The next day Angel walks through the high school with Cheryl, passing out invitations to Jason's memorial to his friends and other students. The two best friends wearing their classic red lipsticks, Cheryls in the infamous Blossom-red, while Angels lips grace a deep blood-red.

Walking through the field, the best friends stop in front of the group of friends sitting on the bleachers. "Sorry to interrupt Sad Breakfast Club" Cheryl makes their presence known as the five turn to them. "But I'm here to formally invite you to Jason's memorial at Thornhill this weekend." Handing out the black invitations Cheryl looks annoyed at them, while Angel wears a soft smile upon her lips, silently greeting the boy with the beanie. "To my surprise and chagrin, Mother added you to the guest list" the red head states, handling the beauty in purple an invitation. "In case you're tempted to steal our silver candlesticks, don't. We'll be searching bags" she tells them, earning a confused look from the girl besides her.

"We're going, Angel." "You can go ahead" she tells the girl as the red head walks off and the others look at her questionable. "My apology for Cheryl, she's just..." "A bitch?" "...burying her brother which is one of the hardest things to do" Rosella states with a sad smile. "I'm Rosella Morningstar, by the way" she introduces herself to them. "Morningstar?" "Like the devil" Jughead comments from behind with a small smirk as she smiles up at him, have had the same conversation with the boy the night before. "Veronica Lodge. Is it true that-" "The devil wears Prada?" she interrupts her question, knowing what the girl is probably about to ask by simply looking at her expensive outfit and her pearls around her neck. "No, he prefers Burberry, Canali, Louis Vuitton, you name it" Angel answers her, chuckling due to hearing that question almost every time she meets someone new.

"I'm Betty Cooper, that's Archie Andrews, Kevin Keller and-" "Jughead Jones the third, yeah, we've met" Angel states. "Who, by the way, wasn't at the Blue and Gold after telling me to meet there" the girl reminds him, looking directly at the boy. "Why should you come to the Blue and Gold?" Betty asks, looking between the two confused. "I want to help you guys with Jay-Jays death."

"Anyway, I'll see you guys later" with that the girl walks into the direction her best friend left minutes ago, leaving the five friends.
"Why would you want her to help us?" Betty asks the dark-haired boy, turning towards him as soon as the girl is gone. "She knew Jason since they were little. She probably as a lot of useful information the police doesn't have" he explains is reasoning. "How do you even know her?" Archie questions, still looking at the retreating figure of the mysterious beauty. "We met at Pop's yesterday. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that we'll know things only the family members know."

——

"Betty got some informations, meeting in the lounge before school starts" the text says as Rosella gets ready that morning. After replying to the boy's text, the girl puts on some black and white checkered old-school Chanel skirt with a black lace-bodysuit and a white jacket atop, paired of with some black Chanel ankle strap pumps.

Taking her purse and car keys she leaves her apartment and drives towards the school where she meets up with the two hobby detectives. "Good morning you two" she greets them, sitting down at one of the armchairs. "What did you find out, Betty?" "Jason was dealing drugs." "What?" the other two exclaim together. "No, Jay-Jay would never do that!" Angel vocalizes. "He knows what happened" she mumbles to her self, looking at her hands confused, not knowing the boy heard her.

"That's not everything" the blonde starts again. "I asked my dad about Polly and he said the two had a big fight before she tried to hurt herself" she chokes up. Rosella stands up to sit down besides the girl, hugging her lightly. She isn't the biggest fan of Polly Cooper after what she did but nobody should have a reason to take their own life. "That's why my parents sent her away."

"I'm so sorry, Betty." "Betty, I'm sorry. That's hardcore." "I asked my dad if I could call Polly. He said she was doing better, but when she heard about Jason's death she had a big setback. He doesn't want to risk another one" she tells the two. "Why does a rich kid sell drugs?" Jughead asks. "He always wanted to run away" Rosella speaks up.

"Probably, or drug dealers" the boy thinks out loud, walking though the room. "It's a theory. Yours is more likely, but why would he have to run away from Mommy and Daddy?"
"Because they're monsters. I don't know if you ever realized, but the Blossoms aren't the best parents out there" the new girl remarks.

"Yeah, but why, specifically?" he asks again. "Well, we can't exactly just ask them" Betty reminds. "So we have to ask Jason" Jughead concludes to which the girls look at him weirdly. How does he want to ask a dead boy? "Are you proposing a séance or...?" Betty questions him. "No. Dead men tell no tales. But their bedrooms... their houses..."

"Penelope locked his room so Cheryl can't go in anymore" the brunette tells them what her best friend told her the day before, only to earn a sly grin from the girl beside her. "For what do we have bobby-pins?" she remarks, earning a smile from the other two.

"Okay, I'll see you at cheerleading later" Angel tells the girl on her way to the door, leaving for the first lesson of the day after saying goodbye to the two.

That night Angel stays with her best friend to be there for each other, before burring their brother and best friend.

"Penelope, Clifford, I'm so sorry for your loss" Rosella says as she greets the two, hugging the mother as tears well up in the eyes of the two. "And I'm sorry for yours. I know how much he meant to you" Penelope tells her, breaking the hug before the girl turns to the old woman in the wheelchair. "Hello Nana Rose" she greets her with a soft smile, which the woman returns hardly, as she doesn't seem to show much reactions anymore.

Everyone sits down, ready to have dinner, after Veronica arrived as well, as awful as it always seems to be in the Blossom home. Silent. Awkward.
"Thank you for having me" the black head breaks the silence. "Cheryl invited you. I have no idea why you're here" Penelope answers with fake friendliness. "Me, neither. I thought there'd be other girls" Veronica replies, looking at Angel before looking at Cheryl.

"Veronica, would you like some more maple ham?" Clifford asks the girl, after Nana Rose doesn't react to his question. "I'm good. It's delicious, though. You can really taste the maple" she declines awkwardly. "You do know that Riverdale was founded on the maple-syrup industry." "I didn't actually. Fascinating." "That's where Sweetwater River got its name" Clifford says, earning an eyeball from his wife who turned to the brunette next to her.
"Perhaps you should ask your father about it sometime" the man continues as Veronica looks at him, not knowing how to react. "How is he, by the way?" "Okay."
"There are worse things than prison" Penelope comments. "Like this dinner party" Cheryl mumbles, earning a little suppressed chuckle from her best friend.

"That must have been hard for you" he continues on, "Watching your father being handcuffed and dragged out of your home, in front of you and your neighbors, all those reporters." "The worst part is how fast it happened" the girl says after a moment. "He was just gone. I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye" Veronica utters sadly, looking at the Blossom parents, earning a sympathy look from the girl across from her. "That's why it's so great you all get a chance to say goodbye to Jason tomorrow-" "Not all of us" Cheryl interrupts, earning a confused look from the two girls. "That's because some people already got to say goodbye to Jason, while rowing him across the river" Penelope voices, "to his death."

"Just as strange as I remember" Rosella comments about the dinner as the three girls walk into Cheryls room, earning a little chuckle from the girl in red.

"Do you want to see some pictures of Jay-Jay?" Cheryl asks Veronica after the three change into their nightgowns. The girl nods as Cheryl get some photo albums to look at. With sad smiles the girls look at each photo. Rosella has tears in her eyes as she sees one of her favorite pictures of the late boy.

"I remember when this was taken" she whispers, touching the picture softly. "It was two and a half years ago, after... Jay-Jay so badly wanted make me to laugh so he did the dumbest things and accidentally stepped onto the pool ball and fell into the water" the girl remembers, tears rolling down her cheeks. "He always made sure we were happy" she smiles sadly. "He always had the biggest smile when you visited" Cheryl tells the girl, taking her hand, squeezing it. "He really loved you." "And I love him."

"I hope this isn't weird, but Jason was crazy handsome" Veronica states as they continue on. "The handsomest" Cheryl comments, earning a nod from her best friend. "Something tells me he would have liked you" she smiles at the black beauty.
"Why did you invite me tonight?" Veronica asks after a moment. "Why not only Angel, or Tia or Gina? Aren't they your besties?" "And yet, that night at the pep rally, after I had my panic attack, you helped me. Not them" Cheryl replies with a soft, thankful smile on her lips.

"Little Red" Angel begins, seeing the girls look in her eyes as she stares at her brothers picture. "You're allowed to say goodbye to Jay-Jay." "But why does it have to be-" Veronica inputs, getting interrupted by the girl. "In front of people?" The two nod, even if Angel probably knows the answer to that. "Everything with Jason has been so public. Everyone has an opinion, has been gossiping. Saying he got what he deserved, or that he didn't. I just... I want everyone to know that I'm... I'm sorry" she tells them. "And that Jason deserved a..." she starts again, chocking up as Angel squeezes her hand tightly. "A better family that what he got."

"Then do it. We'll help you" Veronica tells her. "And let Penelope and Clifford Blossom do their worst." "Oh they will. They'll kill me."

—

"Ready?" Angel asks her best friend who stands in front of her mirror as the three are all dressed to go downstairs to the memorial of Jason Blossom. "Just about. You go ahead. I'll be down" she tells the two girls softly. "I'm coming in a moment" Angel tells Veronica as she leaves the room.

"Do what feels right for you, Little Red" Angel tells her best friend, taking her hand. "We'll make sure your parents want do anything. I promise." With a soft smile she walks out as well, leaving the girl to herself as she makes her was towards the room where the memorial will be held.

Looking around she sees Betty and Jughead in one of the back rows. With fast steps she walks over to the two and leans a bit in-between them, earning their attention with a little startle. "Don't do that. This house is creepy as it is" Jughead tells her. "You should see it by night" she states, earning a creeped out look from the two. "Anyways" she starts in a whisper so no-one will hear what she's about to say. "Jay-Jay's room is upstairs, the second to the right. It's probably the best when you go up as soon as the memorial is over, that way you want attract as much attention. But be fast, you never know if some maid or one of them walks around" she tells them, before standing straight again and walking towards the first row, where she sits down in front of Veronica, sending her a small smile.

Rosella can't seem to take her eyes off of the coffin right in front of her, that's where her best friend lies and never comes back.
Silent tears run down her cheeks, as she looks for a handkerchief in her bag.

She still can't believe her best friend is gone, forever. Just a couple of months back they lived their fairytale, happy, in love. It was as if nothing could come between them, but every fairytale has his end. And this fairytale didn't just end with a breakup, no it ended with the brutal homicide of the boy who taught Rosella and Cheryl so much about life, about friendship, love. The three were like the three musketeers, they were always there for each other, they understood each other and wanted nothing but the best for each one of them. Even if Rosellas and Jasons relationship ended on a bad note, the two still stayed best friends and were there for each other.

They were the three musketeers.
But now, only two are left to fight.

Everyone turns around, while Cheryl walks down between the rows. Head held high, while she's wearing a white dress, shocking everyone in the room. Rosella smiles at her best friend, proud that she's doing what she thinks is right.

"Welcome to Thornhill. Thank you all for coming" she starts as she stands at the little podium in front of the coffin. "If you'll kindly take your seats, I'd like to start the memorial with a few words about Jason."

"You're only going to make things worse" Veronica whispers towards Penelope, while Rosella speaks up as well. "Stay seated, Penelope" the two tell her as she's about to stand up to get her daughter.

With an encouraging smile from her best friend, Cheryl begins to talk. "The last time I saw Jason, I was wearing this dress. I know it's impossible, but I swear when I put it on, it feels like he's in the room with me" she tells them, looking at the picture of her brother next to his coffin.

"Even though we were twins, I used to demand I have my own birthday party. Until one year, out of the blue, Jason convinced me we had to combine them into one. It wasn't until years later I found out why. It was because no one wanted to come to mine and Jason didn't want me to know. He protected me. Every single day. I wish that day at the river, I had protected him" she cries, turning to where her brother lies. "I'm so sorry, Jay-Jay" she speaks to him, as Angel stands up to embrace her best friend, knowing she needs it more than anything right now. "We failed you. All of us." Hugging each other tightly, the girls silently cry together.

"I think we'll adjourn now to the winter salon for a light supper" Penelope speaks up as everyone slowly leaves the room, Betty and Jughead on their way towards the late boys room, after looking at the new girl one last time.

"Shhh, I'm here Little Red" Angel tries to calm her best friend down, what isn't easy when you try to calm yourself down as well. "We're in this together and I won't leave you" she whispers in her ear, breaking the hug to wipe the girls tears away, as Penelope rips her daughter put of her best friends hands, pulling her up the stairs.

Taking a couple of deep breaths, Angel calms down before looking for the two detectives, but she can't find them.

Every town has one. The house on the haunted hill all kids avoid. Now that Jason was buried in the earth, it would only be a matter of time until something poisonous bloomed in that long, col shadow cast by his death.
Whatever grew in the rich black soil of the Blossoms' garden always found its way into the town. Wether it was murder or love or secrets or lies.