Stardust // Reggie Mantle (3)

Chapter One

During the break in the proceedings, Caia and company scurried around looking for Archie. They found him sitting at the top of the stairs.

"Archie!" Veronica called, running up the stairs. "There you are."

She took a seat next to her boyfriend as Archie's other friends followed behind. "How you holding up, bud?" Jughead questioned.

"Yeah, good, Jug," the boy replied. Caia wondered if this is how he really felt or the answer he gave because he knew that's what his friends wanted to hear.

Archie glanced to Veronica. "What were you thinking about just now?" Veronica inquired. "How you're gonna walk out of this courthouse a free man?"

"No, I-" Archie paused, hesitating. "There was this place. We'd never been before, Roni, but Betty, Jug, and Caia, you guys remember Sweetwater Swimming Hole?" A smile stretched across Caia's face as Betty nodded. "How we went there every summer?"

"I was just thinking about that place earlier," Jug observed.

"Yeah, me too," Betty agreed.

Caia nodded. "We haven't been in so long!" She exclaimed. "What made us stop going?"

"Uh, probably when we got covered in leeches," Jughead reminded.

Betty furrowed her eyebrows. "Was that us, or was thay a movie?" She mused.

"That was definitely us," Archie, Caia, and Jughead replied laughing.

"Oh."

"I'd like to go," Veronica stated as she rubbed Archie's hand. "Hopefully you can take me, Archie."

"Hopefully," Archie responded.

Suddenly, Kevin appeared at the bottom of the stairs. "Guys," he called. "It's time. Judge just asked us back in the courtroom."

Caia's heart was beating out of her chest as she retook her seat. They had to have decided Archie was innocent. That was the only way!

"The jury is still deliberating," the judge voiced. This confused Caia. Why would the judge have asked them back if there wasn't a decision yet? "But I've dismissed them." A gasp went through the courtroom. Now Caia was even more lost. "They're sequestered and I've asked them not to read anything about this case, nor to discuss it with anyone. We'll reconvene Tuesday morning after labor day." The judge took off his glasses and leaned forward to address Archie. "My advice to you, young man, is to spend this weekend with your family and your loved ones. That's all." He banged his gavel once more, and everyone was dismissed.

Caia walked with Betty and Jughead as they exited the courthouse. They were engaged in a discussion when a voice broke them out of it.

"Hey, Archie," Hiram Lodge called, causing the red haired boy to turn around. "Have a terrific weekend."

The way he said this made Caia's blood boil. Everyone knew it was Hiram Lodge's fault Archie was in this mess and these words just felt like taunting. Apparently, Fred Andrews felt the same way.

He wound up and then let a hard punch fly into Hiram's face. The two men had to be held back from each other. Camera lights flashed. Hiram Lodge shoved away his holder angrily and stormed down the hallway.

*

Later, the group discussed the case as they were seated in a both at Pop's, sipping on milkshakes. "If only we could find the gun that Andre used to kill Cassidy!" Betty exclaimed.

"I've torn the Pembrook apart!" Veronica replied. "After the raids, my father wiped any and all traces of Andre."

Jughead sighed. "Well, he wouldn't have brought it back from Shadow Lake, so that's probably where he ditched it," he concluded.