Lifeline ((Jughead Jones)) 1

7

"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—"

"Anonymous buyer? What do they have to hide? No one cares." Veronica said, not understanding everything that had happened at the Drive-in and how important it was to Jug. If it closed, he would either have to find somewhere to live or move back in with his dad.

"I do!" When everyone was silent, he continued in a calmer tone, "also, you guys should all come to closing night. I'm thinking American Graffiti. Or is that too obvious?"

"I vote for anything staring Audrey Hepburn. Or Cate Blanchett." The names didn't ring a bell, but then again, I was used to watching classic movies or ones that Jughead like. Even if one of them did star in a movie we watched, neither cared enough to learn the names of actors or actresses. Kevin threw the question at Betty, asking what she would like to see.

"Maybe Rebel Without a Cause." She suggested. Jughead and I had been discussing the last movie we should play, and I had come up with that one first. He said no, it was too much of a girly romantic film. At the mention of the film, I sat up, listening intently to see what Jughead would answer. He had glanced at her, smiling and chuckling. My heart cracked a little more. Hermione delivered the food to us before moving to Cheryl's table to collect the check. The minute Cheryl looked at Hermione with a little disgust, Veronica jumped up and moved to her mother's defence. After seeing Hermine could handle it, she joined us again.

I hadn't ordered anything, not feeling the hunger that everyone else was clearly feeling. When the jingle of the bell rang, we all turned to see Fred, Archie and Miss Grundy walk in together.

"I'll be right back." Betty said, getting up to follow the party. As she was getting up, Jughead reached out to grab her arm to stop her but she didn't stop. Jughead watched over the back of the chairs, eager to witness the confrontation. I couldn't sit there and watch the boy I liked pine after another girl. When Betty left to speak with Archie outside, Jughead practically jumped over me to watch through the window. Veronica caught my dejected look as I slid out of the booth without saying goodbye and began to make the long walk home.

At school the next day, I couldn't be around Jughead. I didn't walk with him to school, instead getting a lift with Cheryl. I let her do my makeup and pick my outfit. She had told me that if he had his eyes on Betty, then I'd just have to draw his eyes to me. She dressed me in a long-sleeved off-the-shoulder white top with a tight red skirt that matched my lipstick. She applied eyeliner and threw me a denim jacket that looked similar to Jugheads. I pulled it on and she brought in heels. The good thing about us was that we were the same size in everything and suited the same things. So, when she brought in her killer black heels that were perfect for this outfit, I quickly pulled them on. With these, I'd be as tall as her in her heels and as tall as Jughead. The shoes were comfortable and not slutty. When we walked through the doors, every pair of eyes turned to us. We passed Jughead with the same smiles on our faces and I felt his stare follow us as we made our way down the hall.

We were about to went to enter our classroom when on of Cheryl's minion came up with a leaflet advertising the last showing at the Drive-in.

"I love that movie. Cheryl, Cynthia, will you be going?" One asked. I took the leaflet out of her hand and looked at the film he picked. Rebel Without a Cause. I knew in that moment where his heart truly lied. I'd have to deal with the fact it wasn't going to be with me. He picked that film for Betty. He picked it because she suggested it.

"Of course, he'd pick that one. Just as Betty suggested." I smiled emptily, feeling utterly betrayed. Cheryl took the leaflet from my hands and ripped it to shreds and letting the torn pieces float to the ground. She then took my hand, and pulled me inside. Cheryl let go as we passed Jughead's desk at the front and the empty seat next to him.

"Thia, why'd you leave the other night?" He asked, grabbing my hand before I could pass by his desk.

"I didn't need to sit and watch the flirting any longer." I snapped back, with more force than I had expected. Jughead widened his eyes in surprise and chuckled in confusion.

"What do you mean?" He laughed, not understanding what I was hinting at. Just as I was about to reply, his attention drifted to the door as someone entered the class. I looked over my shoulder and saw Betty and Veronica enter. I tried to pull out of Jug's grasp and walk to my place beside Cheryl.

"Why aren't you sitting with me?" Confusion and hurt projecting from him. He didn't get how much seeing him with Betty hurt me. He didn't know what it was like to sit in the library reading at lunch because the guy you like was off with another girl. He couldn't comprehend how it felt to stand in front of a mirror and see everything about yourself that wasn't Betty Cooper.

"Leave it Jughead." I snapped, pulling my arm free and taking my seat beside Cheryl.

At lunch, I passed the Blue and Gold room, knowing that Jughead would be in there. After dropping off an English assignment, I was one of the only student in the halls, meaning that the click of my heels echoed. I attracted the attention of everyone in the hall, drawing them away from conversations and forcing them to focus on me. As I passed the door to the room that I knew Jughead would be sat: beanie pulled forward on his head, hands frantically typing on a laptop, mind circling theories and potential leads, I didn't expect him to acknowledge me. However, proving me wrong. I heard my name called as I was a few metres away. I turned back around and saw Jughead, laptop in hand with a light still on, indicating that it had been shut but not closed down, his beanie was falling off his head on the right side. Slowly, I turned to him and took a few steps forward.

"What do you want Jughead?" My smile had faded and the confident aura I had given off all day vanished the moment our eyes met. He was Jughead, the boy that had called me princess when we first me. He was the boy who had stolen my tiara seconds later and the boy who stuck his tongue out at me when I took his beanie in return.

"Are you coming to the Drive-in tonight?" He asked, looking down at his feet showing he was nervous. Jughead was never usually nervous. I just assumed, at the time, that it was because I had snapped at him in math earlier that day. It was only later that I would discover the real reason he was nervous.

"Not after you picked the movie Betty wanted. I suggested it to you the night before but complained immediately. I just don't get what changed because Betty said it." I replied, frowning at him. When he heard me say that, his head whipped up, causing the beanie to slip further back on his head. I knew that Jughead would usually pull it back onto his head, the hat being his mask, his protection. So, when he ignored it and stepped closer to me, holding my arms so that I couldn't turn away, I knew this was something different.

"I picked it for you. I was gonna surprise you. You would have come in the projecting booth to watch it with me. I had it planned. Thia, I promise you, I picked it for you. It was the first movie we watched together, remember?" How could I forget? He had snuck me in the booth with him and we had spent the entire night awkwardly glancing at each other and avoiding eye contact for the other parts. Then, when we could stand it no longer, we both burst out laughing at how ridiculous we were being. It was a great night. I knew that we were going to be great friends from that night on.

"Of course, I do." I replied, reaching my hand up to pull his beanie forward on his head. Jughead followed my hand his eyes, moving his face to and see how his hair was after I moved the hat.

"Will you watch it with me, Princess?" He asked, satisfied that I hadn't destroyed his appearance.

"Only if you don't call me that for the rest of the night." I laughed. He nodded, and I pulled away, walking down the hall to the cafeteria to meet my sister. When I glanced back, I didn't miss the wide smile on his face and the small fist pump he did as he went back into the room he had ran out of to see me.

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