It's been a month now since Jason and I started dating secretly and so far it went good. No one except Betty and Jughead knew about it. I don't know if Jason has told anyone but I don't think so. Reggie would have talked about me in a bad way and Cheryl would have probably told her parents. Since nothing has happened I assumed that neither their parents nor mine knew about us. Also Malachai hasn't messaged me again so I guess that everything was fine these days.

"It's so good to see you", I smiled at Jason when he hugged and then kissed me, we met at Pop's.

"I can only say the same, babe", he replied as happy as I was, "You look stunning as always."

"Will you ever stop being so cheesy? Not that I complain about it."

"I don't think so, you make it really hard not to give you compliments."

Half an hour later, just when we were about to eat our burgers, Jason had his eyes wide open becoming nervous.

"What's wrong?", I wondered.

Just before he could explain it to me, Cheryl joined us.

"Oh dear brother, you're really here with her? Didn't our parents tell you that we don't want people like you near our family?", she turned to me.

"Cheryl, don't talk about her like that", Jason started but then I interrupted him.

"I'm sorry, Cheryl, you're right. It's not his fault, I asked for that. I thought about it the past month and I regret coming into your lives like that", I told her sincerely on the outside.

My idea was that if I say she's right and be sorry about it, she might at least stop hating on me. She was probably just afraid that Jason could spend more time with me and maybe that if people knew about us dating that they would talk more about me than about her. So I want to show her that I am not trying to steal her status. Luckily, Jason understood that saying that all of this was right and that I was just about to apologize.

"Good, you better should. Now let's go, JJ. She's a wannabe."

I gave him a look saying he should just follow her before she would notice that we were lying.

"It's on me. I shouldn't have texted you. It won't happen again", I said shyly but honestly, I was just glad that Cheryl didn't understand that we just fooled her.

"Yeah, good", Jason played cold following his sister out.

I sighed as soon as they were out of sight. I mean, we should have known that they could see us anywhere. Riverdale might not be the biggest town but everyone loves Pops or goes to the cinema on the weekend. It was even a miracle that we could meet secretly for a whole month. I could have suggested the Sweetwater River but that was something between Malachai and I so it shouldn't affect my new relationship.

"Pops, I'll pay for it", I told him when I gave him our plates and glasses.

"Did he just leave you alone on a date?"

"No, don't worry about it. He did leave but only because Cheryl, his sister, would have told our parents if we hadn't acted distantly as soon as she came. You know my dad, he would freak out. You won't tell him, will you?"

"Of course not. I hope it will be alright, Elizabeth."

"It will, don't worry about me", I smiled giving him the money plus ten more dollars for him as I usually do.

"It's good to see you", Malachai grinned at me leaning against my car when I left the diner.

I wondered if he watched Jason and me of if he just randomly greeted me with the same words as my boyfriend did. Felt great calling Jason my boyfriend.

"Can't say the same about you", I bluntly reply just going right to where he stood, it was now evening so it was dark around us making him look more dangerous than he was.

"No need to be so distant, baby. I only came to see you."

"Well, I'd appreciate it if you would never go to see me again."

"You're still into that redhead."

"What's the problem with that? Is your ego hurt that it's not you?"

"If this was about my ego, I would have been the one to dump you. Indeed, it's been the other way around."

"I didn't dump you, Mal, I broke up with you. That's something else."

"You never even told me a reason", he made me feel guilty about it.

"Because there's never been one. But as soon as you threatened me and my friends I knew it was right. I really have other things I need to handle and as much as I wish we could at least start over with a friendship, I don't think we should do that. I know you mean what you say, you'd probably love to go and hurt Jason but think about it. You've never been dangerous around me, Mal. If you don't want me to hate you, think about it. I'll leave now."

"Maybe you should just tell your dad. He can't stop you from seeing Jason", Betty laid in bed with me after we've watched a movie.

"Dad would force me to go back to New York. I don't want to leave you, Jug and Archie. Talking about him, did you finally tell him that you like him? Please tell me you did!"

"I guess we're having this conversation over and over again", she chuckled so I knew she didn't talk to Archie.

"We probably do because you never talk to Arch. If you did, we could throw a party.  You're the smarter one of use!"

"No, definitely not. I wish I was as brave as you are."

"Betts, I fell out of your window because I wanted to see a boy. You would never do that."

"That sounds bad you know", she laughed about the imagination of when it happened.

"What I mean is that you don't make yourself depend on yourself. I admire you, Betty Cooper."

"Did anyone ever think we would see you so emotional?", she laughed before we got ready for bed.