I think many of us, maybe the entire town, had been hoping against hope that somehow Jason Blossom wasn't dead when he was finally found after so long. 

We'd come to school Monday morning, and there Jason would be, or that we'd see him and Cheryl in a booth at Pop's, but that was before the undeniable, irrevocable fact of his bloated, waterlogged body. A corpse with a bullet hole in it's forehead, and a message left behind on a voice tape saying,

"Welcome everyone, to my brand-new T.V show~" The male stranger's voice speaks, as if taunting everyone that Jason is dead. The Blossoms look at both the recorder and Jason's body with mournful expressions and anger. "Starring your favorite Horror movies and film."

Then, to add salt in the wound, there's a click and Jason's own voice speaks next. "Today, we begin with the spoiled piece of filth that is Jason Blossom." Before it then switches back to the stranger. "But tomorrow, there will be others."

All of this leaving behind terrible secrets that can only be revealed by the cold steel blade of coroner's autopsy scalpel, or the telltale beating of a guilty heart. 

_____________________________________

Archie can't sleep. After the police revealed Jason's cause of death, he thinks that maybe Grundy's fears were right, that the gunshot they heard was the one that killed Jason Blossom. Not only that, but the guilt from last night and the fear of losing Betty plagues Archie's thoughts.

 He still hears the gunshot in his head... And it's stressing him out.

He needs someone to talk to. He reaches for the phone on his nightstand and looks for Betty's contact. 

You: R U up? Can we talk?

Betty, not really asleep as she wants, solemnly looks at Archie's text before replying.

Betty: No... And no.

Dang it, that's the last thing Archie wanted to see, she doesn't even want to talk to him. Archie stands up and stares through the window which faces Betty's room.

You: Please!?

Betty stands to face him, but shakes her head and turns off the bedroom lights, shutting him off completely. Archie mentally sighs gloomily.

Guess he should try someone who doesn't hate him right now.... Someone who also lives nearby.

_____________________________________

Y/N wakes up to the loud hum of his phone, which he forgot to turn the volume down. He groans, and looks at it with blurry eyes, but quickly sees that it's Archie texting him. 

Archie: Can we talk? Betty still hates me rn.

Y/N chuckles to himself, poor guy. He sits himself up on his back and replies. 

You: Sure, what's up?

Instead of replying, Archie just calls his cell, which Y/N guesses that it works as an answer. He picks it up, closing the door is closed so no one can hear them. "Yeah?"

"I don't think Betty wants to look at me anymore." Archie says with a guilty voice, is that what's been keeping him awake? "I screwed up, big time." 

"Oh, with the closet game?" Y/N queries, already knowing the answer. "I mean, it's not like you actually kissed Veronica in there right?" He asks him humorously, no response. Y/N's eyes slightly widen. "Wait, you actually-" 

"Look I don't why, okay?" Archie admits, mentally punching himself. "I just did it... in the moment, she was an attractive teenage girl, and I'm still a stupid teenage boy, okay?" 

Y/N whistles, not expecting that. "Okay well... that aside, it was still Cheryl who set you two up to get at Betty, not you." He brings up as a way to comfort him. "That bitch is the devil's mistress, and she breads drama." 

"Doesn't make me feel any better..." Archie mutters, and Y/N shrugs. "I should've just walked away, or told Betty something different when I found her. Fuck, I don't what to do now." 

"Just sleep it off." Y/N simply tells him. What else can he say? He refuses to go through this stupid teenage romance mumbo-jumbo. This is the stuff he never liked out of drama shows, because this is the silliest shit to be in conflict about. 

"If she still doesn't want to talk to you, then maybe she's the problem." Y/N states. Archie doesn't enjoy hearing it like that but understands where he's coming from. "I mean, you're a guy who still wants to be Betty's friend, not a killer who walks down rivers and puts bullets in rich kid's heads." 

Then the anxiety returns to Archie's system. The river, Jason, the gunshot. He and Grundy heard a gunshot. Not only that but they were at Sweetwater River where his body is found. Dang it, Y/N's right, he's got much bigger problems on his hands right now. 

Archie abruptly hangs up the phone, grabs a pair of shorts and bolts downstairs, out of his house and down the street. He's got someone to talk to.

Y/N is left confused by the sudden hang up, he stares at the phone and sees that Archie really did, out of nowhere. But all he did was mention... Y/N looks out his window and catches Archie jogging down the street. 

Y/N rushes and pulls out the secret cabinet under his bed. Planning to leave go for a night stroll himself.

Where is Archie going? 

_______________________________________

Grundy, suddenly waked up by the sound of loud banging on her front door, goes to see Archie in nothing but shorts and shoes outside, what the heck is he doing here? 

"Archie?" Grundy says, opening the door. Before she can even start asking why the heck he's appearing at her house at this hour, he foots himself inside, stressed out of his mind. "What are- you can't-"

"It was at Finewoods, Miss Grundy." He states, apparently preparing his sentence on the way here. "On July Fourth, it was a gunshot." 

"You can't be here Archie." Grundy mutters, frustrated at the fact that not only he came here late at night, but without a shirt. "You can't just come into my house."

"Probably the shot that killed Jason Blossom." Archie theories, ignoring the music teacher. Grundy sighs, putting on her glasses.

"We know exactly what the police know." Grundy tells him, arguing that idea. "That a gun was fired, that a boy was shot, that the killer is currently taunting the Blossoms about how he did it with some voice that came from some horror movie. We don't know by whom." 

"We know when it was fired." Archie counters, reminding her of the fact they heard it that day. "That's something the police don't know, and that maniac knows it." 

"They're preforming an autopsy..." 

"We can call them, anonymously" Archie suggests, they can't let this psycho feel in control of the officers of the law.

"This is not a negotiation, Archie. This is our lives." Grundy strongly states, Archie can see that she's afraid of news of their affair getting out. "If anybody knows that we were there, I could lose my job, you could me expelled, we could go to jail." 

Archie stares conflicted at her. Maybe she's right, but whoever killed Jason clearly doesn't sound like they'll stop there. 

And unfortunately for them, someone might already know. Ghostface watches their conversation through a window, having got what he needed to hear, he removes himself from sight and makes it back to the house. 

So, there is something going on between them....

__________________________

Morning:

"All right, here you go Vegas." Archie's father, Fred Andrews, gives his dog the treat he's currently begging for. "Good boy." 

"Morning dad." Archie greets as he enters the kitchen, looking for what he's gonna have for breakfast. 

"Hey, bud." Fred greets back, cleaning the pan he just used. "Where'd you sneak off to last night?" He then suddenly asks, Archie feels a chill, he knew he shouldn't have ran out like an idiot.

"You heard that?" Achie queries, and his father chuckles at him as if he hasn't before.

"Son, I've been hearing you sneak out since you were eight years old going to Jughead's treehouse." Fred remarks, signifying to his son that he's getting old, not deaf. 

Archie hates it, but he knows he has to lie to his dad. "I couldn't sleep, went for a jog to tire myself out." He gives a half-truth, he did jog his way there.

"Yeah? Got something on your mind?" Fred queries, taking a sip of coffee from his mug. Archie finds the correct way to word it without completely lying. 

"Just... all this stuff with Jason." Archie answers, and Fred nods.

"Well, no more midnight runs until the police catch whoever it was who shot that poor kid." His father demands, not liking the idea of him being alone at night with a killer on the loose. "Swear to god, this town..."

'Yeah...' Archie mentally mutters.

This town.

______________________________

Betty spends the morning writing in her diary when her parents walk in, Hal and Alice Cooper. The latter she has mixed feelings about. 

"Hey honey." Hal greets her daughter, looking extra dressed up for his job today. "Just wanted you to know it's gonna be a bit of a late night for us."

"It's gonna be a lot of late nights for us." Alice corrects with a optimistic smile. "I mean missing poster, who cares? But the sociopathic son of the wealthiest family in town murdered, and the killer leaving behind a taunting message? That's a national obsession waiting to happen."

Betty and Hal share a look of discomfort. Even the day after it's discovered, Alice shows no empathy when using her mouth. "He's barley in his grave-" 

"Can you warm up the car, Hal?" Alice requests from her husband, interrupting him. She keeps her eyes on Betty. "I'll be right down." 

Hal mentally sighs, but obeys and leaves the room, leaving Alice to whatever 'lesson' she's about to give. Betty sits up on her bed and her mother kneels to face her. "Betty, you know what I love most about you?" She queries, but Betty knows she isn't expecting her to answer. "It's that you always want to see the good in people."

Betty shifts, feeling like she knows where this is going. "Even people like Cheryl Blossom, and Veronica Lodge, and Archie Andrews." She lists the people who were at the party, however she doesn't mention Y/N. "But when they betrayed you this weekend, you saw their true colors didn't you?"

Betty nods. "I did, I definitely did." She agrees, but only to satisfy her mother. 

"So no backsliding." Alice demands, giving her daughter a serious look. "No Cheryl, No Veronica, No-"

"No Archie." Betty finishes her sentence for her.

However, take a guess who's doorbell she rings before making her way to Riverdale High?

Archie, after eating breakfast, goes to answer the door for his dad only to find Betty and Y/N waiting for him. 

"Walk us to school?" 

________________________________

"I needed time to process, to separate what my mom wants from what I want, I think I want." Betty awkwardly says to Archie, explaining her somewhat neglect behavior earlier.

"Which is?" Archie asks so she doesn't have to find a way to get to that part.  During this conversation, Y/N plays on his phone, and looking up all the news about Jason Blossom's murder. 

"My mom says I should never speak to you again." Betty tells him. "But Y/N was right, Chery just wants to spread chaos and even though you don't... like me, like that. I still want us to be friends, best friends." 

"You do?" Archie's hope draw up, worried that he might have lost that. Betty nods, causing Archie to smile. "That's great Betty, me too."

"I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt." 

"And I'm sorry." Archie apologizes wholeheartedly. "I didn't do it to be a....." He struggles to find the words to describe it, playboy? Snake? Bully? "I don't know, I just thought it would be better in the long run-"

"And it will be." Betty abruptly assures him, confusing Archie. Him and Y/N share a look at he latter shrugs, Archie just chuckles it off.  "Oh! And don't tell my mom that we're friends again... except Y/N, she doesn't have a problem with him."

That last part makes Y/N pause and stare at Betty curious. "Should I be worried that your mom might like me for some reason?"

Archie and Betty don't answer, just keep walking. Yeah, that doesn't help.

As Y/N catches up, he leans his head closer to Archie. "Yeah, how about that whole 'I'm fine' talk she just gave?" He brings up. "I don't buy it." 

Archie swallows, he's worried about that too.

_______________________________

Sheriff Keller, Principal Weatherbee, and Cheryl Blossom stand in the principal's office, ready to deliver a message to the entire school.

"Morning students, this is your principal speaking." The speakers deliver his voice throughout the school, and most students just go about their business. "There have been many inquires about the upcoming pep rally. So, let me state clearly, it is happening as scheduled." He promises, and Cheryl smiles satisfied.

"Now, on a less felicitous note, if you can give your attention to Sherrif Keller." Weatherbee hands the mentioned man the mic, and Y/N, who can guess what's coming next, puts down his camcorder and listens with perked up ears. 

"Most of you already know the details, but your classmate, Jason Blossom's body, was found late Saturday night." The sheriff starts, and this draws the attention of the students. "So, as of the weekend, Jason's death is now being treated as a homicide." Y/N, Kevin, and Betty all glance at each other. "It is an open, and ongoing investigation-"

"And my interject?" Cheryl abruptly presses her mouth to the mic. "Neither I nor my parents will rest until Jason's death is avenged, and the sick maniac who sent us that mocking video tape is walking the green mile to sit in old sparky, and fry." 

"It's a life sentence, not death." Y/N comments to the others, and Kevin gives him a knowing look. 

"You think the Blossoms won't be able to have their way in the court?" Kevin queries, and Y/N nods with an understanding expression. 

"I for one have my suspicions, hashtag Riverdale strong." Cheryl finishes, then stands back up as if she didn't just force the mic out of the sheriff's reach. Keller sighs before continuing. 

"If you know anything that could help us find and apprehend Jason's killer, or anything about what happened to him on July Fourth, I strongly urge you to come forward immediately." Kelly advises. 

Archie looks at the trophy shelf which now holds a memorial for Jason, the reflection of his similar red hair staring back at him as if it mocks him for knowing something. He walks down the hall and watches the three give their message through the office window. 

When Weatherbee quickly notices him, Archie awkwardly walks away. "You can speak with me, or principal Weatherbee. A death like this wounds us all let's not let Jason down."

 Archie washes his face with a drinking fountain, where a familiar person finds him. "Archie." The boy turns to see Jughead peering at him. "Weirdest thing, this summer we were supposed to go on a road trip, over July Fourth weekend. Which, you bailed on, and the last minute."

Suspicion, Archie can't tell if Jughead thinks he's the killer, or suspecting that he knows something everyone else doesn't. Jughead takes another step closer to him.

"Is there something you want to tell me... pal?"

____________________________________________

So to summarize, Y/N figured out pretty quickly that everything isn't all handy dandy as Betty and the others have made it out to be.

Betty is actually still hurt by Archie's rejection, (shocker) Archie is clearly bothered by whatever is going on between him and Grundy, Jughead suspects him of something, and Betty is mad at Veronica for kissing her crush despite the latter trying to make it up to her.  All in all, high school life.

Y/N's problem, well it's more centered around himself mostly. His demons.... they scream thirsty. He hasn't killed anyone since the summer and his inner thoughts have berated him for it. 

Without caring what time it is, he heads into the bathroom, enters a stall and pulls out his phone, calling a number he's been saving just in case. A corrupt teacher he knows is on the wrong side of the law. 

It takes a couple seconds, but luck strikes for him. "Hello, Mr. Phillips?" The person answers. Y/N retrieves the voice changer hidden in his backpack, deciding to use the normal Ghostface voice. 

"Uh, yes, hi this is a call for, um...." Y/N purposefully pauses, doing his best to sound anxious. "I need some.... some snow." 

"I'm sorry?"

"You know, the stuff!" Y/N hints, hoping Robert Phillips is catching on. There's a pause, then Y/N thinks he hears Robert walking around. "You're the Sugarman, right? I need help here-"

"Look, first off, you can't just call me during work hours." Mr. Phillips criticizes, Y/N wondered if he caught him during something since he can't be teaching a class if he hasn't hung up yet. 

"I-I know, but my old supplier got himself caught and I really need a fix, man...." Y/N makes his voice shaky.  "A-And someone pointed me towards you-"

"Second, why a cellphone call? I have dead drop where I receive messages." Mr. Phillips points out next, Y/N sighs, making sure he can talk without being interrupted again.

"Look, I just need an ounce, okay?" Y/N persists. "I'll pay whatever you want, okay? But I'm getting the itch, and... I need a fix, please?" 

There's another pause, then Y/N hears the teacher sighing. "Where?" He asks, and Y/N smirks with a sanguine expression.

"Riverdale High, behind the bleachers at the football field? There's gonna be a pep rally so no one will notice us." Y/N explains the details, and eventually, Robert agrees. Y/N hangs up the phone and puts the voice changer in the backpack's secret pouch. 

One less crooked Adult in the world.

_________________________________

As he exits the bathroom, he bumps into Jughead who recognizes him after a few seconds. "Excuse me son, but you don't have a pass." He jokes after taking his headphones out,  and Y/N shrugs. 

"The rules don't apply to me." Y/N replies, and Jughead shakes his head at him. The two aren't really friends, but they get along easy enough. When Y/N starts to turn around to head back to his class, his eye catches something he didn't expect to see.

Jughead follows his gaze and is also shocked what he sees through a classroom door. Archie and Grundy, and they're.... a little too close to each other.

"Holy shit...." Y/N mumbles, as the two peak through the door's thin window. What he saw made him certain enough, but this just makes it crystal clear. "A tale of forbidden and illegal love." 

Jughead glances at him, they stare a couple seconds longer before Y/N pulls out his camcorder. "We should go, before they see us." Jughead advises, pushing the device down. Y/N looks disappointed but nods.

"Look, he's your ex-friend, so confront him however you want." Y/N tells Jughead as he heads back to class. "Me? I didn't see anything." 

Jughead watches Y/N jog down the hall, glancing at Archie and Grundy one more time before continuing to where he was originally walking.

Y/N wonders what he can do with this information....