Take my hand
Take my whole life, too
For I can't help falling in love with you

•

I think many of us, maybe the entire town had been hoping against hope that somehow Jason Blossom hadn't drowned on July 4th. That 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 hope in its forehead and terrible secrets that could only be revealed by the cold steel blade of a coroner's autopsy scalpel or the telltale beating of a guilty heart.

Jughead and Amethyst walked into school the Monday after Jason's body was found in Sweetwater River with a bullet hole in his head. Everyone in Riverdale knew, and everyone was shocked. It just proved that Amethyst's theory was incorrect; Jason did not actually run away — he was murdered. 

The two walked towards their locker when they stopped behind Archie who was staring at the flowers and cards surrounding Jason's locker.

"Hi," Jughead said.

Archie turned around quickly to see it was them.

"Do you think Jason Blossom's death would be a good enough excuse to get out of PE?" Amethyst asked.

""Sorry, coach. I'm just too depressed and freaked out right now to do pull-ups"," Jughead said.

Archie closed his locker. "Don't joke about Jason Blossom," he said.

"What? Sardonic humour is just my way of relating to the world," Jughead said.

Amethyst looked past Archie and groaned. "Well, look who it is," she said.

"It's the rich kids from The Goonies," Jughead said.

"It was fun seeing you," Amethyst said and then the two of them walked towards the direction the footballers were in.

Reggie spotted the two walking up to them and shoved Amethyst against the locker while one of his goons pushed Jughead away.

"Well, if it isn't Wednesday Adams," Reggie grinned.

"I thought Jughead was Wednesday and I was Jade West," Amethyst said.

Reggie frowned. "What?"

"Are you deaf or something, Reggie? I said I was Jade West and Jughead was Wednesday," Amethyst said.

"What did you say to me?" Reggie asked.

"Dude, why do you keep asking me what I said to you when you clearly heard me?" Amethyst asked him.

Reggie punched the locker beside Amethyst's head.

"Better watch what you say to me," Reggie growled.

"Oh, fuck off," Amethyst smirked. "You can't do jack shit to me with the principal's office right there."

"Are you tempting me?" He asked.

"Come on," she gestured for him to come at her. "Hit me with your best shot."

Reggie narrowed his eyes.

"Just leave her alone, Reggie," Jughead said from behind one of the big ones who was blocking his view of the two.

"Sorry for harassing your girlfriend, weirdo," Reggie said as he let go of Amethyst. "We'll leave you to it." He shoved her away towards Jughead. She stuck her finger up at him before walking off with Jughead.

By the time the bell went to signal that they had to be in their homeroom now, Jughead and Amethyst only just got to their locker. As they went through their lockers, an announcement sounded over.

"Good morning, students. This is your principal speaking," Weatherbee said.

"No shit, it is," Amethyst mumbled.

"There have been many inquiries about the upcoming pep rally. So let me state clearly, it is happening as scheduled," Weatherbee said. "Now, on a less felicitous note, if you could give your attention to Sheriff Keller."

"Most of you already know the details, but your classmate Jason Blossom's body was found late Saturday night. So as of this weekend, Jason's death is now being treated as a homicide," Sheriff Keller said. "It is an open and ongoing investigation."

Jughead and Amethyst shared glances and began to head to class.

"And may I interject?" Cheryl said. "Neither I nor my parents will rest until Jason's death is avenged, and his cold-hearted killer is walking the Green Mile to sit in Old Sparky and fry. I, for one, have my suspicions. Hashtag "Riverdale strong"."

"If you know anything that could help us find and apprehend Jason's killer or anything about what happened to him on July 4th, I strongly urge you to come forward immediately," Sheriff Keller said. Jughead and Amethyst watched as Archie looked at the photo of Jason in the trophy cabinet and then walk off.  "You can speak with me or Principal Weatherbee. A death like this wounds us all. Let's not let Jason down."

"Archie," Jughead called out to Archie who was splashing his face with the fountain water. "Weirdest thing. This summer, the three of us were supposed to go on a road trip over the July 4th weekend, which you bailed on at the last minute."

"Is there something you want to tell us, Arch?" Amethyst asked as she crossed her arms against her chest.

Archie gulped as he tried to think of something to say.

"I—" he paused, then looked down. "I have to get to class." He hurried past Jughead and Amethyst who sighed.

"When is he going to tell us what he did that weekend?" Amethyst wondered.

"I don't know, but a part of me feels like we will find out soon." The two looked at each other and then hurried to class.

•

Amethyst was sitting besides Jughead when biology started, Amethyst's most favourite class. Archie walked into the room and held their gazes for two seconds before looking away.

"Seats, everyone," the teacher said as he entered the room. "Pair off, gloves on, scalpels up."

Amethyst turned towards Jughead when she was called out.

"I want to be with Amethyst." Amethyst rose an eyebrow as she looked at Cheryl. "If that's alright with you." It was more of an order than a question.

Jughead smirked cheekily at Amethyst as she stood up and made her way over towards Cheryl's desk.

The two were silent for a bit, Amethyst waiting for Cheryl to tell her why she chose her as a partner.

"Look, Cheryl, I don't know why you chose me to sit beside you and all, but—" Amethyst stopped when she saw the look in Cheryl's eyes. She could see the pain and grief that laid behind her chocolate brown eyes. The sadness that she was struggling to hide from everyone. Amethyst was very familiar with that feeling.

"I—" she sighed. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry about what happened to Jason," Amethyst said the words before she even had time to process anything. She didn't like Jason. Hell, he didn't like her back. But Amethyst still felt everyone's sorrow towards the death of the boy, and she just couldn't help but apologise to Cheryl, even though it wasn't her fault.

"You don't have to apologise about Jason's death," Cheryl said. "I know you two didn't like each other for whatever reason, and it's not your fault he's dead."

Amethyst smiled lightly. "Doesn't mean that I still can't be there for you, even though we also don't like to talk to each other."

Cheryl cracked a smiled. "That may be true," she said. "But Jason was the only person who had ever really been there for me. He was the best person in my life."

"If I can do anything to help you, I would. Just message me," Amethyst smiled as she put on her plastic gloves.

"Thank you, Amethyst," Cheryl said. "But unless you were at Sweetwater River and know who shot Jason...." she pursed her lips.

"Do the cops have any leads yet?" Amethyst asked.

"No, but my twintuition is telling me that it's someone we all know," Cheryl said. Amethyst silently agreed with her.

Amethyst looked down at the dead frog in front of her and felt like barfing. "I don't think I can do that," she said.

"That's fine. I'll do it," Cheryl said as she pulled out the blade.

Amethyst held her hand out. "Woah, are you sure?"

"Yes," Cheryl said. "Are you asking me because my brother is being dissected with a blade just like this one? Possibly at this very moment? Don't worry, I'm fine. In fact...." Cheryl stabbed the frog and dragged the knife down. "....I'm amazing."

Amethyst's stomach curled.

"I think I'm going to be sick." She held her hand over her mouth and dashed out of the room.

Amethyst sprinted as fast as she could to the closest female bathroom, pushed open the toilet stall door, crouched down and hurled in the toilet. Her hands were placed on either side of the bowl as she hurled. Someone suddenly came up behind her and held back her hair, rubbing circles on her back as she slowly but surely stopped.

Amethyst whimpered as she sat down beside the bowl and leant against it. The person who held back her hair crouched down in front of her.

"Do you want some water?" Jughead asked.

Amethyst weakly nodded and Jughead rushed out of the bathroom. He came back moments later with a fresh, cold bottle of water from the vending machine. He gave it to Amethyst and sat down in front of her. Jughead was silent as he watched Amethyst scull down the whole bottle and then close her eyes.

"I'll let the front desk know so I can take you home," Jughead said.

"I'll be alright, Juggy," Amethyst mumbled as her stomach made a loud noise.

"No, you won't be. You need to rest," he said. Amethyst nodded.

"You should get out before you get caught being in the girl's bathroom," Amethyst said.

"I don't care what people think. My best friend is sick and I want to look after her," Jughead said.

Amethyst smiled as Jughead got to his feet. "I never thought the girl's bathrooms would look so empty," he said, looking around. "I'm not used to seeing no urinals."

Amethyst chuckled. "Did you really think that girls pee whilst standing up?" She asked.

"No, I knew you guys didn't," he said. "Now I'll be back in a few minutes after informing the front office. Then we can go back to the drive in and you can rest up."

Jughead turned to leave when Amethyst grabbed onto his hand. He turned back around as a slight pink rose on his cheeks, barley visible. Amethyst didn't notice as she saw stars where he would be.

"Can I please wear your beanie?" Amethyst asked. Jughead pursed his lips. "Pretty please."

Jughead sighed before taking his beanie off, letting his brunette locks fall freely. He gave the beanie a longing look before passing it over to Amethyst. She smiled lightly at him as she shoved it onto her head. "Love you, Juggie."

Jughead rolled his eyes, knowing it was purely platonic. "I know you do." Jughead dashed out of the room and Amethyst closed her eyes, a small smile on her lips. She really did.

- fuck me, guys. any ship name ideas? -