Sweethearts // Archie Fanfiction

31

My phone started buzzing like crazy and I wasn't in the mood. "Whoever this is... I hate you," I say into the phone with my eyes closed. "Morning brown eyes, nice morning voice," My eyes suddenly widen and I look at my phone realizing who it is. "Why are you calling me so early Red?". "Jug and I are meeting my mum at Pop's so I wanted to know if you wanted to come along and if you do, I'll buy you breakfast.". "...Come pick me up in 15," I hung up as I raced to the bathroom to get myself looking all cute. I stood outside waiting for him and Jug to arrive then I saw them and I gave Jug the biggest hug. "What about me, brown eyes?". "Don't be jealous baby," I then hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You called me baby Lila," He then kissed my cheek so much Jug started making fake vomit noises. "Ugh I know, he's so gross sometimes," I grabbed Jug as we walked ahead and laughed. I like the fact that Arch and I can just be like this around our friends and he doesn't try to act differently in front of anyone. Although, when he's with me, I feel safe. Safe like we can be ourselves around each other and its just us in this world. I've never really felt that with anyone so it's kinda scary. We arrived at Pop's and Archie's mum just gave me loads of kisses and hugs as I'm her favorite child. We then ordered our food and went straight into FP's case. "Archie asked me to look into your father's case. I went down to the station, and passed myself off as his attorney to try to get as much information as I could.". "How's it looking, Mom?". "Well, unfortunately, between FP's list of priors, the anonymous tip, and the possession of the murder weapon... Don't forget that pesky confession. Things look pretty bad. I was with him all night, and he never once budged from his story. Well, if nothing else, at least he's an honest murderer. - Jug... Oh, also, who is Joaquin DeSantos? Joaquin?" My head instantly went up. "As in Kevin's boyfriend and of my good friends, why?". "He was FP's one phone call Lila but Jughead, my advice to you is, go and see your father. Tell him everything you wanna say. Once he's arraigned, things tend to move pretty quickly, and there won't be anything left to do. So, this might be your last chance.".

We met up with Kev to talk to him about what's going on. "He called Joaquin? Why not Jughead? Or your dad? Or a lawyer? It's weird. What does Betty think?". "I spoke to her just before I called you and she thinks it's weird.". "Joaquin might know if FP was hired to kill Jason if it was my father... I need to see this through to the end.". We see Joaquin approach us as I told Kev to call him over. "We know FP used his call from jail to get in touch with you. What did he say?". "It was basically just a warning. Said to lay low.". "No one uses their one call to say "lay low." Joaquin, do you know something? I'm not talking to you as your boyfriend, I'm talking to you as the sheriff's son. Did FP kill Jason?" There was a moment of silence before Joaquin gave us his answer. "Yeah. - I mean, I... I assume.". "No... This is crazy," Was all my mouth could spit out and Arch pulled me in for a hug. "Oh, my God. Did you see him pull the trigger?". "No, no. God, no...". "Then why the hell do you think he did it?" In July after he went missing, I got a phone call in the middle of the night from FP. Said he needed help with some clean-up job at the Whyte Wyrm.". "What job?". "The basement of the Whyte Wyrm is off-limits to everyone, but that's where I met FP, and that's where I saw... He'd been shot. I never asked FP if he did it. I just... I mean, I was terrified. I... I just assumed. We stashed the body in the freezer, cleaned up the mess, got rid of any evidence...". "You are a criminal.". "How could you do this?" I took Kev's hand as he backed away from Joaquin. "Joaquin, FP has done jobs for my dad, Hiram Lodge, in the past. Do you think killing Jason was one of them?". "There was one time I overheard a conversation between FP and Mustang-". "-Who's Mustang?". "Isn't he another Serpent?" I asked as Joaquin nodded. "The only other guy who knew about the clean-up. The guy you got into a fight with at the Wyrm. I heard him tell FP something about some rich guy. I don't know who.". "Where is Mustang?". "No, no, no, no. You do not want to go see him." Joaquin started getting all scared. "Yes, we do. And you're going to take us. Or... Or I'm going to tell my dad about your little clean-up job.". Yas Bitch that's my Kev! We all walked into the hotel kinda nearby and the door was slightly open so we walked in. "Mustang? You here?" We all looked around but Kev and I screamed as we found his dead body in the bathtub. "Oh, my God. I can't... I can't be here.". "Let's go. Lila, you coming?" Kev asked as Archie and Jug looked at me. "Lila, go and call me when you guys are safe.". "I will, call Kev's dad," I gave him a kiss and left with Joaquin and Kev. We went to the nearest bus station as Joaquin didn't feel safe to stick around so I gave Red a quick call. "Thank god you're okay, where are you guys?". "We're just at a bus station, I think Joaquin is leaving but what's going on?". "Well the cops are here but so is Veronica and her mum because Hiram's initials were found on a bag in Mustang's hotel room so things are a bit hectic. I miss you brown eyes.". "I miss you too red. Let me guess, your dad is worried about you.". "Yep but things will calm down don't worry but text me where you want Jug and I to meet you. Betty will meet up with us too as stuff is going on with her family right now.". "Okay and tell Jug not to worry okay bye.". I hung up as Joaquin was saying goodbye to Kev and came to say goodbye to me. "Gonna miss you Lila bear. I know I messed up but I hope you and Kevin forgive me one day but there's something that I've told Kevin and that I should tell you too," He whispered it to me and my eyes just widened so much, I got a crazy headache. I gave him a hug and he got on his bus. I texted Arch telling him to meet at his garage while I called B and she was telling me how she and Cheryl are cousins and she's kinda a Blossom. A whole bunch of incest crap that has really made me feel sick, I thought my family was mad.

"And why did he wait so long to tell us?". "FP called him from jail. Told him to forget about their plan, some contingency plan. He said it was too dangerous.". "This is meant to help FP? I don't know. Looks like more incriminating evidence to me. Yeah, this just confirms that my dad torched Jason's getaway car. And that his confession was true.". "Why would FP say Jason's varsity jacket is dangerous? What could that mean?". "I can ask my father. He would know, considering we found concrete proof that he hired the Serpents to kill Jason.". "Which probably means that your dad pulled the trigger, Jughead. I'm sorry.". "No. No! No, I'm not giving up yet.". "Besides, we still don't know now Red put the jacket on," I said while picking it up and throwing it on him. "Lila this is weird.". " Look there's a hole in the pocket and whenever I have a hole in my jacket pocket, I always lose my chapstick in the lining. Hold on," I pull out a USB stick. "What the hell?". We all hook it up to a laptop and there's only one video on it and we press play. "Oh, my God.". There's nothing that could've prepared us that day. No child should ever have to witness what we just have. As the video ended, we were all in shock and tears were running down my face. I look at Betty as we both have the same idea and I pull out my phone with my shaky hands. "Lila... Who are you calling?". "Someone who needs to be warned.". "You have to get out of that house. Listen to me... He's not what you think he is. It was him the whole time Cheryl! You need to leave right now!". "I understand. Thank you.".

That night, Sheriff Keller and Mayor McCoy saw what we watched in Archie's garage. Jason, tied to a chair, in the basement of a bar, on the Southside of Riverdale, while a Serpent, Mustang, taunted him. Then, the unthinkable. Later, we would learn why my father confessed. Because Clifford Blossomvisited him on the night of his arrest, with a threat that I, Jughead Jones, would suffer the same fate as Jason Blossom if my father didn't confess. My dad was protecting me from a monster, and the nightmare was far from over. "Charged with tampering with evidence, obstruction of justice, mishandling a body, perjury, and that's just off the top of my head. He's not getting out any time soon." The sheriff said as everyone was fighting for FP to get out of jail. And our families, far from repaired... "I'm sorry, Mom, but my friends need me.". "You and Lila should come for the summer, maybe?" I nodded. "That'd be great.". "You both be careful.". "We will.". "You better. I love you, both," She says giving both of us a hug. "We love you too," Red and I say at the same time. And though one question had been answered that night, it was Clifford Blossom who killed Jason, a new mystery loomed over Riverdale. Why had he done it? It was a question only Clifford himself would be able to answer.