Rosemary ⋇ Jughead Jones

XII

Ethel flipped the page and it opened up to Jason Blossom's page, which was filled top to bottom with names. In the center of the page was written 'Polly Cooper' in blue pen.

"Polly's in this book," Betty muttered. "Under Jason's name."

"I'm so sorry, Betty," Veronica tried to comfort Betty, but she had already walked away from the group to take a breather.

Rosemary snatched the book out of Ethel's hands and flipped through the pages, her eyes landing on Reggie Mantle's page. She scanned over every name on the page before she saw it. Her name.

Rosemary Holland (Goody-two-shoes bonus +1, Wrestler bonus + 2) = 9.3

Rosemary felt anger bubble in her chest and she yanked her phone out of her pocket, taking a picture of the page and shoving the book back in Ethel's hands, who flipped back to Jason's page.

"This isn't..." Cheryl muttered to herself. "Jason would never..."

"It's right there, Cheryl," Betty snapped, turning towards the ginger girl. "God, your brother hurt my sister. This is what guys like Jason and Chuck think about women. We're objects for them to abuse. And when they're done with us, they shame us into silence. They have zero remorse for the lives they destroy."

"Maybe I don't know Jason," Cheryl murmured to herself. Rosemary sighed and pushed back her anger, wrapping her arm around Cheryl's shoulder and rubbing her arm. Cheryl pulled out of Rosemary's hold and walked over so she stood in front of Betty so they stood face-to-face.

"I'll take a picture," Veronica said as she took a picture of every page. "We'll show it to Weatherbee. It'll be the perfect cover for your expose, Betty."

Rosemary's phone buzzed and she sighed, pulling it out of her pocket to see a text from Reggie Mantle himself, which made her blood boil.

From: Reggie

Pop said you called out sick from your shift, you feeling alright, Ro?

Rosemary scoffed and shoved her phone into her back pocket. She felt her eyes well up with tears and she quickly wiped them away with the sleeve of Reggie's jacket. She thought of when Reggie comforted her outside of Cheryl's, him driving her to Pop's, they're nightly conversations when he would visit her during her shift, and him offering her his jacket when she was cold. And she was angry.

"Yeah, but... No," Betty's voice snapped Rosemary back into the present. "These girls deserve justice, don't you think, Cheryl? Do you want vengeance? You wanna go full dark, no stars, Veronica? I'm with you. And I have a plan."

"Great," Veronica smiled, clapping her hands together before turning to Rosemary. "Rosie, you in?"

"Can't," Rosemary muttered. "I have a certain nose I need to break, again, so if you'll excuse me, ladies."

Rosemary stomped out of the locker room, bumping into Angelina on her way. The two exchanged an awkward glance before Rosemary continues to stomp all the way out of the school.

⧊

Rosemary burst into Pop's, her eyes darting around in search of the Asain football jock. Her eyes landed on Jughead, who sent her a tight-lipped smile. When he saw her bright red face, tear stained cheeks, and puffy eyes, he went to stand up and comfort her. Instead, he froze when she spun on her heels and stomped right over to Reggie Mantle.

Reggie was with Moose, the two of them both having a burger with fries and a milkshake. When Reggie noticed Rosemary, his face lit up and he sent her a toothy grin.