Sinners -Sweet Pea-

4. Nancy Drew strikes again

"Okay, well, he's wasting his time, Kev, because FP didn't kill Jason", Betty snapped back. "Betty, he confessed", I muttered still deeply betrayed by my father once again. 

"Or he was coerced", Betty said giving me a smile. 

"Or he's protecting someone. Maybe a Serpent", Archie suggested. "My mom saw him and Joaquin together", Betty said. "Don't. Do not drag my boyfriend into this", Kevin snapped at Betty. 

"Oh no", Veronica muttered making us all look where she was looking. She watched as my brother walked through the cafeteria with his head down. 

To my surprise he didn't walk towards us, he walked straight towards Cheryl. I quickly got up from my seat and approached Jughead just in time when he stopped in front of Cheryl. 

"I'm sorry, Cheryl", Jughead quietly told my best friend. Cheryl kept quiet and slowly stood up from her seat with tears brimming in her eyes. 

She stepped towards my brother ignoring me completely, suddenly she slapped him across the face hard and then started to beat his chest with her little fists. 

Archie peeled her off of Jughead who had a bloody lip by that time. "Mister Jones, you need to come with me", Principal Weatherbee said stepping into the scene. 

"He was apologizing, he didn't do anything", Archie yelled but was cut off rudely by our principal, "Right now".

I kept standing there my mouth still open in shock. My eyes filled with tears, if Cheryl hated Jug for what our dad did she'll probably hate me too, I thought. 

I pushed my way through the cafeteria and followed Cheryl who rushed into the locker room. 

"Cheryl?", I called out for her. "I barely touched him", she sobbed and looked at me through the mirror. 

"It's not his nor my fault, Cher. Even if our dad did it, it's-", I started but was cut off by her. "Everyone keeps coming up to me and hugging me and telling me that I must be so relieved that my brother's killer has finally been caught. This nightmare is over but then, why doesn't it feel that way?", she asked turning around. 

"The murderer of my brother is my best friends dad? Never, whoever killed Jason might still be out there", Cheryl said tears slipping out of her eyes. 

"So you don't hate me?", I asked also tearing up. "I could never hate you, Lou. I love you more than anything", she whispered pulling me into a much-needed hug. 

"Where were you anyway?"

"After they arrested my dad I just lost it. I walked to our trailer on the Southside but was held back by a couple Serpents who made some mean comments but I just ignored them. Then I sat on the stairs of our trailer and this girl came, Toni. She offered me to spend the night at her trailer and she was really nice", I explained. 

"Oh no, you can come home. You know that right?", Cheryl said. "I know but I don't think it's a good idea at the moment", I mumbled. 

*

Jughead and I went to the station after school to talk to our dad. He was sitting in his cell while Jughead and I stood outside of it looking at him.

"When Archie told us about his little plan to help you get you on your feet and working with Fred, deep down, I knew it was a mistake", Jug mumbled disappointedly. 

"Should have listened to your guts", FP snapped. 

Jughead grabbed my hand giving it a little squeeze, "You really had us. Cleaning the trailer, convincing us that you quit drinking", I snapped at dad.