I spread some jam onto my toast and joined Mom and Archie at the table.
"The reason why I came-"
"It's because of the divorce." Archie cut mom off. He's not stupid. "Because I called Dad." When did you call Dad? During Jugheads party.
"You know, I thought Riverdale would be better for you than Chicago, it would be safer."
"It's okay mom. Really, I'm okay. And I mean, it hasn't all be that bad, my friends are amazing . Dad and I are closer than ever right now and also-" Archie said looking at me.
"You've been singing." Mom cut him off. I bowed my head and took a bite of my toast.
"Song writing, yeah. And singing
"And your dad tells me you're great. I hope you'll play me some songs before I go."
"Yeah, for sure. I'm playing at the dance, so if you wanna see me play live." Mom nodded at Archie's idea. I heard a car horn outside our house. I'm guessing Reggie is giving up on the whole idea of parking a block away now.
"I've uhh, I've gotta go." I said pushing my plate across the table. "I'm catching up with someone...before school." I smiled and Archie rolled his eyes. "I'll see you at school Arch." I said waving bye to Mom and Archie.
"She still doesn't like to talk much, does she?" Mom asked Archie as I walked too the front door. I didn't hear what Archie said as I walked out. I didn't want to say that Reggie was driving me to school in front of Archie. I didn't really want to see his reaction.
During lunch, I was sitting with Archie, Jughead, Kevin, Veronica and Betty. It was all peaceful and the whole 'me and Reggie dating' hadn't come up yet. But it was bound too. I didn't want Archie to snap like he did last night. Cheryl came strutting over.
"Sorry to interrupt but I have an announcement to make. One that potentially involves you Betty." Betty sighed. "I'm bringing Polly to the dance as my date, and we're campaigning to be co-queens together."
"Because why-"
"Because light night smurffette, but all rights it should've been Polly and Jason on that stage being crowned- this is the next best thing." Cheryl looked around the table. "So, don't forget to vote." She clapped her hands together and the looked at me. "I've already out yours in (Y/N). Thank you for voting for me." She smiled. I didn't even know voting was running. She can't just tick my name off and say I voted. "And I'll see everyone at my coronation." Cheryl left and I stabbed my fork into my not so wam mac and cheese. Archie grabbed my wrist and stopped me and then turned to Betty.
"Betty about the homecoming dance, and I play a couple of songs, I kinda told my mom-" Archie stopped when Betty showed an unusual facial expression. "-whoa you don't want me too."
"No no. It's not that Arch. Uhm, this dance needs to be...fun and your songs as amazing as they are-" Betty eagerly said.
"Make you want to slit your wrists-" I shook my head at Jughead "-in a good way."
"In an amazing away." Veronica paused. "But no need to fret Betty because Archie asked me to sing with me and we're thinking about doing some upbeat covers." I choked on my food as Veronica said that. When was that decided?
"We are?"
"Aren't we?" She asked.
"Oh there he is." Dad said as Mom and I were trying to choose a good take out place to get food from.
"Son, we're trying to decided between pizza and Chinese food. What do you think?"
"Uhh, we always do pizza."
"Let me guess, pepperoni and red bell pepper."
"Alright, well, moon palace still deliver. We can get-"
"General So's chicken, scallion pancakes and vegetable dumplings, family style." Mom said putting an emphasis on the word 'family'. Because that's what we were supposed to be. Dad coughed.
"What's wrong son?" Dad asks Archie and he looked at me.
"What? Nothing." He paused.
"Its probably just he's not used to you guys together." I smiled hoping Archie wouldn't bring up anything else and would save my arse in the future.
"It's nice but..." Archie trailed off not saying another word. There was a silence between everyone. Silence is like another sibling.
"Jughead, hey." Archie said as he came downstairs.
"Am I interrupting a family meeting? I can come back."
"Absolutely not Jug." I smiled gesturing for him to come into the kitchen.
"So, who's going to the dance?" I put my hand slightly up. "Besides your dad and me, oh and Hermione." My dad raised an eyebrow at her comment about Hermione. "Whom I invited."
"You did?" Believe me mom, if you really knew what was going between those two then you wouldn't have invited her.
"We'll talk about it."
"Wait, you guys are going to the dance?"
"We were talking about it." Dad said gesturing to mom and himself.
"We both wanna here you play, if it's still happening."
"If you're good with it." Dad spoke to Archie. I put my thumb up as an okay and Jughead smirked and nodded because he knew how much it meant for Archie to have both of our parents watching him.
"Yeah totally."
"Good." Mom smiled and looked at me.
"So, who's escorting you (Y/N)?" Mom asked.
"Her boyfriend." Jughead teased and Archie looked at him like he wanted to punch him.
The next night sat in my room, fixing up my make up for the dance. I was meeting up with Reggie at Pop's prior the dance. I was wearing my new (F/C) dress which I bought only last week. I was unsure if I was actually going to wear it. Reggie hates going to these things. Archie knocked on my door.
"Can you help me with my tie again?" Archie asked walking in. I got off the chair and he smiled. "Geez, you little sister looks all grown up." He said wiping away a fake tear. "You look so beautiful."
"Thanks Arch. You clean up pretty well yourself." I smiled fixing his tie around his neck.
"So, is uhh, is Reggie taking you?" Archie asked awkwardly, yet he already knew the answer, as I straighten it red blazer.
"Yeah." I smiled and he smiled back.
"I knew something was up with him."
"Did you now?" I raised my eyebrow and turned back to my mirror and placed one last bobby pin in my hair.
"Well, I knew something was up with you." Archie said sitting in my bed. "You look a lot happier." Archie said and I tuned my head to face him.
"If you want, you can Veronica can join us." I told him grabbing my phone and purse. I knew Jughead was only going next door to the Coopers. "We're only going to Pop's to celebrate your win against the Baxter High Ravens." I smiled and he shook his head. "It would've been a better win if you just passed the ball to him." I sighed and he chuckled.
"Hey, he's dating you. I have to look out for you now. Even if that means not passing the ball to Reggie." We both let out a laugh.
"Veronica and I already have plans. But thank you." Archie said getting off my bed and I turned off my light and we walked down the hall together.
"Hey Archie, no more secret, alright?" I asked him.
"No more secrets." He said and hugged me.
We had made it to the homecoming dance after dinner.
"Do you want some punch?" Regggie asked me as we entered the gymnasium.
"Please." I smiled kissing his cheek. "I'll be over with Jughead." I said point him out in the crowd. I found Jughead and stood with him. Archie soon joined us, as did Veronica. Reggie came over with my drink and I swear Archie was sending him daggers the whole time.
"Where were you guys?" Betty suspiciously as Archie and Veronica.
"We stopped, we stopped at Pops." Archie said.
"Yeah, we were with them." Reggie said as he held my hand standing up for my brother.
"And what were you jut talking to my mother about-"
"Betty-
"Guys can we table this. We've gotta get ready. Come on." Archie said and Veronica pulled him away so they could 'get ready' for their set. Betty joined Jugheads side.
"I promise you. The second Archie finishes his song, we can go." I whispered to Reggie.
"You sure? I just spiked the punch. I wanna see how many people pass out tonight."
"Reg!" I slapped his arm.
"I'm kidding. Just tell me when you wanna go, and we can." He smiled and kissed the top of my head and we waited for Mayor McCoy to do her welcome speech and for Archie and Veronica so their song. During the middle of the song I spotted Cheryl walk out. Do the good thing. I let go of Reggie's hand and followed Cheryl out. Reggie followed me.
"Where are we going?" Reggie asked as my heels tapped against the tiles.
"Cheryl!" I called as she went to exit the school. "Cheryl. Is everything alright?" I asked her and she stood her head. I went to reach for her to hug her but she pushed me away.
"Go away." She said with tears and her mascara running down her cheeks. She ran out of the building.
"What was that about?" Reggie asked me.
"I have no idea." I mumbled.
I was sitting down in the foyer with Reggie. We were going to leave, but we got caught up in conversation. Something about the football game and my brother. Veronica and Archie walked over to thank Reggie for saving their arse. Betty came over looking furious.
"Before you explain-"
"Explain what. Going behind my back!" I gulped.
"I'm sorry. FP had some kind of arrangement with my dad. I had to make sure it wasn't about Jason Blossom." Veronica explained.
"And what about you?" Betty asked pointing to my brother.
"I was looking out for Jughead. FP was doing shady stuff." That's who FP is, he's shady.
"Blame me Betty. I asked Archie to help."
"Help you do what? What did you two do?" Veronica was about to speak again but Jughead cut her off when he walked down the hall. "Do you wanna meet me by the car?" I suggests to Reggie.
"Nah. We just got to the good part." He said watching my brother with a close eye.
"Guys! Betty." Jughead came closer. "What's going on? Why do I feel like I'm suddenly left out." He said slowing his pace.
"Do you wanna tell him, or should I?" Betty asked.
"Tell me what?" Jughead asked and Archie stepped forward.
"They went to your dads trailer-" I spoke to Jughead because I knew he wouldn't yell at me.
"To search it." Veronica butted in.
"Why would you guys do that?"
"My mom, put them up to it. She was convinced he was hiding something." Betty said trying to calm Jughead down.
"We were wrong. All of us, we didn't find anything."
"Jughead, we were only doing it to prove that-"
"That my dad wasn't a murder. You went behind my back Archie..."
"Jug-" That broke their friendship.
"How did you- When did you know when to go to my Dads trailer."
"We knew he'd be at dinner with you."
"No." Betty shook her head as Jughead walked away gobsmacked.
"That's why your mom invited us to dinner, so these two could break into his trailer while she interrogated him?" Jughead asked.
"No. I didn't know what they were doing...but yes, that is why she invited you guys." Betty confessed.
"To think, I was going to pass to moving to Toledo for you. When we went to my dads trailer, you believed me when I asked him, I said I did, wasn't that good enough for you?"
"It was. It was good enough. I tried to stop her."
"You could've warned me. You could've told me about this."
"You were so excited Jughead. I didn't want to disappoint you."
"Instead you lied. You all lied to me." Jughead spat.
"They're there!" Dad shouted as he ran down the hall.
"Betty!" Alice said.
"Thank god you kids are okay." Our parents spoke. Reggie tighten his grip around my shoulders.
"My Dad just told Mayor McCoy about your dad Jughead."
"What about my dad?"
"He was just arrested." Dad paused. "For the murder of Jason Blossom." Dad spoke being the barer of bad news. I gasped and put my hand over my mouth.
"I did not see that coming." Reggie spoke shocked like we all were.
I walked down the stairs going to get another drink of water before I went to bed. I stopped when I heard Mom speak to Archie
"FP has always had his demons." Mom said to him.
"I really thought he'd change mom." Archie confessed. I could tell he wasn't in the mood for an interrogation from Mom.
"It's very hard for people to change Archie. You know after I heard you play, and before everything happened. I was going to ask you to come to Chicago with me-" she began. Dad walked down behind me but I stopped him on the stairs "-to stay. You could study music."
"I'm not even thinking about that right now Mom."
"Oh I know. It's just I want you with me." Mom told Archie. Dad placed a hand on my shoulder. "I don't think this town is safe anymore. I feel like Riverdale is getting ready to slide off a mountain side and I don't want you any where around when that happens. Just promise me you'll at least think about it."
"Yeah I will." Dad shook his head behind me. I sighed. Why would Archie leave us here.