1 | There's a Ghost [JUGHEAD JONES]

SIX

word count: 1,300

↳ CHAPTER SIX:

SLEUTHING ↵

BETTY HAD TEXTED JUGHEAD ASKING HIM AND VIRGINIA to come during lunch to meet up with her. Virginia wasn't so excited to see Betty but recently, Betty had been putting effort into befriending her.

"If print journalism is dead, what am I doing here?" Jughead asked Betty and Virginia sat on a chair, spinning around on it, bored.

"The Blue and Gold isn't dead, Juggy. It's just dormant." Betty patted the old computer beside her. "But waking up. You're writing a novel, right? About Jason Blossom's murder?"

"I am. Riverdale's very own In Cold Blood." Virginia smiled, knowing Jughead wasn't a sharer of his novel and she was happy that she's the only one who has read it.

"Which started out as a series of articles." Betty prodded. "I'm hoping you'll come write for the Blue and Gold." Betty stated before turning to Virginia, "and I was hoping you would want to be the photographer?"

"I just don't think the school paper's the right fit for my voice." Jughead replied as Virginia perked up. She had a hobby of photography and maybe putting her talents to use would be good. And good for a college application, especially since she was a film student.

Betty groaned in disappointment, "Juggy, Jason's death changed Riverdale. People don't want to admit that, but it's true. We all feel it. Nothing this bad was ever supposed to happen here, but it did. I want to know why."

"Doesn't mean that Jason didn't deserve it," Virginia muttered to herself. She cleared her throat looking at the duo in the room with her, glad they didn't hear that.

"Would I get complete freedom?" Jug asked, stepping closer as he took the bait. He was intrigued by the idea.

"I'll help, and edit and suggest. But it's your story, it's your voice." Betty told him and Virginia rolled her eyes at how much power Betty got, granted she was the person in charge.

"Doesn't sound like complete freedom, but I'm in." Virginia squealed, jumping out of the swirling chair in excitement.

"Okay, great!" Betty was surprised to see Virginia happy to be around her. "Um, in that case, I have your first assignment. There's one person who was at the river on July 4th that no one's talking about."

"Dilton Doiley and his Scouts." Virginia looked up at Jughead, watching his pale face contort into a knowing look. Her eyes followed the expanse on his face and he turned to her, his eyes flitting over hers before smiling down at her. Virginia blushed at the warmness behind his smile and Betty coughed, glancing down as she caught the interaction between them.