Romantic Homicide • Jughead Jones

Guilty or Innocent

3rd person pov

"Guilt, innocence. good, evil. Life, death. As the shadows around Riverdale deepened, the lines that separated these polar opposites blurred and distorted. "we're guilty" Arabella and Cheryl said in Biology class. But of what?"

"To clarify, we didn't mean we were guilty of killing Jason" Arabella said as they sat down in the Principal's office.

"We both loved him more than anything, maybe even ourselves" Cheryl said, as the girls looed at each other,

"But we are guilty" Arabella said.

"Of lying on what happened on July 4th" Cheryl said.

"The autopsy put his dead about July 11th. When was the last time you saw Jason" Sherriff asked half sitting on Weatherbees' desk.

"It was July 4th" Cheryl nodded.

"We dont know what happened the week after, but-" Arabella said, but Sherriff cut her off.

"Arabella, Cheryl, in your own words, what happened at Sweetwater River" He asked as both girls sighed.

"The plan was banana's, even for me" Cheryl said

"Jason wanted to leave Riverdale and never come back. He asked for our help to stage a tragic accident, so that their parents wouldnt come after him" Arabella explained.

"Our story would be, we went for an early morning boat ride, i dropped my glove, Ara went to grab it when the boat tipped, Jason went to save her and he drowned" Cheryl said looking at Arabella.

"In face, we all made it to the other side dry as bones. We said out goodbyes on the Greendale side of Sweetwater River."

"He promised to call us as son as he was in a place where he couldn't be reached or pulled back by our parents. One month, as the most. Ever day, we wait for him to call or email" Cheryl finished.

"You tell anyone about the plan. Any way that you can corroborate it? And you have no idea why your brother and best friend wanted to run away, fake his own death? Doesn't that seem cruel? " Sherriff asked.

"Jason wasn't cruel" Arabella said glaring at him.

"So maybe this is all just a web of lies you're spinning to cover your own tracks"

"we didn't kill Jason!" they yelled at the same time.

"There was a gunshot that morning. We heard a gunshot on July 4th. Maybe whoever killed Jason took a shot at him, and missed that morning" Cheryl said as Arabella nodded.

"you heard a gunshot, and you're just telling us this now?"

"We were upset! her brother and basically mine was murdered" Arabella said.

"So upset that you sang and danced at a pep rally yesterday" he said as the door slammed open.

"what the hell is going on here?" Cliff asked as him and Penelope walked into the office, with Alice rigth behind them

"Mommy" Cheryl said, as Penelope looked at the girls.

"Dont say another word, Cheryl, Arabella" Penelope said as Alice came over grabbing her daughter's hand and standing her up.

"why didn't you call us" Penelope asked the girls once the left the office.

"Because they are both liars, Penelope" Clifford said, as Alice looked at him.

"Dont you ever speak about my daughter like that" she said, as they all left, Arabella not realizing Jughead was looking at her in worry.

Arabella was in her room when she heard her mom and sister fighting, about the news's paper she wrote.

"just shut up!" Arabella yelled throwing something out of her bed room door, it almost hitting her mom as she was walking by.

"Arabella May Cooper!" he mom yelled as she rolled her eyes.

"Stop using his death for your dumb ass news paper!" She yelled looking at her.

"So, are you a suspect not?" V asked as Arabella was laying on Kevin and Betty.

"My dad says we all are, including me" Kevin said.

"not me, girl. i dont know these people, besides Bella" V said as Arabella gave her a thumbs up.

"Guys, should we maybe re-binge Making a Murderer on Netflix tonight?" Kevin asked.

"Sorry. Cant. gotta stay late to work on the paper" Betty said playing with Arabella's hair.

"Count me out, too. I've got a date tonight" Veronica smiled as everyone looked at her.

"you do?" Archie asked.

"Which Riverdale hottie made the cut" Kev asked.

"Hey, Vee-lo. Ill swing by the Pembroke to pick you up at 8?"

"Ill be waiting" she smiled at him.

"Cool" he said leaving.

"Chuck?"

"Chuck Clayton?"

"You're going on a date with Chuck?" Arabella, Kev and Betty asked at the same time.

"he's kind of a player" betty said.

"who cares? he's the hottest of hot, and he's the varsity football coach's son. In Riverdale, that's like dating a Kennedy" Kevin said as Veronica smiled shrugging at him.

Arabella laughed as her and Jughead were walking hand in hand down the hall way.

Arabella took her hand away as they both leaned on opposite sides of the door way.

"If print journalism is dead, what am i doing here" Jughead asked catching Bettys attention.

"The Blue and Gold isn't dead, Bella, Jug. Its just dormant. But waking up. You're writing a novel, right? And Bella you love photography, right?"

"I am"

"i do"

"Riverdale's very own, in cold blood"

"which started out as a series of articles. I'm hoping you'll come write for the Blue and Gold, and that you'll take pictures for the Blue and Gold."

"i just dont think the school papers the right fit for my voice."

"Jug" Betty groaned.

"Jason's de- passing changed Riverdale. People dont want to admit that, but its true. we all feel it. Nothing this bad was ever supposed to happen here, but it did. I want to know why"

"Would i get complete freedom?" he asked.

"ill help, and edit.. and suggest. But it's your story, its your voice"

"Dont sound like complete freedom, but...im in" he said as she smiled at him, before they both look at Arabella who wasnt paying attention.

"Ara?" Jughead asked going over to her.

"Ara?" he asked once more, placing his hand on her shoulder as she jumped looking at him.

"What? yeah sure" she said looking around.

"Okay great! In that case, I have your first assignment. There's one person who was at the river on July 4th that no one's talking about" She explained.

"Dilton Doiley and his scouts" Jughead nodded, quickly looking at Arabella who was already looking at him.

"Exactly" she said.

Jughead smiling, before looking at Arabella as she stood up walking over to him and they walked out of the room, as he grabbed her hand.