Everything Has Changed • Archie Andrews

twenty one: the man who murdered jason blossom

"Then we'll look somewhere else." Veronica was practically yelling at this point, as she tried to pull her hands out of my tight grip. "Outside or under the trailer."

"Veronica, what do you want?" I asked, desperate to know my sister's true motives. "Do you want dad to be guilty?" Once the words left my lips, I noticed her bottom lips begin to shake.

"I want to know, Violet." She finally admits in a low voice. "One way or the other, I need to be sure." My heart ached as I took in my sister's words.

"We can keep looking forever, Ronnie, and never find anything." Archie speaks up again, after a few minutes of silence. He couldn't see my face, but my silence was confirmation that Veronica's words had an impact on me.

"Then what about when he comes home?" Veronica whispers, looking down at her blue heels. All of her emotions over the last few days were beginning to show. I knew my sister well enough to know she hated people seeing her broken.

"I don't know. But I'll be right there, next to you, doing what I can to help." I began to assure Veronica, as I rubbed my thumbs over the back of her shaking hand. "If you'll let me." I whispered, watching the unshed tears fall from her eyes.

"And maybe I'm wrong, but not finding anything tonight feels like a win. A major win for the home team." Archie adds, from over my shoulder. Veronica and I both giggled at Archie, admiring how he was protecting us both.

"Okay." Veronica nods slowly, while pulling her hands from my own. "I agree, I'll wait for you guys outside?" She asks, walking toward the trailer door

"We'll be out there in a minute Ronnie." I smiled, as I turned to face a growing Archie Andrews. I quickly wrapped my arms around his torso and stared up into his golden eyes.

"What?" Archie chuckles, when he catches me staring up at him. He also looked confused by the shy smile on my face.

"Just "Yea, though I walk through the Valley of Darkness, and Archie Andrews is there with a smile and a sports metaphor." I smirked, watching a cute blush form on his pale cheeks. Our moment was interrupted by Archie's phone ringing.

"It's Mrs.Cooper." He tells me, before answering the phone. "We need to go, right now." Archie mumbles, rushing to grab my hand once he had hung up the phone. "FP could be on his way home, let's go."

On our way out, I snatched Veronica's hand in my own. The three of us raced away from the trailer and towards Riverdale High. We had found nothing on my father, but there was no way I was giving up until he was locked away for the rest of his miserable life.

********

Finally the three of us arrived at the school gym, which was already packed with students, teachers and parents. Veronica gestured to Mrs.Cooper as she stood in the corner, sending the three of us a small smirk. Veronica rushed over to her, while Archie and I walked over to Jughead.

"Hey Jug." I greeted, before intertwining my hand with Archie's and squeezing it. I felt terrible for lying to Jughead's face, but this had to be done.

"Don't you to look fantastic." Jughead joked, taking in mine and Archie's co-ordinating outfits. The two of us just nodded along, while keeping a close eye on Veronica and Mrs.Cooper. "Hey V." Jughead greeted my twin, as she made her way over to us.