CHAPTER TWO,
MAKE UPS
Though it was quite hard to escape school in between the lessons, Lauren had somehow stayed in the shadows. Not in the mood to talk to anybody, including her friends. She had mustered up enough courage to talk to Betty afterwards. After her mini breakdown of course. And even though Lauren had talked to Jughead about it, she couldn't get Cheryl's words out of her head.
The words itself had no meaning but it had took it upon itself to be imprinted into her brain for the time being.
That same day Lauren had not returned home, she simply dragged her bag to Pop's for her afternoon shift.
Lauren was busy in her thoughts when Jughead had entered the cafe. He gave Lauren a grin as she stood up to join him in his booth.
"What brings you here, Jones?" Lauren asked a small smirk on her face.
"Nothing out of the ordinary of course." Jughead nods, taking out his laptop.
"Well, I have lunch break so, what do you need?" Lauren asks.
"The usual, Burgers, fries and everything nice." Jughead states, he winks at her as Lauren shakes her head, her smile not disappearing from her face.
She got up to make the food and bring it over to the table as hey started to talk. Jughead's novel came up and naturally the two started to gossip about the death of Jason Blossom.
"I just don't get it." Lauren asks, shaking her head with a frown. She had gotten off her shift and decided to draw. "How can the captain of the water polo team drown?"
"I don't know. There's definitely more to the story." Jughead replied, agreeing with her.
"I have a feeling that Cheryl is lying about something. Though i'm sure I would be the last person to know." Lauren shrugged, knowing very well that Cheryl hates her just as much as she does.
"It's kind of hard to write a novel about a murder when you don't even know most of the details." The boy in the beanie admits. Lauren gives him a sympathetic smile.
They continued to talk about other things as Lauren watched the sunset and soon the pair were sat in a comfortable silence as Lauren drew the scene around her. Though none noticed the smile on Lauren's face that had never left her face while sitting with Jughead.
*****
Lauren had decided to talk to Betty and fix her broken friendship. She was simply thinking about her and had decided to just do it! Lauren was not going to admit it but she missed Betty and her motivation and her encouragement.
Betty and Lauren were friends since they were toddlers.Teresa and Jonathon Davis were great friends with the coopers in high school. And since the Davis family were known to be quite picky, Lauren and Maya Davis had decided to stay close to family friend. Polly and Maya becoming best friends and same with the other two.
So when Lauren had knocked on the door of the Cooper family, Alice Cooper, who had been the one to open the door, was quite surprised to say the least.
"Lauren!" Alice had exclaimed making Lauren grimace a smile. "What a surprise. How's your mom."
Lauren's face went cold as the words had left the older Coopers mouth. "It's quite a surprise to me too. And you know very well how my mom is."
"Betty is in her room."
Lauren nodded. She made her was to her former friends room.
Knocking on the door, Lauren's palms started to get sweaty as she wiped her hands on her jeans.
"Come in." Betty's soft voice had spoken.
Lauren opened the door, an awkward smile on her face.
"Lauren?" Betty tried hard to contain her shock bu it was quite obvious.
"Hi,Betty." Lauren smiles.
Betty's smile widens. "I'm so happy your here. Do you need something?"
Lauren shakes her head. "I just really want to fix this. I know I pushed away and I was selfish, it was everything with my mom. I just needed time to myself."
Betty's concern eyes find her own. "Why didn't you come to me?"
"I, uh, I was sent away." Lauren stuttered.
Betty nods. "I get it. You needed time. Just know that I will always be there for you, even if we aren't friends anymore."
"I know. I really missed you." Lauren admits. Her frown deepening.
"I missed you more." Betty says and reaches over to hug her. The two girls sat in an embrace, both getting emotional as tears fell from their eyes.
"You can stay the night." Betty sniffs, wiping her eyes.
"If you don't mind."
"Never."
******
It was the day of the dance and Lauren was basically dragged to it by Veronica who had insisted she goes. Even though she didn't have a date to it.
Lauren had arrived with Kevin as none had a date and were simply talking when Lauren had spotted Veronica, Betty and Archie.
Lauren badly wanted Jughead to come but he had denied and said he could never be seen at a high school dance making Lauren roll her eyes.
Lauren smiled as she excused herself and she went up to Betty and Archie, feeling extremely happy about their make up.
"Well it's not the met ball." Veronica muttered as Lauren walked to them, her red dress flowing behind her.
"Lauren." Betty gasped, smiling at the girl. "You look absolutely gorgeous!"
Veronica nods. "And I would love to go Dress shopping with you."
"Thank you guys. All of you look great." Lauren smiled.
Archie looks around the room to see the photo's of Jason.
Betty nudges him in the gut. "Hey. When do you have to let Coach Clayton know about Football?
"This weekend." Archie answers.
"Guys can't we just liberate ourselves from the dichotomy of jock/artist?" Veronica asks. "Can't we in this post James Franco world, be all things at once?"
Archie shakes his head in amusement as he answers Veronica. "I've been working on it Veronica."
"Work faster." Veronica answers back before she nudged Lauren who nods.
"Let's get some punch, Ronnie."
Veronica had told the girl to call her Ronnie when she felt like it and Lauren didn't find any better chance to use it.
"You know, Ronnie has a nice ring to it." Lauren tells her.
"Is that a compliment, Laur ?" Veronica asks with a wink as Lauren simply giggles.
Veronica and Lauren had sptted Kevin talking to Betty and they dragged him away passing by Reggie and Moose, who were spiking the punch as always.
"I really hope Betty talks to Archie, this is getting out of hand." Kevin says with exaggeration. Veronica nods as Lauren stays quiet looking at her phone to know what time it is.
"When will the heart ache end?" Veronica says dramatically.
By the time the three had made their way to the dance floor Cheryl had made her way to the stage that the Pussycats were currently setting up on.
Everybody cheers as the redhead stood smiling at the crowd. She simply raises her hand to silence them, which, to Lauren and Veronica's surprise, actually worked. "As honorary chairperson and de facto queen of tonight's semi-formal, it is my great pleasure to introduce this evening's main entertainment. To know them is to be obsessed with them. Though they usually perform their own material, tonight they're making an exception and debuting the cover of the song my parents claim they were listening to the night Jason and I were conceived. This ones for you Jay Jay."
Cheryl ended her short speech as Lauren scoffs quietly. "For just loosing her twin she looks to be in perfect condition."
Veronica and Kevin both nod in agreement as the band start to play the song. The boy and girl had went off to dance as Lauren denied the offer.
Before the dance had even ended Lauren had fled the scene to Pop's where she met up with Jughead.
****
Don't have much to say really. The kids made up, YAY! I really just wanted to get it out of the way but it wont be rushed. It'll take time for Lauren to trust the gang again. It's hard for her.
A short chapter, I know. But slowly will I start to make them longer. I dont want to rush into it. I still have my teen wolf fanfic to work on.