Strangers

2 months later

Jughead's POV:
It's been 2 months since I left my dad and Betty and tomorrow is my 18th birthday. For the last week me and my dad have been arranging when I'm moving. We decided not to tell Betty as I wanted to surprise her and I have the best way to do it. We have been in contact a little bit, but after a month the conversation cooled down and we haven't spoken for a few weeks.

2 months ago when I came back to New York, nothing was the same. I may have gone back to school, I may have got my old job back and I was around my old friends but I couldn't forgive my mum for taking me away from my dad. She knew I was happy but she dragged me back anyway. Since I've come back, I avoid her at all costs. I talk to Jellybean but I won't talk to her, I don't need to. It was a Thursday, I got up, got dressed and left before my mum was awake. It was 7:30am and I was on my way to school. No one knew I was leaving except Jellybean, this was because she needs to know that I'm not leaving her, I was just happier in Riverdale.

When I reached school Danny, Mason and Alex were all waiting for me, they were talking about some tv show they had watched. Since being back they tried to pretend that I didn't leave for a month, they tried to pretend that everything was normal. I walked over to them said my hellos and headed into school to start my lessons. The whole day I was distracted by the fact I was going back to Riverdale.

School had finished and I had my last shift at the newspaper, I walked in, wrote my last articles and told my boss that today would be my last day. He shook my hand and told me to keep writing, I had so much potential and he wished me luck for the future. It reached 7 pm when I started to head home.

I reached my house and walked in, to my surprise my mum was sitting on the sofa. She was never home this early. 'Jug, can we talk?' I shrug and walk into the kitchen. 'Look I know your 18 tomorrow. These past couple of months haven't been very pleasant, I only did what was best for you but tomorrow you can make your own decisions. Your my son, you belonged with me.' I sighed and said 'mum, you did the one thing that hurt the most. I was happy, I was being who I was suppose to be and you ripped that away from me. Your right after tomorrow I can make my own decisions and I can decided which are the right ones from the wrong' I slammed the cupboard door shut and walked into my room. There were several bags of my stuff which had been packed up. I was only taking stuff with me I knew I would need the most while down in Riverdale. Anything I didn't have, I would buy when I'm there.

Later on that evening, my phone buzzed. I went to check it and it was a message from Alex.

Alex: Can we talk?
Jughead: What's up?
Alex: tomorrow, you leaving aren't you?
Jughead: Alex, it's nothing personal. I want to be with my dad. I got 12 years with my mum, I had a month with my dad
Alex: can't you be happy here? You can still see him, I don't get why you have to leave?
Jughead: because mum doesn't except my relationship with him, I want to be apart of his life. Please support me on this?
Alex: Jug, I do. Your my best friend, I just don't want to lose you
Jughead: you won't, ever. I'm only a phone call away and if you really need to see me. It's 4 hours on a bus. You know I love you Alex, your my best friend. I just need to be with my dad
Alex: I know Jug, promise you'll stay in touch?
Jughead: I promise, can you tell the others. My bus is tomorrow morning so I won't see you guys but you can contact me whenever you want
Alex: I will Jug, be safe
Jughead: I will

I put my phone down and drifted to sleep, excited for tomorrow.

The next day:
It was early, all my bags were packed and I was ready to leave. I walked into the lounge and saw a present wrapped in a bow with a card attached to it. It was a birthday present from my mum and Jellybean. I picked it up and placed it in my bag and replaced it with yet another letter for my mum. She knew I was leaving, she was expecting it. I left the house and went to the bus station where once again I got on a bus and watched the town I called my home disappear into the distance. It was a 4 hour bus ride, dad was picking me up at 10 am, it was all arranged. I was 18 and moving to Riverdale. But also I was seeing Betty again and I couldn't wait.