Deadline ((Jughead Jones)) 4

26

They were supposed to feel relief. Honey was dead and buried. And they'd gotten away with it. They were free. Free to go back to talking about college and homework and prom and the new baby.

The new complication that would break our relation over our victory came when we heard that a tape had been sent to the school. Only, this time, the voyeur had moved inside the building, filming the halls and classrooms late at night, stalking through the school. And when Jughead and Betty told me about it, I brought up the fact that neither of us believed in coincidences, at least not this well timed.

And then, without warning, their carefully constructed plan began to unravel, thanks to a guilt-ridden Reggie.

Betty's digging resulted in the finding of conclusive proof Mr Honey made the video himself, and it seemed the coincidence was just too convenient. And with this new revelation in our own story, came the new one that would draw to the denouement of Jughead's novel. Reggie had just died.

Then by the next day, while Jughead and I were discussing how his tale of murder could possibly end, Kevin an to us. Dead man walking was a term used in highschool to represent that a teacher who was fired was leaving, walking through the hallways one last time with a perfectly packed box of their imprint on the school, leaving no trace of them behind. This was, of course, a recognised symbol of the end, which every student would be present for.

At the school's exit, the very place I had first encountered Mr Honey, the group of us met him. Cheryl and Reggie held smug smiles on their faces, Archie, Kevin, Veronica, Betty and Jughead had a look of pure satisfaction. Whereas I held a weary gaze looking at Mr Honey carrying his box towards us, because to me, this wasn't the last we would see or hear of Mr Honey. In fact, it felt like we had vanquished one demon but released a bigger foe.

"Well, Mr. Honey. Looks like the good guys won." Veronica announced, being the first to speak from the group.

"What? Is that what you think happened here?" He looked like he was nearly laughing at us all, not the look that a newly sacked man should have. Archie marked our win at the fact that he was leaving and we were all staying, but I couldn't help but feel like we'd lost, or somehow we weren't seeing the big picture. "I stand by everything that I've done... including the videotape. Everything that I have done is to make this school better, safer, for you and your classmates. Because what goes on around here, murder, mayhem, depravity, it is not normal."

He spoke with passion, conviction. And actually, I believed him. Because we all knew that in the grand scheme of things, compared to every other school, we were far from normal. Betty was the one that summarized it best, and I don't think I could have described it better.

"Well, it's normal to us, which is why we had to stop you." Mr Honey laughed at her words.

"Stop me? Miss Cooper, I saw the writing on the wall days ago and I lined up my next job. I am Stonewall Prep's new headmaster. It seems they cleaned house and were in need of a strong leader to help them rebuild their reputation. And my salary, it's triple what I've been making here." Mr Honey let his words sink in. How we actually hadn't stopped him but given him the push to find something better. He made a move to the door, opening it before turning back to face us all. The old Principal looked to me, his eyes not reflecting the evil mastermind that we had painted him as, but as a caring school master. "Good luck with the baby," He said, before leaving.

We all sat in the student lounge, feeling defeated and as if our victory had been ripped from us. Our faces weren't smug and satisfied and happy anymore, they were sad, deflated and confused. This was not how I expected or our day to end. Archie tried to make us feel better, trying to get us to focus on the bad that Mr Honey had done. Cancel Prom. Cancel the yearbook. Censors a variety show. Reggie called him a Psycho, which I didn't fully agree with.