{UNFINISHED}We Won't Give Up//J.J.||Riverdale[sequel to The Diner]

Chapter 15

*Your POV*
The next day, Betty and I are sitting in the Blue and Gold office, before first period.

"Wait, you did what?" I ask.

She sighs, "Yeah. My parents are pretty upset. Especially my mom."

"I mean, I would be too if I were a mom. Was this your idea or hers?

"Mostly hers, but I support it too."

"Yeah, I guess."

She stands up and goes through the mail. The rustling of papers stops, and I look up. "Everything okay?" I ask. She doesn't respond, but turns around and sits down. There's an envelope that says, "BETTY" on it. "What is that?"

"I...I don't know," she opens it and starts reading. After a little bit, her eyes start to water. She finishes and puts it down. She slowly pushes it towards me, and I look at her questioningly. I don't say anything, but take the piece of paper. I start reading.

"Betty, your words at the Jubilee inspired me. The town's sinners must show their contrition. If not, there will be more suffering and bloodshed. Enclosed is a cipher. It details where I will punish the next sinner. It is a test, only you may solve it, Betty." I read the letter quietly to myself.

"Betty, okay." I hear someone say. By his voice, I know that it's Kevin. "So, telling my dad about me cruising in the woods? Not cool. He even told my mom about it." He sits down, "Also, I've re-upped my online membership to redstatemeat.com," he puts his bag down, "so there'll be no cruising for the foreseeable." Betty doesn't say anything but keeps her eyes on the table. "Betty, what is it?"

"You..should look at this," I say, and hand him the letter. He looks at both of us, confused, and looks at it. He starts reading it. When he's finished, he looks up at her.

"My speech...inspired him. That stupid speech I wrote." She leans forward.

"So the Black Hood was at the Jubilee," Kevin says.

"The entire town was there," she says.

"We have to give this to my dad."

"The cipher. Yeah sure. But not the letter," she takes it from him, "this, this is just for me, we can't tell anyone about it."

"It's evidence."

"Kevin, if we give this letter to your dad, he will tell my mom, and she will make sure that I'm nowhere near this."

"But maybe that's for the best," I say.

"No, it's is not. It's not for the best. I need to do something about this on my own," she says. "This is for me. It's a test, what if the start of the test is to see what I do with the letter. Do I share it? Am I strong? Or am I weak? Am I worthy?"

He looks back to make sure no one's listening, "He's a psychopath, and you," he points at her, "are in high school, not the FBI."

"Gotta agree with him on that," I say.

"But isn't it better for people to be focusing on the cipher, rather than the letter?"

"How would that even happen?"

She thinks for a minute, and Kevin and I both look at each other.

"Okay so," she starts, getting our attention back, "I would just show my mom the cipher, and she would show it to Keller. Er, your dad." she points at him.

"Okay, that might work," Kevin says.

"Archie Andrews to the principle's office." The announcer says over the intercom. We all look at each other confused.

I sigh, "Let's just get to class." I get up and grab my bag. Kevin follows me out of the room and we walk to History.

~

Betty and I mett up again in the student lounge during our free period. I'm reading through the newspaper, while Betty's doing homework. "Question," I start.

"Yeah?" Betty asks.

"Yesterday, when I was talking with Archie at my locker, I saw you like," I can see her eyes slightly widen, "looking at us or something, and then when I waved at you, you turned away."

"Oh, right. Yeah, I was going to go over to you but then I remembered that I had something to do."

I'm not buying it. "Hm. Okay." I tilt my head. I skim through the newspaper to see if there's anything interesting. I flip to a page, and notice an article by Alice titled, "Daughter Receiving Cipher from the 'Black Hood.'" I didn't think that she would actually post it. "Your mom actually wrote about it?" I ask her, my eyes still on the paper.

"Yeah. I told her yesterday and, I guess she just wanted to do it," she shrugs.

I nod. I should tell Jug about this. I pull out my phone, and call him. It rings a couple of times, but then stops and goes to voicemail. "This is Jughead. Sorry I'm not here. Leave me a mes-" I sigh, and hang up. He's probably just busy.

"He didn't answer?" Betty asks, making me look up.

"Huh?"

"Jughead."

"How did you know that I was calling him?" I chuckle.

She shrugs, "I guess that's just what I assumed." she chuckles. She stands up and gathers her things. "I should go. Gotta do something. I'll see you later." she walks out.

"See you," I say. I start reading the article. After a couple minutes, my phone dings.

Jughead👑💖:
Sorry for the phone tag. Talk tomorrow?

I turn my phone over and keep reading the article. I finish it, and someone comes in.

"Hey," Archie says.

"Hey," I look up. He sits down on a couch across from me. "So, what'd Weatherbee want with you this morning?" I fold the corner of the page that I'm on and close the newspaper, giving my attention to him.

"He was mad about the video," he looks down.

"Yeah.."

"He said that there's no football team until I write a sorry letter to all of Riverdale, which I'm not going to do."

"What? Why? Football, other than music," I tilt my head, "is your thing. You can't give that up."

"But I can't show the Black Hood that I'm weak, either."

I sigh, "I guess you have a point."

"I don't know what to do, honestly."

"How'd the team react to this?"

"Bad. They all gave up on me."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine I guess. But I'm going to the Southside tomorrow night."

"Still?"

"Yeah. I have to. I have to show him that I'm not weak."

I sigh, "Archie, I know that you're mad about this whole thing, but do you really want to do that?"

"Yes, I do. I thought you were supporting me on this."

"I am, I am. But, I just really don't want you to get hurt." He scoffs a little, "I mean, the Southside is a dangerous place."

He doesn't say anything for a couple seconds. "That's what everyone says. That they don't want me to get hurt. But the thing is, the people that I love have already gotten hurt." He raises his voice just a little.

"Okay, calm down," I say quietly, looking around. Only a couple people noticed.

"I'm sorry but I can't." He stands up. "I'm going there," I stand up to be level with him, "whether you like it or not." We both just stare at each other, and I'm shocked. Breaking the tension, he grabs his bag, and walks out. I sigh, and sit back down. I notice that more people saw what just happened.

"Scene's over." I say, rather aggressively. I sigh, lean on my knees, and put my face in my hands.