THE DRIVE ( jughead jones )

❦ FORTY-EIGHT | IS THINK ABOUT

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

Amethyst had tried to run after the heartbroken teenager, but stumbled and fell as she was wearing heels. Fred and Demarcus, thinking that they all had a long night, decided that they should head back to the Andrew's house and look for Jughead in the morning. Amethyst was completely against that, but she knew that she couldn't go out and find Jughead with heels and a dress on. She had to wear something more suited.

"I still can't believe it was FP," Demarcus said quietly after Amethyst had gotten re-dressed. Even he was surprised by the outcome of the night. "After all the drinks we've shared, you would've thought it would have come up in conversation at least once."

Amethyst shook her head as she sat down on hers and Jughead's shared mattress, placing her head in her hands. "Misty," Demarcus said quietly, sitting down besides her. "There's nothing you could have done."

"But I was so sure," Amethyst told him. "I was so sure he didn't do it."

"It was a plot twist of the ages," Demarcus replied.

Amethyst abruptly stood up and hurried to get her sneakers. "What're you doing?" Demarcus cautiously asked.

"I'm going to go look for Jughead," Amethyst replied.

Demarcus sighed. "There's nothing I can do that will stop you, is there?"

Amethyst turned around to face her brother. "I'm not going to let Jughead go through with this alone," she told him. "He's my best friend, okay? The guy I'm in love with. So I'm going to be there for him."

Demarcus nodded in understanding before throwing his motorbikes keys at her. Amethyst frowned in question. Of course, Demarcus had taught Amethyst how to ride a motorbike and any other motor vehicle just in case she needed to use one to get away at any moment.

"You can take my bike," he told her. "Just make sure you message me every hour to tell me you are safe."

Amethyst smiled in gratitude before bending down and kissing her brother's cheek. "I love you, Demi," she told him before hurrying out of the room.

Demarcus chucked as he shook his head. "And you're lucky I love you too, kiddo."

•

At first, Amethyst was going to head straight to Pop's to see if Jughead was there, as he normally was at any time last midnight. But as she was nearing the building, it suddenly clicked to her that maybe he felt as if he didn't have anyone in Riverdale anymore. That maybe he wanted to leave the drama of Riverdale and live with his family. So, Amethyst turned around and began to drive to the bus station.

When Amethyst arrived, she found Jughead exiting a phone booth while furiously rubbing his eyes. She parked the bike and leapt of in an instant before running over to her bestfriend.

"Juggy!" She called out. Jughead turned around to face her just as she reached him. "How are you-?"

Amethyst was cut off from Jughead wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. Amethyst frowned slightly before hugging her best friend back, the two of them holding each other and just enjoying each other's presence. Amethyst took his beanie off and ran a hand through his hair as Jughead pulled her tighter.

"I'm so sorry," she quietly apologised.

"It wasn't your fault," Jughead replied, his voice muffled from his mouth pressed against Amethyst's shoulder. "I understand that now."

"I'm still so sorry for not telling you - for not warning you," Amethyst told him.

"Can we - can we just forget about it?" Jughead asked and amethyst nodded. "My mother didn't want me." Amethyst frowned as she laid her cheek on his shoulder. "She didn't want me to come live with her for a little while. She said it wasn't safe for Jellybean after what happened to my dad."

"She's just trying to look out for your younger sister. I'm sure you would do the same," Amethyst told him quietly.

"But I'm her son. I haven't even seen her in months," Jughead said before sighing. "I just want to get out of here."

"I'm with you. Every step of the way," Amethyst told him before Jughead pulled apart.

Amethyst smiled lightly at him as she cupped his face with her hands before rising on her tippy toes and pressing a kiss on his forehead. Jughead smiled back at her before he grabbed onto her hand and pulled her into the station.

Jughead walked up to the ticket desk and rung the bell. Soon enough, a lady walked around the corner and stood at the counter.

"I changed my mind about Toledo," Jughead told the lady. "Can you out me on whatever the next bus out of town is? I don't care where it's going."

"And can I buy a ticket to go with him?" Amethyst asked.

The lady held her hand out and Amethyst placed the required amount of money into her hand. She printed off two tickets and stamped them. "Citrusville, Florida," she said. "Leaves tomorrow morning at six."

"Alright," Jughead smiled lightly as he took the tickets and then looked around the room for a place to rest.

"Lobby closes in 15 minutes, reopens at 5:30," the lady told them.

Jughead sighed and nodded before pulling Amethyst out of the station.

"So, where to?" She asked.

"Pop's. It's the only place open," Jughead replied.

Amethyst's phone began to ring, and she frowned as she pulled it out, noticing Archie's name on it. Amethyst answered it and held it up to her ear.

"Hello?" She asked.

"Amie, thank god, do you know where Jughead is?" He asked.

Amethyst looked at Jughead and nodded. "Yeah, he's with me."

"Okay, and where is that?"

Jughead shook his head at Amethyst and she sighed. "I can't tell you that, Arch," she told him. "But I just want you to know that he's okay. That I'll be with him every step of the way."

Before Archie could respond, Amethyst hung up and turned her phone off.