1 | There's a Ghost [JUGHEAD JONES]

FIVE

word count: 1,268

↳ CHAPTER FIVE:
THE FIGHT ↵

IT WAS THE NEXT DAY AT SCHOOL when Virginia found Jughead in the student lounge waiting for her to join him for lunch. She entered the room, her nerves getting the best of her as she saw Reggie with Evie sitting on his lap. Virginia frowned, knowing that her friend had a new clique that didn't involve her.

"And Sheriff Keller's grilling me, Mantle the Magnificent. 'Cause I'd want Blossom dead. When he was, like, the only good quarterback we had. And speaking of offensive tight-ends, I should've sent the cops to you, Moose." Reggie turned to his best friend, feigning concern as he continued his storytelling. "Because here's another unsolved mystery. What exactly were you and Kevin doing at the river, huh? Or does being with the sheriff's son give you a free pass? Keller?"

"I mean, let's think about it." Reggie continued, his voice growing in volume, attracting the attention from everyone in the room. "If a kid at Riverdale killed Jason, it's not gonna be a jock, right? Now let's be honest. Isn't it always some spooky, scrawny, pathetic Internet troll, too busy writing his manifestos to get laid? Some smug, moody, serial killer fanboy freak, like Jughead?" Reggie turned to watch Jughead and Virginia gulped, not enjoying the sudden interest in Jughead from the jocks— it never was a good thing. "What was it like, Suicide Squad? When you shot Jason? You didn't do stuff to the body, did you? Like After?"

"It's called necrophilia, Reggie, can you spell it?" Jughead asked and Virginia grabbed onto his warm hand, as if warning him to shut up. Evie stood up from Reggie's lap, trying to talk down at him– to distract him somehow.

"Come here, you little—" Reggie jumped over the couch and before he could get to Jughead, Virginia stepped in front, as if protecting her best friend from an angry jock.

"Leave him alone, Mantle." Virginia crossed her arms as she stared up at the tall jock in defiance.

"Ooh, little Virgin Mary finally got a boyfriend?" Reggie leaned down, letting his face get closer to hers, his mouth so close he was practically breathing on her. "Why don't you leave Jones for someone like me? I could show you a good time."

A slap resonated through the room and everyone gasped as Virginia glared at Reggie, her hand stinging in a pleasant way. She wanted to say something– anything, but a tugging on her wrist led her to be pushed behind Jughead. Reggie's face grew red, not just from the slap but anger and the tall boy was itching to release his anger somehow.

"Why don't you play with someone your own size?" Jughead asked, and Virgina bit her lip as he pushed against the jock's patience. "Maybe Moose, you could go gay for him, probably."