"Funny thing" Jughead said as he fell into step with Elodie. She jumped slightly at his voice, then rolled her eyes. "I need your help"
"Good morning Jughead! I'm great thanks for asking!" Elodie mocked him.
"I'm serious. I need your help" Jughead smiled
"What with?" She frowned.
"I know you know things about Jason's murder that you're not sharing. Maybe certain dreams or nightmares?" He questioned, his voice low so no one could hear him except Elodie.
"What do you need help with, your novel?" She asked, confused and wary.
"How do you know about that?" Jughead frowned
"You're not the only detective in town Jones. And I gotta say, I think I'm a few steps ahead of you. Catch up, and I'll think about helping you" She muttered before turning into her English classroom, leaving Jughead deserted in the middle of Riverdale's main hallway during passing time, on the opposite end of the school of where he needed to be.
"Brilliant" Jughead mumbled as he rolled his eyes and sprinted to his class so he wasn't late.
{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}
In the middle of her sixth hour, Elodie received a text.
From: Jughead
Hey, got something, care to join me?
Elodie frowned at her phone
To: Jughead
When and where?
The reply took less than a minute.
From: Jughead
Meet me by your car
Just as she was about to ask him when and how she was suppose to get out of class, a crackle came over the loud speaker.
"Elodie Nova, please report to the front office, and bring all your personal belongings with you. Elodie Nova, please report to the front office"
Elodie could feel the stares on her as she packed up her bag and left the room. With everything with Jason's murder, there was no doubt that everyone now thought she was involved somehow. After all, her and Jason had spent nearly every second of freshmen year together, they weren't strangers.
"Hello?" Elodie frowned at the front desk
"Ah, Elodie. Your sister's daycare called. They said she got in a bit of a fight with another kid, and that she needed to be picked up for the day. Both your parents were busy I guess, and they allowed you to skip the rest of school to look after her" The receptionist explained
"Got it, thank you" She smiled at Jughead's cleverness.
As she approached her car, she saw Jughead leaning against it.
"Hey hot-shot" She rolled her eyes as the two got in.
"Hey yourself" He smiled as they buckled their seat belts and Elodie put the top down.
"First of all, is my sister actually okay?" Elodie asked as she pulled out of the parking lot.
"Yes" Jughead chuckled.
"Good. Secondly, where to?"
"Wherever they hold Grizzly Scout training" Jughead replied vaguely.
"You're lucky River did Grizzly Scouts last year" Elodie chuckled as they sped off to their destination.
When they arrived and questioned Dilton Doily, they didn't get the response they wanted, but they both noticed one of the scouts glance at Jughead funny. So after the training, they followed him to Pops. Once he was seated, drinking his milkshake, the two sprung on him. Jughead slid into the booth opposite the boy, and Elodie jumped the seat and landed next to the scout. The boy's eyes were wide with fear.
"I saw the way you looked at me" Jughead said
"We have a few questions" Elodie smirked
{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}
The two detective teenagers sat up on a ledge above the mayor's 'Taste of Riverdale' Event.
"Why are we here again?" Jughead grumbled
"I like music. And Josie's good. Plus, Dilton's downstairs" Elodie replied.
"Then why aren't we down there actually enjoying the music and talking to Dilton?" Jughead questioned.
"Do you want to be forced to socially interact with our peers and their parents? Didn't think so" Elodie sassed.
"We have to go talk to Dilton" Jughead said accusingly. Elodie sighed in defeat.
"Fine" She grumbled.
They both climbed down and made their way to Dilton, Elodie hanging back a little, to seem less suspicious.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed her and pulled her behind a pillar.
"Elle? What are you doing here?" Archie whispered
"Why did you just pull me behind a pillar?" Elodie countered defensively.
"Fair. I'm grounded. And my dad's here" Archie mumbled quietly
"I'm with Jughead. Interrogating Dilton Doily" Elodie mumbled back "Why are you here if you're grounded?"
"I helped write that song. Had to see it" Archie smiled as he nodded to Josie. The smile he had on told Elodie he was proud, and probably the happiest he had been in awhile.
"It's great Arch. It's really good" She smiled at the boy before joining Jughead.
"Meet me. Tomorrow morning. Blue and gold press room" Jughead told the scout leader before marching off. Elodie frowned and followed him.
"The blue and gold?" She questioned as they walked outside.
"Betty asked me to write about Jason for the school paper" He replied
"What?" Elodie frowned.
"I said, Betty-"
"I know what you said. Is that why you brought me along? To help you with Betty's article?" Elodie stopped walking and crossed her arms over her chest, "Did you think working together was going to get you some kind of passage with me? For your novel or Betty's article?"
"I need to know what happened that day Elodie! You of all people should understand that!" Jughead defended himself.
"God. I was stupid to come. To think you actually cared about Jason and what happened to him, instead of using this as some sort of jumpstart to your writing career! God I hate everyone in this town!" Elodie yelled.
Silence.
"Whatever. Get in the damn car" She rolled her eyes and they sat down.
"Where do you live?" Elodie grumbled
"Elodie.... I'm sorry" Jughead said softly.
"I don't need your false sincerity" Elodie spat.
"No, really. Jason meant a lot more to you. More than he did to me and Archie and Betty and maybe even Cheryl. If you told me you guys were soulmates, I'd believe it quicker than when Cheryl did" Jughead spoke carefully.
"We were best friends" Elodie's eyes were glazed with what Jughead could only assume were tears.
"And now you don't have him. I'm sorry for not thinking about you Elle. You've had to be strong for everyone. For Cheryl and Archie and your family and everyone else, I guess it didn't occur to me the toll this whole thing is taking on you" Jughead's focus never left the blonde to his left, trying to calm her down.
"Where am I bringing you?" She sighed, her voice was slightly calmer.
"Archie's" Jughead replied softly.
Once they arrived, Jughead got out and shut the door. As he was about to leave, he turned back to the girl.
"Some mystery buyer is buying out the land that the drive-in is on. They're gonna tear it down. Would you be interested in seeing the last movie with me?" He asked timidly.
"I'll think about it Jug. Until then, get some sleep" She said before starting the car again.
"You too" He mumbled as she drove away.
"Take care of yourself Elodie"