When you have a secret in Riverdale, he doesn't stay a secret for long. Soon everyone was talking about mine and Jughead's engagement. It was the latest gossip. The hot buzz. Which was fine if it wasn't currently causing a giant war between our families.

"Who does FP think he is? Calling my kid a bum?" Lily says angrily, "my kid? The one with a perfect SAT score and the one who got accepted to numerous colleges. My full ride darling child!"

I sigh looking over to Oliva who had to sit through this ranting with me.

"Where is Jughead going? Prison?" Lily asks harshly, "calling you a bum. I have half a mind to walk over there and punch his stupid face."

"And who is he to decide that the wedding isn't going to happen?" Mary asks butting in, "he's Jughead's dad now? Since when? He wasn't Jughead's dad when that poor boy was homeless. Fred stepped up and housed him. Now he wants to play dad? Why to say no?"

"I know!" Lily shouts, "besides Jughead lives here most of the time! Grrr this is so frustrating."

"Then maybe we should hold off this wedding stuff until we all work this out," I tell them.

"No no we are having this wedding!" Lily shouts, "we're gonna start planning it. You and Jughead are both 18. What's he gonna do kick him out? No he's not and if he does well then Jughead can move in."

"Really?" I ask them.

"With restrictions!" Mary adds quickly, "with supervision. Lily Y/n is right maybe we should hold this off."

"Yeah we can all sit down and just work this out," I suggest.

"I don't want to see FP's stupid face!" Lily shouts, "Bum! I swear has he looked in the mirror recently."

"Lily," Mary says firmly. 

"Am I wrong?"

"Guys we got another tape," Archie says as he bursts in. Lily and Mary switch their focus to that and I can't saw I'm not thankful for that. But the tape. God these things are so creepy. Worse they caught me sneaking in Jughead, better they caught Archie sneaking Veronica in. Honestly him getting in trouble as well made the lecture a little worth it.

As Lily leads the girls back to their house Mary heads to bed. Giving me the go ahead to bring Jughead in the house down to my room.

"Well it still a war zone at your house?" I ask him.

"My dad isn't budging he doesn't want this wedding to happen," Jug groans, "he said if I go through with it he won't help me with college and he'll kick me out."

"Harsh," I tell him.

"Alice tried to get him to back down but he won't budge," Jug says sadly, "I just want my dad to be there and he's being such a dick about it." I give his hand a reassuring squeeze. 

"I'm sorry Juggie," I say softly, "I know this is hard on you."

"Let's just run away," He says as he rests his head on my shoulder, "it'll be so much easier that way."

"As much as I love to run away from my problems I think this is one we have to actually deal with," I tell him.

"Dammit," He groans.

"This isn't making you have doubts is it?" I ask him.

"No I wanna marry you," He assures me, "with or without my dad. Are you having doubts?"

"None at all," I say as I move to peck his temple, "let's get some sleep. It's getting late."

"Yeah okay," He says. We move climbing under the blankets. He moves pulling me into his arms. The next morning once we get upstairs for breakfast Lily is already mumbling harshly about FP.

"Does your dad know you're here?" She asks Jug.

"I don't think so," Jug says, "he was in bed when I left last night."

"See! That man is so stupid some times-"

"Lily can you not do this right now," I tell her, "this is hard enough with out all the fighting."

"We wouldn't be fighting if FP wasn't being such a dick!" Lily exclaims, "if you kids wanna get married fine. It's not our place to stop you when all of us made that mistake when we were your age. If you have real true love you should hang onto it." She sighs and looks to Jughead. "I'm sorry I shouldn't say bad things about your dad in front of you-"

"It's fine," Jug says.

"No its not," She says, "I love your dad like a brother. We've been friends since we were in diapers. And I know he loves you kids and he's always been happy you two are together but now he wants to stop that? I don't understand." Lily's expression softens. "He said she was gonna be a bum. I know her parents weren't the most put together but she's working so hard. I'm tired of everyone shitting on you Y/n because of you parents."

"Lily," I say softly, "it's okay."

"No it's not," She says at once, "you're so much more than what Frank and Naomi were."

"We'll figure it out," Jug says, "I'm gonna make my dad understand. I'm marrying Y/n. If that means I won't have my dad at the wedding then fine." Jug looks over to me and takes my hand. "All that matters is us babe."

"I love you," I say to him.

"I love you too," He says leaning in to peck my forehead.

"I'll take the little kids to school today," Lily says, "you kids should go. Take a moment to yourself."

"Come on Jug," I tell him, "Bye Lily! Love you!"

"Love you," She calls. Once we get outside Jug and I climb into my truck. A large dopey smile on his face.

"Oh I love this song," He says then looks over to me, "Oh, Ms. Believer, my pretty sleeper Your twisted mind is like snow on the road Your shaking shoulders prove that it's colder Inside your head than the winter of dead I will tell you I love you~" He leans over to show he's singing to me. I smile brightly as he keeps going, "But the muffs on your ears will cater your fears My nose and feet are running as we start To travel through snow Together we go Together we go We get colder As we grow older We will walk So much slower ~" As the instrumental part plays he dances lightly in his seat. Swaying back and forth. I sneak glances as I drive, "Oh, Ms. Believer, my pretty weeper Your twisted thoughts are like snow on the rooftops Please, take my hand, we're in foreign land As we travel through snow Together we go~ Together we go We get colder As we grow older We will walk So much slower."

As the song ends he moves placing his hand on my thigh. 

"You are amazing Forsythe," I say to him, "you know that?"

"Only cause you tell me all the time," He replies. I chuckle lightly.

"I mean it," I tell him. He moves kissing my shoulder. "You know we are being harassed online about the wedding."

"Yeah?"

"Serpents hijacked the online stuff to make sure everyone knows it'll be a serpent wedding," I tell him, "like the dorks they are. Cheryl and Toni are leading the charge."

"Sounds about right," He says, "well I guess we can only hope they'll be civil."

"Yeah right," I tell him, "come on it's Riverdale. The best we can hope for is that no one dies."

"Fair enough," He tells me.

Once we pull into the school parking lot I see Archie, Betty, and Veronica walking in together. I jump out waving to them.

"Hey losers!" I call. They stop and Betty waves to us.

"Move faster love birds!" Veronica calls. Jug and I grab our bags and move quickly towards our friends. "So is it still all Romeo and Juliet over there?" 

"Yeah," I tell her, "who knew an engagement was all that we needed to break the Cooper, Jones, Andrews alliance." They chuckle lightly. 

"They are finally leaving me alone though," Betty says, "I've never flown under my moms radar like this. She didn't catch me sneaking out or in last night. It was the strangest thing ever-"

"Yeah well Alice is too busy convincing my dad that this isn't the worst idea we've had," Jug says.

"I'd rank it top 20," I tell him, "I don't think it's a bad idea but an impartial judge would call us a wannabe Finn and Rachel."

"Oh god," Jug says, "never say anything like that again."

"You're more Nathan and Hailey," Betty says looking at me.

"No we aren't," I tell then, "if I married Reggie we'd be Nathan and Hailey."

"Cory and Topanga?"  Veronica suggests.

"Closer," I tell her, "like Cory and Topanga meet The Adams Family with a sprinkle of One Tree Hill and Glee's absolute shitshowness."

"I mean yeah," Betty says, "but it a good way."

"In the best way," Archie says. I chuckle.

"Hey we're at least aware of it," I tell them.

"Oh my god Eric and Donna!" Betty says, "yeah no Eric and Donna, mixed with Cory and Topanga, with a dash of Adam's family."

"Oh yeah," I say, "wow thats a good amount of shows with senior year engagements."

"Yeah- wow," Veronica says, "hmm."

"Let's just get to class," Jug says, "we're gonna be late."

Once we get inside we all split up. Kev moves dragging me with him to meet Honey with the signup sheets. He got me to volunteer to help with the variety show. Which meant helping mediate the interactions between the two of them.

" Here you go, Principal Honey. Another list of sign-ups for the variety show," Kev says handing the list over.

"Hmm. Well, I've reviewed the acts submitted so far," Honey says, "They mostly seem fine, with one exception. Yours Mr. Keller." Kev's eyes widen at the words. His number? But it's just a Hedwig Number. "I'm sorry, but you won't be allowed to do a number from Hedwig and the Angry Inch. That show is... It's not appropriate for students and families."

"It was on Broadway," Kevin defends, "-There's a movie version of it."

"An R-rated movie version," Honeys says.

"If I may Mr. Honey our previous shows have all been a little racy I mean heathers is about murder and Carrie someone was murdered we kinda aren't the school for censorship like this," I try to defend.

"That was before me," Honeys says. "Look Mr. Keller why don't you do a number from a classic musical, like Oklahoma or Carousel? Instead of some niche, downtown, cabaret show that would be more appropriate for pre-Nazi Berlin?"

"Hedwig is not a niche show. It celebrates identities, genders, expressions of all kinds. And it speaks to my entire generation," Kev says, "We are relentlessly slammed with crisis after crisis. And we take it, and we're numb, yes, but also screaming on the inside. Please, just... Just listen to us."

Kev moves grabbing the boombox.

"Oh we're doing this again," I say softly, "Heathers ptsd."

"We're people, not numbers. We're Generation Z," Kev says as the music starts. "All our feelings and thoughts, Expressed in ones and in oughts  In endless spiraling chains, You can't decode or explain 'Cause you are so analog. God, dog, I, eye, I, God, dog."

"We're the random number Generation, we are Random number generated, We are random numbers," He and I sing. 

"In the regime of the solid state Wheels spin as you iterate," Archie sings.

"K is X squared minus 1 But 0.54321," Cheryl sings.

"When X is taken times 2 That's when we're coming for you," Cheryl and I sing.

"We're the random number  Generation, we are Random number generated, we are  Hey, here we are We're the random number Generation, we are Random number generated We are random numbers!" 

As the class bell for first period rings the flash mob stops. I sigh looking around the the mess we've made. 

Serious Heather flashbacks.

You see, the music of Hedwig is the perfect fit for--" Kev starts. Honey isn't having it.

"Mr. Keller, you can either pick a different song, or recuse yourself from the variety show and all your attendant duties. Effective immediately," Honey says then looks over to me, "I suggest you pick an appropriate song as well Ms. L/n. Now get to class."

Kev defeated makes his way to his first period while I head for the art room. No project today just cleaning out my section of the studio.

After a while I hear a familiar voice call out to me.

"Can you help me with my number for the variety show?" Sweet Pea asks. I look up from my painting and smile at him.

"You're preforming?" I ask him. He nods.

"Senior year," He says smiling, "I need help working on it tho. So can you come help?"

"Of course," I tell him, "come on the music room is free first period." I take his hand and move dragging him through the school. Once we get to the music room I see him pull sheet music and place it on the stand by the piano. "What do you need help with?" 

"Uh guitar," He tells me, "Toni is gonna play it with me on stage but I need to practice."

"Acoustic or electric?" I ask him.

"Acoustic," He replies.

I move pulling the music rooms guitar up then move towards him. I take the extra stand then he hands me the sheet music.

"Dear Evan Hanson?" I ask him, "I've been rubbing off on you."

"Just a little bit," He says, "you okay with singing Zoe's part for now?"

I nod.

"Alright," He nods. I start strumming. Giving him a couple seconds to get himself ready.

"Well... He said There's nothing like your smile Sort of subtle and perfect and real," Sweet Pea sings, "He said You never knew how wonderful That smile could make someone feel And he knew Whenever you get bored You scribble stars on the cuffs of your jeans And he noticed That you still fill out the quizzes That they put in those teen magazines But he kept it all inside his head What he saw he left unsaid And though he wanted to He couldn't talk to you He couldn't find the way But he would always say If I could tell her Tell her everything I see If I could tell her How she's everything to me But we're a million worlds apart And I don't know how I would even start If I could tell her If I could tell her"

"Did he say anything else?" I ask reading the lines.

"A-about you?"

"Never mind, I don't really care anyways.."

"No, no, no...just, no, no...he said...he said so many things, I'm just...I'm trying to remember the best ones. So, um.. He thought You looked really pretty, er... It looked pretty cool when you put indigo streaks in your hair"

"He did?"

"And he wondered how you learned to dance Like all the rest of the world isn't there But he kept it all inside his head What he saw he left unsaid If I could tell her Tell her everything I see If I could tell her How she's everything to me," He sings.

"But we're a million worlds apart~" We sing.

"And I don't know how I would even start If I could tell her If I could tell her But what do you do when there's this great divide?"

"He just seemed so far away," I sing.

"And what do you do when the distance is too wide?" He sings.

"It's like I don't know anything" I sing.

"And how do you say I love you? I love you I love you I love you," He sings his eyes close on the keys as he plays, "But we're a million worlds apart And I don't know how I would even start If I could tell her If I could."

"Pea that was so good!" I exclaim, "you're gonna do great out there."

"Yeah thanks," He says avoiding my eyes. 

"You okay?" I ask him.

"Do you think Betty will like it?" He asks quickly, "I wanted to sing it for her."

"It's a cute song but it's not really the love song you should be using to get her back," I say teasing him lightly, "it's kinda about not being able to confess to someone and you don't have that with Betty - regardless she'll love it."

"Well what do you think I should sing?" He asks me.

I think for a second.

"Well she's unique so you don't want it to be super cliché," I tell him, "but cliché might work for you- just try not to make it like an episode of glee." He chuckles. I move sitting beside him on the piano trying to remember the notes. As I start he simply watching me. "What would I do without your smart mouth? Drawing me in, and you kicking me out You've got my head spinning, no kidding, I can't pin you down What's going on in that beautiful mind I'm on your magical mystery ride And I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, but I'll be alright My head's under water But I'm breathing fine You're crazy and I'm out of my mind~"

"'Cause all of me Loves all of you Love your curves and all your edges All your perfect imperfections Give your all to me I'll give my all to you You're my end and my beginning Even when I lose I'm winning 'Cause I give you all of me And you give me all of you, oh oh," We sing together. I move to keep playing as he sings.

"How many times do I have to tell you Even when you're crying you're beautiful too The world is beating you down, I'm around through every mood You're my downfall, you're my muse~" He sings, "My worst distraction, my rhythm and blues I can't stop singing, it's ringing, in my head for you My head's under water But I'm breathing fine You're crazy and I'm out of my mind 'Cause all of me Loves all of you Love your curves and all your edges All your perfect imperfections Give your all to me I'll give my all to you You're my end and my beginning Even when I lose I'm winning 'Cause I give you all of me And you give me all of you, oh oh Give me all of you Cards on the table, we're both showing hearts Risking it all, though it's hard 'Cause all of me Loves all of you Love your curves and all your edges All your perfect imperfections Give your all to me I'll give my all to you You're my end and my beginning Even when I lose I'm winning 'Cause I give you all of me And you give me all of you I give you all of me And you give me all of you, oh oh~" I stop and look over at him as his eyes bury into the floor. 

"It's a huge cliche I know but girls eat this stuff up," I tell him, "preform it and dedicate it to Betty and you'll get her back."

"Right yeah," He says, "I'll work on that song."

"You'll kill it," I tell him.

"Yeah okay," He says, "so uh what are you preforming?"

"Still working on that," I tell him, "torn between a lovely song for Jug or just a song for fun." He nods. "Kevin was gonna help me pick but he's a little busy with the fighting the system for Hedwig."

"Yeah his hands are kinda full," Sweet Pea says. Before he can say anything else the bell rings signalling second period.

"Well I better get to class," I tell him, "bye Pea!"

He waves as I head out. As I start to my class I feel arms wrap around my waist then I'm lifted off the ground. I sequeal as I look up to see Jug holding onto me tightly. Once he puts me back down he pulls me into a kiss.

"Hey beautiful," He says to me, "how was your free period?"

"Good I helped Pea pick out his song for the variety show," I tell him, "he's singing for Betty to win her back. Isn't it romantic?"

"Is this you telling me you want me to sing to you?" He asks me.

"No you don't have to," I tell him, "I don't want to make you do anything you aren't comfortable with."

"You get me," He says as he moves to peck my cheek.

"Get a room you two," Reggie shouts.

"Fuck off Reggie!" I shout back. He flips me off and I just roll my eyes. 

"Let's get to class," Jug says as he drapes his arm around my shoulders. 

"Yeah come on," I tell him, "so Betty gave you the breakdown of makeup assignments. Want me to help after school?"

"No I know you need to work on your Variety show number and I know if you're there I won't want to study," He tells me. I smile nodding. "Then come on let's get to class."

~~~ 

Once school ends Jug heads home and I head to work. Before I can even get my apron on Pop's and Maggie are harassing me.

"Married!" They exclaim, "you're getting married?"

"Yeah," I tell them, "and I'm super excited."

"But you guys are a little young," Maggie says.

"They've been practically married the last three years," Pops says, "I'll give it to them. If I saw any of their group getting married in highschool it's them."

"What about college?" Maggie asks me.

"We're still going," I tell them, "and now we don't have to deal with the whole living on campus thing. So we can move where ever we are going and have a nice little apartment together. If he isn't going to school then he can work on his writing career while I go to school."

"Mm that's so cute," Maggie says, "but are you sure about this?"

"Yeah I am," I tell them, "and I'm super excited for all this."

"Well want us to cater?" Pops asks me.

"Of course," I tell him, "that'll be great."

I smile brightly.

"Thank you guys now let's get to work."

~~~~

Betty helps me sneak into the Cooper-Jones house. As the three of us crowd in Jug's room I see her looking over one of Jug's essays.

"Well we got Pop's to cater the wedding," I tell him, "and tomorrow I have a planning party that Cheryl is forcing me to do."

"Pops? That sounds great," He tells me.

"Hows the school work coming?" I ask them, "He doing okay?"

"Uh well You know I support you Jughead and I think you're an amazing writer," Betty says, "but this feels a little... phoned-in. There's typos and incomplete sentences, and I'm not even sure what the thesis is."

"Yeah, okay," Jug says, "Maybe I'll go offline, hole myself up in the bunkerafter school and really focus on it. It'll give me a second to back away from everything. Clear my head and focus. I'll do that while you girls work on wedding planning."

"You sure babe?" I ask him. He nods.

"Forsythe Pendleton Jones the Third get your ass down here!" FP screams, "Y/n you too. I know you're up there."

"Shit," I groan, "think I can jump to Archie's window?"

"If we face him maybe he'll be more forgiving," Jug offers.

"Fine," I tell him, "let's go."

He takes my hand and leads me down the stairs to meet his obviously beyond pissed father in the living room.

"Sneaking in Y/n see this is exactly why you two aren't ready for this!" FP shouts, "and boy what's this about you still missing all this work?"

"Dad I'm working on it-"

"Let me guess this wedding bullshit is distracting you?" FP asks, "well you're done. Y/n go home. Jughead you're working on this work."

"Dad come on I've been working on it all day-"

"I didn't ask you boy!" FP shouts, "go home Y/n. Now."

"But FP-"

"Now!"

His tone is terrifying. I can feel myself shrink.

"Babe just head home I'll be alright," Jug says to me. I tighten my grip on his hand. I don't want to leave him with his dad like this. "It'll be fine."

"I'll see you at school Jug," I say softly. I peck his check before sliding out. I can still hear FP yelling all the way until I go inside my house. Once I get inside I break down and tell Lily what happened. I can hear her screaming on the phone for the next hour.

~~~

This is supposed to be fun. Planning a wedding. Being engaged. But when Jug and I meet at my car after waking up and I see his red puffy eyes I wanna break down right there.

"Did he hit you?" I ask as I cup Jug's cheeks. I look over his face to make sure he's okay.

"Hey no I'm fine," Jug says taking my hands, "my dad wouldn't hit me-" He tenses remembering why my jump would be to that. "Hey that wouldn't happen. He's mad but he'd never hit me." I move pulling him into my arms.

 "I just want to be with you," I say softly, "why is that so bad?"

"I don't know," Jug says, "but we'll get through this. That's just who we are." I nod. He moves pressing a soft kiss on my temple. The doubt in my chest fades away. 

Our school day goes pretty normally until lunch. When we sit in the lounge noticing a lack of Archie. We don't pay too much attention to it knowing he might of left to check on the community center. 

"What are your colors gonna be?" Veronica asks me.

"Blue and green," I tell them, "Green is my favorite color and blue is Jug's favorite color that isn't gray or black."

Veronica nods.

"And we are doing like the natural vibe on the flowers so white and green ones," I tell her, "Mary made the suggestion at dinner the other night and I liked it."

"Any preferences for you Jug?" Betty asks him. He thinks for a second then nods.

"Lots of food," He tells me, "and good music- but she's had a wedding playlist for us since we were like 10."

"It needs a bit of an update," I say slightly embarssed.

"Oh and our wedding song has to punks in love," Jug says, "it's our song."

"I've never heard of it," Veronica says. I smile as I look over to him.

"We'll have our first dance to that," I say to him, "that's a great idea."

"See you can't say I didn't help plan the wedding," He says as he moves pecking my cheek.

"You guys are disgustingly cute," Veronica says.

"Thank you," I say to them, "we take the compliment."

"Ooh. He comes bearing gifts," Veronica says. I look over to see Archie walking towards us with coffee. He hands me mine and I notice it's an ice coffee compared to the others with their lame hot coffee.

"I love you Archie," I say looking up to him, "have I every told you that?"

"Well you have the pickest coffee order i'm glad to see I got it right," He says smiling, "cause I have news."

"My coffee order is iced coffee with cream and sugar that's not that hard-"

"Babe babe not now," Jug says.

"Right news," I say looking back to Archie, "what is it?"

"I know this seems a little last minute... but I signed us up for the variety show," He says, "To perform as a band."

" Well, obviously, I'm completely in," 

"You know I support you kids and your rock 'n' roll, but I really have to finish these essays, or else my step sister over there is gonna lock me in the stocks," Jug says, "and plus my dad's whole thing."

"It's true, Jug has a lot of work to do, but I think you can take a little time out for this," Betty says, "I mean, look, it's senior year, and we promised we'll start taking advantage of that."

"Agreed," Veronica says. 

"I'm only in if I can play bass," I tell them.

"Does this band have a name?" 

"It's The Archie's," Jug says. I roll my eyes lightly.

"What, was the 'Me, Me, Me's' taken?" Jug mocks.

"Look, we can change the name," Archie says.

"No. 'The Archie's,'" Veronica says, "-I like it."

"What's up, Riverdale? Are you trying to tear me down?" A voice cuts over the PA I suddenly realize who it is. 

"Kevin," I say softly. Slightly amused with what's happening. 

"That's-- Wait. That's not...?" Betty asks.

"Well, sorry, I'm the new Berlin Wall, baby," Kev says, "Now get your asses to the music room!"

"Oh we have to go," I say to them, "come on!"

We move rushing towards the music room to see Kevin decked out in full Hedwig drag. Behind him Toni, Sweet Pea, and Fangs starting to play Tear Me Down.

"I was born on the other side Of a town ripped in two I made it over the great divide Now I'm coming for you~" Kev sings, "Enemies and adversaries They try and tear me down  You want me, baby, I dare you Try and tear me down~"

"Yes Kev!" I cheer. The music room is packed with faces cheering loudly. Everyone suddenly is in the Hedwig mood. He looks great. Kev steps off the stage and pulls Archie into a kiss. We cheer as he breaks it and jumps back on stage. It's amazing.

"There ain't much of a difference Between a bridge and a wall Without me right in the middle, babe Whoa, you would be nothing at all! Enemies and adversaries~" Kev sings. I feel someone shove me and I look to see Honey marching into the room. "They try and tear me down  You want me, baby, I dare you  Try and tear me down  From East Berlin to Junction City Hello, Mr. Honey Hello, Riverdale You wanna try and tear me down? 

"You're done, Mr. Keller! You're off the variety show!" Honey screams. They keep going. Ignoring the man's demand.

 "Come on and tear Come on and tear me down!" 

As the song finishes Honey yanks the cord for the equipment out of the wall. Kevin jumps down marching out of the room.

"I said, you're done! You hear me? You're done!" Honey yells after him. He looks to the rest of us harshly. "Get to class!"

-----------------

Hey all you cool cats and kittens. I am very very tired but itching to write this book which is weird I never want to write this book. 

Also I just learned the end of season 4 and season 5 is gonna have a 5 year time skip. Soooo maybe there will be a book five. But I don't know yet. So for now assume no.

Anyways wash ya hands and be safe!

- Emma

also shout out to @MaxiPingsterhaus  for the song suggestion Two Punks in love. It is really perfect for the story!