my friends to be intelligent. Still, not a problem," Veronica said, flourishing her phone. She very specifically set her phone against a napkin dispenser, bringing up her contacts. The Riverdale natives trio sat rapt as she scrolled through her contacts until she found 'Chris Hemsworth', clicked on the icon, and then tapped the FaceTime button.

For a second, it just rang and rang.

"Yeah, she'll probably make up some excuse about why-,"

"Shush!" Betty and Archie both shut Jughead up and he made a lip-zipping motion, only raising his eyebrows.

The phone bleeped, and then a fuzzy imagine came onto the screen that was undeniably the Australian actor. He looked tired and his hair was mussed, like he just woke up, but there was no denying. Betty made a sound that was like she was choking, which she in fact was, having taken a sip of her milkshake a millisecond before. Archie just laughed out loud. Betty looked at Jughead, who was just staring with shock at the tiny screen.

"Victoria! How's small town life treating you?"

"Oh, so good, Chris! I just had some friends that wanted to say hi. I didn't wake you, did I?" She asked, looking horribly apologetic.

"Ah, it's 11 here anyway, I should be getting up. Filming for the new movie has been lots of late nights."

"Oh, gosh, no I'm sorry. I'll let you maybe catch a few more hours of shut-eye." Veronica said, waving, "Say hi to Sasha and the twins for me!"

Chris gave a last wave and then the two hung up.

"So…" Veronica said, tucking her phone back into her purse. Jughead gave a slow shake of his head.

"Remind me to never, ever, make a bet with you again. I'm lucky it was just a meal at Pop's and I didn't bet, like, my firstborn child or something." He said, "I know when to admit I'm beat."

Archie finished off the last of his shake, looking at his phone and groaning, "My dad will flip if I'm not back by ten. I gotta get going." He said apologetically.

"My mom too. I didn't even realize the time. Au revoir, all." She said, standing and throwing down a couple twenties to pay for the shakes this time. Archie jumped over the back of the seat, after the black-haired girl.

"Hey, Veronica, wait up…"

Jughead watched the pair leave and turned his gaze back to Betty.

"I'm surprised you weren't out of here like an hour ago. Isn't your mom queen of unreasonable curfew?" He asked.

"Usually, but tonight, my parents are working late at the Register. And, since Polly is taking some time with grandma, I'm alone." Betty rested her elbows on the table, "You?"

"My dad and I haven't properly talked in ages. He doesn't even know where I am on an average basis." Jughead said darkly. Betty bit her tongue from saying that wasn't true, since she knew for a fact that FP or Tall Boy, or even another Serpent, was watching his movements as a wolf, "But, I haven't gotten to ask...how is Polly?"

For most people, Betty would have lied. She would have said something that made it seem like their family was managing just fine, all things considered.

But this was Jughead. Although they hadn't talked recently, he was still one of her oldest confidants.

"Bad." Betty whispered in a shaky voice, "I'm really, really scared for her Jug. I feel like there's something my mom's not telling me, or that someone- maybe Polly- knows about this whole Jason thing and I feel so helpless." And that was, of all of this, the worst feeling. Betty was a witch now. She shouldn't be helpless. She should be able to do, well, something.

"You always liked a good mystery," Jughead sighed, "I wish it didn't hit so close to home. Things aren't as simple as those old Nancy Drew books you used to read and make me and Archie act out with you."

Betty smiled at the memory. His words, however, sparked a thought. One she'd have to think more about later. An idea.

"How have you been?" She asked, calling Pop over, "Want another? I'll buy."

Jughead paused, "I guess I've never been able to turn down free food. A burger and another chocolate shake," He said, shaking his empty glass and Betty ordered just another drink.

"You're asking me? After all the stuff your family has been through?" He said, surprised. Betty shrugged.

"I hardly see you and you seem, well, angrier than usual." She hoped that he would realize that she was saying this from a place of concern. As it was, she only saw him clam up slightly, which she expected.

"There's a lot to be angry about," Jughead said, "A kid- a literal kid- has been murdered. Archie is...well, there's something going on with him that if you don't already know, I'm not going to tell you about. Just, it wouldn't be right. People are hiding secrets, and no one is doing anything. I haven't talked to my dad since, oh, at least last April and a Southside Serpent is not only going to our school, but seems to be your new best friend."

Betty opened her mouth to protest, feeling like this had suddenly turned into a personal attack, but some truth rung in his words. Sweet Pea and her were together often and he was very quickly becoming a friend. Maybe not her 'best', but up there.

"Why do you hate Sweet Pea so much, specifically?" She asked, "I mean, the hate for the Serpents, that's just how it is, but why him?" She tilted her head.

"Why do you like him?" Jughead countered hotly.

"I...he's nice to me. And, it's...complicated."

"Oh. Complicated." Jughead stretched the word out, "I see." He said after a moment. There was a moment before Betty caught on.

"No! Juggie, we're not...it's not...no." She said, face turning red. She realized her wording was not the best of the situation. Jughead briefly looked her way. She was far more upset than embarrassed at the idea that Jughead thought she was dating Sweet Pea, she realized only after.

"Really?" He sounded dubious.

"He's just helping me out with something. I can't say, not yet, but...do you trust me?"

Jughead sighed, giving Betty a gentle and rare smile, "Yeah. 'Course."

There was a pause, "Why do you hate him?" She asked again.

Jughead almost looked like he wasn't going to answer. Pop delivered his food and he dug in. Betty decided she wasn't going to press it, not if he was so against saying. However, after two or three digs into it, he cleared his throat.

"I guess...ever since I can recall, he's just always been there. With my dad. When my dad couldn't be a good father to me, it seemed like he could be a good stand in for Sweet Pea. That's not even his son and he treats him like he is. Forgets about me. Shares more. And, I know I'm not the stereotypical southsider, I get it. I'm not tough or don't have a tattoo or haven't went off and joined a gang and stocked up on leather jackets and fingerless gloves, but…" Despite the sardonic tone he was taking, Betty could tell underneath he really was hurt.

"Jughead, your father loves you. Dearly."

"Has a funny way of showing it." Jughead barked out, a thin laugh.

Betty bit her lip. She couldn't tell him all that she knew. That if he killed someone and triggered the curse, he'd understand. That he and his father would get closer. That FP worried all the time about what Jughead was doing. It killed her.

"Look, I get you wanted to repair our friendship. Talking about this probably isn't the way to go about it." Jughead said tersely after a moment. Betty looked into her milkshake. He was probably right.

So, they found non-controversial topics to talk about. School, in general. What Betty had been up to during the summer, what Jughead had. About college, as far away as it seemed. About some of the TV shows airing currently (specifically, Game of Thrones- the pair got into a friendly heated debate about what were 'good' characters and who were 'bad' and also who they were rooting for, Jughead for Tyrion of all people and Betty for Jon Snow).

By the time they left, Betty felt good about the night she'd had.

"Where are you off to now?" She asked. She knew exactly where he was going, but a small part of her hoped he'd say something else.

"Around," Jughead said vaguely. He played with the straps on his backpack, adjusting his crown hat, "Betty? I'm glad we had this. I had a good time, even the start of it." He said.

Betty went in for a hug, which he seemed unprepared for. After a second, though, he relaxed into her embrace. She sighed happily.

"Me too."

XXxxXX

Sweet Pea told FP as much as he should about the whole thing; about joining the football team, about the Playbook. He had a reputation and he didn't want FP to be disappointed, if this ever got out.

Toni had scoffed, "Oh, poor you. You have to kiss a couple girls to be a super spy. Your life is just awful." She said, knocking his shoulder, "I'd do that without an excuse and I'd think you'd want to too."

Sweet Pea had pointedly ignored Toni. Sure, it wasn't awful, but he hated degrading girls to numbers and scores and this 'game'. FP had merely nodded, taking it in.

"This is your mission. Whatever you think you need to do, I'm behind you." FP said, giving him a sort of blanket permission for these changes, and anything else he may run into. He seemed extra pleased that Sweet Pea was digging into Jason with such fervor, but not just for FP.

In fact, it was FP's seeming obsession with this that told Sweet Pea there was much more to it. Even the leader of the Southside Serpents shouldn't be so engrossed in the murder of a local Northside kid, as rich and as prominent as his family was. FP was a little bit too curious to know stuff, and not just because they could stay on their toes.

No, it was more.

At this point, Sweet Pea was going to unravel this himself.

FP wouldn't tell him? Fine. He had other avenues to explore, ones that would pan out...he hoped.

On Sunday night, he was sitting in his trailer, working through his homework. His teachers here actually expected him to do his work; who knew? And god, there was so much to do. Didn't teacher know he had a life outside? And it was only the second week of school, was it just going to get worse from here? He had to read three chapters in Heart of Darkness, he had a mini paper due for his Philosophy class (a class that wouldn't have ever been at Southside High), problems for math, and had homework for Religious Studies. Who had homework for that? Wasn't it just 'be a good person, read the Bible?'

Thank god he could enjoy a nice beer while doing this, or it would be completely awful. He wouldn't usually care, but he did have to keep his grades at at least 'Cs' to stay on the football team.

Urgg….

His phone bleeped. He glanced it quickly, seeing it was Betty, and then paused his work to look at it fully.

Attached was a picture of a newspaper.

'AUTOPSY REVEALS MORE TO THIS TANGLED WEB', the header read. Sweet Pea paused everything to increase the font.

A second message, which came a moment later, was from Betty too.

BETTY COOPER: My mom's printing this for the morning news. Read it first.

Sweet Pea grinned. Betty Cooper had come through. She said her mother usually gloated with her prints days before she was set to send them out, at least around the house, so she said if she got any info she'd sent it his way. He promised the same. True, he still hadn't told her about the book but there wasn't much to tell yet.

SWEET PEA: Betty Cooper, you are the GOAT.

He added a little emoji of a goat afterwards, because why not.

Then, he sat down to read. And, really, it just left him with more questions than it did answers.

Jason had ligature marks around his wrists.

It showed he'd been frozen.

And, most shocking of all, Jason Blossom did not die on the 4th of July, but at least, a whole week later.

I had two notes for this chapter but one is illegible...

My other note is that we're obvs getting into the Playbook storyline. I re-watched the episode and paused it a bunch of times whenever it showed the writing, and it actually shows Moose's and Archie's names in it. Because they obvs didn't get suspended, I'm assuming/writing it that there's one main 'group' that controls it and they'll write your name in the book if they hear you do anything, but that doesn't mean you're associated with it.

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