↳ CHAPTER EIGHT:

AND THE PLOT THICKENS ↵

AFTER VIRGINIA STARED AT THE SCATHING ARTICLE on her mother for an hour, Jughead dragged her to school. It was finally time to get a confession out of Doiley. It would be great for the school's newspaper and Jughead was itching in excitement.

"If you publish a story saying I fired that gun, my life will be ruined. I'll be banished from the Adventure Scouts, and charged with a misdemeanor." Doiley sat in the chair in the center of the room, as if Betty wanted to mimic a police interrogation. The trio sat against a table, arms crossed as they waited for Dilton Doiley to continue.

"So, what if I have a better story? If I tell you what I know, promise me the gunshot stays between us." He scrunched up his nose, adjusting his glasses with his forefinger.

"You have our word. As journalists." Betty promised Doiley, leaning forward with a genuine smile. Virginia didn't know why Betty said that, journalists tend to lie.

"I saw something at Sweetwater River. Something nobody else saw." Doiley gulped as he looked at the three teenagers in front of him. "Ms. Grundy's car, by the river's edge. She was there."

Virginia paled and she dared not turn to Jughead in that moment. She couldn't give away what she knew. Betty thanked Doiley for coming in and she walked him out, leaving Virginia with Jughead. Jughead had his eyes closed as he took in this information and the consequences that could come from this.

"Jug– we have to do something!" Virginia grabbed onto Jughead's arm, nervous. She looked towards the door, waiting for Betty to come back. She bit her lip harshly and Jughead's eyes narrowed in the small amount of fresh blood that poured from a small wound.

"We can't, Gin." Jughead said in frustration as he looked down at his best friend. "Betty wouldn't let this story die!"

"So, Archie's screwed then?" Virginia asked softly, glancing up at the tall boy she was falling for. She wiped her lips with the back of her pale hand, scrunching her nose at the sight of blood.

"It looks like it."

º º º

JUGHEAD, BETTY, KEVIN, AND VEROINCA RESTED in a booth at Pop's, waiting for Virginia to get off of work.

"The drive-in closing is one more nail in the coffin that is Riverdale. No, forget Riverdale– the coffin of the American dream. As the Godfather of indie cinema, Quentin Tarantino, likes to say–"

"Please, God," Kevin interrupted Jughead, raising a hand to stop him from continuing. "No more Quentin Tarantino references."

"What? I'm pissed. And not just about losing my job." Jughead told his friends indignantly, "the Twilight Drive-In should mean something to us. People should be trying to save it."

"In this age of Netflix and VOD, do people really want to watch a movie in a car?" Veronica reasoned with him, placing her hands on the table before her. "I mean, who even goes there?"

"People who want to buy crack." Kevin told her earnestly.

"And cinephiles," Jughead added. "And car enthusiasts, right Bets?"

"Totally," Betty replied vacantly, not focused on the conversation at hand, looking around at the busy restaurant.

Jughead perked up at the sight of an incoming Virginia. She had to work that evening, leaving the young girl to look longing towards her friends enjoying their evening.

"Right Gin?" Jug asked as Virginia filled their glasses of water up.

She crinkled her nose in confusion, not knowing what the context of his question was. "What am I validating over here?"

"The drive-in," Veronica told her and Virginia sighed. During lunch, Jug had gotten the call and from there on out, had been ranting to anyone who would listen.

"Ah," she finished filling their drinks up and rested the water pitcher on the table. "I agree, it's such a stupid idea to get rid of it. I mean, I love it but it's like that movie Pleasantville, everyone needs a spot to go make-out in. That would help with revenue." She shrugged, noticing the smirk Jug sent her and she blushed.

"Anyway, it's closing because the town owns it, but didn't invest in it. So when an anonymous buyer made Mayor McCoy an offer, she couldn't refuse. . ."

Virginia took this moment to bow out of the conversation, walking to the counter to drop off her water pitcher, maybe she could ask Pop to let her go, Hermione was already taking over her section. Her shift was practically over.

"Anonymous buyer?" Veronica asked in disbelief. "What do they have to hide? No one cares."

"I do!" Jughead told her, brow furrowed, upset. "Also, you guys should all come to closing night. I'm thinking American Graffiti, or is that too obvious?"

"I vote for anything starring Audrey Hepburn. Or Cate Blanchett."

"Or the talented Mr. Ripley," Kevin added with excitement. "Betty, your choices?"

"Everything okay, B?"

"Yeah, I'm just thinking. Um... Maybe Rebel Without a Cause?" Betty asked with a sly smile, she had watched that movie with Virginia during the summer, instantly falling in love with the dreamy James Dean.

Jughead smiled at Betty, "Gin thought that too."

"Here you go kids," Hermione told her daughter and friends with a smile, placing their food in front of them.

"Thanks mom." Veronica smiled at her mom as she dropped off their food. She was happy her daughter had found a group of friends to hang out so soon after the move.

"Now that's an odd combo of people," Kevin commented and the group turned to see Archie and his dad with Ms. Grundy.

Virginia's heart stopped as the trio looked at the table staring at them. She stood by the counter, taking off her apron as she watched between both groups, waiting for the tension to disperse.

"I'll be right back." Betty told the group as she stood up, her eyes focused on Archie.

"No, Betty." Jughead panicked, reaching to stop the blonde girl. "No, don't..."

Virginia stepped in front of Betty's war path, a smile in place. "And where do you think you're going?" Virginia asked her, a sugary false smile plastered on her face.

"Get out of my way, Ginny." Betty told her quietly.

"Why should I? You don't want to interrupt them." Virginia told her with faux interest. She did care, however, she didn't want Betty to know anything more than she already did.

Betty ignored her and pushed past her, leaving Virginia to stare helplessly at Jughead. Jug's eyes went to the ceiling, as if praying to someone to help them. Virginia moved back to the table, plopping down beside him.

"I'm off of work," she told the group, smiling widely despite her want to turn and stare at Betty and Archie.

"Wait, what's happening?" Kevin asked as he watched Betty approach their table.

Jughead bit his fingernails nervously as Betty led Archie outside and he quickly looked out the window to watch the interaction.

"What's happening out there? Do we know? Is it about me?"

Virginia rolled her eyes, "not everything is about you, V."

"I have a strong inkling, and no." He made a face at the fact Veronica thought it was about Archie's love life– Archie's life was way too complicated right now. "Also, I'd let it go."

"Yes, but you're you, and I'm me." Veronica said with a smile, standing up from the table. "You do you, girl, I'll be back."

"What was it like before she got here?" Kevin asked the duo. Jughead scowled as he watched the window intensely, eating a piece of food from Betty's plate. "I honestly cannot remember."

º º º

THE DAY WAS DEDICATED FOR BOTH JUG AND GINNY by passing out flyers for the closing of the drive-in. Virginia's heart hurt at the desperation Jug felt towards saving the drive-in so she knew she had to support him in anyway possible.

"How hard it would've been, to give me a little head up?" Archie asked the duo walking through the hallways after class.

"Look, I am, by nature, a conscientious objector." Jughead defended himself as he passed out the flyers to passing students.

"Ginny?" Archie asked her and Ginny felt guilty as he stared at her in disbelief.

"Sorry," she replied weakly. She knew her friendship with Archie was on the rocks after he confessed to having a crush on her, but it still pained her to ignore this drama occurring.

"Hey, not saying anything to either you or Betty, was the most moral, apathetic choice I could make."

"But, Jug." Archie stopped Jughead from moving, pushing against his chest. "She's not going to write about me and Grundy in the paper, is she? Like she did with Chuck?"

"Dude, seriously?" Jughead placed his hand on his old friends shoulder. "Okay. Come on." He lead Archie away from the hallway, "think about what you're asking. If there was even an iota of a chance that something could hurt you in any way, Betty wouldn't do it." Jughead paused and thought, "probably."

"Oh my God."

"I'm kidding," Jughead said quickly and Virginia elbowed him hard in the gut. It wasn't funny. "But, maybe she has a point. What do you see happening with Grundy, long-term? What do you want?"

"I want to be with her." Archie told his friends. "I don't know how, but I wanna hang on to what we have for as long as possible."

"Yup, I feel that." Jughead told him, staring at his flyer he put up. "Trying to hold on to something a lot older than me, too."

"Just.. If Betty's gonna do anything crazy, can you please let me know so I can do something to stop it?

"Sure," Virginia told the redheaded boy. She glanced at Jughead, knowing he wasn't going to ensure anything.

"But Arch, think about it. If you really want to be with her, you can't live your life here. You'll have to live a life of secrets, hidden from the world. Is that what you really want?" Virginia asked, stepping close to Archie. She reached up, placing her hand on his cheek. "Shit happens, it did with you and me. We turned out okay, maybe it's time for you to do the same with Grundy."

º º º

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thanks to -yourstrulyraven