Jitterbug Jones (On Hiatus)

2

Jughead POV

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

I look across the table at Jitterbug and see her sketchbook closed and pushed off to the side. She's laying on her arms as they're folded on the table in front of her. She is one of the people who hoped Jason would come back. She's been crying since we saw him packed into a body bag and taken away from the river. She's emotionally exhausted, and I can't do anything to help her.

--

The next day at school

Jitterbug POV

Jughead and I walk into school and to our lockers. I look down the hall towards where Archie's locker is, and I notice a shrine is being formed in front of Jason's locker. The frown on my face doesn't budge as I feel a tear escape my eye. I quickly wipe it away as I open my sketchbook and flip to the first drawing I ever created of Jason. I look over to Jug and he looks back at me in confusion. I rip out the drawing and close my sketchbook before heading over to the shrine.

It's almost time for classes to start, so most of the students in the hallway had cleared out. Jug and I walk over to the shrine. I just stand in front of it, my hood hiding my face. I'm such an ugly crier. I crouch down and look at his school picture as Jughead starts talking to Archie.

"Hi." Jug says to Archie. "Do you think we could use Jason Blossom's death as an excuse to get out of PE?" He's only half joking. I didn't even want to come into school today, but Jug said I had to. I nestle my drawing in with all of the flowers and stand up, wiping at my face. "Sorry, Coach, we're just too depressed and freaked-out right now to do pull-ups." I glare at my brother.

"Don't joke about Jason Blossom." Archie tells him. "Can't you see how all this is affecting Jit?"

"What?" Jughead asks. "Sardonic humor is just my way of relating to the world. Jitterbug knows that." He looks to me and I nod my head that I'm fine. "It's the rich kids from The Goonies." He looks past me and I turn my head to see the jocks entering the hallway. "Alright, we're out." Jug then puts his arm around my shoulders and walks to my left as we walk by said jocks. Reggie bumps into Jughead's shoulder on purpose.

"Watch it, Wednesday Addams." Reggie says. "We wouldn't want your granny to get hurt now." Jug pulls his arm from around me and holds the shoulder that Reggie bumped into.

"You okay?" I ask him as we stop in the hallway.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He answers. We walk around the hallways some more when we hear the intercom come to life.

"Good morning, students." Principal Weatherbee speaks. "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." Fun, fun. "Now, on a less felicitous note, if you could give your attention to Sheriff Keller." His voice stops and another man's voice comes through the intercom.

"Most of you already know the details, but your classmate Jason Blossom's body was found late Saturday night." I take a deep breath and let it out as I look up at the nearest speaker. "So as of the weekend, Jason's death is now being treated as a homicide. It is an open and ongoing investigation."

"And may I interject?" Came Cheryl's voice. "Neither I nor my parents will rest until Jason's death is avenged, and his cold-hearted killer is walking the green mile to sit on Old Sparky and fry. I, for one, have my suspicions. Hashtag Riverdale strong." I roll my eyes at the last few words she said.