I Got You ☆ Archie Andrews

56

[ SIT YOUR ASS DOWN AND STOP WHINING ]

word count: 946
not edited

"Whoa, easy, Alice. Hold on." Fp said, "Turn to channel eight right now."

"It is not yet known how or when the car entered the swamp, but foul play is not yet ruled out." The tv reported said.

"They found it, Fp." Alice said, "They found it."

☆

Jade, Jughead, Betty, Alice and Fp now sat in a booth at Pop's. 

"We should've known better." Jade said, "I should've known better. We should've driven that damn car further out of town."

"No.. how could you have known that Junkyard Steve drags the swamp for people's castoffs? It's.. it's dumb luck." Fp said.

"It's Jones luck, you mean."

"Shouldn't Chic be here considering he's the one that brained the guy?" Fp asked.

"Don't worry about Chic." Alice said.

"Normally, I would disagree. Definitely worry about Chic, but he doesn't know anything about the car."

"When we got the swamp we wiped the thing clean of fingerprints before we pushed it in." Jade said.

"Wearing gloves?" Fp asked.

"I think so."

"I'm pretty sure."

"What do you mean, I think so?" Fp said.

"No, no, no. We were, we 100% were." Betty said right before the bell to Pop's chimed, Sheriff Keller walking inside.

"If anybody comes around asking questions, we don't know anything." Fp said, " we don't talk to anyone. We act like everything's normal."

"Including, Betty, you coming home so you're not nesting with a bunch of serpents." Alice said.

"No you're not going to use this to manipulate me, mom." Betty said, "You know the deal. I come home when Chic leaves."

"Okay—" Alice started.

"Everybody, be cool. In the unlikely event that something happens, we batten down the hatches. Until then, life goes on and nobody goes near that car."

☆

"You promised us a war. Then you're on stage looking like Buddy Holly sucking up to the Northside?" Sweet Pea asked as they sat in a Swords and Serpents meeting.

"We need those votes, Sweet Pea. It's the only way that we can affect any change. Whoever's elected gets a seat on the school board. That means we're on the inside, that means that they can't silence us."

"You and the northside princess, you mean?" Fangs said, making Jade cock her head.

"Wait, is that why you guys are pissed? Betty's on our side."

"Yeah. I've helped the serpents on numerous occasions. I helped find Pickens statue's head, I helped Cheryl testify in court so Fp, your king, could get early parole."

"You did all that for your boyfriend, not the serpents."

"Take it down, Sweet Pea." Jade warned.

"What? It's only a matter of time before she turns on us, just like her mother."

"Okay, So your objections aren't even about me, they're about my mom—"

"Her legacy, yeah. She's an enemy of the serpent state, taking shots at us in the register for years, blaming us for crimes we didn't commit. Running with the turncoat's daughter is a slap in the face. For that reason alone, you're not getting the serpent vote."

"If you're so worried about her becoming her mother, should we be worried about you becoming your father?" Jade asked raising her eyebrow before Sweet Pea slammed his hands on her desk. "You don't control the serpents, Sweet Pea. They don't listen to you. Who are they gonna side with, you or me? Me. Who'd you rather want in office? Lodge? Mantle? I don't think so.. so why don't you go sit your ass down and stop whining about things that aren't an actual problem."

☆

"Has shaking up together driven you both completely insane?" Alice said to Jughead and Betty, after they had just come back from asking Kevin Keller about the car in the swamp. "Talking to the Sheriff's son about that car? You didn't thing that was going to raise any red flags?"

"No. Kevin didn't suspect anything." Betty said.

"And at least we know what's going on now." Jughead added.

"Yeah, which is that Chic's drug dealer stole someone's car, before he did his run to our house." Betty finished.

"Dwayne didn't have wheels. He was always borrowing his girlfriend's car." Chic said.

"Someone called the Shady Man's phone while I had it, and she sounded like a crazy person.. but, not like there was a lot of love lost between her and Dwayne." Betty said.

"That could be Darla, yeah.." Chic said.

"Is this Darla somebody that we need to be worried about?" Alice asked.

"Uh, I don't really know her.." Chic answered.

"Shocker." Betty said, "Gee, Chic, have you ever actually been helpful in any way to anyone?"

"Enough, Elizabeth." Alice warned.

"Right. Whoa, lets stick to the plan." Fp said, "This has nothing to do either us. Dwayne stole Darla's car, Darla got it back. Let's hope it ends there."

"And pack your things, Betty, because this honeymoon is over. O-ver." Alice said, "You two playing house and running around town like loose cannons is beyond the pale. We don't want Hal finding out about this. The last thing we need is for him to stick his nose into it."

"I'll move out." Chic exclaimed. "I'll get a place, Betty. It's your house, not mine."

"Fine." Betty said, "I'll come back after Chic's gone."

"Oh, I'm done with your ultimatums, young lady. You're coming home now." Alice said, "And if you two don't back me up on this, Fp, Jade, I will tear this trailer apart with my bare hands."

Betty scoffed, "Fine." She stood up, "I'll go get my stuff."

"I'll help you pack." Alice said and followed her daughter into the bedroom of the trailer.