Losing you

Chapter 4: The news

On Monday, everyone was forced to go to school. FP let Jughead miss the classes, but gave him a quiet ride to school for the fifth period. He was going to wait until the meeting was over, he himself attending it as well to see how everyone was coping with the loss of Betty and also to tell them all the information he had that far. Well, he was only going to tell them a small part of it, only what they needed to know. FP also had a secret to share that the pathologist told him and only him.

Jughead felt eyes on him as he walked to the school next to his dad. He didn't think it was because FP was the sheriff, he was positive it was because he had seen all of it happen. He had been there when she died. So he ignored everyone staring at him until they were stopped by Kevin.

"Jughead," he breathed out, relieved and shock at the same time. No one had thought he would come.

"Hey, Kev," he answered, meeting his eyes. Kevin stared into his tired greenish blue eyes and felt like he was staring at his soul. He was tired and hurt and sad while also being alert and all tensed up. Kevin didn't look any better. "You alright?" Jughead asked and hugged him for a moment.

Kevin was surprised by the physical touch, having never seen Jughead hug anyone but Betty and Archie. "Uh yeah... I mean no, but I'm better than last week..." He observed Jughead's hurt eyes. "How are you?" he asked carefully.

Jughead gulped, looking right into Kevin's green eyes, the color was quite similar to Betty's and he found that somewhat fascinating and soothing. "I'm uh... Broken. Sad. Just the emo kid I am." Kevin smiled at that a bit. "Have you been to school?" Jug continued quietly when they slowly started walking towards the gym.

"On Friday, there was this math exam and I really need grades."

"Yeah," Jughead murmured. "I spent the week with Veronica... She's nicer than I thought."

Kevin smiled at that a little again. He had also never heard Jughead sharing anything with anyone before that. "Is Ronnie okay?"

"No," Jughead said immediately as they stopped on the gym door to see some kids smiling while talking, some even laughing and fooling around. It made him so mad that he wanted to kill all of them right there and then. He didn't have the chance to.

"Hi," Veronica said, coming to the boys, Archie next to her. "I didn't know you were coming, Jug..." she said after giving Kevin a hug and then gave one to Jughead.

"I couldn't miss it... I asked my dad if they knew anything about Hal yet, but he just ignored me like I've been doing with him for a week, so..."

"Come on," Archie sighed when the bell rang, notifying the start of the fifth period, and they all walked to the bleachers, so many eyes on them. Jughead couldn't stop himself but to see Cheryl crying next to Toni. He frowned a little at that, but wondered that the fact that they had been cousins and lately were even texting sometimes had something to do with it.

The principal talked to everyone, telling them that they can get support by joining a group, which Jug was obviously not going to join, and told them that the school psychologist was going to welcome everyone with opened arms, whenever they needed to talk to someone. Jughead preferred Archie and Veronica, sometimes even his dad. Maybe.

FP was up next. Nobody had the courage to even breathe while he was talking. He told them about how Betty had gone downstairs after getting a message and if anyone ever was going to get one like this they should call the police immediately (even though both him and Jughead knew it wasn't going to happen to anyone else but maybe him if he kept this investigation going).

FP told them how death isn't beautiful like in fairy tales. He told them she was choking and crying and scared, all what Jughead had told him, and he told them how there was a lot of blood and that they already know who the killer is and are currently searching for him. The last fact made them breathe in relief, knowing it wasn't any of their parents or friends, knowing that they were home.