march 2011
fourteen years old
After what happened at Sweetwater river it was hard for Archie to get back into the swing of things. He continued going to school and things started to calm down about the video. It was the first week of March so it was bound to calm down by now to his relief. He felt like maybe this could be his second chance at being himself again.
But there was still one thing he couldn't figure out. Did he hate Jughead or was he just relieved that he just so happened to follow him to Sweetwater river that day. It felt nice to have that small moment with him. But no matter what he still can't look at Jughead the same. Maybe it was possible for him to forgive his old friend especially after he just saved his life. But maybe Jughead was a different person when he wasn't with his new friends.
Although despite recent events, he was looking forward to seeing Jughead today in hopes to reconcile their friendship. Archie walked through the parking lot of the school towards the doors thinking to himself things that he could say to Jughead.
"Hey thought you should know I miss you..."
"Yooo remember when we were inseparable?"
"I still got an ice cream carton saved for you in the fridge just in case you need it if cassia dumps you..."
"Hey remember when we used to go down to the lake every Fourth of July sometimes with betty and reggie sometimes us two? Wanna repeat history with me this Fourth of July?"
None of it felt like it would work.
Archie walked through the hall trying not to be seen. Although it was kind of impossible with that fiery red hair and the reputation of "hey I let myself get beat up by two reject serpents and then tried to kill myself because I'm a weak ass pussy 😙✌🏻" hanging over his head. Archie told betty he was a weak ass pussy and she almost slapped him.
Archie wasn't sure what to do about Jaycee. He liked her but he felt like he wasn't putting in any effort. They had only been dating for about 2 weeks but he could already tell she really liked him. So last night he went to her house gave her roses and told her he was breaking up with her. It was stupid. But the roses were more of a "I'm sorry for what's about to happen" gift. It was hard for Archie to really love anyone except Jughead. Even though at this point he couldn't place his feelings for Jughead. He can tell Jughead is still trying to hold onto that piece of him from what he once was but if he continues to hang out with the reject serpents it's not going to happen.
Speaking of the reject serpents he walked past them and was shocked to not see Jughead.
He kept walking though and found his way to his classroom. He spotted a very computer focused Betty and sat next to her.
"Which cold case are you writing a report on now Bets?" Archie asked.
"You and Jugheads love life." Betty said without taking her eyes off the computer.
"Can't be too long then considering it never existed in the first place..actually speaking of love life do you know if he's still dating Cassia?"
Betty looked at Archie frowning. "Seriously? You break up with Jaycee and are already trying to get Jughead back?"
"What? No! I didn't break up with Jaycee because of Jughead. I broke up with her because I feel like I'm not in the right spot to date someone right now." Archie shrugged.
"But Jughead did have something to do with it don't tell me I'm wrong because I know I'm right about these things." Betty said raising a eyebrow.
"Yah but only like 2 percent."
"There it is."
"Whatever..but seriously though..."
Betty huffed. "I don't know if they're still dating Archie. I saw her walking alone today which is weird because he usually walks with her so I don't know."
"Actually I don't think he's here today." Archie said. It's very weird for Jughead to miss a day of school so Archie doubted it.
"I know you want to see him Arch. That day at the river was..abrupt. I know you didn't expect that to happen and honestly when you told me I didn't believe it. "
"I just don't get how he could be a bystander and then suddenly save my life." Archie said picking at a string on his sleeve.
Betty slapped his hand away from the string and grabbed a scissor and cut it for him. "No Arch he just had a change of heart. He acts a certain way around his serpent friends to impress them but he will always have a soft side for you." She said smiling sweetly at him.
"I hate that I'm saying this but I'll always have a soft side for him too..." Archie said.
Betty clapped her hands together smiling happily at him. "Now this is the content I've been waiting for."
"Don't get too excited Betts."
Archie was then silent for the rest of class. He hated that he was actually worrying about where Jughead was. It's like the soft side that he kept Jughead in was coming out and telling him that he needed to worry.
Fear struck Archie when he realized that what if Jughead was transferred to south side high and the reason why he didn't tell Archie was because they aren't that close anymore.
Archie continued to have this sick feeling in his stomach as he continued to pack his things for his next class which honestly he probably wouldn't even be going to.
He hated to say it but he really wanted to find one of the reject serpents and ask him about where Jughead was.
Damn you are DESPERATE Archie thought as he walked briskly out of the classroom completely forgetting about Betty.
He walked down the halls searching for Jughead or even a reject serpent. He found one of them angrily slamming his stuff into a locker. He recognized him as Clint, the one who beat Archie up then held him down. Jughead better be kissing my ass right about now I'm basically walking into a death trap. Archie thought to himself as he approached him.
"Hey" Archie said. Social skills at its finest. How am I supposed to know what to say anyways? This guy gives me the skeevies and I'm not good at starting conversations with creeps anyways.
Clint slammed his locker and looked at Archie confused. "What the hell do you want Andrews?"
"I wanted to ask if you knew where Jughead was. I need to talk to him." Technically Archie didn't need to talk to him it was more so he wanted to talk to him.
"Psh how the hell should I know." Clint said walking away.
Archie followed. "I can tell you know where he is. Just tell me. Don't you think I deserve it after what you and your friend did to me?"
"You know Jughead was a part of that mess too right?"
"Of course I do! He was my best friend and he watched me get beat up by two "gang" members." Archie added in the air quotes for the effect.
Clint huffed not really wanting to deal with this right now. "Jughead won't be coming back to riverdale high."
Archie's eyes widened realizing his prediction was right. "His dad transferred him to south side high didn't he? That means he's a full on serpent now?"
"...not exactly but sorta" Clint said.
"Okay I'm not a mind reader you gotta elaborate" Archie said anxiously.
Clint sighed, clearly not wanting to deal with the red head this early in the morning, but spoke reluctantly. "FP lost his job here and couldn't find anything here. His alcohol problem has got worse which is why Jugheads been acting sorta *does the cuckoo sign* so in response to this and everything that's been happening lately, FP took Jughead abruptly, left JB with her mother, and took off to the next town over. I think it's called Rosewood or something like that."
Archie wasn't sure what to say. "Wait....Rosewood? That's like 3-almost 4-hours away!"
Clint shrugged carelessly.
"I mean d-don't you care too? Jughead was your friend at one point as well!" Archie felt hurt. He didn't even know Jughead left and so quickly and abruptly too. Then again he couldn't blame him, knowing FP it was probably a last minute resort.
"He was always your Jughead never ours."
"Well obviou-wait what do you mean?" Archie said suddenly interested while trying to swallow the fact that Jugheads gone.
"He was never really a part of us. We could see that a big piece of him was still left with you and your group. He never really belonged with us in my opinion. He was just doing it to impress his dad. He actually told me once that he had always dreamed of being a serpent but seeing the way his dad acts and seeing the consequences that follow of being a serpent that now he doesn't want to be one.
He actually thought that telling his dad this was a good idea. His dad so badly wanted him to join the serpents so if the serpents here weren't working they went across to Rosewood where some of his other serpent buddies are located. He thought maybe a different and "positive environment" would convince Jughead more." Clint shrugged carelessly once again.
Archie was taken back by all of what Clint said. Jughead only stayed with Clint and Ridge because he thought it would make his dad proud. Jughead abandoned his own true friends because he thought it would make his dad proud. And now Jughead went with his dad to Rosewood to pursue himself as a serpent because he thought it would make his dad proud.
Jughead actually wanted to join the serpents at one point in hopes it would boost his character. Now he's being forced into it in a unhealthy way by his own dad.
Archie didn't even realize he started walking away from Clint until he ran into Reggie.
"Woah hey dude what's with your face? I mean it usually looks annoyed but like now it's all twisty and depressing looking...I'm not making this any better just tell me what's going on."
Archie looked around then met Reggie's eyes. "Reg...I'm about to cause myself to be in deep shit but I need to know the fastest way to get to Rosewood."
•••
lmao hi
I'm so sorry I haven't updated guyyysss. I don't even like riverdale anymore not even gonna lie I'm just writing this because I do actually like where this story is gonna go and I'm sorry if it seems kinda b l a n d right now but I promise soon it's gonna become
✨j u i c y✨
I kinda wanna do a double update but that's too shocking even for me.
Okay maybe I'm lying idk🤔
Also this is really random but I've been having a Harry Potter marathon and I wanna know what your hogwarts houses are! I'm a hufflepuff☀️💛