Once I had slipped into my house with the help of Cheryl, promising to see Jughead at the baby shower, I was pulled into the bathroom. Cheryl threw me, not literally, into the shower and told me she would help me get ready. She had chosen a red dress that was off the shoulder and very figure flattering. Cheryl then took my foundation and concealer, covering every red mark on my skin. When she was done, you would never guess what had happened the night before.
We reached the room where the party was being held. I opened the door, Cheryl pushing the present into the room, shouting our presence. In true Blossom fashion, we walked into the room and every eye turned to us. Cheryl had decided not to wear her usual red and black, but black and pink. I immediately spotted Jughead who came over to me. He had gone without his denim jacket, but kept his beanie. Behind us, our mother wheeled in Grandma Blossom. Jug put his arm around my waist as I thanked him for coming. He kissed my forehead as I made my way over to Polly, holding the white bag that held my present.
I cut in front of my mom, hugging Polly.
"Polly, you look wonderful." I grinned, handing my gift to her which she passed to Betty, who put it on the table with the other gifts. "It's from Jughead as well." She laughed and pulled me towards her again.
"Thank you." Jughead pulled me back into his arms and away from Polly, knowing that my mom wanted to talk to her.
After Nana Rose did some crystal thing on Polly's hand, declaring that Polly was having twins, we all decided that it was time to open presents. She received bibs and nappies as well as a mobile with fluffy sheep on it. Betty handed her mine and Jughead's present. We had picked it out straight after school, yesterday, and before Archie called us. Polly smiled at us as we stood at the side. She pulled out the red box from the white gift bag, slowly pulling off the ribbon. Inside was a black jewellery case. Her eyes widened, and she let out a gasp. We had brought her a small baby bangle.
"This is so beautiful!" She exclaimed, not quite believing we had gotten her the small golden band with two charms on it.
"The bangle was Jason's, I know he wanted to give it to his first born. I brought the 'B' charm and had it engraved, Jug brought the 'C' charm." I explained. Betty asked what the engravement said and Polly turned over the small blue 'B'. The 'C' was to represent the Cooper family, the 'B' for the Blossom family.
"Daddy loves you." She replied. The she got up, still holding the bangle and came over to me, hugging me tightly before doing the same to Jughead. She sat down again, wiping her eyes. The room awed at the thoughtful gift. Mother shot and angry glare at me, not wanting the small bangle to be given away as it was a memory of her son.
Polly received a night-light from her mom, her old one. It caused her to stop crying and smiled widely at the familiar light. It was clearly outdated but was still a very cute gift. Before we could watch Polly open up mother's gift, Archie stormed in and came over to Jughead and I. Jug moved his arms from around me, holding my hand instead.
"You were protecting him. That's why you didn't tell me—"
"Relax," Jughead cut off Archie's rant, "What happened?"
"Archie?" I asked, not understanding what was going on. I knew that Archie was headed to a bar where the serpents hung out, but I didn't get why he was so angry now.
"Did you know that Jughead's father is a Serpent?" He asked me as Betty and Veronica came over to hear what was going on. Jughead's face dropped as he watched us look at him in confusion. I didn't care who his father was, or what he did, or who he was involved with. That didn't change who Jughead was. "That's why he tried to stop me from going. So I wouldn't find out. After everything my dad has done for you--" Archie concluded.
"Archie, I can explain, okay?"
"Not right now. This is Polly's day." Jughead tried to talk to Archie but he left. He turned to me, putting his hands on mine and moving his head closer to me. His eyes were searching mine, as if I was going to hate him for what his father does. I just kissed him, slowly, to show that I didn't care about his father because it was him I cared about. I wasn't about to let news on his dad come between us. We pulled away hearing arguments. Polly walked off crying after her mom argued with mine. I guessed the invitation to Thornhill hadn't gone as planned.
Jughead decided to walk me home, me not wanted to drive with my mom. We held hands as we walked through the dark streets of Riverdale. Ever since my brother's death, I had viewed Riverdale as a town corrupted by evil. A town where everyone knew everyone turned into one where none one knew who they were.
"I should have told you about me dad." Jughead said, breaking the silence that had fallen peacefully over us.
"Why didn't you?" I asked, turning to him. I knew what FP was like. Sooner or later, I would have worked it out. Glancing at Jughead, I saw he hand he head down, looking at our connected hands. In the dark, I couldn't read his expression, I struggled to understand what was going on in his head.
"I was ashamed," he spoke softly. I stopped walking, pulling him to a stop. He turned around to look at me and I grabbed the hand that hung limply at his side. Tugging him slightly closer, we stood inches apart under the light of a street lamp.
"I don't care who your father is, J. I care about you. It doesn't matter to me, unless it affects you." My hand found it's way to his face, cupping his cheek. He nodded, relieved that I didn't hate him.
"But, Juggie, we should talk to your dad. He might know something about Jay-Jay." I suggested. I wanted to help him and Betty with there investigation. They seemed to be doing a better job at finding the killer of Jason that the police of this town were.
We both arrived at the trailer I had been to many times before, still dressed in what we wore for the Baby Shower, not bothering to change, and me not wanting to go home yet. He entered first, me just behind him, peaking over his shoulder.
"Jughead." His dad called in greeting, putting down his alcohol as his son entered. I smiled slightly at FP, nervous to be seeing him again and properly speaking to him. I had seen him at the drive-in and seen him outside the police station. Both times we hadn't officially spoken as the dad addressing his son's girlfriend.
"Dad, this is Cynthia Blossom. The girl that I used to hang around with," Jughead smiled as he was introducing me. I smiled, reached forward, masking my nerves as I went to shake his hand.
"Hi, Mr Jones. Nice to see you again."
"We know the Serpents had some kind of drug thing going on with Jason Blossom." Jughead got straight to the point. Again, I stood behind Jughead, wanting to appear sociable, but also needing his comfort. Jug was my unlikely source of 'home'. FP asked where we heard it from.
"My brother's girlfriend, Polly." I answered. FP didn't answer right away. He seemed to be trying to think of a way to get out of it. To not answer the question.
"The kid needed some money, to get away. A clean-cut kid like that, no one's gonna suspect him of running, so we helped him, he helped us." He answered. I closed my eyes, attempting to compose myself. My brother, my perfect brother, didn't tell us how he got the money so that he could run away. He didn't tell us he had been working for the Serpents. The more we unravelled about the case, the less we really knew about him. It seemed that while Cheryl and I were being honest with him, he was with holding things from us.
"Jeez, Dad. Did you tell the cops that?" Jug questioned. FP made a comment back, confirming the suspicion that he hadn't told the police anything. There was a moment of silence where Jughead just stared at his dad, clearly angry he had never told him this before.
"Anything else you wanna ask?" He replied, raising his eyebrows. He promised he would be sorting his life out for Jughead, yet here he is, once again drinking. Jughead hardened his expression, asking his dad whether he had anything to do with Jason's death, gripping my hand tighter as we waited for the answer.
"You really think I could do that?"
"It's the Dark Ages, dad. I don't really know what to think anymore." I hugged Jughead's side. As much as I wanted to cry, feeling that I didn't even know my dead brother, I had to be strong for him. I needed to show that Jughead wasn't alone in that moment and that I would be here through it all.
"I'm not a perfect father, Jughead. No getting around that. But I'm no killer." They stared at each other, Jug seemingly trying to decide whether his dad was lying or not. When he seemed satisfied, he pulled me with him towards Thornhill, wanting me to be back home safely.
At the gate of Thornhill that was once again, unlocked, I stopped and turned him to face me.
"Do you believe him?" I asked. He nodded, asking if I believed him. I looked into his eyes, the dark shadow of Thornhill behind me.
"I believe you, Jughead." I replied, holding his chin in my hands. He looked at me, then his hands cupped the back of my head and brought me towards him, connecting our lips. Each kiss he gave me, still made butterflies erupt in my stomach. He still made me as filled with happiness as when we first kissed. Nothing that he did would ever change that. Outside the mansion, in the cool evening breeze, Jughead Jones kissed me. It was more passionate than before, more loving than before. We opened our eyes, still holding each other close and smiled.
loose jeaG"'