Dark Hearts || Archie Andrews and Jughead Jones [1]

JJ Knew

JJ KNEW

After a sleepless night, Eleanor wakes up only to realize it's Jason's memorial. So she grabs the only dark dress she has in her closet, and it's not because Jason would like to see her in it, in fact he would probably tell her to wear the brightest color she has, but it's about respect for all the ones who are still alive.

Her body still aches with the thought of never seeing Jason again. It wasn't a nice goodbye like the ones that happen in movies and unrealistic books, there wasn't even a goodbye. But still those are the most painful ones as well, because they aren't explained or said. 

Jason is really dead, that's really happening.

"Hey," Ellie stands by her sister's doorframe. "am I interrupting something?"

Jughead clears his throath. "Uh no. I just came to pick you up. You two, I mean."

Betty gestures towards the dark-haired boy. "Isn't he handsome?" 

"Definitely." Ellie smiles, and hurries them. "Now, Iet's go?"

. . .

They make it to the Blossom's mansion together, and they sit by each other's side.

It hasn't start yet when Archie makes his way to Jason's mother and gives her son's jersey. Penelope gets blinded by the boy's resemblance to Jason for a moment, and that's understandable. Both have red hair and both had a soft spot for one of the Cooper's girls, so yes it's hard to miss the similarity.

When Archie comes back to his sit, Ellie leans over and places a hand on his shoulder. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, it... it was weird." 

"It was really sweet what you did." Betty tells him.

"She deserves it more than I do." Archie replies.

"Ah, how did it go?" Ellie remembers now. "The meeting with the guy about your music?" 

Archie looks down at his hands. "Ah, not very good." 

"Arch, I'm –."

"He'll shine in some other way." Valerie intervenes, and no one had even noticed before this.

Eleanor looks at her. "I'm sure he will. He always does." Without another word, Ellie moves back and leans back into her chair. She feels a knot on her throat, the jealously is tormenting her. Jughead notices, and looks over to her, but she shakes her head. "Stop,"

"I didn't say anything." Jughead shrugs. 

She doesn't look at him, but still replies. "You didn't have to." 

Veronica approaches the group. "Days like today really put things in perspective, huh?" She sits down, and continues. "I mean, at least we are here. Alive."

It's hard to not be loved back? Sure. It hurts to have your family broken? Definitely. But shouldn't we be thankful for what we do have? For even having a family. For the friends that sit by our side during dark times, for summers that help you get through hell.

Cheryl has it worst.

It isn't until Jason's twin breaks through the room with a long white dress that everyone stops talking. No one is more shocked than her parents, that's for sure. A smile find its way to Ellie's face, because Cheryl is going to do her speech, and it's the bravest thing she has seen in her life.

"Welcome to Thornhill. Thank you all for coming. I'd like to start the memorial with a few words about Jason." Cheryl starts. "The last time I saw Jason, I was wearing this dress. I know it's impossible. But I swear, when I put it on, it... feels like he's in the room with me. Even though we were twins, I used to demand I have my own birthday party. Until one year, out of the blue, Jason convinced me we had to combine them into one. It wasn't until years later, I found out why. It was because no one wanted to come to mine. And Jason didn't want me to know. He protected me. Every single day. I wish that day at the river, I had protected him."