LAST SUMMER [ARCHIE ANDREWS] - DISCONTINUED

twelve

"MY MOM and dad don't want to get the police involved," Betty told the group the next morning in the school lounge, "They don't want anyone to know she ran away or her 'shameful condition'." Betty bit her lip and Kara stared at her, concerned. Betty had told her the news about her sister- how her mother had stuffed her into the home and how, of course, she was pregnant with Jason Blossom's child.

"Please," Jughead scoffed, sitting forward on the couch, "What decade is this?"

Betty pursed her lips. "But also, since she knew where Jason's getaway car was, they're afraid that people will think she burned it, and that if she did-"

"She could be the murderer," Jughead said, finishing Betty's sentence. Betty nodded and Jughead reach an arm around her shoulder, touching the hand that was rubbing her shoulder. Kara and Veronica shared a glance. Were they a thing now?

Kara kind of hoped they were, considering it would make it a whole lot easier to tell Betty that she and Archie were... canoodling. She really didn't know the word for what they were. "Who did burn the car then?" Archie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sheriff Keller says it's possible someone was following us," Betty said quietly. Veronica scoffed loudly, waving her coffee cup around. "Oh my God, honestly, we should just move," she said decidedly.

"Guys, what if Polly is really hurt?" Betty said nervously, "What if whoever killed Jason is coming for her next?" Jughead held her tightly and Kara sighed, looking at Archie from where she sat on the arm of his chair.

"Betty, I really think you should go to the police with this," Kara said carefully, placing a hand on Betty's knee comfortingly. Veronica raised her hand. "Second it."

Kevin nodded. "We can go to my dad together and talk to him about being discreet," he offered, but Betty bit her lip still. "No offense, Kev, but your dad answers to a higher authority than God- The Blossoms. They're the first people he would tell," Betty said, "And if there's anyone to keep this a secret from, it's the Blossoms."

Jughead nodded. "They'd twist it around and go after Polly out of spite."

The bell rang and the group gave their last "good lucks" to Betty and they headed to class. Kara and Veronica caught up with Betty, joining on either side of her.

Veronica looked over her shoulder, before she smacked Betty's shoulder. "Did I just notice Riverdale High's very own Holden Caulfield put his arm around you?"

Betty smiled sheepishly, looking at her feet. "Okay, so these past couple days, I haven't been in a great place, emotionally," she admitted, rubbing her arm quietly, "And Jughead was really there for me..."

Veronica squealed. "Oh my God, swoon!" She beamed at the other two girls. "Well, in that case, if he helped my girl navigate some turbulent waters, then Veronica Lodge approves."