When Betty, Veronica and Kevin arrived at the lunch table Archie and I were already there. He was the only one out of the group who I hadn't really spoken to so I'd asked Archie to play one of his songs. I was impressed and slightly jealous of his undeniable talent.

"Come on, turn the radio on and, honey we'll dance, dance, dance. For the rest of the night I'm not ready to go."

Betty, who had taken a seat opposite Archie and I, looked downcast.

"You okay Betty?" I asked.

"I'm supposed to say, yes. That's what the nice girl always says." By then she looked on the verge of tears, I couldn't imagine how hard it must be for her, "But no, I'm not. I want to be. I thought I could be. But it's too much, too fast." With that she left the table and before I could go to comfort her Archie was also out of his seat.

Betty left, visibly upset and Archie chased after her. I couldn't imagine what she was going through, her and Archie seemed so close but I could tell that he just didn't feel the same way.

Betty was walking away and Archie went to follow but Weatherbee approached him. The principles face was grave and Archie looked uncomfortable. Kevin, Veronica and I shared worried looks, all wondering what the two were talking about.

I was running late for cheerleading practice. My boots clicked on the linoleum floor, before halting outside the music room. I had caught sight of a familiar blue and yellow jacket which made me pause, I raised my eyebrows at what I saw.

The two figures were sharing a private moment, heads bent together, seemingly unaware that anyone could walk past and see them. Archie Andrews and a mystery woman, who appeared to be a teacher. She seemed a little too old to be in high school and her attire, hair pulled into a bun and a pencil skirt, looked professional.

What was going on between them and for how long? Why did they look so anxious? Clearly, being caught wasn't in the forefront of their minds. Whatever they were talking about must have been important.

With eyes wide, I turned away. It wasn't my business.

After practice I ended up sipping a strawberry milkshake at Pop's with Veronica. She had been ditched by Betty, who was for some reason going for mani pedis with Cheryl Blossom, of all people.

"You're doing great, Mom."

Hermione, Veronica's mom, had gotten the same job as me so we would be seeing a lot more of each other. The mother and daughter looked really alike and I could tell they were close. It was hard to imagine they had gotten into such a huge scandal but I guessed bad things could happen to good people.

"Better than me this week." Veronica looked weary, It was turning out to be a very long week.

Hermione nodded, "Yeah, we're surviving, by our wits, because that's what we Lodge women do. If Dad could see us now."

"He'd say you look stunning in that new uniform. Right Willa?"

"I'm going for this Joan Crawford, Mildred Pierce thing. Is it working?" she joked.

I grinned encouragingly, "definitely."

The bell on the door chimed causing Veronica to turn. I followed her gaze. Great, Archie again. I stood abruptly, "I have to go, mom's expecting me home for dinner. See you at school tomorrow Veronica." I paused, "Archie."

I'd just felt uncomfortable, it wasn't that I had any negative feelings towards Archie. I didn't want them to be suspicious. I knew his secret and it was probably written all over my face, I'm an open book.

"And Sheriff Keller's grilling me, Mantle the Magnificent. 'Cause I'd want Blossom dead. When he was, like, the only good quarterback we had." Reggie's obnoxiously loud voice carried around the common room.

"And speaking of offensive tight-ends, I should've sent the cops to you, Moose. Because here's another unsolved mystery. What exactly were you and Kevin doing at the river, huh?" He turned in his seat, "Or does being with the sheriff's son give you a free pass? Keller?"

"Reggie's just being a blowhard, Kev." Betty, who was sat next to me, put her hand on Kevin's shoulder.

"I don't care what he says." Kevin said defensively.

"I mean, let's think about it. If a kid at Riverdale killed Jason, it's not gonna be a jock, right?" Everyone watched intently as Reggie chucked the football he had been playing with and continued, "Now let's be honest. Isn't it always some spooky, scrawny, pathetic Internet troll, too busy writing his manifestos to get laid? Some smug, moody, serial killer fanboy freak,"

Across the room Archie and Jughead shared a glance.

"Like Jughead? " Reggie was staring directly at Jughead now. "What was it like, Suicide Squad? When you shot Jason? You didn't do stuff to the body, did you? Like After?"

"It's called necrophilia, Reggie, can you spell it?" beanie boy quipped back.

"Come here, you little-"

Archie stepped in, pushing Reggie's chest, "Hey shut the hell up, Reggie."

"Boys," Veronica stood cautiously.

"What do you care, Andrews?"

The air was thick with tension.

"-nothing, just leave him alone."

A menacing grin spread over Reggie's, "Holy crap. Did you and Donnie Darko kill him together? Was it some sort of pervy, blood brother thing?"

Before anyone else could react, Archie shoved Reggie. The taller boy looked furious, ramming Archie backwards, into the vending machine. Glass shattered, the sound echoing around the common room.

The next time I saw either of the boys was the night after the fight. Archie was sporting a black eye, while my statement piece was a blue and white river vixens uniform. Jughead and Archie were having, what seemed to be, a light conversation judging by the fact that Jughead was actually smiling.

Mayor McCoy said a few words and then it was our turn. I couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed - twerking and waving my pom poms around - but honestly it was kind of fun and I couldn't help but feel, with the bright yellow "R" on my chest, like I belonged. I didn't even have to fake a smile, at least until Cheryl ran off the stage, across the field, Veronica following closely behind and then Betty.

After that, everyone began to make their way down from the stands and towards their cars. I waited a few minutes so that I wouldn't be in the middle of the lively crowd and just as I was about to leave, Veronica called out to me.

"Willa! We're just headed to Pop's, did you wanna join?"

Grinning I replied, "Sure." I was so glad to be friends with these two.

"Ladies, can we make a vow?"

I laughed at Veronica's question, "Sure, Ronnie."

She smiled, "I'm serious! Let's vow that no matter what, no boy will ever come between us." Her brown eyes fixed on me and then Betty. "Deal?"

"Deal." Betty and I said together.

Immediately after, the door opened and I turned in my seat to see who Veronica was looking at. Speak of the devil, I thought.

Somehow, milkshakes with Betty and Veronica turned into milkshakes with Betty, Veronica, Archie and Jughead.

"Veronica Lodge." She stuck out her hand.

Beanie boy clambered over the back of the seat and sat opposite me. "Jughead Jones, the third."

With the addition of Archie, I felt like the third wheel, or fifth wheel I guess. Betty and Veronica's feelings for him were so obvious and I doubted that would be changing anytime soon. Looking directly across from me I noticed Jughead looking between the three of them. I smiled to myself, we were both avid people watchers. It was at this point that he decided to look up, making eye contact until I hastily looked away.