Is Love At First Sight [Jughead Jones] [1]

The Sweet Hereafter

(Jughead narration) (Alice narration)

It was the ultimate cliffhanger. Clifford Blossom had killed himself. But why? Life's not an Agatha Christie novel. It's a lot messier.

Turns out, maple syrup was a front for his true business, transporting heroin from Montreal on his trucks. A narrative quickly emerged...

...that Jason Blossom had learned about dear old dad's drug running and threatened to expose the truth, which led to Jason's abduction at the hands of a Southside Serpent named Mustang.

And then to Jason's murder, at the hands of his father.

Clifford killed Mustang to cover his tracks, making it look like he'd overdosed and tried to implicate a rival businessman, Hiram Lodge, as having masterminded the whole thing.

And, oh, yeah, I almost forgot. Mr.Blossom threatened my life, so that my dad would confess to pulling the trigger, even though all he did was clean up the mess.

Clifford Blossom also threatened my girlfriend, Skylar Andrews that he would continue the job that her biological dad started if she told anyone want happened that night. That scared her to death and nobody knew why she was so scared until now. She watched her best friend get shot in front of her.

Anyway, Clifford would've gotten away with it, too, if it wasn't for a group of pesky kids who uncovered the truth.

Even as Clifford Blossom, consumed by guilt and shame, took the coward's way out.

Jason's murder had revealed some dark truths none of us we're too eager to face. Especially not Mayor McCoy, who wanted every last vestige of corruption crushed like a snake under a boot heel.

............

I woke up the next morning and Archie meet me at the top of the stairs. We walked down them together and saw Dad looking out the window. I went closer to Dad because I was worried. "Dad? You okay?"

"I thought I knew this town. I bet everything on it. Thought I cut bait. How are you both holding up?" "I mean. I'm dealing." "Same." Archie said and then he continued. "But for Jughead and for Betty, Veronica and Sky, it's not over. They're still in it, big time." "I am standing right here."

Dad turned around. "We're all still in it. Up to our necks."

............

Archie and I were walking with Betty and she was explaining what is happening in the Cooper household. "They're acting like the last week and the last few months didn't even happen. Polly's back home, my dad's back home, my mom's back at the Register. They all just keep smiling and talking about the Jubilee."

"But that's good, right?" Archie interferes with. Betty quickly shook her head. "No. No,horrible. It's exactly the way things were before, pretending to be normal and perfect, when really, we're like a Greek suburban tragedy." Archie chuckled and Betty and I give him a pointed look to which he immediately stopped and Betty continues.

"My family imploded, guys. And we barely survived. If we don't start dealing with our crap, it's all gonna happen again.

............

I was walking with Jughead to my locker and we were having a normal talk. I started off. "Now that we aren't investigating a murder case we, my friend need to spend more time together. I feel like we get to caught up in the investigation to spend much time together." "I agree." We share a kiss but got interrupted by the intercom calling Archie, Betty and I to the office.