The Diner//J.J.||Riverdale{COMPLETED}

Chapter 40

*Your POV*
I walk into the student lounge with Kevin and we both start to do our homework in peace. Ethel comes in, sits down, and does the same thing.

"Hey, Ethel." I look up and Veronica sits next to Ethel on the couch. I just look back at what I'm doing. "I just wanted to tell you how I moved I was by your reading."

"Hey, (Y/N).." Kevin asks.

I look up, "Hm?"

"Remember, when you were jealous of Betty and Jughead?" he asks, quietly. "And how I said that we were gonna talk about it later? Well now's that time. Talk to me. 'Cause honestly, I'm sick of this book." He puts his book in his bag and looks up at me.

I put my homework away. "Well, lately, I've just been feeling like Betty and Jug are getting closer, because of this thing with her sister and Jason. And get this, she actually kissed him at the baby shower for Polly."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. No joke." I laugh.

"Wait, you're not upset?"

I look to the side, "Well, I admitted my feelings for Jug about, how I felt about that." I had to think about what I just said to make sure it made sense.. "And, he understood. And, he even told me that he didn't know that she was getting closer to him."

"Yeah. He loves you. Not her. And, I love Betty as a friend, but, I've gotta say, her doing that got me surprised."

"Right?" I say.

"Kevin and (Y/N) will join too." I look over.

"What now?" I ask.

"You're coming over for lunch tomorrow. Yeah, come on. It'll be fun. Just, please say yes."

"Al-Alright, sure." Ethel responds.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Great. I'll see you tomorrow." She gets up and walks out of the lounge. Kevin and I both look at each other, and then stand up and follow her.

"So, what was that about?" Kevin asks.

"Ethel's poem was a cry for help if I ever heard one. The likes of which I vowed never to ignore, not after.." she looks to the side.

"Uh-oh. Do we need to sit down?" I motion my hand over to a bench.

She looks to the side, "Okay, so a couple years at Spence, my best friend Katy and I kind of terrorized this girl, Paige. One time we made her drink gutter water."

"Ew! Why?" Kevin asks.

"Because, she was there. Because she was a misfit and we were class-A brutal bitches." She takes a deep breathe and continues, "Anyway, by December, Paige couldn't take it anymore.."

"Oh, my God did you drive her to suicide?" I ask.

"What? No! But she, did transfer schools. And went into therapy."

"So now?" Kevin asks.

"If I can make Ethel Muggs' life a little better, even for one afternoon, I'm going, to do it."

We nod our heads and keep walking to our next class.

~

Jug and I walk into the lounge for lunch.

"Just in time, we're celebrating." Veronica says.

"Archie was just telling us how he's going to some super-exclusive music program this summer." Kevin says.

Jug and I sit down. "What? Andrews, you never told me about this." I say.

"Maybe, if it happens, though, it would be huge for me." Archie says.

"Do you have to audition for it?" Jug asks.

"Well, not exactly, Mrs. Blossom came by earlier and said she'd put a good word in for me."

"Wait, Penelope Blossom?" I raise my eyebrow.

"What other Blossom is there?" Jug says. I hit his arm with the back of my hand, and still look at Archie.

"Yeah."

"Um, that's terrifying."

"Awesome." Kevin and I say at the same time. I look over at him, and we both give each other a look.

"Uh-huh. What's she getting out of it?" Jug asks.

"I told her I'd take Cheryl to their family tree-tapping thing. I already talked to Valerie, and she's cool with it."

"Cool with you being a gigolo now?"

I chuckle, and so does Veronica.

"I'm doing someone a favor for my music, Jughead. I need to make connections outside of Riverdale."

"That's the way of the world." Veronica says. "It's all about connections."

"Mhm.." I raise my eyebrows at Veronica. She doesn't get it for a second, but as soon as she does, her eyes widen and she throws a pillow at me. I just laugh, and put the pillow behind my back.

"Anyways, Jughead's right. These kinds of favors always come with a price tag. (Y/N), back me up here."

"I think it's a great idea." I say.

"Thank you, (Y/N)."

"Yeah, and while you're there, would you talk to Polly for me?" Betty asks. "I just want to make sure she's okay."

He nods his head, "Definitely."

"Thank you."

"And don't worry, Ronnie. I can take care of myself."

"Famous last words, Archiekins." Veronica says, waving her fork and then putting a strawberry in her mouth.

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Word Count: 840