WITHOUT YOU [RIVERDALE] (on hold)

04

When Jughead texted Julia about confronting Archie, she knew it was the right thing to do. Miss Grundy had always seemed nice, but now Julia knew exactly just how nice she truly was.

A knock on her front door pulled her out of the thoughts that had been consuming her. She swung the door open and studied the mysterious boy's face. "Ready for this?" he asked the girl, sensing her nerves. He was puzzled because he knew that Julia was practically the queen of confrontation.

"As ready as I'll ever be. I can't decide if I'm more disgusted or angry."

Jughead nodded in agreement before motioning for Julia to follow him across the street. When they approached his front porch, they bickered over who would start the intervention.

"Jughead stop being a weenie. Man up," She hissed at him. Once again, the dark haired boy rolled his eyes at her before taking a seat on Archie's front steps.

"Jug, Jules. What's up?" Archie squinted his eyes in confusion.

Jughead and Julia both exchanged a glance before the boy decided to keep his promise. "What's up is that we saw you, Archie. In the music room, with Miss Grundy."

"What low standards. I mean I knew you kind of transformed into a fxckboy but I had no idea you were into cougars. So many great girls that are actually your age want you, and you choose this... this... old lady?!"

"Keep your voice down. My dad's inside," Archie said urgently and pointed to his front door. Julia glared at him.

"I'm trying to help you dude. I'm trying to be your friend here. Even though we're not anymore." She didn't know that they considered themselves to not be friends. But now it all made sense as to why Jughead wasn't hanging around Archie. "How long? You and Grundy..." he continued.

"Since the summer."

"That's the girl you were talking about in Cheryl's closet? I'm gonna be sick." Julia couldn't believe the person Archie fell for was a teacher.

"I like her," Archie tried to defend himself.

Jughead scoffed, "So I'm guessing she's the reason you've been acting weird since summer."

"One of them," Archie's eyes darted to Julia.

"'One of them' there's more?"

"We were at Sweetwater River on July 4th." He paused, "We heard a gunshot. The gunshot."

"My best friend's brother died that day. Are you insane? Why haven't you said anything?" Julia couldn't believe him. A human life was stolen that day, yet all he was thinking about was his love life.

"Dude you have to tell somebody."

"I can't. Neither can you. Both of you. If people find out about Grundy..." he trailed off. Julia thought the music teacher deserved jail time for brainwashing her friend.

Jughead tried to talk some since into the confused boy. "A kid is dead, Archie. And you're worried about some-"

"Cougar! Unbelievable!" Julia interrupted. Jughead was right, she did love a good confrontation. But something about this was different; she really wanted the best for Archie.

"Don't call her that! Okay? She's not like that, she cares about me," Archie lied to himself.

"Stab in the dark, I'm guessing she cares more about herself. She's the one who's telling you not to say anything, right?" Jughead's tone was more calm than Julia's. "Look, I saw you guys. She's messing with you man. And she's messing with your mind."