Faithfully

78

With Archie Andrews settling in at juvie, Braxton and Jughead arrive early at school to share the news with Betty from the night prior. When she walked into the news room, she saw them waiting for her. "Okay, what's so urgent?" She asked them. "Braxton and I saw Dilton and Ben in the woods last night." Jughead told her. "Dilton was dead."

"Oh, my God, Dilton is dead? What about Ben?"

"He's barely hanging on. Doctors don't know when or if he's even gonna wake up." Braxton told her.

"Sheriff Minetta asked us to keep the whole thing hush-hush for the family's sake. But Betty, what we saw was- " He tried to tell her but he couldn't seem to find his words.

"What, Jug?"

"It was like a ritual site." Braxton answered for him. "Their lips were blue. There were these chalices that were filled with poison or something."

"And they had all these animal bones in a circle. The tree had markings on it. There was a winged totem with a skull and branches." He finished.

"So, was it a murder or a suicide-pact gone wrong?" Betty asked.

"We have no idea."

"I saw Ben and Dilton at Pop's. They were playing this weird game. Then yesterday morning Dilton was raving about someone called the Gargoyle King?" Braxton said.

"I was also thinking that maybe you and I could investigate this together? For old times sake." Jughead smiled at Betty. "Or at least until we catch a new lead with Archie's case."

"I like that idea. I'll try to see if Dr. Curdle can get us into the coroner's office." She replied.

Jughead pulled her into him and said "Have more romantic words ever been spoken?" Then kissed her lips. Braxton rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. "Don't mind me." She said as she walked for the door. Just as she made her way into the hallway, she saw Casey at his locker talking to Valerie Brown. Apparently girls had started to take notice of him with his new hair cut.

A slight tingle of jealousy started to over come Braxton. She wasn't sure why she cared so much.

She walked over towards them for her locker to grab her calculus book. As she did Casey took notice to her ignoring him. "I'll check you later, Valerie, okay?" He said to her. "I'll save you a spot at lunch." She smiled and walked away.

Casey strolled his way across the hall over to Braxton and leaned against the locker next to hers. "Valerie Brown?" She said in a flat tone. "Impressive." "You think?" He asked as he let out a nervous laugh.

"Sure." She snipped towards him then shut her locker and turned down the hall, Casey followed after her.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, why do you ask?"

"You're kinda being a bitch?"

"I am not being a bitch?"

"Fine, asshole- whatever you wanna call it."

Braxton stopped and looked at Casey who had a large smile on his face. She couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry." She told him. "Valerie is great." And walked away to find Toni.

She headed for the lounge, and luckily for her Toni was in there studying for their history exam that morning. "What the hell is up with the Pussy Cats going after guys in my life?" She signed as she sunk into a chair next to Toni. "I'm sorry?" Toni replied.

"First it was Sweet Pea and Josie. Now it's Casey and Valerie."

"I warned SP about Josie. Told him I'd kill him-"