-

''MY MOM AND DAD DON'T WANT TO GET THE POLICE INVOLVED. THEY DON'T WANT ANYONE TO KNOW SHE RAN AWAY, OR ABOUT HER SHAMEFUL CONDITION.''

It was early that Monday morning, classes didn't start for another fifteen minutes. Yet, Jughead Jones sat with Elizabeth Cooper on the couch, Kevin Keller, Archie Andrews, and Veronica Lodge on separate chairs leaving Hazel Michael criss cross on the ground.

Veronica had texted Hazel for an early meet up with her group, spite the sketchy pleads Jughead called for on her presence.

She didn't particularly understand nor agreed if it was too soon for the brunette, herself, to be meeting up with the gang.

Especially if the topic consisted around the aftermath of Betty's visit to The Sisters of Quiet Mercy.

Did they considered her another one of them?

Veronica lugs her head to the side, drawling, ''Please. What decade is this?''

''Also, since she knew where Jason's getaway car was, they're afraid people might think that she burned it and that if she did-''

''She could be the murderer,'' Jughead intervenes. ''Trying to cover her tracks.''

With furrowed brows, Archie questions, ''Who did burn the car, then?''

''Sheriff Keller says it's possible someone was following us,'' Betty alarms the group.

''Oh my god,'' Veronica looks around rattled. ''Honestly, guys, we should just move.''

Hazel tilted her head back to look at her and points at her. ''An idea every dumb blonde in scary movies should realize.''

Betty sighs. ''Guys, what if Polly's really hurt? What if whoever killed Jason is coming after her next?''

With her lips still closed, Hazel's jaw dropped more and her eyes enlarged while her brows furrowed as she witness Jughead wrap an arm around the blonde's shoulder in a protective manner.

She turns to him appreciatively and plants her hand on top of his, that rested on her shoulder.

''Betty,'' Archie calls, collecting himself after their small moment. ''Even though your parents don't want to, maybe you should go to the police.''

''Second it,'' Kevin immediately agrees. ''We can talk to my dad together about how he has to be discreet.''

Jughead rolls his eyes, pulling away from Betty. ''No offense, Kev, but your dad answers to a higher authority than God; the Blossoms. They're the first people that he would tell.''

''And if there's anyone to keep this a secret from, it's the Blossoms,'' She adds along to Jughead's point with a cocked brow. ''They'd twist it around and go after Polly out of spite.''

Hazel puts her hands out. ''Am I the only one who thinks we should use code names instead of saying the Bossoms so out in the open?''

Kevin tilts his head to the side. ''Like what?''

''The bumblebees,'' She perks up. ''Get it, cause they're so rich and popular it could sting.''

''How can we help?'' Veronica breathes out sympathetically towards Betty, wanting to divert the conversation back on track. ''Tell us, B, and we'll do it.''

Betty had her hands folded and her elbows propped on her knees, so her hands were lingering on her lips. Her breath warms her skin and she lets out an audibe sigh of distress, her gaze lost on the ground.

The bell blared given it was time for those who attended Riverdale High to go to class.

The guys were the first to depart from the group, while Veronica and Betty were left standing up from their seats as Hazel pushed herself off of the floor.

Veronica moved her head towards the side, looking for any sign of the guys before snapping her fingers vigorously at the girls.

''Girl talk,'' Her eyes widened. ''Asap.''

After Hazel picked up her bag from the ground, she turns sharply with furrowed brows. ''What?''

A small yelp fell from her lips when Veronica quickly grabbed Hazel and Betty by the wrists, pulling them out of the room.

''V,'' Betty calls. She pulls her arm from Veronica's grip, stopping just in front of a window. Veronica's grip soften on Hazel as they turned back to face Betty. ''What's going on?''

Shaking her head to whip her bangs out of her face, Veronica folds her arms across her chest as she interrogates, ''Did I just notice Riverdale High's very own Holden Caulfield put his arm around you?''

Betty broke out into a grin. ''Okay, so these past couple of days, I haven't been in a great place, emotionally. And Jughead was really there for me.''

Hazel smiles wide, chuckling softly against the giggles that burst out of Veronica as she gapes. ''Oh, my God. Swoon!''

''You know, he may not like me,'' Hazel shrugs her shoulders, her smile still present. ''But I ship it.''

Veronica points a finger at her while eyeing Betty. ''Same. And, if he helped my girl navigate some turbulent waters, Veronica Lodge approves.''

''Bughead!'' Hazel randomly exclaims. The girls jumped before turning to eye the mysterious small frame brunette.

Hazel tilts her head to the side, twitching her lip. ''How you feeling about that ship name, Bets? Fifty fity?''

She lets out a small, ''Eh,'' Not entirely crazy about the ship name. Though, the feeling was mutual.

''Bethead?'' Veronica joins in on the suggestions.

Hazel pursed her lips. ''I kind of dig it.''

Elizabeth shook her head, giggling like mad. Her cheeks were a light shade of pinknfrom laughing so hard. ''You guys are ridiculous.''

Hazel felt warm inside. Although, she got into an argument with her aunt, her only liable punishment for skipping school, she didn't hold one ounce of regret for going with Betty to see her older sister.

That was the whole point of why she wanted to go. She wasn't nosey or wanted to be involve in any of the situation, she wanted Betty to know that she was there for her.

And her act of kindness didn't go ignored. And Hazel never felt so welcomed.

''Come on, ladies,'' Veronica snakes her arms around the girls, linking them as one. ''Let's go find Polly.''

On their way to class, strolling down the hallways, Kevin Keller rushed up to the girls, panicking. ''You guys, oh my god!''

Curious by his urgency, Veronica furrows her brows and asks, ''What?''

Kevin waves his phone around as he informs the trio, ''Cheryl just tweeted hashtag Polly Cooper killed my brother, hashtag nowhere to be found, hashtag sharpen your pitch forks.''

''Oh,'' Betty mumbles, snatching the phone from his grasp to look at the screen herself. Hazel and Veronica peers over her shoulder, they couldn't believe their eyes. ''No..''

''So not the point,'' Hazel licks her lips. ''But she abused the power of hashtags, it's literally ridiculous.''

Betty looks up from the screen. ''We need to find Polly before the Blossoms do.''

-

After the hectic afternoon that involved The Coopers, Jughead Jones, Veronica Lodge, Kevin Keller, Archie Andrews, Hazel Michael, Francis Michael and a few other students at Riverdale High searching through Eversgreen Forest for Polly Cooper and encountering with a slithering pack called the Blossoms, who were also looking for Betty's older sister, but for an entirely different cause.

The Coopers then broadcasted a live announcement for the town that Polly was pregnant with the dead kid's baby, and now with a full moon out, Hazel and Francis eyelids hung heavy as the siblings trudged through the house.

''Is that you guys?'' Serena calls from the kitchen.

The house was dark. The only source of illuminating lights shining was in the joined kitchen and dining room.

It was eerily quiet. All the tv's were turned off, there wasn't water running. All that could have been heard was the refrigerator humming.

Their aunt sat there with a glass of red wine on her left and an open letter on her right. She was leaned back into the chair, one leg crossed on top of the other under the table.

''Yeah,'' Francis answers while Hazel stood behind him on their way up the stairs, bringing a hand up to her mouth as she yawns. ''We're going to head to bed.''

''Can you guys come over here for a second?''

Hazel rolls her eyes, slapping her arm back against her side while Francis threw his head back in annoyance.

Hazel stomped her way back down the stairs that she barely climbed as Francis followed after her.

As they entered the kitchen, they noticed how calm and collected Serena sat.

She looked too peaceful for their own good. Meaning, something was wrong.

With furrowed brows, Hazel takes a step closer to a seat near her aunt as she asks, ''Is everything okay?''

Her gaze shifts from her glass of wine towards the letter laying almost flat against the table. The folds creased into the piece of paper holding it up.

''We need to move, again.''

Their eyes went wide. ''What?''

Finally, she turns her head to face the teens. ''Your father sent us a letter.''

''Serena, that's not funny,'' Francis shakes his head vigorously, his eyes narrowed to slits.

''I'm not joking,'' She reaches out for the letter, lifting it up to show them prove that the entire situation wasn't close to being funny. ''This is his handwriting.''

Hazel shrugs her shoulders, looking back to face her older brother that stood close behind her before turning back to face her aunt. ''What does it say?''

''Basically,'' She breathes out. She leans forward in her seat, unfolding her legs in the process. ''That we need to get the hell out of Riverdale or..''

Francis cocks a brow from his furrowed ones as he questions her trailed off thought, ''Or, what?''

She swallows deeply. ''Or we'll all end up like Jason Blossom.''

''That's not dad,'' Hazel immediately protests. ''It's not possible. We were there for the autopsy and the open casket funeral.''

''Hazel,'' She calls her sternly. ''There's also a chance your father could have..'' She tilts her head while shrugging her shoulders suggestively. ''You know.''

''And why would he fake his own death?'' Francis voice boomed.

''How else would he know about Jason Blossom?'' She fired back. ''I am as far in the dark as you guys, and my job is to protect you two. So if we have to move again in order for you to be safe, then that's what I'll do.''

''And then what?'' Hazel folds her arms across her chest, propping her left leg out while dropping her weight on her right leg. ''Say this is true, what you're assuming. We move to a new town, start all over, all for him to send us another letter, threteaning us?'' She shakes her head. ''I'm not leaving. I highly doubt that this is dad,-''

''But what if it is?'' Serena urges.

''Then he better give his best shot,'' She pursed her lips. ''A letter isn't going to have us run for the hills anytime soon.''

-

''I don't want Polly to run away,'' Betty insisted to Verinica Lodge and Hazel Michael.

It was another day at school and the girls had some spare time to catch each other up on current events.

Hazel sat next to Veronica on the couch, one leg folded under the leg that was resting over Veronica's lap as she tries her hardest to focus on Betty's concerns for Polly, who she recently discovered was hiding in the attic of their house.

But there was a haunting thought from last night that crept her mind, clouding her attention.

What type of business did her father have in Riverdale? Was her father related to Jason Blossoms death?

''But if she can't live at home, then I,'' She stammers. ''I don't know, I can rent her an apartment.''

Veronica cocks a brow, ''Let me talk to my mom.''

Betty's head fell to the side. ''No,-''

''Yes,'' Veronica counters.

''You have your own stuff you're dealing with right now, V,'' Betty argues.

''Betty,'' Hazel softly calls. ''There's only so much you can do. If you were to rent her an apartment, how else are you going to help her financially? Polly needs to eat, she needs clothes,-''

''And doctors, prenatal vitamins,'' Veronica adds on.

''She needs her family,'' Cheryl abruptly intervenes when stepping into the student lounge.

Betty turns to her with wide eyes. She didn't expect the red head to offer a genuine act for her sisters benefit. She did think Polly was crazy, after all.

''We need to talk.''

Betty looks back at Veronica and Hazel, flabbergasted. She didn't know what to expect in their talk and she didn't want to go through with it.

But she had to. It would've ate her alive if she didn't know what it was Cheryl wanted to talk about.

Grabbing her bag from the table, she tells the girls, ''I'll see you guys in a few.''

''Okay,'' Veronica softly mumbles, pursing her bottom lip out into a pout.

''Jackie Chan her airways if things get heated,'' Hazel suggests, causing a dry chuckle to fall from the blondes lips.

Cheryl rolls her eyes at the new girl before turning at the heel of her foot. Her heels were profound as she walks away, Betty shortly following after her.

''Now what's this dispute I hear going on with the Lodge women?'' Hazel smirks at the raven hair girl.

''Ugh,'' She groans. ''Totally got to catch you up, girl.''

Hazel giggles as she shifts in her seat, getting even more comfortable to listen to the details that went on between Veronica and her mother, Hermione.

''The week of the Variety Show, I caught Fred Andrews, Archie's dad, making out with my mom at his construction sight.''

She furrows her brows. ''Isn't your mom still married to your dad, who's like-''

''In jail?'' She nods her head. ''Yeah. Then she asked for my consent on selling Archie's dad the land of the drive-in because apparently I am also tied into my dad's business. I told her no and she forged my signature.''

She gaped at her. ''Do you think it's because she wants to keep seeing him or that it's strictly business-''

Veronica snickers. ''Girl, please. From what I saw, there's nothing between them that'll be strictly business.''

''I'm so sorry, V,'' She cooes, the corners of her lips dropping to a frown. ''Does your dad know? Are things going to change?''

She shakes her head. ''He doesn't but I don't know. I really don't want things to change, Haz. As convoluted as the situation may be, I love them too much for our family to fall apart.''

''Yeah,'' She mumbles, nodding her head along. ''I know the feeling.''

She furrows her brows. ''Your parents are divorced?''

She was quick to shake her head. ''No, but at some point in my family, I felt what you're feeling. All I did was hope for the best.''

''Did it work?''

In a subtle motion, she shakes her head again, and her jaw was clenched. She was swallowing down the tears that wanted to make an appearance. ''Not really, no.''

''I am so sorry, Hazel,'' She frowns. ''I didn't know-''

She waves her off. ''It's fine, Veronica. Don't worry.'' Hazel sighs. She wanted the attention off of her life and fast. They couldn't know about her past. California Hazel was left as a shed on the ground, she was a whole new person. ''What about Archie? Does he know? How does he feel?''

''Archie does know and he's sort of stuck in between,'' She pursed her lips. ''His parents are getting a divorce so, you know, he wants his dad to be happy. But his happiness is caught with a married woman.''

''Damn,'' She breathes out.

''I know.''

''Well,'' She breathes out. She props an arm on top of the coucb and rest her head in her hand. ''I hope everything works out at home.''

''Oh,'' Veronica giggles miraculously. ''They will, one way or another. It's a battlefield and best believe, I'm dropping classic moves I accustomed back in New York.''

''Oh?'' She cocks a brow. ''Like what?''

''Like doing some retail therapy and clubbing, all while using her credit card.''

''You scandalous feen,'' Hazel chuckles.

''If it's the only way to make my mother break,'' She holds her hands up. ''So beat it.''

-

A smile conquered Hazel's lips as she caught Betty Cooper in her open locker and Archie Andrews leaning against the set next to hers, calling after her.

She walks up to them, trying to suppress the fact that they called her over. They could of pretended like she was another face in the halls, but instead, they wanted her around.

''Hey, Betty,'' She nods her head at the red head beside her. ''Archie.'' She turns to Betty and releases a puff of air she didn't realize she was holding. ''How did everything with Cheryl go?''

''It was so weird,'' Her features contort. ''The Blossoms want to help Polly.''

The brunette jerks her head back. ''That seems a little sketchy since they look like sketchy people.''

''Yeah, but if my parents find out,'' She shakes her head vigorously. ''All hell would break loose.''

''What do you mean?''

''Betty's parent's despise the Blossoms,'' Archie informs her.

''Yeah,'' The blonde agreed. ''They had this fued since my great grandfather was murdered by a Blossom.''

Her eyes went wide. ''Wow,'' She shrugs her shoulders. ''What are you going to do?''

''Guys,'' Archie alarms, his gaze focused on those coming up the hallway.

Betty and Hazel turned to find Jughead being escorted by the principal on one side and Sheriff Keller on the other.

Murmurs broke out around the halls. They were vicious as their eye contact as they watch Jughead exit the building.

Jughead caught side of his friends, at least what he would call most of them, and tells them, ''Call my dad.''

Archie quickly let's out, ''Yeah, yeah, we will.'' While Betty softly agrees, ''Of course.''

''Oh my god,'' Hazel mumbles once Jughead passed. ''You don't think that they think he killed Jason, do you?''

Archie cocked his head to the side. ''They'd be real crazy if they did.''

-

''Jughead's not helping himself in there,'' Sheriff Keller informs Fred Andrews, his arms folded against his chest. ''I asked him for an alibi and he just gave me lip.''

Hazel stood next to Archie in the police station as his father bluntly tells him, ''He was working for me. Yeah, the week of July 11th, was it? Yeah, I had him tear down some drywall for me.''

Archie watched the scene unravel intently. Hazel, however stood at ease beside the red head. Given by Archie's stance, his father was telling a lie. It wouldn't help nobody's case if she were to react as well.

''You can provide me with documentation to support that?''

Gaze traveled back to Fred who pursed his lips. ''I have to check my time cards.''

Sheriff Keller looks over at the two teens, watching as Archie's adams apple bob down his throat from swallowing hard and nods.

Hazel was non responsive. She wasn't here for the summer to agree on anything that occurred.

''Alright,'' He breathes out. He walks off back to the room where they held Jughead in and where Betty was currently talking to him.

Hazel inhales deeply as Fred Andrews wiped his face down, trailing off to the side.

''Hazel,'' The brunette turns to find Archie looking down at her with furrowed brows. ''Not to be rude, but why are you here? Jughead told me that you know he doesn't like you.''

She raised a brow. ''Do you know why?''

He flattens his lips into a striaght line. ''He told me that he doesn't trust you.''

At this point, Hazel turned her whole body to face him. ''Do you trust me, Archie?''

''You haven't given me a reason not to,'' He then shrugs his shoulders. ''But if you gave Jughead one-''

''I want to be there for you guys,'' She blurts out. ''You're pretty much the only friends I've made in this town and it's the least I can do. My guess is, he could be paranoid that I'm willing to lend a hand. A little something called trust issues.''

''Oh,'' He mumbles.

She turns when hearing footsteps approaching. Betty and Jughead was walking up to the small group.

Jughead resisted the urge to snarl at Hazel's presence. He couldn't be the only one that finds it weird that she moves in out of nowhere and sticks to one group. Where did she come from? What are her motives?

As the group of five were leaving the station, a voice calls, ''Jughead!''

They look up to find FP Jones, Jughead's dad approaching. The man looked like a mess, almost worn out.

''I'm sorry, I came as soon as I got your messages,'' He scratches his nose before chuckling dryly, ''My phone, the friggin' battery. I forgot to plug it in last night.''

Hazel turns to find Jughead nostrils flaring. Was this suppose to be his father?

''What the hell happened?''

''Nothing,'' Jughead immediately answers. ''It's fine now. Mr. Andrews took care of it.''

''What jacked up crap did they accuse you of in there, huh?'' FP egged on. It was almost embarrassing if anything. ''Those bastards trying to throw you in jail like they did your old man? Well, screw that. I will rip Keller a new one for trying to pull that on you-''

Fred Andrews was quick to pull him back from barging into the Police Station, telling him, ''FP, settle down.''

''Hey!'' He exclaims, pushing him away from him. ''This is my son, he is my son, Fred! You'd do the same for your boy.''

He continue to head inside until Jughead grabbed him by the collar. ''Dad, don't make things worse. Please.''

His voice was so soft, so fragile.

Hazel didn't know until now, that Jughead was a broken character who had still managed despite whatever it is that blows up around him.

She didn't know his story, the whole story. She only knew a part of it. But this bit that she viewed right here, was enough to respect him a lot more than she did before.

His father nods his head. ''Yeah. Yeah, alright then. You, uh, coming home with me?''

Hazel furrows her brows as FP Jones walked past the group, avoiding eye contact at all cost.

Why wouldn't he go back home with him? Doesn't Jughead usually go home?

''He can stay with us, Mr. Jones,'' Archie suggests. He turns to Archie. ''We already offered.''

He looks at his son. ''Is that what you want?''

Jughead's silence was enough to confirm that not spending the night at home was in fact, what he wanted.

''Maybe that's for the best, if you don't mind, Fred.''

Mr. Andrews didn't face him as he says, ''Whatever you want, FP. It's between the two of you.''

''I'll,'' Jughead choked, swallowing the lump in his . ''I'll go with you, dad.''

Jughead kept his head down, sniffling as he walks past, Archie, Hazel, Betty and Mr. Andrews to his father.

That wasn't what he wanted. Part of him thinks it's best if he stays with the Andrews, but he also wants to be there with his dad.

He stops him by putting his hands on his shoulders. ''Son, listen to me. I'm gonna do what you want, get my act together. I'm gonna get your mom and Jellybean home so we're all under the same roof. I promise. But, I just need a little time to do that. Not a lot, not long, a month, two at the most.'' He grabbed his face, forcing him to look at him. ''Hey. And then, we'll be back on track, all right? You, uh, you believe that, don't you?''

It was so heartbreaking. Jughead was broken. His home life has him broken, and maybe that's why he wasn't so quick to accept Hazel so much. Because good things don't really roll his way.

''Yeah,'' He whispers. ''I believe you, dad.''

-

Betty pats the table nervously at Pop's diner. Down the island, Jughead stood beside Betty who sat down next to Polly. From Polly was Veronica, Hazel and Archie.

''The Blossoms should be here soon,'' Betty prompts.

Hazel cocks her head to the side, mumbling, ''I still think this is sketchy.''

Archie nudges her softly. ''Betty's smart,'' He whispers to her. ''I'm sure she thought this through.''

''I hope so,'' She breathes out. Her green eyes were focused on her fingernails she kept fiddling with.

''I'm sorry about today,'' He apologized. She lifts her head up, intrigued by where he was leading this. ''Pressing you like that wasn't right. It's just,'' He sighs. ''He's my best friend. I want to protect him, look out for him.''

''No harm, Archie,'' She smirks slyly. ''It was simply out of good conscious. I respect that. Besides,'' Cocking a brow, she looks back down at the table and at Jughead. ''He's lucky to have people like you and Betty watching out for him. He needs that.''

Attention landed on Cheryl Blossom, the red head that caused the bell at the front door to chime as she strolled through.

''Cheryl,'' Polly gets up from her seat. Cheryl's gaze automatically flickers down to her stomach. She gasped at the sight as she reach out to touch her belly, but she refrains herself.

''I'm so sorry about Jason,'' Polly apologized. ''I know how much you loved him.'' She reached out to her wrist and smiles gently. ''And he always talked about how much he loved you.''

''Cheryl, where are your mom and dad?'' Betty asks.

''You have to leave,'' Cheryl tells her. ''Now. My parents, I don't think they want to help you.''

''What are you talking about?''

''They want you out of the picture, Polly,'' Cheryl continued to inform. ''It's not safe for you with them. It's not safe for JayJay's baby.''

Polly looks back at Betty's group of friends, her eyes wide and her heart pounding out of her chest. ''Where am I suppose to go? I can't go back to the attic.''

''No,'' Veronica quickly intervenes. ''You don't have to Polly. And don't worry about my mom, Betty, she'll want to help.''