Deadline ((Jughead Jones)) 4

1

It's been a quiet few months in Riverdale. Spring slid into summer, and some semblance of normal life resumed. The terrors of the Farm weren't forgotten, but they had started to fade. Gryphons and Gargoyles was already becoming the stuff of suburban legend and my girlfriend's walk through the valley of death was now myth amongst Serpents.
Indeed, the big topic of conversation around town was July 4th. After some debate, it was decided that there would be an Independence Day parade down MainStreet, Riverdale's first in three years. But, there would be no fireworks display over Sweetwater River. The Blossom's used to sponsor them, but without their support, the town couldn't afford them.
Like I said... things had actually been pretty quiet lately. Enough that I'd actually gotten some real writing done.

Jughead sat in front of me, nervously biting at his fingernails as I read through the final chapter. The sun was streaming into the room showing how late in the morning it was, but neither of us had left the room, still in our pajamas, Jug's beanie yet to be placed on his head. As I read over the final words, I turned to my anxious boyfriend with a smile.
"It's beautiful, Jason would approve." I told him, watching his face break out in a look of relief. I loved his hair in the mornings, messy and all over the place and not confined to swelter under the beanie in July. "It's a beautiful story, J."
"Really? You think it's worth submitting to the contest?" He asked.

Just a few weeks ago he had found a writing contest for students online and frantically worked to finish his novel. We spent late nights and early mornings sat in Pop's milkshakes and coffee's getting us through the day while Jughead rapidly typed every word.
"No, I think it's gonna win the contest." I answered, putting the final chapter back in the right order and handing it to Jug, who placed it neatly on the bedside table.
"I love you." Jughead said and my reply was instant.
"I love you too." He leant down from his cross legged position on the bed to kiss my forehead. These past few months had been complete domestic bliss.

That day was spent working on the float for Pop's that would be in the parade. Veronica, Betty and I were painting the giant milkshake while Archie was building the next frame. Jughead was squatted beside Archie but I doubted how much work he was actually doing. Everything had been going well and I had reserved myself for another uneventful day when Cheryl drove into the parking lot, music blaring, searching for answers.

My dearest sister began her speech with raing about the 'hideous, janky parade' snaking its way through town that us five had founded the entire idea. Veronica asked what Cheryl's problem was, it was a parade after all, one that had only just been announced in the newspaper.
"The fourth of July is a day of tragedy for Riverdale, not celebration." She said and I knew she was referring to our brother's death. We hadn't had a parade or any kind of celebration for three years and then we finally got one agreed. I was not going to let Cheryl drag this day down into despair for another year. "Or have you forgotten what happened to our poor brother Jason, Cynthia?"
"Cheryl, we haven't had a parade out of respect for what happened to Jason in years. It's time to celebrate, not mourn. Jason would have wanted this," I told her. Jason was all for the fourth of July celebrations, he loved the fireworks, the floats, the atmosphere. It was joyful, a strict contrast to Thornhill.
"I mean...you don't have to come." Jughead added, offering her an alternative if she objected that much.
"Oh, I'll be there, insufferable Smurf. Front and centre. With a sign of protest in one hand and a horn of compressed air to silence any rivalry in the other." With that, she flipped her hair and returned to her car pulling out of the parking lot with a glare our way. We all sighed when she had gone, knowing that no one would care about Cheryl and deciding to deal with this at a different time.

Then, we all moved inside to get breakfast, which for me and Jughead consisted of pancakes with maple syrup. Jughead began our conversation asking if everyone was still on for camping at the weekend. This would be the first break that we would be getting, the first trip we all had together in years and we were all excited for it. We joked about bear attacks that Arcie survived, we joked about Veronica actually slumming it in the woods. Then, Archie's phone rang, showing that it was dad ringing.
"Hey, Dad," He greeted with a laugh, still recovering from Betty's comment about not sleeping near me and Jughead in case we were too loud. This had sent everyone in fits of laughter, the kind ta was obnoxious and drew attention but we didn't care.