Miss Atomic Bomb (Jughead Jones)

Part 14

"What happened to you?" Kevin asked me.

Kevin, Betty, Veronica, Jughead and I sat in a booth at the infamous Pop's.

I looked up from my phone with a jump.

"Huh?"

"Your face," he said with an eyebrow raised, "it has a cut on it."

My hand flung up to the spot Jack had backhanded me and I looked over at Jughead for help.

"Yeah," Veronica started to say, "Who was it?"

"I-I, um, I don-"

Jughead cut me off, "Her brother was rough housing."

He seemed oddly angry, the way his eyes were narrowed and his nose was scrunched showed that something was up.

"So, what's wrong with you Jughead, you're making the same face I do when I see a cherry." I joked, but Jughead barely acknowledged it.

"The drive-in is closing." He said curtly.

"Oh that's h-"

He cut me off and his anger seemed to get the best if him as he went off, "It's just one more nail in the coffin that is Riverdale. No, forget Riverdale, the coffin if the American Dream. As the godfather of indie cinema, Quentin Tarantino likes to say-"

Kevin must have had enough and interrupted him, "Please, god no, no more Quentin Tarantino references."

Jughead held out his hands in defense, "What? I'm pissed." He looked over at me and back to Kevin and Veronica, "and not just about losing my job, the Twilight Drive-in should mean something to us. People should be trying to save it."

Veronica raised her eyebrows and reached out her hand towards Jughead.

"In this day and age of Netflix do people really want to watch a movie in a car? I mean, who even goes there?"

"People who want to buy crack." Kevin said with a little too much emphasis.

"And cinaphiles and car enthusiasts." Jughead added. "Come on back me up on this Marina."

"Yeah, I mean, I love the drive in. It's kinda like my home away from home." Jughead's smiled at me and raised his eyebrows in honor, only to have that expression fade after he heard what I said next, "But on the other hand, there are a lot of drug addicts and gang members so I mean I don't know."

Jughead rolled his eyes and his gaze landed on Betty who had pulled a chair up to the edge of the booth.

"Betts? Any input?"

She looked up in shock and muttered quietly, "Jug's right."

There was something on Betty's mind and I had a feeling it wasn't going to end well.

"Anyway it's closing because the town owns it but didn't invest in it. So when an anonymous buyer made Mayor McCoy an offer she couldn't refuse."

Veronica raised her brow.

"Anonymous buyer? What do they have to hide? No one cares."

"I do!" Jughead exclaimed.

I put a hand on his arm and gave him the "calm down, you're getting too excited look".

He took a breath and sighed, "Also, you guys should all come to closing night. I'm thinking American Graffiti, or is that too obvious?"

Veronica's eyes narrowed in thought.

"I vote for anything starting Audrey Hepburn or Kate Blanchette."

Kevin's voice lowered, "Or the talented Mr. Ripley." His gaze flicked over to Betty, "Betty, your choices?"

She looked around in confusion since she had obviously not been paying attention and was oblivious to the entire conversation surrounding her.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

She smiled, "Yeah, I'm just thinking."

"Well I for one, think we should show Rebel Without a Cause." I decided, slapping my fist down on the table.

Jughead looked over at me and nudged me lightly, causing me too blush.

A waitress finally walked over with our food who turned out to be Veronica's mom.

"Be sure to put all that cash in a register. You are a Lodge after all."

I turned to see Cheryl glaring at Veronica's Mom.

Veronica and I stood up and walked over to them.

"Cheryl?" Veronica asked her with a warning tone.

Hermione put up a finger, "Honey I've got this." When Veronica took a step back she continued, "When I went to school with your mother she didn't know the difference between having money and having class either."

She strutted away to the cash register and left Veronica grinning like a freak.

We both sat back down, only to her the doorbell ring.

I turned to find Archie, his father, and the one person I hoped I would never see Archie with, Miss Grundy.

"Well that's an odd couple." Kevin noted carelessly, causing Betty to turn and look too.

"I'll be right back." She said with a glint in her eye as she stood up and walked towards them.

"Betty, don't." Jughead tried to get her to stay, but it was no use.

"Does she know?" I said raising an eyebrow to Jughead.

"I think she figured it out after Dilton told us about finding her car."

"Wait what's happening?" Kevin asked.

I shook my head, "It's nothing."

She pulled him outside and all we could do was watch in agony.

"What's happening out there?" Veronica asked, "Is it about me?"

"I have a strong inkling, no. Also, let it go." Jughead stated flatly.

Veronica's eyes widened in frustration.

"Yes, but you're you and I'm me." She started to slide ou if the seat and smiled, "You do you girl, I'll do me."

She followed Betty and Archie outside, leaving Kevin, Jughead, and me.

Jughead grabbed his drink and put an arm around me.

"What was it like before she got here?" Kevin asked, "I honestly can not remember."

Okay fellows hope you enjoyed!!!