Mariah maneuvered her way through the dancing people as she searched for her redheaded friend. Cheryl was nowhere in sight and Mariah sighed in defeat. Jughead walked over to her, a tiny smile on his face. "Hey, can you help me look for Betty? She might be in the hallway but I'm not sure," he said.

"Sure, if you help me look for Cheryl after," Mariah said and Jughead nodded. The two exited the gym and walked down the hallway in silence. As they continued walking, the two spotted Betty, Veronica, and Archie having a conversation.

"Guys. Betty. What's going on? Why do I feel like I'm suddenly left out?" Jughead said. Betty turned to the two before looking back at Veronica and Archie. "Do you want to tell him or should I?" She questioned. Jughead frowned, "Tell me what?" Archie walked over to him and began explaining. "We went to your dad's trailer to..."

"To search it, Jughead," Veronica finished for him. "Why would you guys do that?" Jughead asked. "My mom, put them up to it. She was convinced that he was hiding something about Jason," Betty answered for them. "We were wrong. All of us. We didn't find anything," Veronica said.

"You said that you wouldn't go through with this. You promised," Mariah told Veronica, a large frown on her face. "I know," Veronica muttered. Mariah scoffed and looked at Archie, "I guess you're not the only one who can't keep a promise."

"Wait, you knew about this?" Betty questioned Mariah, who gave a small nod in response. Archie was the one to speak next. "Look Jug, we were only doing it to prove that--"

"That my dad wasn't a murderer?" Jughead interrupted. "You went behind my back, Archie?" Jughead asked. "Jug--" the redhead began but was once again interrupted by Jughead. "How did you-- when did you guys know to go to my dad's trailer?" He asked. "We knew he'd be at dinner," Veronica trailed off and Jughead turned away.

"No," Betty said quietly, her eyes filled with tears as she took a step closer to Jughead. "That's why your mom invited my dad and I to dinner? So these two could break into his trailer while she interrogated him?" Jughead realized his tone low and angry. "No, I didn't know what they were doing. But yes, that is why she invited you guys," Betty replied.

Jughead released a breath. "To think I was gonna pass on moving to Toledo with my family for you," he said. "What?" Betty whispered so quietly that Mariah almost didn't hear it. "When we went to my dad's trailer, you asked me if I believed him. I said I did. Wasn't that good enough for you?" Jughead said.

Betty stepped forward and reached out for him as she answered. "It was. It was good enough. I didn't-- I tried to stop her," Betty said, she was crying now. "You could've told me, you could've warned me," he said. "You were so excited Jug, I didn't want to disappoint you," Betty admitted.

"So instead you lied? You all lied to me?" Jughead asked. "It seems to be their thing," Mariah muttered. Archie's gaze fell onto her and she stared into his eyes and only looked away when a voice is heard from behind her.

"There they are," Kevin said. Mariah turned as he along with Betty and Veronica's moms as well as Archie's parents walked over to them. "Betty. Thank God," Alice Cooper said. "Mom don't," Betty began. "No you have to listen. All of you," Hermione Lodge said.

"My dad just told Mayor McCoy about your dad, Jughead," Kevin said. "What about my dad?" Jughead asked. It was quiet for a few seconds. "He was just arrested. For the murder of Jason Blossom," Fred Andrews answered.

Mariah's eyes filled with tears after the words left his mouth. She stood in shock as her brain slowly processed the words, repeating them over and over again. "Oh my God. Oh my God," she whispered. Her eyes met Jughead's and the boy shook his head. "No, Mariah--" he started but the girl quickly walked passed everyone and toward the front doors of the school. She had to get out of there. She felt like her brain was about to explode.

FP Jones killed Jason. She just couldn't believe it. Why would he do it? What reason would he have for doing it? None of this was making any sense. Then again, she wasn't in Riverdale when it happened. She didn't know what Jason was doing or what kind of trouble he had gotten himself into.

Mariah burst through the front doors of the school. The cold night air was anything but comforting as she made her way down the steps of the school. She walked as fast as her heels would carry her. Eventually she took them off and carefully walked along the sidewalk in the direction of her home.

With her heels in hand, she walked further away from the school. A chill ran up her spine and she crossed her arms for warmth. A truck began driving beside her and she instantly recognized it. Archie sat in the driver's seat whilst Veronica sat next to him in the passenger seat.

He quickly rolled down the window as he caught sight of her. "Mariah!" Archie called. The blonde ignored him and continued walking on the sidewalk. "Mariah, come on! Get in," he demanded. Mariah looked straight ahead as she spoke. "No," she replied defiantly.

"Mariah, get inside. You'll freeze," Veronica spoke as she leaned closer to the driver's side window. Mariah shrugged carelessly, "I don't care."

She quickened her pace but she knew that in the truck, they could easily catch up to her. "Where are you going?" Archie questioned as he slowly drove next to her. "Home," she answered simply. "I can drive you home," he said.

She shook her head, "No thanks." The two in the vehicle sighed in annoyance. "Don't be stubborn, Mariah. Please just get in the truck," Archie said. Mariah paused in her stride to look at him and the truck slowly rolled to a stop. "I don't want to get in the truck, Archie. I don't want anything to do with you. So why don't you just leave me the hell alone?" Mariah exclaimed in a harsh tone.

She turned and began walking again. Archie parked the truck and quickly exited the vehicle. He followed after the girl who ignored his presence. "Look, I get that you're mad at me and you have every right to be. Just let me take you home so that I know that you get there safely. Please," he said. He failed to hide the sadness in his eyes and she sighed.

"I'm only getting in so that I don't get kidnapped," she said before brushing passed him and walking to the parked vehicle. She opened the door and got in, closing the door behind her and putting on her seatbelt.

····

Mariah sat in her bed, her TV remote in hand as she flipped through the channels in an attempt to find something to watch. The car ride home was nothing but tense and awkward. Veronica attempted to have a conversation with her but the most she got from the blonde were one worded responses. Mariah practically ran into her home as soon as Archie parked the truck in front of it.

Her phone sat on her bed next to her and was buzzing constantly. She finally became fed up and picked it up. She had numerous missed calls and text messages from her friends, all of which she ignored. Just when she was about to put her phone on silence, she got a call from Betty.

Mariah hesitated before reluctantly declining the call. She sighed and laid back in her bed. She placed her phone on silence and continued flipping through the channels. A knock sounded on her door and she mumbled a quiet 'come in' as she kept looking for something to watch.

Amara Coleman entered the room and got into her daughter's bed, laying down next to her. "I heard the news. Are you okay?" Amara spoke softly, to which Mariah shrugged. "I know this is hard for you, hell it's hard for me. But now we can finally get some closure. So can the Blossoms," Amara continued.

"Yeah, I guess," Mariah muttered. Amara sighed sympathetically and ran her fingers through Mariah's hair. "Have you talked to Cheryl?" She questioned and the blonde shook her head. "I sort of accidentally ditched her at the dance. Or she ditched me, I don't really know. I tried calling her but she didn't pick up. She's probably too upset to talk," Mariah answered and her mother nodded.

"How was homecoming by the way?" Amara asked. Mariah slumped into her bed, "I'd rather not talk about it."

"Yikes, it was that bad?" Amara questioned and Mariah sighed. "A lot happened tonight. And I don't want to talk about any of it," the blonde replied. The woman nodded and changed the subject. "So, what're we watching?" She asked with a cheeky smile. Mariah shrugged, "Nothing if I can't find something to watch."

Amara took the remote from her daughter's hands. "Allow me. You're too picky and indecisive to settle on something," she said.

And with that, she flipped through the channels until she found something. The two spent the rest of the night watching TV.

····

Mariah sat across from Cheryl in the cafeteria. The two were discussing anything and everything that didn't involve Jason. The looks that were given to the two were making the blonde uncomfortable. But, she did her best to ignore them, which was easier said than done.

Mariah could feel multiple sets of eyes burning into her skull from the table where her friends sat. She looked up from her tray and her eyes immediately met Archie's. She quickly diverted her attention back to her food. This didn't go unnoticed by Cheryl who looked behind her at their table before rolling her eyes and turning back to her friend.

"So what, you're just not gonna talk to him?" The redhead questioned. Mariah narrowed her eyes, "Why should I?" She asked back, her eyebrows raised. "It's not Archie's fault. I tricked him into telling me," Cheryl said with a shrug. "Yeah, I know you and how manipulative you can get. But that doesn't change the fact that he told Betty and Jughead about what happened. They didn't trick him into telling them anything," Mariah said.

"True. But you should still talk to him," Cheryl replied. Mariah rolled her eyes, "No thanks. I'd rather not." Cheryl glared at the blonde, "You will not ruin Archiah for me, you dumb bitch."

Mariah's face was a mix of confusion and offense. "Archiah?" She questioned in mild disgust. "Yes, you moron. It's yours and Archie's ship name," Cheryl responded. Mariah snorted, "That's awful."

"Yeah well, your names don't mash that well together, Mariah," Cheryl said. Mariah shrugged and looked at her food again. "Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but Archiah is dead," Mariah said. Cheryl opened her mouth and the cafeteria grew silent. She closed it as the whispers started to be heard and Mariah looked around in confusion.

That's when she noticed Jughead in the cafeteria, walking towards her and Cheryl. Jughead stood in front of the redhead whose eyes began to fill with tears at the sight of him. He sniffed and it's quiet. Mariah held her breath in anticipation, waiting for him to speak.

"I'm sorry, Cheryl," he said. He sounded as if he were on the verge of crying and his words sounded sincere. Mariah diverted her attention to Cheryl who stood up. The girl lifted her arm and slapped Jughead with so much force, that Mariah flinched. The redhead grabbed the collar of Jughead's jacket and began pushing him backward and pounding on his chest while he stood there and took it.

Mariah stood from her seat as did Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Kevin. The blonde made her way over to Cheryl and with the help of Archie, she pulled her away from the dark haired boy. "Enough!" Principal Weatherbee shouted as he entered the cafeteria. Cheryl stormed out of the cafeteria and Mariah quickly followed after her.

The blonde entered the locker room and followed the sounds of sniffling. "Cheryl," she said gently as she approached her friend. "I barely touched him," Cheryl replied.

Mariah scoffed out a laugh, "Cher, you practically slapped him to the moon," she joked.

Cheryl looked at her in distaste and Mariah sighed. "Sorry. Now's not the best time for jokes," the blonde said and Cheryl nodded in agreement. "Look, it's not Jughead's fault. His dad may have done this but Jughead didn't. You can't blame him for something his father might have done," Mariah said.

"Everyone keeps coming up to me, and hugging me, and telling me that I must be so relieved that my brother's killer has finally been caught. That this nightmare is over. Then why doesn't it feel that way? " Cheryl said.

Mariah walked closer to her. "I don't know, Cheryl. But it'll get better soon. It has to," she said.

°°°°

Here's chapter twenty five! Only two more chapters after this and Capsize will officially come to an end. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Have an amazing day!