❝ SEASON ONE, EPISODE THREE ❞
👭Body Double👭

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Jughead smiled softly as Isabella crept up next to him, the two looking down over the balcony at the Jubilee as Mayor McCoy finished up her speech. Jughead noticed the denim button-up shirt straight away, she had it matched with some black jeans and her Chuck Taylors. "Yes, it's your shirt. Deal with it," Isabella told him with a smile, the boy chuckled softly. "Think you have a dress my size. Friends do share clothes," Jughead teased causing Isabella to shake her head with a smile.

"Very funny, JJ," Isabella muttered before turning her head toward Josie and The Pussycats singing on stage. Footsteps caught Isabella's attention, she turned her head to see Archie creeping up closer to them with a small smile on his face. "Are you sure it was worth sneaking out for some locally-sourced Munster?" Jughead asked Archie as Isabella gave her cousin a side-hug. "I helped write that song, man," Archie replied causing Isabella's eyes to light up.

The three sat silent for a moment listening to the music before Jughead and Isabella looked at Archie with impressed expressions. "Not bad," Jughead complimented bringing a smile to Archie's face. "Really good, Archer," Isabella added with a proud smile, a look that made Archie's heart swell. "I'd love to stay, but we got to shake down an evil adventure scout. See you," Jughead told Archie before grabbing Isabella's hand and pulling her along with him.

Jughead and Isabella found Dilton on the stairs, the two nodded at each other as Jughead let go of her hand. "Hello, Dilton," Jughead spoke gaining Dilton's attention. "We know you fired the gun," Isabella spoke up as Dilton walked closer to the duo. "Which makes you both a liar and a public menace," Jughead stated with his arms crossed. "So what if I did? I was doing the adventure scouts a favour," Dilton told them as he stopped in front of them with a challenging look.

"Somebody has to teach them how to stand their ground. The way this town is going..." Dilton was cut off by Jughead, "Save it for your statement. Which you can make to Sheriff Keller, or to us." Isabella nodded in agreement with Jughead. "I suggest the latter. Blue and Gold office. Tomorrow," Isabella told Dilton before she and Jughead walked away from him. "You think he'll admit it?" Isabella asked Jughead who shook his head.

"I think he'll find something else to cover his ass," Jughead replied as they made their way out of the Jubilee. "I don't doubt that," Isabella said with a sigh as they stepped out into the cooler air. "So, Pops?" Jughead asked her with a small smile. "I was actually thinking... Did you wanna come over to my place, watch movies and stay over?" Isabella asked him with a hopeful smile. Since her father started working night shifts, Isabella has struggled with just her mother in the house.

Isabella would freeze if something went wrong and she was required to call an ambulance, but having someone else with her eased the anxiety. "Sounds like a good idea," Jughead answered before the two made their way down the street talking about movies and music preferences. Jughead had given her his jacket halfway home after noticing her shiver, if only he knew it wasn't because she was cold but because of the way he looked at her when she was talking about Quentin Tarantino, the adoration and awe.

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"And he soundproofed the garage so I can practise my music," Archie told Isabella and Jughead as they walked to school. "That's awesome, Archer. I told you, you just had to talk to him and explain it," Isabella replied as she nudged him. "Actually, he spoke with Ms Grundy at the Jubilee and that inspired it," Archie explained, wincing slightly at the look on Isabella's face. "Wow... I guess that works too," Isabella said with a sigh but smiled nonetheless.

"Betty told me that she had finished the article about the playbook," Isabella said to the two boys, they both looked at her noticing the annoyed expression. "And something on there seemed to anger you," Archie pointed out while Isabella nodded. "There was an incomplete page for Reggie, my name was on it awaiting its rating," Isabella explained to the two as they approached the school.

"Seriously?!" Archie asked while Jughead clenched his jaw, he noticed the way Isabella frowned before her attention was elsewhere. "Bella?" Archie spoke as he noticed her glaring at Reggie Mantle and his posse. "Don't..." Archie's warning fell on deaf ears as Isabella stormed her way towards Reggie, the boy smirked seeing her but before he could say anything, Isabella threw a right hook into his jaw.

"You piece of shit!" Isabella snapped as she was pulled back by Archie, Jughead standing to the side letting Isabella get her anger out ─ after all, Reggie deserved the hit. "What the hell, Larkin?" Reggie shouted as he looked back at her, she was breathing heavily. "I know about the playbook, you ass!" Isabella yelled causing the jock to falter. "I was never─" Reggie started but Isabella laughed as Archie let go of her. "Bullshit!" Isabella seethed.

"Come on, Larkin. If I was really trying to get in that book, I'd work harder than a few comments and one date," Reggie explained to her, he didn't want her angry. "That's not the point, Reginald! You knew that the playbook existed, you knew girls were being used, harassed and bullied because of it and did nothing!" Isabella expressed angrily while shaking her head. "And that's so much worse than the action itself," Isabella added before walking away, Reggie lowering his head in guilt and shame.

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Good and Evil.
Light and Dark.
Betty and Veronica.
Two sides of the same Janus coin.

Given Betty's article, Weatherbee needed a sacrificial lamb. Needed to make an example of someone. So, after Hermione Lodge negotiated a lesser sentence for our two avenging angels. Coach Clayton, to save his job ─ to save the school's reputation ─ was forced to cut his own beloved son and his goon squad from the team.

An action that ─ though none of us knew it at the time ─ would have terrible consequences in the weeks to come...

As for Reggie Mantle, the jock realised how bad he had messed up. The dark bruise on his jaw proved to those around him that Isabella "Rocky" Larkin ─ as the jocks now called her ─ was not someone you wished to have as an enemy. So, he was stunned by Isabella protecting him from the same suspension as the others ─ why she did it? No one would know. Yet.

But one thing was certain, Betty and Veronica ─ now B and V ─ and maybe forever, had been forged. They walked through fire and survived.

We crave absolutes. They comfort us, but life is infinitely more complex than that.

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The girls had watched Chuck Clayton get escorted out of the school, the rest of the student body had learned the truth about the playbook and were left stunned. Isabella hated that they were only being suspended for the harassment and "rating" system they had purely because of the expose, and she knew that Chuck Clayton would want revenge.

Isabella sat next to Jughead with Betty standing behind them in the Blue and Gold office, and Dilton Doiley sat in front of them. "If you publish a story saying I fired that gun, my life will be ruined," Dilton told them but Isabella simply shrugged. "I'll be banished from the adventure scouts and charged with a misdemeanour," Dilton continued as he looked at the three reporters in front of him.

"So, what if I have a better story?" Dilton asked them with a slight smirk on his face. Jughead and Isabella shared a knowing look before focusing back on the scout leader. "If I tell you what I know, promise me the gun stays between us," Dilton pleaded, Isabella wanted to expose Dilton but she knew better, Betty was working for any story and if it was juicier than Doiley firing the gun, then Betty would want that inside.

"You have our word. As journalists," Betty told him, Jughead placed his notepad down as Betty stood up straight with her arms crossed. "All right, what is it?" Isabella asked noticing the look Dilton sent her. "I saw something at Sweetwater River. Something nobody else saw," Dilton said with his smirk, Betty leaned forward interested. "Ms Grundy's car. By the river's edge. She was there," Dilton revealed causing Isabella's breath to hitch.

She knew that once Betty worked it all out, Archie was gonna be in a load of trouble but she couldn't just tell him that Betty might stumble into his secret because betraying Betty would hurt. As Isabella and Jughead looked at each other, they knew that Betty would find the truth and Archie would not take it well, but what more could they do?

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Despite all of our recent troubles, I would've done anything to protect Archie. Especially Isabella. But Dilton Doiley had just opened Pandora's box, and now, there was nothing I, Isabella, or anyone, could do to save him.

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That night, Isabella got home from her shift at Pops in her new black 2011 Toyota Camry that she had bought with her college savings. She yawned as she locked the car and headed up to the porch, she unlocked the door and walked in to see her father talking to a guy in a leather jacket. "Belle? I didn't realise the time," Christian spoke as he noticed his daughter standing there. "Uh, yeah. I was just gonna head to bed," Isabella told her father before looking at the man.

"You've grown up, Isabella," The man spoke with a kind smile, the brunette smiled back awkwardly before clearing her throat. "I'll leave you to it. Good night to both of you," Isabella saluted them before making her way upstairs and straight into her room. "She's a lot like you and Anna," The man complimented as he turned to Christian. "She can't know about this. And I appreciate your words of warning but I gotta protect them," Christian warned him before the two sighed.

Isabella changed into some sweatpants and Jughead's shirt before sitting on her bed, running her fingers through her hair before reaching for her sketchpad that was hidden under her mattress. She smiled as she opened it, the first page had a sketch of Archie and Fred together in Pops, she had drawn it during a dinner with them. The next few pages consisted of drawings of Betty, Archie, her mother, her father, Cheryl and Jason and finally, a few of Jughead Jones.

A soft knock on her window pulled her from her thoughts, the brunette looked up with furrowed brows before putting the sketchpad aside and approaching the window. She smiled as she noticed Jughead crouched on the roof outside her window, she unlocked the barrier between them and lifted it up. "What's up, Jones?" Isabella asked with a smile. "Come with me," Jughead offered with a smile of his own.

Isabella pulled on some ugg boots before climbing out of her window and following Jughead to the flat part of the roof. The duo sat down next to each other in silence as they admired the view of the forest and houses in the distance. Isabella laid back against the tiles looking up at the starry sky, she smiled as Jughead copied her actions. No words were spoken between them but a million promises were made in those few hours of peaceful silence.

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Rosemary Speaks

Does anyone else love Jughead and Isabella as much as I do? They are my life!

What did you think of this chapter?

My hand (as I've previously mentioned) is kinda busted, so writing is slow.

And this chapter is my shortest but anyway....

See you in the next chapter!