sleuth ≀ jughead jones

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During her off period, Noah walked down to the student lounge. She hadn't accounted on the entire football team being there, and Betty, and Jughead, and Kevin. She stood in the corner, walking past Jughead trying to be smooth. She looked at the library of books there were to read but couldn't help but listen to the loud mouth in the room.

"... Here's another unsolved mystery. What exactly were you and Kevin doing at the river, huh? Or does being with the sheriff's son give you a free pass? Keller?" Reggie was going on about his own Jason theories. If you asked her, thou doth protested too much.

"I mean, let's think about it. If a kid at Riverdale killed Jason, it's not gonna be a jock, right? Now let's be honest. Isn't it always some spooky, scrawny, pathetic Internet troll, too busy writing his manifestos to get laid? Some smug, moody, serial killer fanboy freak, like... Jughead?" Reggie looked over at Jughead, who seemed more amused than anything. Noah looked over at Jughead. Watching his reaction, "What was it like, Suicide Squad? When you shot Jason? You didn't do stuff to the body, did you? Like... After?"

"It's called necrophilia, Reggie." Jughead corrected him, rather than defending himself. Making Reggie look like an idiot, "Can you spell it?"

"Come here, you little-" And Reggie reacted the same way any other football team jerk would. He hopped over the couch to go toss Jughead around.

"Hey shut the hell up, Reggie." Archie stepped in front of Jughead, thank god.

"Boys." Veronica spoke from next to Chuck Clayton, which made Noah want to throw up.

"What do you care, Andrews?" Reggie asked.

"Nothing, just leave him alone." Archie said.

"Holy crap." Reggie leaned back to look at the two of them, "Did you and Donnie Darko kill him together? Was it some sort of pervy, blood brother thing?"

Archie pushed him, just when the tension had reached an all time high. Reggie threw Archie back into the vending machine, shattering the glass and pinning Archie to the ground easily. Punching him in the eye.

Jughead tried to rip Reggie off of him, Moose also tried to step in. Jughead was smacked by Reggie's elbow in the jaw, and Moose threw him back into Noah. She caught him.

"Come on." Noah tried to drag him out before they say anything else.

"No, I can handle it." Jughead tried to stay, "I have to make sure Archie is okay."

"We should go get a teacher, some ice, anything-" Noah begged to get him to leave.

"No." He shrugged her off rather aggressively.

"Jug, they could turn onto you." Noah warned, holding him by the arm.

"So?" Jughead shrugged. Noah understood though. She admired his love for his friend, even though she could tell they weren't on the best terms. But a pit fell in her stomach for his respect for himself. Reggie got up soon after that punch. Everything just went so fast.

"Go help your girlfriend up." Reggie looked at Jughead, as he pushed his hair out of the way of his now sweaty forehead. As a teacher escorted them out, they didn't touch Jughead but they all gave their worst looks to him. As if to give the clear sign to never look at them again as a teacher entered.

Everyone was brought in for questioning about the fight, then Reggie, Archie, and Jughead were sent home that day. Noah wished so badly she had Jughead or even Archie's phone number to ask if they were ok.