~~~~

*Jughead*

I think many of us, maybe the entire town, had been hoping against hope that somehow Jason Blossom hadn't drowned on July 4th. We'd come to school Monday morning and there Jason would be. Or that we'd see him and Cheryl in a booth at Pops. But that was before the undeniable irrevocable fact of his bloated, water-logged body, a corpse with a bullet hole in its forehead, and terrible secrets that could only be revealed by the cold steel blade of a coroner's autopsy scalpel, or the tell-tale beating of a guilty heart.

~~~~

*Carmen*

Upbeat cheer music blasted through the boom box as I danced to the selected songs as I prepped for Archie's upcoming football game, even though he hadn't tried out yet. Betty and Veronica had both came through the door, both clad in River Vixens uniforms as well as a River Vixens uniform for Carmen since Cheryl Blossom had suggested that I be a flyer since I was the smallest and lightest.

"Oye, Veronica y Elizabeth esta aqui!" My dad announced in Spanish as Veronica thanks him in Spanish and Betty thanks him in English as Veronica hands me a clear bag that contained my new uniform as my dad and the girls left so that I can put my uniform on.

"Be good at school, okay?" Betty tells me. "Because we'd love to keep you on the squad."

"By that, you mean keep Archie and me from flirting with each other. That's not happening." I assure them, while slinging my bag over my shoulder.

"Como estan chicas?"

"...Better" They answer together and I stare at them before nodding and heading downstairs to leave in my Camaro, since Manuel decided to take the family car.

~~~~

*Jughead*

"Hi." Archie turns to face me when I greet him. "Do you think I can use Jason Blossom's death as an excuse to get out of P.E? Sorry coach, I'm just too depressed and freaked out right now to do pull-ups." I joke, but Archie slams his locker shut, looking at me like I was a three-headed monster.

"Don't joke about Jason Blossom." He commands. Oooh! If Carmen were here right now, she'd put you in your place.

"What? Sardonic humor is just my way of relating to the world." I remind him. He looks around before back at me. I see Reggie Mantle and his little posse walking down the hall in our direction and scoff, "Look, it's the rich kids from the Goonies." He turns to see them approaching.

"Alright, I'm out." I decide, walking past them but Reggie shoves me. I glare slightly.

"Watch it, Wednesday Addams!" He mocks, his friends laughing. I roll my eyes, walking away from them. Pathetic nimrods.

~~~~

*Carmen*

"Now that romance is off the table, I'll just say it. Are we one hundred percent sure that Archie's straight? Because no straight man has that body." Kevin tells me and Betty.

"My brother kind of does." I respond.

"And he's straight as hell, my point exactly." He declares sadly and I give him a sympathetic smile.

"Speaking of bodies, have you recovered from finding Jason's?" Betty asks.

"It was more traumatizing having to explain to my dad what I was doing with Moose at the river. Yet another perk of being the Sheriff's son." We walk into the office and see two giant bouquets of yellow roses.

"Oh my god, those are gorgeous." Kevin gasps.

"Are those for Betty and Carmen, Mrs. Phillips?" Kevin asks, pointing at them. The older woman rolls her eyes.

"That's why I called them." She grumbled, making it obvious how she thought it was stupid we would think otherwise.

"Dear Betty and Carmen, please forgive me. XOXO, V. Who the hell is V?" Kevin asks, reading the notes attached to each of the flowers.

"Veronica." Betty, Carmen and another voice answers. We all turn and see that the third voice belongs to the fashionista herself.

"The yellow is for friendship." Kevin and I both frown at her. While Kevin hadn't been to Cheryl's after-party, I had updated him on mine and Archie's seven minutes in heaven surprise which he was ecstatic about since he declared me and Archie endgame from day 1 as well as Betty and Veronica,
who also had some seven minutes in heaven bliss with my brother considering that they were also endgame as well and that she was hoping to marry him and take up his last name and me to take up Archie's.

"I also had Magnolia cupcakes flown in from New York. Because, as my mom likes to say, There's not wrong the right cupcake can't fix. Also, I booked us for hers-and-hers mani-pedis at Chez Salon. Blowouts too. I am so, so sorry Betty and Carmencita. I don't know what happened to me. It was such a basic bitch move. It was like... I was possessed by..."

"Madame Satan? Or as Carmen and Manuel like to say in Spanish, Señora Satán?" Kevin and I answer, glaring slightly. Veronica blushes in embarrassment, shaking her head.

"The old Veronica. And I will never, ever do anything like that to you again. I swear on my mother's pearls and Manuel's promise ring. Just, can you please give me one more chance?" Veronica asks, a lot of hope in her voice. All three of them were looking at Betty, who shrugged and I just rolled my eyes.

"Okay." She and I agree.

"What?" They all demand, though Veronica was more excited, Manuel was pissed as he said "Qué?!"
And Kevin was more angry and confused.

"Really? Awesome! I'll take it and you won't regret it.
And I'll bring these to lunch so we can celebrate!"
Veronica assures, pointing to the cupcakes when the bell rang. She smiled one last time at Betty and I before leaving the office, leaving Betty and I to Kevin and my brother's questioning looks. She and I sigh.

"It's the path of least resistance, guys. A week ago, Veronica, Carmen and I weren't friends. Next week, we'll all nod to each other as we pass in the hall, but that's it. You know, in two weeks, she won't even remember our names. And in three, she'll have latched on to some other girl to destroy." She explains, me and Kevin still frowning since my brother had left to football practice.

~~~~
"Good morning, students. This is your principal speaking. There have been many inquiries about the upcoming pep rally. So let me state clearly, it is happening as scheduled. Now, on a less felicitous note, if you could give your attention to Sheriff Keller."

Principal Weatherbee's voice rings out throughout the halls. His voice was followed by Kevin's father, the Sheriff.

"Most of you already know the details but your classmate Jason Blossom's body was found late Saturday night." In the auditorium, Josie and Josie's band mates, Valerie and Melody, looked up from their instruments when they hear the announcement.

"So, as of the weekend," The football players, including Moose, Reggie and Manuel, all listened, looking grim at the mention of their former teammate, "Jason's death is now being treated as a homicide." Betty looks over at Carmen and Kevin, the three sitting in the student lounge.

"It is an open and ongoing investigation." In her classroom, Ms. Grundy looked away from her cello, frowning slightly.

"And may I interject, neither I nor my parents will rest until Jason's death is avenged, and his cold-hearted killer is walking the green mill to sit in Old Sparky and fry. I, for one, have my suspicions. Hashtag Riverdale Strong." Cheryl's voice states before it ends.

"If you could do anything that could help us find and apprehend Jason's killer, or know anything about what happened to him on July 4th, I strongly urge you to come forward immediately."
Archie looked into the principal's office and makes eye contact with Principal Weatherbee.

"You can speak to me or Principal Weatherbee. A death like this wounds us all." The principal looks at Archie, frowning, but the redhead boy quickly pulls away from the door, walking away quickly.
Jughead follows behind his old friend before seeing him stop at a water fountain.

"Archie." He looks up. "Weirdest thing. This summer, we were supposed to go on a road trip over July Fourth weekend, which you bailed on at the last minute." Jughead points out, Archie frowning slightly. "Is there something you want to tell me pal?" Jughead asks.

~~~~

*Carmen*

"We were wondering, Cheryl, back in July, you told the po-po that Jason drowned." One of Cheryl's friends states. I sat in front of them next to Jughead, doodling on his arm. He was too busy with last minute homework to care.

"Yet we come to find that Jason didn't drown." Cheryl's other friend adds. "He was shot. That's slightly suspicious, no?" I stop, turning in my seat.

"Are you pendejas suggesting she shot her own hermano?" I demand, the two turning to look at me, slightly shocked that I was involving myself in a conversation with them.

"We're just curious." One of them answers.

"To suggest Cheryl killed her own flesh and blood is to suggest you two have even one brain cell between the two of you, is impossible. Now go try and do what mannequins do which is look pretty, though I doubt either of you can accomplish that." I growl, both frowning before moving to the other half of mine and Jughead's table.

"Thanks, I guess." Cheryl states.

"They're just stupid." I respond, turning in my seat. Jughead raises his eyebrows. "Oh callate, I don't like her pero no one needs to be accused of killing their own hermano." He shrugs, looking back at his homework.

"Seats, everyone! Pair off, gloves on, scalpels up!" Our teacher commands.

"Can I be with Cheryl?" Archie asks, our teacher waving his hand in dismissive approval.

"And I wanna be with Betty!" Veronica announces.

"Oh, uh, I was thinking I'd be partners with Kevin." Betty admits quickly.

"Actually, uh, Keller's with me. We, like, talked." Moose admits. I turn in my seat and both Kevin and I mouth: "Oh my god."

"Well, um, I'm partners with Carmen then, we're almost always partners when Kevin isn't here, then we're a group of three, but um, yeah, I'm partners with Carmen, sorry." Betty starts to ramble.

"Already called dibs on her, Cooper." Jughead admits. Betty frowns but scoots over so Veronica can sit next to her. I pull on my gloves.

"In fact," I hear Cheryl say and hear a blade slamming into frog skin, me and Jughead and Cheryl's mannequin friends jumping, looking over.
"I'm amazing." She drags the blade down and Jughead and I quickly look away, Cheryl's friends once again running away.

"Intensa." I mutter, beginning to slice through the frog.

"Cheryl Blossom is the definition of intense." Jughead responds, pinning some of the frog skin down.

~~~~

"So, what did Moose want?" Veronica asks Kevin, the three of us and Betty walking on the field to a lunch table, the delicious smell of homemade Guadalajara food wafting through my insulated lilac and baby blue lunch box.

"Oh my god, I don't even think he knows. I mean, I am devastatingly handsome in that classic, pre-accident Montgomery Cliff kind of way, and sexuality is fluid, but can someone named Moose actually be that fluid?" Kevin asks, the three of us chuckling.

"Okay, well, I ship it." Veronica decides.

"Well, of course you would. You're a big city girl with loose morals." Kevin jokes but we all get silent.
"I just meant that Moose has an official girlfriend, Midge.
Anyway, it's terrible to say, but part of me wishes he would just stay in the darn closet." Once again, silence.

This time we had reached the table where Archie was already waiting and suddenly smelling delicious food that was coming from my insulated lunch box.

"Obviously, I didn't mean literal closet." Kevin quickly says while watching me take out different containers of food which included: Tacos de Barbacoa, a large insulated cup that was filled halfway with Posole red soup and Lonche bañado.

"Oooh. Are those tacos de barbacoa?" Veronica asks, pointing to one of the tacos that were wrapped up in aluminum foil and were luckily still warm.

"Si. Te gustaria uno?" I offer in Spanish and she nods and I hand her one to try. Which she does and smiles.

"Que rico Carmencita!" She says with approval while I hand her a limon to put on her taco.

And soon enough, our lunch table was crowded with kids eager to try my homemade Guadalajara food that my mom and I had put together for my lunch.

"Yo Carmen, this taco is awesome." Reggie complimented through a mouthful of his taco de barbacoa and he added a little bit of my freshly made green salsa which wasn't too hot but had the perfect amount of spice and flavor.

"Gracias Reggie. That really means a lot to me." I smile warmly because unlike some Mexican restaurants that had no flavor or taste in their food, mine was made with plenty of flavor and lots of love and care. Which made my food ten times more tasty.

"Archie! Any new material you wanna try out for a very forgiving audience?" He begins to argue. "Please?" Veronica begs, her eyes flicking between me, Betty, Manuel and Kevin.

"Would you? I'd love to hear it." Betty admits.

"I'm still working on the lyrics, so... Okay..." Archie positions his fingers on the guitar strings and we all watch.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Come on, turn the radio on
And honey, let's dance, dance, dance
For the rest of the night
It's better left unsaid
Yeah come on, play the remix loud
And honey, we'll dance, dance, dance
For the rest of our lives
I'm not ready to go

I turn to watch the red haired boy perform, playing his guitar and singing. Archie finishes with his five friends clapping their hands but he notices, as did us, Betty looking down at her hands, tears showing in her eyes.

"Betty? You okay?" Archie asks.

Betty lets out a humorless chuckle.

"I'm supposed to say yes. That's what the nice girl always says, but..." She stands up and shakes her head.

"No. I'm not. I want to be. I thought I could be, but it's too much, too fast, Archie."

"Betty," Archie stands up too, and goes after her.
"Betty, wait!"
~~~~

*Jughead*

I sat on the steps of the Andrews house with Carmen when Archie finally appeared, swinging a Pops to-go bag before he looked up and saw us.

"Jug, Carmen. What's up?" He asks.

"What's up is we saw you, Archie." I stand, while Carmen turns away and continues to silently sob.
"In the music room. With Ms.Grundy."

"Keep your voice down, my dad's inside." He hisses, trying to quiet me down. I frown.

"We're trying to help you, dude. I'm trying to be your friend here. Even though we're not anymore. How long? You and Grundy. Oh and Carmen may need to hear this. Where is she anyway?" I demand, while Archie and I look around for her until we see her sitting on the Andrews front porch, practically bawling her eyes out at the shocking news that Archie had been hooking up with a teacher all summer.

"Since this summer. I like her." He admits but I scoff, turning away before looking back at him and then back at Carmen who was still teary-eyed.

"So I'm guessing she's the reason you've been acting weird since summer?" I suggest and he frowns, looking down at the floor, then Carmen who gave him a murderous look before back at me.

"One of them." He mutters. Mine and Carmen's eyes widen as I step forward and beckon her over and she reluctantly does while still glaring at Archie.

"One of them. There's more?" I demand, while Carmen looked green and sickened.

"We were at Sweetwater River on July Fourth. We heard a gunshot. The gunshot." He admits, I step back now, my eyes narrowing and Carmen's eyes still teary.

"Dude, you have to tell somebody." I command.

"I can't. Neither can you or Carmen. If people or her find out about Grundy..." He trails but I cut him off.

"A kid is dead, Archie! And you're worried about some... Some cougar?!" I demand. His face contorts in offense but right now I didn't care, someone needed to twist his head on straight.

"Don't call her that! Okay, she's not like that, she cares about me." He admits.

"Stab in the dark. I'm guessing she cares more about herself. She's the one who's telling you not to say anything, right? Look, we saw you guys. She's messing with you, man. And she's messing with your mind—" I explain but he cuts me off.

"What the hell do you know about it Jughead? Or about me, even?" He demands. I sigh, shaking my head as I shrugged.

"Nothing. But I used to know this guy once. Archie Andrews. He wasn't perfect but... he always tried to do the right thing, at least. I admit, going to leave, taking Carmen with me and inviting her to hang out at the Southside but he grabs my arm.

"Jug. If you tell anyone about this or Carmen..." He begins and my eyes widen slightly but I frown.

"What? What are you gonna do? I challenge. He frowns and looks away from me to Carmen as we wait for him to continue, both of us seething and Carmen still crying.

"Hey, Jug." We pull apart to see Mr. Andrews step out of the house. "Coming in? We got take-out from Pop's."

"He was just leaving." Archie answers quickly and I glare slightly before pulling away from him and walking away from the Andrews house but not before asking Carmen if she wanted to come over and hang out one last time.

Are you sure, Jughead?" She asked, looking from me to Archie, who was begging her to give him one more chance to apologize.

But before she could answer me, Archie had beaten me to her.

"Hey babe. Why don't you stay with us for a while?" He asked, attempting to flirt with her and hopefully cheer her up.

That immediately put a smile on her face.

"Sure thing handsome. And maybe, while we're at it, we could, you know, have dessert afterwards?" She said while giving him a sultry look.

"O-kay then. Never mind. I'll just see you at school tomorrow." I said walking away as I saw Archie getting excited over the idea of what "dessert" could consist of.

~~~~

*Carmen*

I sit next to Jughead in the student lounge, on a counter with my leg rocking back and forth while he leaned against it next to me. I was waiting for Archie so that we could continue our "conversation" from last night.

"And Sheriff Keller's grilling me, Mantle the Magnificent. 'Cause I want Blossom dead. When he was, like, the only good quarterback we had. And speaking of offensive tight-ends, I should've sent the cops to you, Moose.
Because here's another unsolved mystery. What were you and Kevin doing by the river, huh? Or does being with the Sheriff's son give you a free pass? Keller?" Reggie demands and I glare at him, clenching and unclenching my fists while Archie had started to kiss my neck in an attempt to calm me down, which left me to sigh in content.

"Reggie's just being a blowhard, Kev." Betty whispers to him while smiling at the sight of Carmen laughing at something Archie had said.

"I don't care what he says." He assures her.

"I mean, let's think about it. If a kid at Riverdale killed Jason, it's not gonna be a jock, right? No, let's be honest. Isn't it always some spooky, scrawny pathetic Internet troll, too busy writing his manifestos to get laid?
Some smug, moody, serial fanboy freak, like Jughead?" Reggie turns to look at us, Jughead looking bored while I had a look of pure fury.

"What was it like, Suicide Squad? When you shot Jason? You didn't do stuff to the body, did you? Like... After?"

"It's called, necrophilia, Reggie. Can you spell it?"
Jughead responds smartly, crossing his arms. Reggie bares his teeth, jumping out of his seat.

"Come here, you little—" Archie gets between the two of them, shoving Reggie away.

"Hey, shut the hell up, Reggie." He commands.

"Guys." I warn, looking between them.

"What do you care, Andrews?" Reggie asks.

"Nothing, just leave him alone." Archie commands.

"Holy crap. Did you and Donnie Darko kill him together?
Was it some sort of pervy, blood brother thing?" Reggie asks. I stand, walking towards him glaring.

"Are you accusing my guys of murder, pendejo?" I demand.

"Your guys? Man, Cortez, I never thought you were able to get wild and slutty enough to do it with the both of them. Two flavors at once, huh?
You must be wonders between the bedsheets then."
I slam my knee between his legs and he groans before I slam my fist into his jaw, sending him toppling back.
Not before he grabbed my shirt and brought me down with him, the two of us rolling on the ground with everyone telling us to stop.

~~~~

I sit in front of Mom, who was looking at my black eye in disbelief. Reggie hadn't meant to punch me, but when Archie and Jughead had tried to jump in to "Defend my honor," Reggie had attempted to punch them off but since I had currently been straddling him in attempts for getting one more punch in, his fist had slammed into my eye.
Then Kevin and Betty took me home, and now, here I am.

"How did you even—Who?" She demands.

"Reggie Mantle." She goes to leave. "Pero! It was my fault ma, I started the fight. Though many would argue he instigated it." I mumble the last bit before looking up at her.

"God you're so lucky your father's at the therapist, otherwise he would've killed that boy already." She admits, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Yeah... Does it make it better that Archie and I are battle wound twins?" I attempt to joke.

"No, Carmen, it really doesn't. Why did you even start that fight?" She demands, holding an ice pack to my eye. I hiss lightly before sighing.

"He was accusing Jughead and Archie of killing Jason. I was just defending my friends, even though one of them wants to be more." I admit. She frowns slightly before sighing.

"Okay, do defend your friends, but don't start fights with football players." She commands.

"Yeah, you know what, you may be right." I admit as she continues pressing the ice against my wound.

~~~~

*Jughead*

I watched Archie talking to Grundy, leaning against the fence surrounding the bleachers, the deafening sounds of football fans all around us. Archie walked away from her and up to me, his black eye from Reggie very prominent. I doubted Carmen's would be any better, considering that she was part of the Vixens and hoped that Betty had covered her eye with makeup.

"Girl trouble? You?" I joke.

"Grundy and me, we're telling Weatherbee." I hold back any surprise, simply nodding.
"At least I am. And also, I didn't mean all that crap I said to you. I'm sorry." He admits and I nod before looking back at him.

"It's cool." I assure. He nods, looking at me expectedly.
"We're not gonna hug in front of this whole town." I joke and we both laugh. So why don't we both just do that bro thing where we nod like douches and mutually suppress our emotions?" I suggest, smirking slightly. Archie smiles, nodding.

"Yeah, but as friends, right?" He asks.

"To be discussed. Over many burgers, and many days." I answer and he grins, running off.

~~~~

*Carmen*

"Now to kick off this pep rally, I'd like to hand it over to our very own Mayor McCoy." Principal Weatherbee states before handing the mic to the mayor.

"Thank you Principal Weatherbee. It is heartening to see so many of you here even in weather like this.
But a lack of heart and school spirit has never been the Riverdale way. Tonight's pep rally isn't like any other we've had in the past. And we shouldn't pretend that it is. Which is why I would like to dedicate this evening to the memory of one of our brightest. Jason Blossom.
We're with him tonight. Now, please join me in welcoming to the field our very own River Vixens, and their special guest stars, my daughter Josie and her Pussycats!" The Mayor announces, the Pussycats standing on the stage.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

"Hey, shawty, you're my candy girl. The kind with the swirls, oh so good baby out of this world!
Look so sweet fell in love with your curves.
Every time you speak conversation like, sir,
S-U-G-A-R, you ain't her. Oh honey, honey put money on that girl. Let's keep it in her circle. You everything I deserve. Baby wants her sugar, I'm ready to get served."

While Veronica was being lifted up by the first set of girls, Carmen was being thrown up into the air by another set of girls and did flight tricks. The marching band came in,

"Sugar~ Oh honey, honey~ You are my candy girl~ And you got me wanting you. Ooh~" Josie sings.

"I saw this, I wanna know her name." Valerie sang.

"She's got this body, it's driving me insane." Melody sang.

"Cause I need a candy girl. Her kisses rock my world." Valerie sang.

"More legs, brown eyes. Ain't nobody like a fancy girl." Melody sings before the three of them finally come together.

"Sugar~ Oh, honey, honey~ You are my candy girl. And you got me wanting you~" They finish, Cheryl jumping on stage and hugging Josie.

"Alright, you all ready? Let's make some noise! Put your hands together for the Riverdale Bulldogs!" Coach Clayton cheers and the Bulldogs run through the banner, Archie and Manuel leading them and wearing different jerseys. Archie's #9 and Manuel's #10. Cheryl suddenly ran off stage and straight towards the school. I ran after her with Betty and Veronica behind me.

~~~~

I find Cheryl crying in the locker room and slow my steps before walking in quietly.

"Cheryl?" I ask. She sniffles, sitting up straight. "What is it? What happened?"

"Jason. He's gone..." She sobs and I sit next to her, rubbing her back.

"I know, I know he is." I whisper soothingly.

"No, you don't. You don't understand. He was supposed to come back." I furrow my brows but she lets out another sob. "I'm alone... I'm alone."

"You're not alone chica, it's okay. Hey, I'll be here. I'll be here." I assure her and she hugs me.
She clings on to me, sobbing into my shirt while I hold her close, rubbing her hair down and murmuring soothing words. Cheryl wasn't a good person, she may never be. But no one deserved to lose someone they loved or someone who was important in their lives, and no one deserves to be alone, ever. Everyone deserved someone. I look up and see Betty and Veronica at the door but I shake my head, waving them away. I was okay.

~~~~

I approach Jughead and he smiles at me.

"I've said it before, I'll say it again, Riverdale would fall apart without you." He jokes. I smile, shrugging lightly.

"Even a Blossom doesn't deserve to suffer a loss alone." I snort and he chuckles. He looks at my eye.

"Mantle gave you quite the shiner." He muses and I laugh, shoving my hands in my pockets.

"No one messes with my guys." I say, pointing at my eye.

"Where would we be without you? He jokes and I hum in fake thought.

"Probably dead." I answer and he laughs.

"Hey," We both look at Archie. "You guys want to go to Pops? Get some burgers?"

"Sounds good." Jughead agrees and Manuel added:
"Hell yeah vatos! I'm ready for some food eses!"

He, Jughead and Archie all fist bump together as if they've been bros forever.

~~~~

We walk into Pop's laughing but it dies down when we see Betty and Veronica. Betty looks at Veronica before back at us.

"Do you guys want to join us?" Betty asks.

"Yes, but only if you're treating." Jughead answers and they laugh. We walk towards them, Archie following. I climb over Veronica to the middle of the seat.

"Veronica Lodge." She says in greeting.

"Jughead Jones, the third." He climbs over the seat and sits next to me.

"Jughead Jones, the third?" Veronica asks, smiling while she furrows her brows. We all sat together and for once, we all laughed and smiled and actually enjoyed ourselves.

~~~~

*Jughead*

To someone on the outside peering in, it would've looked like one group of six people in that booth.
But I was there, and I can tell you. Really, there were only three. A blonde girl, a raven-haired girl and the luckiest red-headed boy in the universe.
For one shining moment, we were just kids.
Those bright neon lights of Pop's keeping the darkness at bay.
Giving way, as all nights must, to a morning of reckonings.

~~~~

I sat in the Chemistry lab but Carmen was sitting with Cheryl, the two girls smiling together for the first time ever. She was showing her what our teacher was actually teaching since to most normal people it was a bunch of rambling.
I saw Cheryl was wearing a sugar skull brooch Carmen had made, a sign of truce.
But then the Sheriff and Principal Weatherbee walked in. Cheryl stood.

"You're here for me, aren't you? Because of the autopsy?" She asks timidly.

"We don't need to do this in front of your classmates, Cheryl." Principal Weatherbee assures but she shakes her head.

"It's alright, Principal Weatherbee." She held her wrists out. "They'll find out soon enough."

"That won't be necessary." Sheriff Keller assures her.
Carmen looks up at Cheryl, frowning slightly.

"Espere, Cheryl, find out what?" She demands. Cheryl looks at Carmen before back at the Sheriff and Weatherbee.

"That I'm guilty." She answers before the two men take her out of the class.

As shocking as those three words were, they were nothing compared to the secrets that Jason's body had given up during its autopsy. That Jason didn't die on July Fourth as we believed... But over a week later.

Okay. I'm finally done with Chapter 4 part 1.
And thanks for the advice on my OC and Archie's budding romance. The two will get together by Jughead's birthday party since the graduation episode would've been too slow-burn for them. Even though I still plan on having Archie propose to her by the graduation episode and hopefully by the seven year time jump, they'll marry and have their twins together.