Riverdale - Jughead x Reader

Chapter Seventeen - Pep Rally

(GUYS I FINALLY UPDATED!!!! It's been like two/three months, right? Anyways, If you are concerned about the future of this fanfic please read this: the reason I haven't been updating is school. I have a really heavy semester right now, but today is the first had of the Christmas break, so I have about two weeks of free time after having months with no free time! I hope to write a lot in these two weeks because I really missed writing this fanfiction. Also, I finished watching season one of Riverdale and I'm so shook? I watch Riverdale with my family and we often choose Supernatural over it so I've been quite slow at catching up on Riverdale haha. But, without further ado, please enjoy chapter seventeen!)

-Your P.O.V.-

When we arrived at the pep rally it was almost overwhelming. Everyone was cheering, music was playing, and it was so loud I could hardly hear myself think. And of course, almost everyone was sporting the Riverdale school colours (yellow and blue). The majority of the students were sitting on the bleachers, and maybe an eighth of the students attending the pep rally were either standing around the bleachers or on the field. There was also a marching band playing almost obnoxious, as well as a little stage setup that looked more like a Riverdale parade float. Teachers and a couple parents were also attending, which I noticed when I saw Betty's parents come to watch her cheer and when I saw Archie walk up to Miss Grundy.

Jughead watched the awkward interaction between them and let out a sigh. As Jughead leaned against the side of the bleachers, I told him I would go get us some drinks.

-Jughead's P.O.V.-

As [y/n] set out for the drink table, Archie made his way towards me. I propped myself even more against the fencing of the bleachers, ready for some serious highroading.

"Girl trouble? You?" I asked, sarcastically.

He sighed. "Grundy and me. We're telling Weatherbee."

I gave him a slow nod. It seemed to me like his anger towards me and my relationship with his sister has passed.

"...Or at least, I am," he added. "And also, I didn't mean all that crap I said to you. That and I have no right to dictate your relationship with my sister. I'm sorry."

I took a second to respond, taking into consideration that his apology appeared to be sincere. "It's cool."

A small smile formed on Archie's face, only to be reflected onto mine.

"We're not gonna hug in front of this whole town," I objected, earning a laugh from Archie and laughing myself. "So why don't we both just do that bro thing where we nod like douches and mutually suppress our emotions?"

"Yeah. But as friends, right?"

Relief flooded through me. "To be discussed... over many burgers and many days."

We gave each other another mutual smile before he turned around to run back to the field—of course with good intentions but not with a good outcome. He bumped right into [y/n], knocking her hard enough for the water to spill on her a bit.

I probably shouldn't have snort-laughed at her.

Archie apologized while running off, and her attention turned straight to me.

"Heyy," she pouted, handing me my cup in frustration.

"Don't worry, it's not noticeable," I informed her.

"It's still friggin' cold," she muttered sternly.

"Here." I took off my jacket and placed it on her shoulders.

She just smiled and put her arms through the sleeves. "Thank you, Juggie~"

We silenced ourselves once we heard principal Weatherbee begin to speak into the microphone, and directed our attention to the mini stage.

"To kick off this pep rally..." Weatherbee started, allowing the conversations to die down. "...I'd like to hand it over to our very own Mayor McCoy."

Mayor McCoy accepted the microphone. "Thank you, principal Weatherbee. It is heartening to see so many of you here, even in weather like this."

I honestly didn't notice the light rain.

"But a lack of heart and school spirit has never been the Riverdale way. Tonight's pep rally isn't like any other we've had in the past, and we shouldn't pretend that it is. Which is why I would like to dedicate this evening to the memory of one of our brightest. Jason Blossom. We're with him tonight."

The crowd that had once been cheering at Mayor McCoy's words silenced at the mention of Jason.

"Now," Mayor McCoy continued. "Please join me in welcoming to the field our very own River Vixens and their special guest stars, my daughter, Josie, and her Pussycats!"

The crowd began to cheer and whistle again, and [y/n] and I watched the performance, along with everyone else.

As the performance ended, Cheryl got on the stage and hugged Josie. As they hugged, the coach ran in front of the microphone.

"All right, y'all ready? Let's make some noise, put your hands together for the Riverdale Bulldogs!" The coach backed up, and [y/n] and I immediately turned our attention to the huge Riverdale Bulldogs banner.

Right as we looked, Archie burst through the banner, letting it split easily. For half a choking moment, I could have sworn that it was Jason leading the team, not Archie. I glanced at Cheryl, and her once bright smile was slowly twisting into remorse and anxiety.

"Cheryl," I said, nudging [y/n]'s arm.

"Huh?" She looked in Cheryl's direction. "Is she alright?"

"I guess we'll have to wait to find--"

I stopped mid-sentence when Cheryl spun on her heel and made a beeline to God knows where running clear across the field. Everyone noticed, but not a soul budged until Veronica decided to run after her with Betty following suit.

-Your P.O.V.-

Eventually, the pep rally picked itself back up and continued on as if nothing had happened, but by the end of it, Archie came by to pay Juggie another visit, but with me included. With apologies made and accepted, the three of us decided on heading to Pop's.

Upon entering the restaurant and hearing the familiar jingle of the bell on the door, the three of us noticed a familiar blonde sitting with a familiar raven-haired girl, and we couldn't help crashing their little party. (of course, after Betty asking us if we wanted to join them)

It didn't occur to me until they introduced themselves to each other that Jughead and Veronica haven't actually met. As they made acquaintances, Betty moved closer to the window, allowing Archie and I to squeeze in beside her. Jughead took a little bit of an extra step by somehow stepping over the booth to sit at the inmost corner of the booth next to Veronica. I laughed. We all laughed.

-Jughead's P.O.V.-

To someone on the outside peering in, it would have looked like there were five people in that booth. But I was there. And I can tell you, really, there were only three. A blonde girl, a raven-haired girl, and the luckiest red-headed boy in the universe. For one shining moment, we were just kids. Those bright neon lights of Pop's keeping the darkness at bay, giving way, as all nights must, to a morning of reckoning.