Misfits (Jughead Jones)

Chapter 13

"Guilt, innocence. Good, evil. Life, death. As the shadows around Riverdale deepened, the lines that separated these polar opposites blurred and distorted. "I'm guilty," Cheryl said in Biology class. But of what?"

Jughead noticed a change in Blake's demeaner as soon as Cheryl was escorted out of the classroom. Her breathing had quickened and she was gripping his hand with an iron grasp. He wanted to ask but knew the time for questioned was not yet upon them. Whatever secret she was harbouring would soon go up in flames and he would be there for her as it did.

It wasn't long after that Weatherbee and Keller came back into the room. Jughead glanced at Blake with worry as she rose. "You're here for me now aren't you." Blake tried to keep her voice level. Betty and Veronica looked at her with confusion.

"Yes, Miss Andrews. We'd like you to come with us please." Keller said.

Blake nodded and started to walk towards them but Jughead caught her arm. "Blake?"

"It's fine, Jug." She assured him as she left the same way Cheryl had. They passed Archie in the hall who just stared at her with shock. She offered him a small smile to let him know that she was alright. They went into Weatherbee's office and Blake took a chair in front of his desk, Keller perched on the edge of the desk and Weatherbee stood off to one side.

"Cheryl just told us that you, her and Jason all planned to help Jason disappear. But, Miss Andrews we would also like to know the reason behind your argument with Jason Blossom on the last day of school before the summer." Keller clarified.

Blake took a deep breath and released all the secrets she had been coveting all summer.

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Blake walked out of Weatherbee's office to see Archie and Jughead stood against the wall across and her dad walking into school. She guessed Archie had called him. Jughead spotted her and walked straight over and pulled her into a hug.

"What the hell was that about?" Fred asked. "Archie called me and told me Keller took you in for questioning.

"I'll tell you when we're home." She muttered over Jughead's shoulder.

Jughead pulled back and studied her features. "You okay?"

She nodded as the three teenagers followed Fred to his truck and climbed in. The drive home was silent. Fred kept glancing at Blake and Jughead in the back through his rear-view mirror. Archie was looking out of the window and Jughead's eyes had not left her face as she grasped his hand. They pulled up onto the drive and walked inside. The three males took seats on the sofas in the living room as Blake paced back and forth.

"Jason died on July eleventh." She eventually whispered.

"What?" The two boys exclaimed as Fred stayed quiet.

"What did Keller want to know?" Jughead asked.

"About mine and Jason's argument on the last day of school." She said.

The last day of the last school year hadn't been that eventful until it was nearly over. What had started as a normal conversation between Blake and Jason had quickly turned into a screaming match in front of the whole school. Everyone was there to witness it but no one knew what they had been arguing about. Over the summer many rumours had circulated but none of them had been true. Blake hadn't told anyone the topic of the argument and so the boys listened eagerly.

"It was a stupid argument." Blake started as Jughead gave her and encouraging smile. "He wanted to run away. He wanted to leave and n-never come back. He asked me to help him face his own death so his parents wouldn't find him. I called him an idiot and said there had to be another way but he was adamant that it was the only one." Blake was shaking as she continued to pace as all the other people in the room gaped at her.

"We made up that night. And I said I'd help in whatever way I could. I was also at Sweetwater river on the fourth of July." Blake looked at Archie. "I said goodbye to Jason on the river bank and watched as he and Cheryl made it to the other side. Then I left. It's all my fault." Blake sobbed as she covered her face in her hands. Jughead shot up and enveloped her in his arms. "I should have stopped him."

"It's not your fault." Jughead whispered.

"He's right it's not." Fred sighed. "But you should have told someone."

"He was supposed to call when he was safe but he never did." Blake said into Jughead's chest.

"I have to get back to work but I'm guessing none of you are going back to school." Blake shook her head. "If you need anything, call." Fred told them before walking out.

"I think we need a movie marathon." Jughead announced.

"That sounds like a good idea." Archie said as he ran to get their DVD collection.

Jughead turned back to the brunette in his arms. "Everything is going to be fine." He told her. She looked up at him and he leaned down and connected their lips.