you make me wonder / jason blossom

prologue

Love can be a curious thing. it's a force that does not discriminate - despite personal circumstances or complications. Love has a way of dominating and making itself known. Love is heartless and cruel, ugly and passionate. It is the most powerful force upon this earth - or at least, that was what Daisy used to say.

Growing up, I always felt like an outsider looking in on the life that I should fit into as perfectly as the rest of my narcissistic, self-absorbed family. That is, with the exception of my older brother, Tommy. Our parents had raised us to be independent and opinionated, just like them. That majorly backfired on them when we could no longer be brainwashed by their influence. Our family was very similar to the Blossoms, the family occupying Thornhill Manor located across from Rosewood Manor, of which our family were residents within. Both properties shared a taste for gothic interior design, each having a large swimming pool, tennis courts and a family cemetery full of our ancestors. The Blossom family and the Hawthorn family had been allied for decades - for business matters or otherwise. Due to the similarities in our upbringings, I was raised alongside Cheryl and Jason Blossom - the redheaded twins that ruled Riverdale with grace and class unlike any other pair of teenagers known to man. They were the types of people that didn't blend in whatsoever - others had to blend in around them. The Blossom twins suited the high life like a glove - I suppose they had to, like I had to. It wasn't exactly easy when your parents members of the richest lineage in Riverdale. Tommy, my brother, was the most popular guy in his grade; athletic. Intelligent. Handsome. He and Cheryl had been in a steady relationship for the past year - a concept that pleased Penelope Blossom and my mother immensely. They had been looking for ways to bind the two houses together willingly for decades. Now, they had the perfect excuse to secure the lineage of both parties.

Tommy was vice-captain of the football team, while I was captain of the cheer squad. Friday 27th of June was supposed to be a regular day - both the football team and the cheer squad were prepping for the big game next week. Even so, I stood in front of the full-length mirror in my room, French-braiding my hair and securing both pigtails with a rubber band. "Bye, Em," my brother called, sprinting past my bedroom door.
"Hey, aren't you getting a ride with Jason?" I asked. Every morning, the Blossom boy would wait at the bottom of the driveway in his shiny red car. I tended to set off earlier to jog to school as a warm up before cheer practice, but Jason was supposed to drive both me and Tommy.
"Nah, I've got an interview - school thing." He smiled, "Love you!" I rolled my eyes as he thundered downstairs, his backpack slung over his shoulder.
"Love you too." I said quietly, checking my outfit in the mirror, satisfied with my decision to wear a navy blue cropped top with long sleeves and a red skirt with a pair of strapped black heels. Just as I was adding the final coat of mascara when I heard the familiar sound of a car horn. I glanced out of the window to see Jason in the drivers seat, wearing his football jacket. I smiled and waved slightly, grabbing my bag from the side and running downstairs. I didn't bother calling out - I slammed the front door behind me and walked over to the car.

"Get in loser, were going shopping!" He said, reciprocating my favorite line from Mean Girls.
"Since when did you watch that movie?" I laughed, hopping in beside him.
"In case you haven't already noticed, I'm the twin brother of Cheryl Blossom - I don't have much choice." He pushed his fiery red hair from his pale face, "you ready for school?"
"Nope!" I exclaimed, "but who gives a fuck!"
"That's the spirit!" He cheered, reversing out of the iron gates of Rosewood Grounds, "to Hell!"

I chuckled as we cruised down the roads, passing Pop's diner and the Sheriff's office. "Where's Cheryl? Doesn't she get a ride with you and Tommy?" I looked at Jason, taking in his features.
"Ginger came to pick her up early - study group or something." He shrugged.
"Since when did Cheryl voluntarily study? I asked, shocked.
"My guess is that's code for making out in the janitor's closet with your brother." He rolled his eyes.
"Gross! I retched.
"You're telling me," he smirked, "so, you coming to dinner tonight?" Shoot. That reminded me - at the end of every month, the Blossoms and the Hawthorns would hold an annual dinner party, pretty much ever since before we were born. The venues would alternate between both households and this month, it was the Blossom's turn to host
"I don't have much choice." I smiled. We continued to drive down the road that lead to school. Jason and I talked about nothing and everything, like we always did. I silently groaned when he had to pull over in the parking lot.
I pushed open my door and hopped out, grabbing my bag as I went.
"I'll see you later, Em." Jason pulled me into a tight hug.
"Bye, J," I replied, hugging him back, "thanks for the ride."
"Anytime!" He called as I walked up the front steps of Riverdale High, adjusting my braids and walking through the gates of Hell.