Sweet Tooth (Sweet Pea)

Chapter 1

"Archie!" I screamed through the hospital halls trying to find my brother as tears ran down my face. I saw Alice Cooper better known as Mama Cooper and ran over to her. "Where is he?" I asked her sobbing. She quickly wrapped her arms around me pulling me into a hug.

"Archibald's in the waiting room down there." She pointed down the hall once we pulled away from each other. I nodded my head and ran down the hallway to see my brother with his bloody up jacket standing with our friends.

"Archibald!" Archie wrapped his arms around me leaning his head ontop of mine holding me tight. "Wha-what happened?" I cried out. "Archie, what happened to our father?" I felt other pairs of arms around me and I knew it was our friends. We pulled away and I sat down in a chair and Archie sat next to me holding my hand. While B and V sat across from us and Jug sat next to me.

"Where were you? Where have you been?"  I fidgeted.

"I was- I was... busy, and my phone was on silent." After a moment of silence Jug spoke up.

"So what happened Archie?"

"I came out of the bathroom and there was this man, a thief... wearing this hood, with a gun on Pop Tate. And then he pointed it at my dad and he fired."

"Oh my God, Archie." V said quietly.

"And then he..." Archie looked around and looked down at me.

"And then he what Arch?" I asked.

"And then he bolted. And I was holding our dad. Pop Tate called an ambulance,  and it didn't come so I drove here- and I dont know maybe I should've waited. I made it worse." Jug leant over and put his hand on Archie's arm.

"No, dude. Are you kidding me? You saved yours and Freyas dads life. First Cheryl, and now your dad. If you keep this up, you'll need a superhero name. Pureheart the Powerful." Jug joked and leant back to his seat while I smiled slightly and Arch chuckled.

"There isn't any new information. Your dad's in surgery. He'll be there for a while." Mama Cooper told us. Hermine bent down to Archie.

"Archie, Freya, have you spoken to your mother about any of this yet?" I shook my head.

"I rushed here." I told her.

"No. No, I haven't called her. I'll be right back." Archie said and walked off as I sat still trying to keep calm. Mrs Cooper sighed and gave Jug side eye.

"What?"

"Mum, do not start this."

"Start what?"

"Of course, I can't help but wonder if your Southside associates had anything to do with what happened to Fred."

"Alice, do not do this." Mr Cooper said.

"Unbelievable." "Are you serious?" Jughead and I said at the same time.

"At least you can't accuse my father of being the shooter. Considering he's in jail."

"You know what?" I asked them standing up. "I am sick of this. Alice Cooper grow up, I'm over this Northside, Southside feud." She looked at me shocked and I back up, I turned to face Jughead. "And you, shut up. Dont make things worse. Now I am going to go for a walk cause I am sick of being here."

"Oh, my God. I can't handle this." I heard V say while I walked away towards the hospital entrance. I saw Archie sitting in a chair crying as he put down his phone. I ran over to him and stood in front of him, he looked up with tears in his eyes and he stood up holding me tightly to him as he cried on my shoulder as I breathed quietly knowing that I have to be strong for the 3 of us. It's his turn to cry.

$$$$

I'm sitting next to Betty and leaned over to her. "I'm sorry about snapping at your mum." B looked at me surprised.

"Frey, theres no reason to apologize." She pulled me into a side hug and I smiled. We pulled away and I saw Keller.

"Sheriff Keller." I greeted as he walked towards us and the 5 of us stood up as did the parents who were here.

"Hows your dad doing?" He asked Arch and I.

"He's still in surgery." Betty answered for us.

"Archie, I know this is a hell of a time for you. Perhaps we could go somewhere and talk about what happened?"

"Is it cool if I tag along?" Jug asked.

"Me too."

"Actually if you dont mind-"

"That would be great." Archie told us cutting of Keller.

$$$$$

Juggy was getting him and I snacks as I sat next to Archie while he answered Kellers questions on the cafeteria. "He was maybe 5'10, 160 pounds or so."

"And he was wearing dark pants and a dark jacket?" Jug sat across from me and slid over my Reeces. "Anything on that Jacket? Symbol or Insignia?"

"You mean like a snake?" Juggy accused.

"It was just a jacket. No snake." Archie assured Jug.

"And this ski mask he had on-"

"No, it's not a ski mask! It's a hood. A black hood. Homemade, like he'd cut the eyes out himself. And the guys eyes were green." I put my arm around Archie's shoulder leaning my head on him, trying to get him to calm down.

"Now, Pop Tate had a fairly good idea of what happened up until when your father was shot. And then, well, there are some gaps. And I need you to help me fill those. So, what did he do? Our masked man?"

"After he shot my dad? He-" he starred out for about them looked to Juggy and I then to the table. "Nothing. He shot my dad and ran out of the diner." He was obviously hiding something.

"Who did this, Sheriff?" I asked him begging for answers.

"Freya, it's too Early to speculate. But this guy was probably out of his head on math or the jingle jangle, some Southside lowlife that was just looking for a cash grab." I looked down and opened my Reeces taking a bite of the Peanut butter and chocolate cup.

"How much did he get? How much cash?" Jug asked him.

"We're waiting to hear from Pop Tate." Jug opened his bag of nuts and started chowing down on them.

"Since this is Riverdale, I have to ask, what if robbery wasn't the motive? What else could it be?" Jughead asked, being the theorist he is.

"I suppose it could be someone who had a grudge against your dad, wanted to make it look like a robbery. I mean, it's just too early to tell."