Darkest Minds || Archie Andrews & Jughead Jones [3]

Sick

SICK

"I promise you, Archie."

He's looking at Ellie, and he believes her. He always does. Hiram Lodge hurt a lot of people, and the truth is he let him. He let him hurt her too. So maybe this trial is karma setting things straight, making him pay for choosing the wrong side of the war.

"Guys, there you are." Veronica's voice calls their attention, and they look away from each other to see their friends climbing up the stairs.

"How you holding up?" Jughead questions him.

"Yeah, good, Jug." Archie tells him, and confesses part of his conversation with Ellie. "We were talking about this place." He glances over to the dark-haired girl, before looking back at everyone. "You've never been there, but we have. Remember Sweetwater Swimming Hole?"

"We went there every summer." Jughead nods, with a smile.

"What made us stop going?" Betty wonders.

"I'm pretty sure it was because we got traumatized when we got covered in leeches." Ellie jokes, and manages to light up the mood.

Betty frowns. "Was that us or a movie?"

"Definitely us." Archie chuckles.

"I would like to go." Veronica shrugs. She turns to face the red-haired boy and smiles. "Maybe we can all go together."

"Hopefully,"

"Guys." Kevin's voice calls him from the bottom of the stairs. They look towards him, and so he warns them. "It's time. Judge asked us back into the courtroom."

Ellie stands up, and follows her friends back down the stairs. The closer she gets to the courtroom, the louder her heart beats. She's been hopeful all Summer, while helping Mary Andrews, hoping she's strong enough to beat Hiram. But what if she's not?

"The jury is still deliberating." The Judge disclosures, and continues under everyone's confused look. "But I've dismissed them. They're sequestered, and I've instructed them not to read anything about this case, nor to discuss it with anyone. We'll reconvene Tuesday morning, after Labor Day." He takes off his glasses, and looks over to the red-haired boy with a warning. "My advice to you young man is to spend this weekend with your family and your loved ones."

They all take a while to leave the courtroom, but Ellie tries to convince Archie and herself that this is a good thing when they step into the hallway. He smiles at her, but she knows neither is much conviced. Maybe the Judge is right, but they should say goodbye.

"Hey, Archie." Hiram's voice echoes through the hallway, and forces them to turn around. "Have a terrific weekend."

Before anyone can even process his words, Fred Andrews rushes towards them and punches his face. Mary shouts to stop him, but it's Ellie that reaches him first, pulling him back. Archie grabs him from behind right away, and another man is holding Hiram back.

Ellie can't blame Mr. Andrews, hell she wish it had been her punching him. That's probably why she can't turn her back on him, she steps forward instead, and tells him in middle of all the screaming happening in the hallway. "This isn't over. Mark my words, there will nothing left of you once I'm done." And walks away, not getting him a chance to reply.

Hiram always knew Eleanor Cooper is a strong one. He thought that would be good, to have her by his side fighting hard for the things he believes in, the way she fights for the Serpents. But there's one thing that Hiram doesn't know, and that's that Ellie only stops when she wins.