You move to a new town after your father accepts a promotion at his company. You soon find out that the small town is riddled with secrets, chaos, and intriguing characters. There is one boy in particular, Jughead Jones, you can't seem to get off yo...
The next day you were extremely happy to find a note on the counter, announcing your father's departure to Tokyo for a two-and-a-half-week conference. You spent the next three days mostly in bed, too sore to even feel like doing anything. Monday morning you were extremely anxious to get out of that house. Getting dressed still proved to be a painful experience, but you were soon on your way out the door. Veronica smiled at you in Chemistry. You wondered what a great break she must have had in comparison to yours. As the bell rang announcing the end of first period, you made your way to the locker rooms dreading whatever activity you might be required to do in P.E.
"Oh my god, what happened?" Cheryl questioned, examining your badly bruised torso.
"Nothing." You quickly slipped on your P.E. uniform shirt.
Cheryl got closer to you, her voice lowered. "Did Jughead do this to you? Is this why you guys have been on the rocks? He has a violent streak?"
"What? No, of course not." You looked at her like she was insane. "I just bruise easily, and I was learning to ride a motorcycle and wiped out."
She eyed you skeptically. You hurried off before she could ask any more questions. You spent the next couple classes wishing you could just lay down and get some rest. You left fourth period in a rush to get to the library so you could eat your lunch alone with your thoughts. Jughead was leaning against his locker in the hall and straightened up as soon as he saw you.
"Hey." He said heatedly.
"Hey..."
"Why did Cheryl just ask me if I beat you?" His expression revealed vehemence and distress.
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"I don't know." You attempted to walk past him.
He grabbed your arm. "I'm talking to you."
"I don't know what you want me to say. Cheryl is dramatic. She saw I had a few bruises and came to wild conclusions, which I adamantly denied."
He pulled you over to a small alcove to gain more privacy. "Cheryl said it was really bad. Like you'd been severely beaten."
You rolled your eyes. "She's crazy."
"And she said you told her it was from learning to ride a motorcycle? Has Sweet Pea been giving you lessons?"
"No. I just made that up, so she'd leave me alone."
He looked at you, a slight frown appearing on his lips. "Hey. Just..." He placed his hands on your sides, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Tell me the truth. Are you sick? Is that the reason for the bruises? Why your dad is so worried about you?"
"No. Don't act like you care now."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
You scoffed. "You literally told me you couldn't see any version of your future without me in it, then broke up with me the next day." You looked into his eyes for a spilt second and just felt like you were going to break.
"And you said you felt the same way but you clearly didn't. I wasn't just going to be your fool."
"Whatever." You squirmed out of his grasp and walked off. He called your name, but you compelled yourself to just keep going. It was a hopeless conversation.
...
You spent the night imagining what Jughead was doing at his father's welcome back party. One part of you was elated that Jughead would find happiness in having his father back, while the other half dreaded that he might have been having an amazing time getting to know some attractive Serpent girl.
You managed to avoid most conversation at school the next day. The Serpents seemed to be in a serious mood, all murmuring amongst themselves. Jughead looked forlorn in English, you caught him turn around and look at you once. Something was definitely afoot. Your curiosity got the best of you, causing you to take the front entrance at the end of the day.
"Hey Toni." Her and Sweet Pea looked unsettled as they turned their gaze to you.
"Hey."
"Is everything okay?"
Sweet Pea exhaled. "There's a lot of heat going on right now between the Serpents and the Ghoulies. I guess you could say we're on the verge of war, if not already in the beginning of it."
"I think Jughead's in over his head." Toni said. "He's-" She fell silent, her eyes focusing on something behind her. Jughead walked up examining the three of you, his gaze focusing on you for a moment, before he looked away.
"Sweet Pea." He beckoned. The two walked off leaving you and Toni standing there.
"Are you heading home?" Toni asked.
"Yeah." The two of you started moving. "What do you mean, Jughead's in over his head? I mean what about FP? He's out now, he's king."
"Let's just say he and Jughead aren't exactly seeing eye to eye on how things should be handled. FP wants an all-out war, indifferent to how much bloodshed there may be. Jughead of course wants to proceed in a more decorous manner. He doesn't want anyone to end up dead, on either side, not even Penny."
"Wait Penny didn't come back after...?
"She did." She showed up at FP's party last night. She has all the Ghoulies wrapped around her finger. Wants to use the Serpents as her little errand boys. To run drugs and god knows what else. Jughead is blaming himself, thinking he put fuel on the fire."
"I wish there was something I could do to help."
She turned and looked at you. "You know, Jughead really loves you. I don't know what exactly happened between you guys, but maybe try talking to him again. It could go a long way." She looked at her phone. "Do you want to come to Cheryl's sleepover tonight? It's going to be me and Veronica. Betty was originally coming but I guess she has plans with Archie.
"I don't know."
"Come on, maybe a girl's night is just what you need. Take your mind off things. I know I need to."
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"Are you sure Cheryl would want me there?"
"Definitely. She wanted me to ask you. She feels bad about how she reacted the other day in the locker room. She understands that her going to accuse Jughead probably only caused more strain between the two of you."
"Yeah."
"Well, what do you say?" She looked at you eagerly.
"Okay, sure a sleepover sounds fun."
"Great. Well, I am going to go visit with my grandma, and then I'll be heading over to Cheryl's probably around six, should I swing by your place, and we can walk over together?"
