The Other Detective - Book 3 (Riverdale Season 3)

Big Fun - Part 3

Sweet Pea and Aminity laid quietly on the stage after rehearsal, both staring up at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry about Archie and Josie," she broke the silence first. "I know you liked her."

"I'll get over it."

"Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt."

"Speaking from experience?"

She was silent for a few moments. "I really liked him," she admitted quietly. "And with everything going on, I felt like he was the only normal thing I had. Now Jughead's pushed me away, things with my mom are weird, my dad's got a new job, and Jug's trying to keep me out of everything including the Serpents and his friends. I thought maybe I could have one thing. One person." She sighed, closing her eyes.

"Hey," he turned to look at her, "you'll always have me. I know I haven't really been around, but I thought that was because you were pushing yourself away from us. I thought you'd finally realized that you didn't want me."

She looked over at him. "Pea, you're my best friend. I wasn't pushing you away." It was silent for a minute and they both looked back at the ceiling. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Reaching out. I've always felt like a burden, especially with all the doctors and hospital bills. I can get into a dark place when I feel like people don't want me around. After a while, I stop pushing to try to be around and I let myself go into that place. I'm not good at getting myself out. Usually it's Jughead, but... Thank you," she looked over to him to find him already looking at her. He just nodded, giving her a small smile, and taking her hand in his, turning to look back at the ceiling. She watched him for a minute before doing the same, both relishing in the quiet with each other, their hands not moving.

***

"Well, finally," Gladys let out as FP walked through the door. "We gotta motor in ten."

"Whoa, what the hell happened?"

"Dad, are you okay?" Aminity asked at the same time as her brother as they saw the blood on FP's shirt and cuts on his face.

"Oh, I'm fine. It's just some scratches. Aminity, would you, uh, run and pick me out a clean shirt please?"

"Yeah, of course," she quickly got off the chair and ran to his bedroom as Betty went to grab a wet cloth from the kitchen.

"Did you piss off a cat in heat?" Gladys asked as she got a closer look as Aminity came back with a shirt and handed it to him.

"Thanks, sweetheart. Some tweaked out Fizzle-head was playing G&G in the middle of the damn road. The candy store is definitely back open, but I am gonna find whoever's cooking that crap."

"Drugs, it's terrible," Gladys let out as she took the cloth from Betty and cleaned off FP's face. "What a nightmare."

"Dad," Jughead spoke up after a moment, "if you're okay, I think Betty and I are going to ride ahead. We'll just meet you at the play."

"Okay."

"Why? What's going on?"'

"Just a quick stop," he told his mother. "Little pre-show tradition."

"Then why aren't you taking your sister?" she looked between her two children.

"'Cause Betty and Jughead offered to pick up drinks. I'm supposed to help set up, so I have to be there earlier than they do." Gladys slowly nodded as Jughead and Aminity's eyes met, but neither said anything.

"You need a ride?" she asked her daughter.

"Uh, no. Sweet Pea's gonna pick me up." They heard a bike pull up outside. "There he is. See you guys at the show," she smiled and kissed her parents on the cheek before waking past them, catching eyes with Jughead again before going outside.