𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕕𝕒𝕝𝕖

45 - part one

Arabella and Eric arrived at Thornhill after the cops did. Cheryl stood outside looking paler than normal. They had called out to her and Eric encased her in a bear hug when she noticed them. When he pulled away, it was Arabella's turn. She rested her head on Cheryl's shoulder; Cheryl nuzzling into the crook of Arabella's neck.

"Did they arrest you father?" Arabella whispered.

"No," Cheryl whispered back, "he's gone."

Arabella's eyes widened and she tightened the hug. To not only find out that her father killed her brother, but for him to die the same night? Arabella wouldn't have been able to hold it together as well as Cheryl was right now.

Arabella pulled away to look at her friend; Cheryl's nose a bright red and her eyes puffy. Arabella cupped her face in her hands and wiped away the tears.

"This shouldn't be happening to you." Arabella said. Eric pulled both of them into a hug and Arabella took Cheryl's hand in her's, reassuring her that she will be okay.

It was hard to sleep that night. Everyone in Riverdale felt that way. Arabella practically begged Cheryl to stay over her house, but Cheryl didn't want to leave her mother alone at Thornhill. Eric stayed the night, though — his parents understood.

Arabella did try her best to stay on the phone with Cheryl after they left, but they had fallen asleep on each other.

The next morning, Arabella's mother had been at the police station trying to find the best deal her and FP and the Sheriff could make for him. So far, FP wasn't really budging and not really interested no matter how much Melanie tried to encourage him.

Arabella had to finish packing and Eric was helping. They had invited Cheryl over, but she said she wouldn't be able to make it and that she would see them at school later.

Arabella sat on the floor, folding the last of her blankets. Sirius wasn't really helping, he decided to sleep in the pile.

"Do you know if they're having a funeral for him?" Arabella asked, looking up at Eric, who was stacking the boxes outside her bedroom door.

He shrugged. "No. Cheryl would tell us."

"I mean I guess." Arabella sighed.

Eric nodded when he picked up the last box and put it outside her room. This one felt hefty though — not necessarily in the weight of the box, but what it meant. This was it, Arabella was leaving and he didn't know when she would be back because she didn't even know when she would be back.

Eric walked into the room and stopped in the doorway, leaning against the frame. Arabella had picked up Sirius and moved him to her bed, tucking her comforter into his form.

"Ready to go?" Eric asked, picking up Arabella's backpack from the floor. She smiled and took it from him.

"For my last three days? Oh, yeah." Arabella grinned, putting her hand in Eric's.

They walked down the stairs and out to Eric's Jeep. The drive to school was mostly silent as Arabella's favorite playlist echoed between them. She watched as the evergreens blurred with the speed Eric drove with and she knew this would be one of the last times she saw them for a while. Eric moved a hand from the steering wheel to Arabella's knee and she smiled up at him.

They pulled into the school parking lot and Arabella hopped out of the parked Jeep and walked to the back of the car, waiting for Eric to escort her into the school.

Nobody but Eric and Jughead knew she would be moving. She knew she had to tell Cheryl and Betty and Archie as soon as possible — it was necessary. Maybe she would have to tell them today.