Rosemary ⋇ Jughead Jones

VI

Awful things, Awful Person

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Many of the townsfolk had been hoping against hope that somehow Jason Blossom hadn't drowned on July Fourth. That the high school students would come to school, Monday morning, and there Jason would be. Or that they'd see him and Cheryl in a booth at Pop's. But that was before the undeniable, irrevocable fact of his bloated, water-logged body, a corpse with a bullet hole in his forehead, and terrible secrets that could only be revealed by the cold, steel blade of a coroner's autopsy scalpel.

Sunday night, Rosemary shot up from her bed and quickly shoving her blanket in her mouth to muffle her scream. Her breaths were heavy and tears streamed down her cheeks. Flashes of Ben and what he did to her flashed in her mind. Quickly, she got up out of bed, still in her pajamas, and called an Uber. She slipped on a pair of socks and sneakers before throwing what she needed for school on Monday and her outfit for Monday in her backpack and then rushing downstairs into the kitchen. She left a note on the fridge held up by a magnet saying where she was going and then ran outside to the car.

"Where too, sweetheart?" Asked the driver.

Rosemary quickly told him the address and curled up into a small ball in the back seat. Her cheeks were still tear stained and her hair was knotted. She wore a pair of pajama shorts that had cartoon dogs all over them and an oversized t-shirt. She stared out the window and watched the passing scenery flash by. Once they made it, she paid the guy and left.

Rosemary raced through the empty lot of the Twilight Drive-In and banged on the door to the projection booth. She continued to bang on the door until she heard the lock turn and it opened to reveal Jughead Jones, groggy and a little delusional because of being abruptly woken up.

"Rosie?" Jughead asked, running his hand through his hair. "W-What are you doing here? What time is i-"

Jughead was cut off by Rosemary wrapping her arms around his torso and squeezing him tight. Jughead wrapped his arms around her as well, feeling her entire body shuttering. The two stood like that for a few moments before Rosemary pulled away, wiping her tears and walking over to the desk Jughead set up, throwing her bag on it. Jughead closed the door and turned towards her, looking slightly confused.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you, Rosie," Jughead assured. "But what are you doing here?"

Rosemary stood there, her body still trembling with fear. The nightmare was still haunting her mind and she felt like she was about to collapse. Slowly, Rosemary sat down on Jughead's makeshift bed and leaned against the wall, pulling her knees against her chest and burying her head in her arms. Jughead sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Rosemary's entire body shuddered as she sobbed. Her throat was sore from her previous crying and it left her voice cracking and raspy as she sobbed. Jughead pulled her close and Rosemary let him. Soon, Jughead and Rosemary were laying on the cot with Jughead embracing Rosemary. Her heart retching sobs continued and it left Jughead feeling helpless not being able to help her.