Back In Black

Chapter Thirteen: The Truth Comes Out

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//Archie POV//

I run after Jughead as we all leave the student lounge.
"Hey, Juggy." I call out to him jogging up behind him. "Remember before how you said you didn't want Kat knowing where you were living?" I ask. He stops not looking at me, I look back down the hallway to make sure no one from the crew is there "Is that because you and Kat..." I look at him and his face reads many different emotions. He doesn't look up at my eyes
"We may have had a moment-"
"It's totally cool, I get it. No worries, I'm just curious." all of which was true. Jughead continues to look at me very confused "Hey, I've bee thinking about your situation, and I talked to my dad." We start to walk again as I lower my voice "He said he's willing to give your dad a second chance, but only if FP wants it." I sigh I needed to help Jughead, after everything he has done for me it was the least I could do. "He's gonna call him. But I think you should talk to him, too. Between the two of us, I think we can really make this thing happen." Jughead looks at me a nods slowly.

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//Kathleen POV//

Veronica grabs my arm and pulls me out of the Hallway, Betty standing beside her confused.
"Did I just notice Riverdale High's very own Holden Cauldfield put his arm around you?" Veronica looks at me and Betty looks to the ground. I smile shifting under her gaze
"Okay. These past few weeks with everything going on I've been stressed the fuck out. Jughead has been there for me through everything, so, one night, a few days ago, I told him how I felt and he felt the same. It wasn't much but it felt sooo good." It felt great to talk about it with a girl friend. I could tell it was hurting Betty but she was trying to keep a happy face for me.
"Oh, my god! Swoon" Veronica laughs "Okay, in that case, if he helped my girl navigate some turbulent waters, well then, Veronica Lodge approves." Ronnie puts her hand over he heart with a fake glow of pride. I just chuckle shaking my head. Veronica looks over to Betty who just kinda stands there.
"Oh, yeah. Its a great paring." she nods slowly. I give her a small smile before Veronica wraps her arm around me and we start walking to class. Veronica still has her arm wrapped around my shoulder when Kevin comes running up to us.
"Guys, oh, my god."
"What?" We all say together, Ronnie dropping her arm.
"Cheryl just tweeted #PollyCooperKilledMyBrother, #NowhereToHide, #SharpenYourPitchforks." I shook my head, leave it to Cheryl to talk in only hashtags.
"Oh, no."Betty grabs Kevin's phone.
"One of Cheryl's trolls must have been in the lounge and overheard us talking"
"We need to find Polly before the Blossoms do."

I meet Jughead by my bike outside of school
"Hey there handsome." I chuckle
"What has you so cheery?" He laughs looking at my smile. I get close to him before I respond.
"I may or may not have gotten Veronica Lodge approval to be with you." He laughs again
"I didn't know we needed it."
"Oh, no. We don't it was just funny. So now both Betty and Veronica know." I sigh
"Archie knows too." He rubs the back of his neck.
"Great" I chuckle nervously. He looks down at the ground
"I need a favor"
"Of course Juggie, you know that"
"Can you drive me home, I gotta talk to my dad."
"Sure" I hop on my bike and hand Jughead my extra helmet before I take off towards Sunnyside trailer park. I pull in front of my trailer with Des before the two of us hop of.
"You want me to tag along? You seem nervous."
"Would you mind?" He looks at me with hopeful eyes. I grab his hand
"Not one bit" we share a smile.

We walk all the way to Jughead's trailer. Jughead opens the door pushing a beer bottle out of the way. He walks inside and sighs, I follow behind him and see why. The trailer is trashed, literally. Empty beer bottles sit everywhere around the room dishes that still have food on them are scattered around and FP's clothes are everywhere. We walk deeper into the living room before we hear coughing. FP walks down the hallway, huge bags under his eyes and a cup in his hand. Jughead tightens his grip on my hand before looking at his father with pure anger.
"The prodigal son returns... A girl in tow." He looks to me "Quinn" He nods
"FP" I growl back. Wait returns? I look to Jughead as pieces that didn't make sense now do.
"How are you doing? You look good." I shift my position next to Jughead standing very squarish looking towards the Serpent King.
"Hanging in there" Jughead responds his grip getting weaker on my hand.
"Yeah?" FP sighs as he puts away a bottle of whiskey.
"I came by to ask... If you would consider going back to work with Fred Andrews." FP scoffs
"Yeah, he called. I said no. He fired me, Jughead. What kind of man would I be if I went back, hat in hand?"
"For starters? A man with a job, trying to fix his family." Jughead starts to get pissed. I do too, A man that my mother worked along side to keep the Serpents alive, A man we treated like family was throwing away his for no reason. I wanted nothing more than to jump the counter.
"Talk to your mom." FP says before slamming the cabinet "She's the one who gave up on us and took your sister."
"Can you please just go see Mr. Andrews? He is willing to give you another chance." FP laughs
"Oh, he's willing, huh? Thats generous of him, after all the crap he pulled on me." FP walks out of the kitchen and Jughead follows so that he can still see his father.
"Dad, don't you want to see our family back together? Mom and Jellybean could come home. I could come home." I held Jughead's hand tighter and he sighed, he just outed himself to me but it didn't seem like he cared. "Its not to late." Jughead grabs the door handle and leaves. I drop his hand and stick my head out.
 "I'll be right there Jug" I shut the door and look to FP laughing slightly.