ѕerpenт qυeen - Jughead Jones

XXII.

Later on it that night, FP called Jughead Jones. Ava was with Jughead in FP's trailer after spending time with Sweet Pea. "Hello?" Jughead asked. "Put me on speaker, I know Ava is with you." FP said. Jughead put the phone on speaker for Ava to hear. "You went to see Penny Peabody? You asked her for help?" FP asked. "Dad. Hey." Jughead said. "Hey. FP." Ava said. "Uh, yeah. We didn't have a choice.Is something wrong?" Jughead said. "Did you-? Did you pay her?" FP asked. "No, she said it was a favor." Ava said trying to keep her guard up. She didn't tell FP, he found out... All was left was to not warn Jughead. "Jughead, listen to me. Ava, you better make sure he follows... Do not contact her again.If she reaches out, don't respond. You do not wanna be in bed with the Snake Charmer." FP said before hanging up on them. "Why?- Dad?" Jughead asked before looking at Ava. "No... I have a promise to keep and I don't want to say." Ava said looking at him.

Kevin was explaining what happened to Midge and Moose. "It was full-on Carrie. Midge covered in Moose's blood,screaming like a banshee. It was insane." Kevin explained. Ava looked at him and looked at Archie. "Kev, what were you even doing there?" Betty asked him. Kevin looked at her, " I was just night-jogging,you know, as one does, and suddenly, I hear gunshots." Kevin said to them. "Can we agree there's a killeron the loose?" Archie said. "With terrible aim." Ava and Jughead mumbled in unison. "Jughead, Ava, he murdered Ms. Grundy." Archie told them. Ava looked at her left forearm to make sure her tattoo was covered since no one should know she was a Serpent. "We don't knowthese three crimes are related." Betty said. "Guys, can we focuson what matters here? Midge and Moose are alive.Archie's dad survived. The Matchlerette starts tonight.You're coming over to watch." Veronica told them. Ava looked at her in disbelief. She was wanting a movie night with them when there was a shooter around them. "There's a shooter terrorizing the town. You really want usto watch a gross dating show?" Ava said looking at her. "What I want is for you guysto meet my dad officially. Back in New York,my dad was always in his study, doing bad things, as it turns out. I'm tired of closed doors. I need to know my dad's lifeand he needs to know mine." Veronica told them all. Betty smiled a bit and nodded, "Well, we'll be there, V. Can't wait." Betty said. Veronica thanked her softly. Ava looked at the time and got up. "I better go.Was supposed to meet our peer mentor at Southside High half an hour ago." Ava told them and Jughead. Ava walked out of the school hoping Jughead was following and not talking with his girlfriend.

Jughead had to go through the metal detector like a thousands times while Ava was just watching in amusement. Finally, he was done and was able to get his things. "Forsythe Pendleton Jones III. Aveline Chicago-Persephone Creed." A girl's voice said. Ava turned around and smiled softly. "Toni.." Ava said smiling. "Uh... it's Jughead, actually." Jughead said looking at her. "I'm Toni Topaz. I was supposed to give youthe full animatronic tour, but some robots went insaneand started killing the guests, so, we'll just wing it." Toni told them. Ava rolled her eyes and followed her around. "Classrooms don't have Wi-Fi,bathroom stalls don't have doors." Toni said walking down the stairs. "What about the Red and Black?" Jughead asked. "Yeah, it no longer exists. Censorship?Budget cuts? Take your pick. You'll find a glimpse of jingle-janglebeing consumed in its natural habitat." Toni said watching some people take it. 

" I'm sorry, jingle-jangle?" Jughead asked. "This place is crawling with the JJ.A highly addictive total gutter drug." Toni explained. "So, let's not touch that." Ava commented nodding her head. They walked into the cafeteria. "Here in the cafetorium,Ghoulies sit over there. Rival gang, drug dealers, street racers,rumors of cannibalism." Toni said. Jughead looked at her confused on the last part. "Don't ask. And we sit over there.With the Serpents." Toni said. "You're a Southside Serpent?" Jughead asked. "Why do you think that I volunteeredto give you both the tour?" Toni told Jughead. Jughead stopped walking, "Actually, I'm gonna sit alone. Just, you know,finish my book and brood." Jughead said. "I'm confused.Aren't you like a Serpent by blood? The son of FP Jones?" Toni told him. "Yeah. So, I self-identify as a loner,not a pack animal. I'm just gonna put my head downand try and get through this, okay?" Jughead said patting her shoulder. "Hey, you wanna get through this,you should hang with the Serpents. If the Ghoulies get a whiffthat you're alone, they'll make you their bitch fasterthan you can say American History X." Ava told him. Toni and Ava walked off to sit with the Serpents. Jughead felt empty and lonely but he would find a way to get through the day alone. 

Archie, Ava, Betty, and Jughead went to Veronica's and did that movie night idea. Ava really didn't want to rain on their double date, she felt like the outcast. "Why don't you sit down next to me,loverboy? Archie?" Veronica said. All of them were on the couch but Ava, she was on the chair besides the couch. "I'm sorry. This thing with Moose... It's like nobody cares. Dad keeps saying,"Leave it to Sheriff Keller." I'm like, "Yeah, he did a great jobof catching Jason's murderer." Oh. Wait, I'm sorry, that was us." Archie said frustrated. "Inside voices, please?" Veronica told him. " No, don't stop him." Jughead said. "Archie going Travis Bickleis my favorite Archie yet." Ava said smirking. Jughead nodded, agreeing with her that it was also his favorite. "Doesn't it feel like he's targeting us?I mean, specifically? I don't want anyone else getting hurt." Archie said looking at them. "When we had a getaway on the Cape, all of us got together and hiredprivate security to keep out the riffraff as an added layer of protection." Veronica said. "I loved that house." Hiram said as he walked out with Hermione Lodge. Archie stood up, surprised and Ava looked at them. "Daddy." Veronica said. "We're on our way to dinner at the club." Hermione said. "I wanted to meet your friends first." Hiram told his daughter. "Great. Thank you." Veronica said. Everyone was standing near them. "This is Betty Cooper." Veronica said. "Hi. Nice to meet you." Betty said shaking his hand, Betty was smiling. "And Jughead Jones." Veronica said. "Hi." Jughead said shaking his head. "Hey." Hiram said. "You know my dad." Jughead said. "I do. He's a good man. He values family. I hope his return comes soonerrather than later." Hiram said. "Yeah, so do we." Ava said smiling. "That is Aveline Creed." Veronica said. Hiram shook her head which she returned. "Hi." She said shortly. "Hey." He said. " And, Daddy, this is-" Veronica said.

"Archie Andrews. The boywho's captured my daughter's heart." Hiram said. Ava watched as he began talking with Hiram. She knew she should keep her guard up for him.