Ethereal ▸ Archie Andrews [discontinued]

.EIGHT.

Jughead was waiting outside Archie's house when he arrived. It was safe to say he didn't look happy. Archie looked around to see if Kate was outside before asking

"Jug? Whats up?"

"I saw you Archie, In the Music Room with Miss Grundy" Jughead stated as he walked slowly down the porch steps.

Archie looked frantically around 

"Shhh, My dads inside Jug!" he whispered

"I'm trying to help you here. I'm trying to be your friend, even though I'm not anymore. How long? You and Grundy?" Jughead asked. He genuinely wanted to help Archie, he didn't want to even be here but he couldn't ignore what he'd seen.

What Jughead wasn't expecting was for Archie to laugh.

"In case you didn't notice Jug, I'm with Kate, I love her, I want to be with her. Not some desperate music tutor who tries it on with all her students" he replied

"But you two seemed so close, she looked like she was about to kiss you Archie" Jughead replied confused. Archie glanced quickly at his bedroom window, the light was off , Archie prayed Kate hadn't heard. 

"She came onto me at the beginning of the summer, before I'd met Kate. She tried to start something but any hope of that ended the day I met Kate, she was angry" Archie tried to explain quietly.

"Then why have you been acting weird since the summer Archie?" Jughead was furious, that was understandable. Archie felt terrible for how he'd treated his friend but he was so consumed with guilt over that gunshot he'd blocked everyone out. Archie had yet to tell Kate about the shot, he couldn't bare the thought of losing her, and withholding information about Jason's death? Kate would never forgive him.

This was Archie's opportunity to come clean "We were at Sweetwater River on July 4th, Miss Grundy and I. We heard a gunshot. The gunshot." Archie felt like a weight had been taken from his shoulders as soon as he said it. Jughead blanched 

"Dude. You have to tell someone" he yelled

 "I can't! Kate doesn't know, I've been keeping it from her. Miss Grundy has something on her, it's all going to go to hell if this comes out. Please Jughead?"

"A KID IS DEAD ARCHIE" he yelled. "And you're worried about some cougar and your girlfriend?"

"Its complicated Jughead. We're all in danger here. Look Kate knew Jason, like really knew him, probably more so than Cheryl and she's told me things about Grundy. We can't trust her, she could bring me down, bring Kate down and I'm not willing to take that risk, are you?" He asked desperately before turning and walking inside.

-----

Archie was exhausted, it had been such a long day and he was sick and tired of people trying to interfere with his and Kate's relationship. 

Walking in he couldn't help but smile at her, she was passed out on his bed, still dressed. It was obvious she'd tried to stay awake for him but had fallen asleep. 

Archie laid down next to her, falling asleep shortly after.

-----

Clara and Kate had been sat together in home room when it happened.

The jock Clara had been admiring the previous day turned out to be Reggie Mantle, who was sprouting off some bullshit about how Jason's body was found. Kate was trying to ignore it but it was becoming increasingly hard with his loud objections.

"If a kid at Riverdale killed Jason it's not gonna be a jock right?" Kate tensed, even Clara looked appalled at what he was saying, suggesting one of them had done it. "Lets be honest its always some scrawny, spooky pathetic internet troll. Too busy writing his manifestos to get laid?" 

The football team looked intrigued as to what he was saying, but they were the only ones. Every-other face in the room looked appalled or uninterested at what he was suggesting. 

"Some smug, moody serial-killer-fanboy-freak?" and then he turned "Like Jughead!" he pointed with mock surprise.

Several things happened at once. Kate looked at Archie, who was staring at Reggie in shock. Then she snapped her head up "What was it like suicide squad? When you shot Jason, you didn't do stuff to the body did you, like, after?" Kate was furious. How dare he talk about Jason's death, imply that the situation could be any more disgusting, blaming an innocent person.

"It's called necrophilia Reggie, can you spell it?" Jughead replied nonplussed. Reggie stood up to take a step towards him threateningly.

Archie stood between the two "Calm down Reggie"

"Holy crap" Reggie eyes lit up "Did you and Donnie Darko kill him together? Like a blood brothers pact?"

 Before Archie could move towards Reggie Kate stood up abruptly, all eyes turning to her as she glared furiously at Reggie. "HOW DARE YOU" she screamed, only to be pulled back by an equally angry Clara. 

There were two things Clara hated in the world, bullies and people who hurt her friends. It just so happened Reggie was guilty of both. Kate had taught her to fight over the years, fearing Clara's innocent looks would attract danger. 

It was over in a second, Clara stormed over, grabbed Reggie by the shirt and punched him. He was knocked over immediately at the force of it, falling back into the vending machine behind him.

Not realising who had hit him, Reggie took a threatening step towards Clara raising his fist, but before he could swing, Archie stood between the two taking a hit to the face. Thats when Kate sprung into action, pulling Reggie back and knocking him out cold. 

The last thing Reggie heard was a pretty blonde yelling angrily at her friend "Are you kidding me?!"

--

Sorry its so short, wanted to do a filler chapter and explore the friendships more. 

Kate and Archie really need to talk, maybe then there wouldn't be so many issues. 

Reggie and Clara, they do say theres a thin line between love an hate ;)

Kate and Cheryl finally talk next chapter! 

Dont forget to vote & comment if you want more! <3 xoxo