Lost in the Whirlwind

Chapter 1: A New Beginning... sort of

Author's Note: Hi! So, this is the first chapter of a brand new fan fiction about Riverdale's newest couple: Jughead and Tabitha, on their adventures back to Riverdale, to solve a mystery with elements of supernatural, as well as time travel too. This chapter is nearly 3k words, at 2977, and that's pretty much it. Enjoy!

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What happens after leaving a town you grew up in for ten years? What happens when you go off the grid with your girlfriend to get away from the mystery and murder of a small town? A lot of things can happen. And that is where our story starts. Our story is about two lovers who are brought back to the town they so desperately wanted to get away from and what mysteries lurk beneath the surface of an already-twisted place. We'll begin with where I am. Currently, I live in New York City in a small apartment outside of Manhattan with my long-term girlfriend, Tabitha Tate. Our apartment is close to a subway station, and we can see Ellis Island from the view from our window. I was a New York Times best-selling author, and everything felt perfect. Like the stars had aligned after being misshapen and misconstrued for so long. 

Everything felt right.

The sights of New York City were beautiful. The vibrant neon yellow of the hundreds of cabs careening down the streets, city-goers smoking cigarettes as they passed by others who were wearing business attire or plain jeans and a T-shirt. Parents rushed down the busy sidewalks with strollers carrying infants and toddlers. The way the sun shimmered against the buildings' glass and added a layer of gold to the bricks and stone was mesmerizing, magical even. I had just woken up, working on the third installment of my young adult book series: The Paths that Lead to Murder. The series was inspired by my experience as a young teenager in Riverdale, solving mysteries, crimes, confronting murderers in a far-from-normal high school experience. There was romance, betrayal, scandals, murder and everything in between for the wicked little town that was and is Riverdale.

"What are you working on, Jones?" Tabitha asked as she walked over, leaning against my shoulder.

"The third installment of my young adult book series about my time in Riverdale as a teenager. Would you like to read some of it to catch any mistakes or plot holes?"

"Sounds lovely, babe," she responded as she pulled up a chair from our small dining room and looked over at my computer. She scanned every word, every sentence, every piece of dialogue. She took time to edit the chapters I had so far and offered me advice for the flow of the novel. I felt so grateful to have someone supportive in my works and the continuation of my lifelong dream: to be a New York Times Bestselling Author. It was a journey to get to where we both are right now, and I couldn't be happier with the progress that we both made. 

The last time Tabitha and I were ever in Riverdale was about five years ago when we repaired Pop's after Hiram Lodge had sent a Ghoulie in to burn the place down. Everyone pitched in, and we managed to get the funds to rebuild the charred portion of the restaurant. We even renovated the space a little bit and added more seating for people to sit in. Once Hiram was exiled, everything appeared to be as expected. Normal. Relieving.

Until a bomb beneath Archie's bed was detonated, which left him and Betty in a lengthy coma. During that time, Tabitha and I stayed in her apartment until they woke up since we didn't know if they were going to make it or not.  Her apartment was decorated in a lovely manner. The walls were a cerulean blue with hints of gold accents in the decor. The apartment itself was only a five-minute walk from where Pop's was located, which was perfect for Tabitha and me when she ran the business, and I bussed tables. Shortly after Betty and Archie awoke from their comas and began their recovery, we helped restore Archie's home, before returning to the Big Apple.