DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Riverdale series or any other characters associated with it. However, I do own Emma and any other original characters that might pop up. And similarities to any other works of fanfiction are purely coincidental.

PROLOGUE

"Did perpetual happiness in the Garden of Eden maybe get so boring that eating the apple was justified?"

Chuck Palahniuk, Survivor

In the years that would follow, Emma Hayes would always remember exactly what she was doing when she found out about Jason Blossom's mysterious death. It was, after all, the catalyst that would change everything she thought she knew about Riverdale.

In her case, she was at the dance studio, cleaning up after a lesson with the kids. She didn't really work there, but Mrs. Sylvester let her help out in exchange for lessons that Emma definitely couldn't afford. Not that Emma really needed lessons anymore, as Mrs. Sylvester told her constantly. After all, Emma had been attending classes at the studio since she was a little kid. Still, it was nice to participate in the recitals and even nicer being able to teach some of the lessons for the smaller kids.

She heard her phone go off from it's place in her bag, but took her time walking over to it, finishing her sweep of the dance floor before emptying out the dustpan and putting the broom up. Emma walked over to her bag, stooping down to grab her water bottle and phone. She took a swig just as she unlocked it to read the text, nearly choking.

Jason Blossom is dead! Meet me at the river ASAP!

She read the message over a few times, before hitting the call button and holding the phone between her ear and shoulder, listening to it ring as she hurriedly packed up her belongings. A moment later she heard the familiar voice of her best friend say "Hello?".

"Jug, what the hell do you mean Jason is missing?" She asked, pulling her bag over her shoulder and grabbing her skateboard with her free hand.

"Missing as in nowhere to be found." Jughead responded smartly. Though he couldn't see it, Emma rolled her eyes in response. "Yeah," she said impatiently. "I get that. I need more context though, dude."

"I don't know much." He told her. "I just found out. I'm going down to the river to see what I can find out. Can you meet me? Now?"

"Yeah, I'm leaving the studio now." Emma pushed open the door, stepping outside before turning to lock it with the key Mrs. Sylvester had entrusted her with. "Give me fifteen minutes." With that, she hung up, sliding her phone bag into her bag. It didn't seem very likely that anybody would actually tell them anything, but eavesdropping went a long way. Anyway, it was unlikely that Jughead was the first person to find out about Jason's disappearance. And in a small town like Riverdale, with something as big as this, Emma would bet that anybody who could would be dragging their asses down to the river as well.

For a moment, Emma wondered if she should be sad. It wasn't like she liked Jason Blossom, in fact Emma would even go so far as to say she hated him, along with his twin sister Cheryl. She had never exactly fit in with their crowd and it definitely didn't help that her mom cleaned their house, as if that made the twins better than her in some way. Still, Emma wouldn't have wished this on him. As awful as he was, if he was lying dead somewhere in the woods surrounding the riverhe didn't deserve it.

Heaving out a sigh, Emma set her board down before mounting it and starting on her way. Jughead would be waiting for her, after all, and as awful as this whole thing was, at least something interesting was finally happening in Riverdale.

Over the course of the summer, Emma hadn't done much. Unlike some of the families in Riverdale, her's could not afford to take a vacation, and it wasn't like she had a paying job (babysitting did not count) so most of her time was either spent at the Dance Studio or hanging out with Jughead.

It was a far cry from most of the summers of her childhood, because back then it had always been Emma, Jughead, and Archie Andrews running around, spending their days lounging around Pop's or at someone's house, watching movies and eating junk food. But Archie's recent discretion against Jughead had proven too much to take, and Emma had chosen her side. Jughead and Emma remained just as close as ever, and Archie was just...removed from the equation. Which was all for the best, in Emma's opinion. He simply wasn't the same boy she had grown up with, having moved on to a different social group altogether.

She had expected this summer to be like every other, monotonous. Yet, on that July morning everything had changed. She couldn't help but think of that that night, when she finally slid into the booth at Pop's, across from Jughead.

"My mom told me what Mrs. Blossom told her." She announced immediately. "That Cheryl dropped a glove in the water and when Jason reached into the water to grab it, the undercurrent swept him in and he drowned. Who the hell wears gloves in the middle of summer, anyway."

She looked up as Pop approached their table, offering him a smile. "The usual, Emma?" He asked. Emma nodded, offering him a small smile. "Please. But no-"

"No lettuce or onions on the burger. I know, Emma." He laughed, tucking his pen away behind the ear, returning to his spot behind the counter.

"How did you mom find out?" Jughead asked, glancing at Emma over the top of his laptop, the light from it making his face look paler than it actually was. "She called to offer her condolences." Emma sighed. "It's weird to think about, isn't it? How many times have we gone swimming down as Sweet Water River. I mean...it could have happened to either of us."

"But it didn't." Jughead pointed out. "We're lucky, I guess."

"Lucky? Yeah, lucky to finally be rid of-" she stopped herself, shaking her head. "I shouldn't think that. Jason was a dick but...nobody deserves to die like that."

"It's strange, isn't it?" Jughead asked, closing his laptop and leaning back in his seat. "Nothing like this ever happens in Riverdale."

"Yeah." Emma nodded. "Nothing this horrible or interesting ever happens here. All those people at the river earlier were like...vultures. Picking for information, for anything to fuel their interest. Are people here that starved for any deviance from their mundane lives?"

"I guess even the picture perfect residents get tired of picture perfect Riverdale." Jughead said with a shrug. "I guess so." Emma agreed softly, looking up with a start as Pop set their food down, two burgers one with fries and the other with onion rings being placed on the table with a coffee for Jughead and a strawberry banana shake for Emma. "Here you go, guys." The older man said. "Enjoy." With that he was sweeping away to tend to another table, leaving Jughead and Emma to their food. She took a sip of her shake, savoring the sweet flavor.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" She asked suddenly. "How...even with Jason Blossom's untimely death...life still goes on just the same." She reached forward, snagging a fry from Jughead's plate and popping it into her mouth. He gave her a withering look. "You mean you still steal my food?"

Emma laughed. "Yes. And no. What I mean is….look. Sweet Miss Betty over there getting dinner from Pop's, just like she does every Wednesday night. And when she's done she'll go home and she'll feed her cats and fall asleep to the evening news. And us, sitting here just like we always do. Life doesn't stop for anyone. Not even Jason Blossom."

"Getting kind of philosophical there, Em. That's not like you at all." Jughead observed as he raised his burger to his mouth before taking a bite. "No, it's not. It just...makes me wonder if things will really change, you know? Like...if this will make things different and if...in a week, two weeks, a month if everyone will just...forget."

They wouldn't. Of course, Emma had no way of knowing that then. In fact, it would be weeks before the true nature of Jason's death reared it's ugly head. And that's when things when things would really change.

Author's Note: I know that only the first episode of Riverdale has aired but I am already Riverdale trash if you couldn't tell. I don't know how often this story will be updated since I am still working on 'A Study In Survival' and will probably want to let the show get at least a little bit ahead. But I was so excited that I just had to post this!