CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT:

ENDS IN DISASTER

     THE MUSIC BLARED LOUDLY FROM the speakers and Ginny knew that dances sucked. Honestly, she already wanted to leave and go somewhere quieter with Jughead.

"So," Ginny started, knowing her anxiety had suddenly skyrocketed as the music hummed through her body. "How was dinner with the Coopers?"

"God awful," Jughead groaned playfully, his hands tightened around Ginny. "I like Betty as a friend but God, I hate her family. Alice Cooper and my dad seemed really tense for some reason."

"Why?" Ginny questioned, watching Jughead's face contort into thoughtfulness.

"I think they knew each other in high school." Jughead shrugged but didn't elaborate, nor did Ginny. Both rather enjoyed the moment of them together, slow dancing.

"J-Jug," Ginny suddenly pulled away from Jughead's shoulder to look up into his eyes. Her eyes blinked up at him nervously but she still felt at peace with him. "What did you want to talk about?"

Jughead sighed, tightening his grip on Ginny as he revealed the secret. "My dad wants us to move to Toledo."

Ginny felt like she was punched in the gut. "W-What?"

"Yeah, he just mentioned it today. I wanted to talk to you first. You're my girlfriend and best friend and I can't leave you."

Ginny sighed, pulling Jughead closer to her so she could nestle her face in the crook of his shoulder and neck. "My offer still stands." Virginia told him, reflecting on how she had asked if he wanted to move in with her.

Jughead moved his hands onto her shoulders and Ginny looked up confused, wondering why their embrace ended quickly. Her query ended when Jughead planted a sweet kiss onto her forehead.

The duo swayed to the slow song that began to play, enjoying each other's company in each other's arms. However, Ginny noticed Betty approach Kevin, turning her blissful attitude a little sour. 

"Hey, Kev. Have you seen Archie and Veronica?" Betty asked Kevin who was with Joaquin.

"They're not here yet," Ginny interrupted as her and Jughead swayed past. She felt a sudden urge to bring Betty's attention to her and Jughead dancing. Ginny wasn't a petty person but Betty brought out the worst in Virginia.

"Oh, never mind, I see them." Betty interupted her and walked away and Ginny shrugged, turning her head back to Jughead. She was about to speak to Jughead and tell him that they should just ditch when her attention was diverted up front to the stage.

Mayor McCoy began to speak on stage, interrupting the music. Jughead stopped both his and Ginny's movements with a squeeze to her hips.

"Friends, students and alumni. I hope you brought your dancing shoes. Please join me in welcoming to the stage Riverdale High's very own Archie Andrews and Veronica Lodge!" Cheers for the duo burst throughout the audience with clapping and Ginny found herself cheering on her friends.

While Archie and Veronica played Ginny swayed and she smiled as Jughead wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on the top of her head as they watched their friends perform. The tall boy bent, however, to place his lips beside his girlfriend's ear.

"That should be you up there singing."

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     GINNY GIGGLED AS JUGHEAD LIGHTLY PUSHED her up against the lockers. Her lips pecked his parted ones and she pulled away to look up at him. The two of them had decided to ditch the dance. They had danced for a half hour, drank some punch, and rolled their eyes at teens trying too hard. Now, they wanted to go home. It was normal though, both liked spending time alone with each other– no one else meant no problems.

A commotion disturbed Ginny, her head turning away from Jughead to look. "Was that Betty?" Ginny questioned Jughead, watching a blonde blur rush past them in the other hallway.

"Yeah, it was." Jughead replied, pulling away from his girlfriend. "Let's leave it alone, Gin. Let's go get burgers."

Ginny, however, tugged on Jughead's hand, pulling him with her. "Isn't it weird that Betty is running away from the dance? Something's going on, Jug." Virginia Hopkins may not like Betty right now but she knew that the blonde wouldn't run from a dance that she prepped.

"Explain what? That you're working with my mom behind my back?" Betty was speaking to Veronica and Archie as Ginny and Jughead approached from behind.

"Guys– Betty?" He sighed as he stopped beside Ginny, watching Betty cross her arms defensively. "What's going on? Why do I feel like I'm suddenly left out?" Jughead asked slowly, noticing how they all of a sudden got quiet.

"Do you want to tell him or should I?" Betty asked the duo beside her and Ginny knew that something had happened.

"Tell me what?" Jughead asked wearily, his grip on Ginny's hand tightening.

"We went to your dad's trailer to–"

"To search it, Jughead."

"Why would you guys do that?" Jughead asked confused, looking at his friends, wondering why they would go over. He was lost. 

"You had no right—" Ginny added, stepping forward. "If Jughead wanted to he could press charges."

"My mom put them up to it." Betty announced, as if she was trying to defuse or worsen the situation. "She was convinced he was hiding something about Jason."

"We were wrong. All of us. We didn't find anything." Veronica added. 

"And Jug, we were only doing it to prove that–" Archie struggled to speak and Ginny shook her head at her friend.

"That my dad wasn't a murderer? You went behind my back, Archie?" Jughead accused, his brow furrowed.

"Jug–"

"How did you– When did you guys know to go to my dad's trailer?" Jughead asked.

"We knew he'd be at dinner with–"

"That's why your mom invited my dad and I to dinner? So these two could break into my his trailer while she interrogated him?" Jughead felt his heart stop as he thought of the worst.

"Did you know?" Jughead's voice seemed to drop to a whisper as he turned to Ginny. She wasn't there with him at dinner so where could she have gone?

"W-What? No, Jug!" Ginny cried out, her heart breaking as Jughead thought the worst of her. 

Jughead shook his head as he pulled away from his girlfriend. He didn't know what to believe right now.

"I don't believe you."

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SORRY FOR THE DELAY IN AN UPDATE! HOPEFULLY THIS JUICY CHAPTER MADE UP FOR IT!

I posted the SECOND book of this series! Go add it to your libraries and shit, I'll be doing 3ish posts on there with some hints of what's to come <3