One Week After Catherine's Disappearance
↳ Sunday
Dec. 25th ↲
I sulked on my way back home from school, as I had done every day this past week. My days felt duller and not worth-while with Catherine gone. Though school was out, I still occasionally slept in the cramped corner of the Janitors closet. I couldn't stand being home, alone, and I didn't want to inconvenience anyone else with my problems.
On top of all that, my dad had gotten accused of the murder of Jason Blossom, so I was essentially homeless and parentless.
Everything around me was changing so quickly, and all of the signs were telling me that I didn't belong in Riverdale either. At least not the Northside. I should've been in the Southside, where the scrappy poor kid with a deadbeat dad belongs.
I even tried to go to Toledo, but my mom didn't seem to have room there. Yet another sign that I didn't belong there either.
I got to my dad's trailer to clean it up, knowing that I had thrashed it a mere few days ago once I discovered his arrest. It was also after I discovered my friends rummaged through my dad's trailer, trying to incriminate him even further.
Even my friends seemed to not be my friends anymore. Archie and Veronica went behind my back in all of this to snoop in my dad's trailer! It was all forgiven and in the past now, but I couldn't help but get angry and confused when I thought about it.
The janitors closet quickly became old. so I returned to my dad's trailer to be secluded from Riverdale, and the sinkhole it was crumbling into.
As I laid on the couch and watched cable, there was a knock on the door. It startled me, not expecting someone to come. My only thought was one of the serpents, or Sheriff Keller. Then, I had almost completely forgotten it was Christmas. I then assumed it could've also been carolers; though, they never came around the Southside.
Out of sheer curiosity, I opened the door to find it was neither; it was Betty. She gave me a bashful yet sympathetic smile. "Hey," she softly spoke, raising a bag of Pop's for me to see. "Merry Christmas."
"Hey," I breathed, a little surprised to see her. "C-come in. I was just watching T.V," I stepped aside.
"Oooh! What are you watching?" She asked, walking right in.
I closed the door behind her and turned around. "Uh, the news I guess. Instead of news, the weather woman is showing how to make the best apple pie for... today I guess," I spoke with fake enthusiasm.
She just laughed a little and sat down on the couch, pulling out a burger from the bag.
"Oh. You're staying."
She looked at me, before smiling slightly.
"I don't know," she sighed, looking down at her burger. "After Catherine left and your dad going to jail you've just been holed up in here, alone. Especially on Christmas. I thought you could use some company, but not too much."
"You know me so well," I smiled at her, taking a seat beside her before digging into the brown greasy bag. "I haven't eaten since yesterday."
"Jughead!" She scolded, her big blue eyes widened at me. "You need to take better care of yourself."
"It's too hard right now," I looked down at my burger, not even that hungry. "Catherine normally made sure that I ate and stuff."
Betty pat my shoulder, also seeming upset.
"I miss her too, Jug. She has to come back soon," she reminded me.
I looked at her, seeing that she was also staring at me.
I leaned in and kissed Betty, impulsively. She gave in slightly, before we pulled away in a panic. Both of our eyes were wide as we stared at each other with worry.
"I am so sorry," I apologized. "I don't know where that came from!"
"It's okay," Betty assured. "But it was wrong. You know that, right?"
I nodded rapidly, confused as to what overcame me. I would never cheat on Catherine, if we were even still dating.
"Jughead," Betty grabbed my arm to catch my attention. She gave me a look of sadness and pity, which I deserved after pulling that.
"I'm sorry," I repeated once more, to make it clearer.
"You're looking for Catherine in the wrong places," Betty flat out told me, rubbing her hand up and down my arm. "I can't fill her void. You have to fill it on your own. Besides, I broke up with you. Remember?"
"Right," I nodded. "You're right. You aren't Catherine."
There was a silence in the room that ate away at my sanity.
"You can go- If you wanna of course," I told her, not wanting it to seem like she had a reason to stand her ground.
"I'm fine," she promised. "How about we finish our burgers and head to Pop's to see everyone? I know Veronica and Kevin miss you."
Ironically, after finishing our burgers from Pop's we walked to Pop's where everyone awaited us. Betty and I sat down, where Kevin immediately asked: "How are you holding up?"
"I'm alright. A lots happening in such a small amount of time is all," I blatantly said.
"No word on Catherine?" Veronica asked, earning another prize for "asking the wrong question at the wrong time" award.
I shook my head, leaning back in the booth.
"What do you think she's doing right now?" Archie asked, also contributing to the "let's break Jughead's heart even more!" competition.
I shrugged, not really thinking about it. "Judging by her communication, she's either dead like Brother Blossom, or she's taking a road trip around America and seeing new sights and living life to the fullest," I replied half sarcastically.
"Okay, guys. That's enough on that topic," Betty glared at them all. She began talking about the Jubilees coming up soon, which everyone spoke on besides me.
I sat there pondering—chin on hand— if Catherine was dead to the world or at least dead to me.
。♡ 。
I walked down the long hall, flickering dim lights above me. I ran my fingers through my red hair, fixing my varsity jacket in preparation for the tense conversation I was about to have. I knew I shouldn't have been there, but I had to.
For Jughead.
He was in a bad condition and handling everything wrong. Talking about living in the Southside and such scared not only me, but the rest of our friends.
I decided to step up and visit the local jail, where I found F.P. sitting in his cell as he twiddled his thumbs, looking down at his feet.
I cleared my throat, making my presence known.
F.P. raised his head a little, before making a double take. He gave me a smile — a façade — hiding lord knows what in his head.
"Well if it ain't Fred's boy," he stood up, relieved to see some kind of familiar face. He walked towards the bars and gripped them tightly, yet having a loose stance. "Everything alright?"
"Yes, sir," I gave a quick nod, before hesitating slightly. "It's just that... well... Jughead might go to a foster family down in the Southside and he's talking about going to Southside high!"
F.P. exhaled, raising his brows in response. "That school's a tough place," he shook his head.
"He's been spiraling ever since Catherine vanished. It sucks and I hate seeing him like this. I need your help," I pleaded.
F.P. scoffed a little before going to sit down. He looked up at me with a different stare. Much more calm than fake.
"Hey, Jughead's a tough kid. Scrappy. A survivor. He'll make it." He stood up, remaining eye contact with me. Moving over to my side, letting his arms dangle from the door he said: "Especially if you're looking after him."
I took a hard swallow, not thinking of Jughead as my responsibility until that moment.
"And he'll try to pull away from you, try to disappear into himself. He needs his friends. That's why you and Betty gotta stick with him. No matter what."
I nodded, as if I was taking a vow. Then, F.P. said the most frightening warning, causing more concern to sprout within me.
"He's got some darkness in him."
A Month After Catherine's Disappearance
↳ Saturday
Jan. 14th↲
I had waited, and waited, and hurt.
I watched as Jason Blossom's true killer had been revealed, how Christmas passed and I spent it alone, how I spent New Years with Archie, and the new semester approaching.
I went through trials, of going to Southside high, contemplating my own existence, wondering if life was worth living, and watching as my dad could possibly face a twenty-year sentence.
I blamed Catherine.
All of this was her fault.
The first time she left, I lost my mom. This time she left, I lost my dad.
This felt much worse considering I was completely on my own. At least I was until the Southside Serpents took me in as one of their own. They helped me move on from Catherine and learn how to take care of myself.
I'd be lying if I didn't think about her time to time, but she holds a special hate in my heart.
I hoped she'd never come back, that I'd forget her in due time and live my life as how I was supposed to. As a serpent.
I was still friends with the gang, but grew more distant with them compared to before her disappearance.
I found myself in my dad's trailer, once again watching television. The Serpent jacket warmed me up from the freezing cold outside, and the lack of heat from inside considering the electric bill not being paid.
In times like these, I wished that I had gone with that foster family instead of toughing it out on my own.
As I watched old Disney channel re-runs, my phone ended up ringing. I answered without looking at the caller ID, which was odd for me. I guess I stopped looking when I realized it wouldn't be Catherine.
I couldn't be more wrong.
AN: Heyo!! I don't own that scene between Archie and F.P. in jail. I wanted to write it in to give context on how Jughead thinks and also how he feels. I thought it was a crucial dialogue that needed to be out in.
Poor poor Jughead :(