Chapter 11- Cigarettes
Natalie
A week passed by and not only had I noticed my Dads distant behaviour but also some distance in Sweet Pea. We hadn't spoken much since Halloween and he was skipping a lot of classes and school in general.
During lunch I decided to try and find him. I searched the music room and the cafeteria which were two of the rooms he'd either be in or the gym but that was being used for the Vixens practise. I went outside to look for him and to my surprise I caught sight of the raven haired Serpent as he turned a corner beside the school building. I headed over, hoping he was alright.
I walked around the corner and I stopped as my eyes widened. Sweet Pea had a cigarette between his lips and his back against the stone wall.
"Since when did you start smoking again?" I asked him with my arms crossed.
"Since when was it any of your business!" He spat back which made my stomach twist. I noticed his eyes were dark and the dark circles under his eyes showed his lack of sleep.
"I just asked a question" I mumbled. "You don't need to be so rude about it"
"Well you don't need to be so nosy about my business" He scoffed as he glared at me.
"I'm your girlfriend" I reminded him. "And I'm worried about you, okay?"
"I'm fine" He mumbled.
"Obviously your not" I scoffed.
"Just leave me alone" He shook his head and started to walk away from me.
I sighed heavily as I watched him disappear around the corner.
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"Where's lover boy?" Toni asked me as she sat beside me in the student lounge.
"Somethings wrong with him" I mumbled as I looked at her. "He's started smoking again"
"Wait what?" Toni gasped. "He used to do that when-"
"When he was upset and hiding his emotions" I finished her sentence and she nodded. "He got angry at me when I tried to talk to him"
"Take it slow with him" Toni sighed. "Clearly somethings bothering him and he's hiding it"
"I just wished he was more open about his feelings" I sighed. "I could help him if I knew what the issue was"
"He'll come round" Toni nodded. "He's too in love with you"
"Ha. Thanks Tee" I smiled at her.
"Here for you Jones" She nodded.
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"What are you doing home?" I asked Jughead as I walked in on him sat on the couch, reading a book.
"Can't stand Stonewall right now" He mumbled.
"Those preppy rich kids giving you trouble?" I asked him. "Cause if they are I'll knock their teeth out"
"Thanks but no" Jughead chuckled. I sat beside him just as the door opened again and this time Dad walked in.
"Well..." He started. "Look what the cat dragged in"
"I'm done with Stonewall Prep" Jughead told him quickly. "That place is toxic. I'm going back to Riverdale High with Nat and my friends"
"Nope" Dad said back. "Mm-mm"
Jughead rolled his eyes as Dad shook his head.
"You're not throwing away this opportunity" Dad told him.
"You're giving me whiplash, Dad" Jughead sighed. "What opportunity?" Jughead sighed heavily. "So I can be buried alive in a coffin? Or be told that I'm only there because I grew up in a trailer park?"
"Someone said that to you?" Dad questioned.
"Yeah, Bret did" Jughead answered.
"I'll knock his teeth out" I muttered, crossing my arms and I leaned back on the couch.
"Well, who cares how you got in? You're in" Dad said. "And those silver spoons? They feel threatened. Look, this Bret kid? He knows, you're better than him, that you're gonna leave him in the dust. And you'll do it without the privilege or the fancy name. But if you drop out now, you're no better than my old man"
"If you hated him so much, then why would you name Jug after him?" I asked.
"It's my name, too, don't forget" Dad reminded us. "And, yeah, I hate him, but he's still my old man, so that's gotta count for something, huh?"
Jughead sighed and his eyes went back to his book and Dad sighed as he walked over and sat the other side of Jughead on the couch.
"Also" He started again. "Those books weren't from me" Jughead looked up at Dad with a confused look across his face. "Your Grandad sent them from...wherever the hell he was. I didn't tell you because...because I'm still angry at how he treated us. Now, he was a hard man and there was no love lost between us, but I gotta give the devil his due. Those books you love...were from him"
"And you have no idea where he is now?" Jughead asked.
"No" Dad sighed.
"Do you want me to look for him?" Jughead asked.
"No, I don't" Dad answered sharply. "But I'll tell you what I do want. I want you to go back. I want you to do what my father never did, what I never did. Graduate high school. And you-" Dad looked over at me. "You as well, Nat"
I smiled at him and he put a hand on Jughead's shoulder.
"Show those preppies what it means to be a Jones man" Dad said to him. "Bring honour to our name"
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I looked across to Sweet Pea in class and I sighed. I really wanted to help him with whatever it was that was upsetting him but if he wasn't going to let me in I didn't know how I was suppose to help. I looked across to Toni who was already looking from me to Sweet Pea too as she was trying to figure out what was bothering the tall Serpent.
As the bell rang to dismiss us I quickly gathered my things so I could get to Sweet Pea before he disappeared for the next lesson.
"Sweet Pea!" I called as I grabbed his arm and pulled him aside. I looked up at him and his eyes met mine and my heart shattered as I realised he had lost his spark. "Please...please tell me what's wrong?" Sweet Pea looked away from me but I tilted his head back so his eyes locked with mine again.
"It's my mom" He slowly whispered out.
"Is she alright?" I quickly questioned.
Sweet Pea shook his head and my eyes widened in worry. "She's sick, Nat. She's in hospital and doctors are saying if she doesn't get treatment she could die and the treatment is too expensive for us to afford"
"Oh" I gasped. "Sweet Pea..."
"I can't lose her" Sweet Pea muttered. "I only just got her back"
"You won't lose her" I whispered. "There has to be something-"
"There's no way we can make $20 thousand dollars" Sweet Pea scoffed.
"Oh my gosh" I gasped.
"That's the total of the surgeries, the treatments plus the long term medication she'd have to be on" Sweet Pea sighed as he ran his fingers through his raven hair. I sighed before I wrapped my arms around his waist. Sweet Pea slowly wrapped his arms back around me and he buried his face in my hair.
"I'm so sorry" I whispered.
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After school, Sweet Pea took me to see his mom. We walked into the room and instantly she looked completely different. Her face was pale and her features were all dark and dull. The beeping of the machine beside her was familiar to me and made me remember memories I kept trying to forget.
"Hey mom" Sweet Pea whispered as he placed his hand on his moms. "Natalie's here too"
"Hey" I sighed as I stepped closer to her.
"That's why I've not been at school" Sweet Pea sighed. "It's because I've been here"
I nodded slowly. "It's okay"
I ended up staying with Sweet Pea for an hour before I left. I felt useless, knowing I couldn't help them but I wasn't going to give up trying to find some way to make the money. I sighed as I picked up my motorcycle helmet before glancing down as an idea came into my mind.
I quickly rode back to the house in hopes that what idea I had would work and would make the money that was needed to help Linda.
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A week later and I sighed as I counted the dollar bills in my hands. A total of $18 thousand dollars was in front of me and I sighed as I slid the money into an envelope. I walked over to my dresser where I pulled out mom saving money. The money which I planned on using to move away from Riverdale once I was finished my eduction. There was $2500 dollars saved which was more then enough needed. A smile grew on my face and I added the money to the envelope.
After school I made my way to the hospital, the envelope was clutched in my hand and I sighed as I approached the doctor which was walking out of the room Linda was in.
"Excuse me?" I questioned as I stopped him.
"Yes? How may I help you?" The doctor asked as he looked at me with a confused expression.
"I'm a friend of Miss Graham and uh- I know that there can be a payment made for her to have surgery to save her" I mumbled. "$20 thousand dollars, right?"
"Indeed" The doctor nodded. "Are you...?"
"I'd like to pay" I nodded. "The whole cost"
"Oh" The Doctors eyes widened. "Alright then"
"I have the money" I added as I showed him the envelope.
"Perfect" He smiled as he took the envelope. "I'll get this sorted and we'll prepare Ms Graham"
"Oh" I quickly started. "Can you say it was payed anonymously?"
"Uh...sure" The Doctor nodded.
"Thank you" I smiled before I started to walk away.
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Two days had passed and I was eating breakfast when there was a knock on the front door. I watched as JB went to answer it and I sighed as I took a sip of my coffee.
"Nat, it's for you" JB sighed as she walked over to me.
I turned around to see Sweet Pea as he stood watching me. I stood up and went over to him and as I reached him he let out a heavy sigh.
"Everything okay?" I asked as his hand held my waist.
"My moms surgery was paid for, anonymously" Sweet Pea told me.
"Wait, what?" I gasped, acting shocked.
"Nat-" Sweet Pea started again as he brushed the small strands of hair covering my face. "What did you do?" I sighed as I looked away from him but he turned my face so our eyes met again.
"I was the anonymous payer" I whispered.
"How the hell did you make $20 thousand dollars?" Sweet Pea sighed.
"I may have sold my motorcycle" I hissed at the memory. "And added some of my saving money"
"Natalie" Sweet Pea sighed.
"I did it because I love you" I carried on. "I couldn't watch you lose your Mom"
"Thank you" Sweet Pea mumbled. I softly smiled at him before he pecked my lips gently. "And I'm sorry for being angry at you"
"Just...no more smoking, please?" I pleaded.
"No more smoking" He agreed with a nod. I smiled before I kissed him again.