word count: 1,268

↳ CHAPTER FIVE:
THE FIGHT ↵

IT WAS THE NEXT DAY AT SCHOOL when Virginia found Jughead in the student lounge waiting for her to join him for lunch. She entered the room, her nerves getting the best of her as she saw Reggie with Evie sitting on his lap. Virginia frowned, knowing that her friend had a new clique that didn't involve her.

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

"I mean, let's think about it." Reggie continued, his voice growing in volume, attracting the attention from everyone in the room. "If a kid at Riverdale killed Jason, it's not gonna be a jock, right? 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, like Jughead?" Reggie turned to watch Jughead and Virginia gulped, not enjoying the sudden interest in Jughead from the jocks— it never was a good thing. "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?" Jughead asked and Virginia grabbed onto his warm hand, as if warning him to shut up. Evie stood up from Reggie's lap, trying to talk down at him– to distract him somehow.

"Come here, you little—" Reggie jumped over the couch and before he could get to Jughead, Virginia stepped in front, as if protecting her best friend from an angry jock.

"Leave him alone, Mantle." Virginia crossed her arms as she stared up at the tall jock in defiance.

"Ooh, little Virgin Mary finally got a boyfriend?" Reggie leaned down, letting his face get closer to hers, his mouth so close he was practically breathing on her. "Why don't you leave Jones for someone like me? I could show you a good time."

A slap resonated through the room and everyone gasped as Virginia glared at Reggie, her hand stinging in a pleasant way. She wanted to say something– anything, but a tugging on her wrist led her to be pushed behind Jughead. Reggie's face grew red, not just from the slap but anger and the tall boy was itching to release his anger somehow.

"Why don't you play with someone your own size?" Jughead asked, and Virgina bit her lip as he pushed against the jock's patience. "Maybe Moose, you could go gay for him, probably."

"You little–" Reggie had almost hit Jughead until Archie pushed his way in-between the two boys.

"Hey, shut the hell up, Reggie." The redheaded teenager stated, his arms crossed.

"Boys." Veronica called out in caution and Virginia knew that the tension in the air was building and something was bound to happen. She quickly glanced at Veronica, noticing how Evie wasn't even looking at Virginia— only her 'boyfriend', Reggie.

"What do you care, Andrews?"

"Nothing, just leave him alone." Archie shot back, trying to keep indifferent to the rivalry between jock and outsider. 

"Holy crap. Did you and Donnie Darko kill him together? Was it some sort of pervy, blood brother thing?" Reggie asked, egging him along.

Archie was the first one to move, pushing against the dark haired boy but soon, he was overpowered. The tall, buff frame of Reggie pushed back until Archie slammed against the vending machine. The vending machine broke, glass shattering everywhere at the impact of Archie's body. Another scuffle broke out as Jughead tried to get Reggie off of Archie but Moose grabbed him, slamming him against the wall.

Virginia yelled, rushing towards the second pair, watching in horror as her best friend was hit repeatedly in the stomach. Jughead collapsed to the ground as others pulled the fight boys apart.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" Virginia crouched besides Archie and Jughead, nothing the redness on Archie's cheek and how Jughead clutched his abdomen. She didn't care about the jocks who were sneering down at the trio, rather concerned with her friends status.

Jughead nodded, his brow furrowed. "I-I'm okay." He turned to the redhead beside him, "thanks, Arch."

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     IT WAS LATER THAT NIGHT and Virginia kept glancing at Jughead, worried. Her eyes glanced across the tall expanse of his body, taking in his typical dark clothing and beanie. That wasn't the issue, rather she wanted Jughead to go to the doctors to look at his gut, something was wrong and Jughead wouldn't stop winging.

Cheers erupted as the marching band blared on, startling Virginia out of her thoughts.

"We don't have to be here," Ginny tugged on Jughead's sleeve as she watched Reggie in the distance glaring at the duo.

"I'm not afraid of him," Jughead replied, his chin sticking up in defiance. Virginia sighed, leaning up against the fence, watching his brow furrow as Archie walked up to Ms. Grundy. Virginia didn't say anything as she already knew Jughead's opinion on the toxic relationship between student and teacher.

"Girl trouble? You?" Jughead asked Archie and Virginia shuffled awkwardly, waiting for Archie to defend himself.

"Grundy and me. We're telling Weatherbee. At least, I am. And also, I didn't mean all that crap I said to you. I'm sorry." Archie smiled softly at Virginia and she smiled back, glad he was going to come clean.

"It's cool." Jughead told Archie stood in front of his old friends, awkwardly. "We're not gonna hug in front of this whole town." Jughead laughed along with Archie and if Virginia wasn't so taken with Jughead, she would've shipped the two.

"So why don't we both just do that bro thing where we nod like douches and mutually suppress our emotions?"

"Yeah, but as friends, right?" Archie asked him hopefully and Virginia smiled.

"To be discussed, over many burgers, and many days."

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     THE ICONIC TRIO DEPARTED FROM the game after it was finished. They had agreed that they needed time to bond after the summer's events. To the disappointment of Ginny, they were going to Pops, reminding the young girl of her job next weekend as a caterer at an event.

The bells jingled above the door at Pop's as they entered, stomachs growling with hunger and mouths watering for a cool chocolate shake.

"Do you guys want to join us?" Virginia saw the boys looking at a booth containing Betty and the new girl, slightly peeved that she'd have to sit with Betty Cooper.

"Yes, but only if you're treating." Jughead beat her to it, ready to hang out with others. Virginia rolled her eyes, all she wanted to do was be alone with her two friends.

The raven haired girl smiled as the trio approached the table. "Veronica Lodge."

"Jughead Jones, the third." Jug introduced himself, hopping over the booth seat to land beside Veronica. Virginia grabbed a chair from a nearby table, yanking it to the corner of the booth to sit beside Archie.

"Jughead Jones, the third." Veronica repeated before turning to Virginia. "And you are?"

"I'm Virginia Hopkins, you can call me Ginny."

And in that moment, Ginny Hopkins felt at home once again with her two guy friends, her frenemy Betty, and the new girl, Veronica.

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