Athena and Jughead sat on the steps of the Andrews home. They had both decided that confronting Archie was the best way to go about the Grundy situation. Archie walked up to the house, surprised to see his two best friends with one being former. "Jug? Athena? What's up?" Athena glanced at Jughead before they both stood up, walking towards the boy. "Archie, we saw you. In the music room. With Ms. Grundy." Jughead started the intervention causing Archie's eyes to go wide and for him to surge forward. "Keep your voice down. My dad's inside."
"We're just trying to help, Archie" His features soften as he looks at the redheaded girl but hardens once he looks back at Jughead."I'm trying to be your friend here, even though we're not anymore. How long? You and Grundy?" The thought of Archie being in an illegal relationship sent shivers up Athena's spine. He'd rather be with a teacher than Betty. "Since the summer. I like her" Archie defended. "So, I'm guessing she's the reason you've been acting weird since summer?" Athena asked with an incredulous tone. "One of them."
"One of them?" Athena scoffed as Jughead shook his head. "God Archie, what else?" Archie stepped forward before lowering his voice. "We were at Sweetwater river on July 4th. We heard a gunshot. The gunshot." As he said that, Athena's hands began to shake as she stumbled back and collapsed on the stairs behind her, the boys not paying much attention. "Dude, you have to tell somebody--" Jughead started before being interrupted by Archie. "I can't. Neither can you. If People find out about Grundy--"
"A kid is dead, Archie. Athena's brother is dead and you're worried about some- some cougar." Jughead was almost shouting at this point as he looked at Athena whose eyes were glossy. "Don't call her that, okay? She's not like that. She cares about me." Athena felt tears fall on her cheeks. Her own best friend wouldn't help with a murder investigation of her brother to save his illegal girlfriend. "Stab in the dark. I'm guessing she cares more about herself. She's the one telling you not to say anything, right? Look, Athena and I saw you guys. She's messing with you, man. And she's messing with your mind."
"What the hell do you know about it, Jughead? Or about me, even?"Jughead shook his head. "Nothing. But I used to know this guy once, Archie Andrews. He wasn't perfect but he always tried to do the right thing, at least." Jughead walked over to Athena, lifting her up and holding onto her arm as they walked away. "Jug. If you tell anyone about this." Athena had been quiet, too shocked to even express herself but this sent her over. "Archie, you have vital information regarding my brother's murder. So, I want to know what are you going to do, huh?" Fred Andrews opens the front door as Athena and Jug were walking away.
"Hey Athena, hey Jug. You coming in? We got takeout from Pop's." Fred smiled at his son's friends, completely unaware of what just happened. "Mr. Andrews, as much as I would love that, I better be getting home." Jughead and Athena walk away from the Andrews house. Athena begins to sob once again as Jughead guides her to the twilight drive-in where he resided and the only place that Athena felt safe at all. "Athena, he just isn't thinking straight. His hormones are going straight to his head." Athena chuckled as Jughead comforted her after she had cried on his shoulder for the past hour.
+ + +
"If Sheriff Keller is grilling me. Mantle the magnificent because I wanted Blossom dead. When he was like the only good quarterback we had." Athena stood with Jughead next to the vending machines as they shared a small bag of chips. Reggie was explaining to the entire room his conspiracy theories about who killed Jason. "Isn't it always some spooky, scrawny, pathetic internet troll too busy writing manifestos to get laid? Some smug, moody, serial killer fanboy freak. Like Jughead." Athena stands up and walks towards the cocky jock, crouching right next to his ear.
"Sweetheart, you better not be suggesting what I think you're suggesting or I will kick you so hard, you'll have to get surgery." Athena strutted back to her friend as he smiled at her. "No offense, baby girl but I want to know what it was like. When you shot Jason? You didn't do stuff to the body, did you? Like after?" Jughead smugly straightened up his posture before firing back.
"It's called necrophilia, Reggie. Can you spell it?" Just as Reggie rushed toward the pair, Archie jumped in the middle, shoving him back. "Hey, shut the hell up, Reggie." Athena and Jughead looked at Archie in shock as he defended them. "What do you care, Andrews?" Reggie asked as his eyes glanced between the three. "Nothing, just leave them alone." It appeared that Archie was finally being a good friend and sticking up for them.
"Holy crap. Did you, Kathryn Merteuil and Donnie Darko kill him together? Was it some sort of blood threesome?" Archie shoves Reggie before Athena could which led to a fist fight beginning between the two, one which Archie lost as Reggie knocked him out cold. Athena and Jughead watched in shock as a teacher came and separated the two of them, getting another teacher to help get Archie up. The two friends were sent out of the room before they could thank Archie, both a bit confused about the scene.
+ + +
Watching the Friday pep rally was not as fun as Athena thought it would be. Rain poured down onto Jughead and Athena as they watched the beginning of the pep rally. Athena's eyebrows raised as Archie glanced at the pair while talking to Grundy, soon jogging over to them. "Girl trouble? You?" Jughead scoffed with a huge smile on his face. "Grundy and Me. We're telling Weatherbee. Or, at least I am. And, I didn't mean all that crap I said to you two. Especially you, Athena. I'm sorry."
"It's cool." They turned to Athena and she just smiled and nodded in response. "We're not going to hug in front of this whole town." Jughead chuckled along with Archie causing Athena to scoff and shake her head. "You might not but I'm definitely going to." Athena launched herself into Archie's arms and they encircled themselves around her waist, holding onto her tight as if he was scared he'd lose her again. She moved back and kissed him on the cheek before backing next to Jughead. "How about we just do that bro thing where we nod like douches and mutually suppress our emotions?"
"Yeah. But as friends, right?" Jughead turned to Athena before answering. "To be discussed... Over many burgers and many days." Archie turned and ran towards the field as the pair stood there laughing under an umbrella. "So, are you ever going to tell him about how you truly feel?" Athena just smiled and shrugged before turning to the rally.
After the game, Jughead and Archie accompanied Athena to Pop's. They laughed in what felt like forever before spotting Betty and Veronica in some booth drinking milkshakes. "Do you guys want to join us?" Betty asked causing Archie and Athena to freeze and Jughead to nod "Yes, but only if you're treating." Jughead answered strolling towards the booth. "I second that." The three slipped into the booth with Athena being next to Veronica.
Sitting at that booth, it would've looked like 5 people were there but to Jughead, there were only four. A blond girl, a raven-haired girl, a redheaded girl and the luckiest redheaded boy in the universe. In that booth, they were the children of the night.
+ + +
Sitting next to Jug in Biology, the pair laughed at trivial things as Sheriff Keller and Principal Weatherbee entered the classroom. Cheryl stood up from her seat as all eyes went to her. "You're here for me, aren't you? Because of the autopsy?" Athena had no idea what was happening. "We don't need to do this in front of your classmates. Can you and your sister come with us?" Athena's eyes widened to the size of saucers. What had her sister dragged her into? "It's all right, Principal Weatherbee. They'll find out soon enough." Cheryl held her wrists out to be cuffed but the Sheriff shook his head. "Now, that won't be necessary."
"Wait, Cheryl. Find out what?" Veronica asked, "That I'm guilty." Athena and Cheryl were taken away and as they were escorted to an office, Athena made eye contact with her crush. "Wait, Athena." She just shook her head, sorrowfully at him. She looked at Cheryl in front of her as they were escorted and she couldn't help but think about the fact that there was a strong possibility that her very own sister had killed their brother?
(Edited)