Something Different- Fangs Fogarty

Eighteen

  I tap my hand against the seat next to me lightly as Betty walks in to the court room followed by Veronica and Jughead, none of them say anything as we sit in the front row of seats directly behind where Archie will soon be sitting. Everyone goes silent as Archie is walked into the room followed by Mary Andrews and Sierra McCoy who are both acting as his lawyers, I reach over and grab Veronica's hand as she just stares silently at the back of his head. You could tell she was trying hard to hold back tears.

I look over my shoulder at Toni, Sweet Pea and Fangs. Fangs leans forward grabbing my hand, "He didn't do it, did he?" He whispers so only I could hear him, He looks towards Veronica; who is speaking to Mary over the banister in front of us. "He was set up, wasn't he?"

 I nod as I turn towards the three of them who all lean in closer to me so they could hear me whisper, "Yeah he was. It was Hiram who set him up but that guy has enough money to get off free and have nothing put against him." I look to my left to see Hiram, Hermione and Sheriff Minetta sat on the other side of the room "There's no way in hell Archie could have killed that girl! I know he has a dark side and he has done some illegal stuff but you of all people should know that. In all honestly who in this court room right now hasn't done something illegal, you know?"

 Everyone falls silent as the Judge calls order and begins the trial, The lady Mrs Wright who is prosecuting Archie stands to her feet and brushes her dress down before coming to a stop in front of Archie. She puts her hands on his desk smiling at him, "So Mr Andrews. . .You claim that you didn't commit this murder, right?"

 He nods his head looking between Mary and Mrs Wright, "That's right" He rubs his hands against his trouser as she continues to stare him down "I wouldn't ever do something like that"

 "So you wouldn't. . .Let's say hold someone at gun point? Or I don't know. . .Attack some innocent young boy in his own bedroom?" She holds her hands behind her back as she paces around the room in front of us "And you didn't organise those two groups of masked hooligans?"

 "I-I-I mean. . .Yes I did all of those things but I swear on anything that I didn't kill Cassidy Bullock!" He raises his voice slightly as Mary whispers something in his ear "I apologise for raising my voice b-b-but I didn't do this, I don't have it in me to actually kill someone"

 She waves her hand dismissively at him as she turns towards the jury who are studying Archie fairly intently, "Mr Andrews was partying in Shadow Lake the night of the murder, and all of his friends who were there said they were intoxicated. So no one can remember exactly what happened so my theory is that Mr Andrews ran through the woods late that night to the cabin and . . . shot Cassidy Bullock point blank in the head."

 Hiram smiles over at us as Veronica waves a fan in front of her face whilst ignoring the stare of her father, Fangs places a hand on my shoulder squeezing it lightly as I reach up to hold his hand Mrs Wright claps her hands together loudly, "Now however, Mr Andrews claims that it was his girlfriends father's Doorman who committed the crime. But what motive would he have? Why would they want to set up Archie?"

 As the court case moves along it begins to look less likely that Archie will get found not guilty, It would take a huge miracle for him to be found not guilty. I tap my hands against my legs as Mary takes to the floor trying to make the jury believe her over Mrs Wright, she continues to mention all of the good deeds he's done. "And we can't forget when he saved a local girl, Cheryl Blossom from drowning in the frozen lake. I'm not just speaking as his mother but also his lawyer."

 "So how do you guys think this is going to go down?" We sit outside the courthouse as we've all been dismissed whilst the jury deicide whether he's innocent or not, "We all know he didn't do it but do they? Did Mary really achieve her goal?"

  Kevin sighs and shakes his head at us before getting up to walk back in, "Honestly guys. . .I have no clue but we need to stay positive for not only Archie but Veronica, Mary and Fred too." He looks round at us as all before disappearing into the court room

  "Do you guys want to head back in?" Betty asks, I nod at Sweet Pea and Fangs who are stood away from the courthouse smoking, "Do they really think it's okay to be smoking out here?"

  "It's Sweet Pea and Fangs, I don't think they care" I laugh lightly trying to lighten the mood as soon as I realise no one else I laughed I stopped "I'll grab them and meet you guys inside"

  I walk up to them as Sweet Pulls a cigarette out of his pocket, "Do you want one, Sass? Calm the nerves?"

  I shake my head as I kick a stone with my boot, "We've got to go back in now. The trail will be starting again soon"

  I sit in between Sweet Pea and Fangs as Mary and Archie come back into the room, The judge stands up in front of everyone before looking at Archie "The jury is still deiciding whether you're innocent or not but I've dismissed them. I've instructed them to not mention this to anyone nor to look at anything about this case, The case will continue Tuesday Morning after Labour Day" He sighs and rubs his hands over his eyes "Archie, my only advice for you is to spend these next three days with your loved ones."

   We all sit around one of the booths at pops as he places the milkshakes in front of us he's takes his hat off and holds it in his hands looking at Archie, "I pray for nothing but the best outcome. These are on the house, kids"

  We all thank him as the main door busts open and a dolled up Cheryl comes in and stops right in front of us all with a smile on her face, "Greetings, Chums. Just to let you all know after the amazing three months me and TT had riding our motorcycles across this wonderful country, I've decided to throw an end of summer pool party and you're all invited! Given that Archie will probably be walking the green mile in some tacky orange jumpsuit whilst we're all walking the stage for graduation I'll understand if none of you are up for it"

  "Cheryl, do you ever think before you speak?" Sweet Pea rolls his eyes at her as Fangs hits him over the back of the head as he frowns towards him "We'd all love to come, Cheryl."

  "Toodles! Can't wait to see you all there" She struts out of the place as Archie just shakes his head at where she was just stood not saying anything.

"That girl always finds another way to shock me" I look up at Fangs from where I'm laid on his lap, "Oh, I mean Cheryl. I was just starting to think she was toning down a little"

 "Yeah. Well you thought incredibly wrong, babe" I laugh lightly as he combs a hand through my hair "Do you really want to go to this pool party thing tomorrow?"

  He just shrugs at me as my bedroom door swings open to reveal Alex stood there, "Who's having a party and why am I not invited?"

  I sit up propping myself up on my elbows, "Alex, Do you really want to be surrounded by my friends? High school students may I add?"

  He rubs a hand on his chin, "Will there be alcohol there? Because i'll be there if there is going to be any, It'll make me forgot I'm surrounded by a bunch of 17 year olds. Alcohol has always been good to me"

  Alex disappears again leaving Fangs and I in peace, which doesn't happen often because it's either Sweet Pea or Alex that annoys us,  "Have you noticed how Sweet pea keeps hiding his phone from us?" Fangs laughs as I shake my head 

 "No, not really. Can't say I've been too focused on him lately, do you think he's seeing someone and not telling us? I wouldn't blame him if he hide it from us because we did the same" I sit up grabbing my phone from beside Fangs "I'll text him to see if he'll tell me anything"

  "He won't, my dude" He crosses his arms across his chest as he watches me type away on my phone "He hasn't even told me anything and I'm his best chum"

  "Did you actually just call me your dude, Fogarty?" He nods and laughs at himself as I just shake my head waiting for a reply from Mr Pea. I tap on the conversation between us to see he read the message but didn't reply, "Yeah. That boy is hiding something but I bet you any money we'll find out who it is tomorrow at the pool party"