CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO, UTTER HAVOC
The moment Cheryl had spoken her very last word, Lauren Davis was ready to leave. Instead of escaping through the crowd of crazy teenagers, Lauren had decided to retreat to Archie's garage where only moments later Jughead had appeared.
The Last thing Lauren wanted to do was party, or get drunk, she knew the moment she stepped into the household, she would regret it almost instantly, and currently, she was. In her head, Lauren tried to come up with ways she could leave without attracting the attention of anyone with the starting letter of 'C'.
As Lauren laid on the couch, Archie kept in the garage, Lauren's hand rested on Vegas' head, his head in place as Lauren's fingers roamed his fur, calming not only the dog but the girl too. Lauren didn't like interaction with large crowds, anyone would know that, but dancing in the club, with one known person, sometimes, was something even she didn't mind, and everyone in the house would agree to say that the day was chaos from the morning.
When Jughead entered, he immediately went to take a seat on the couch that Lauren laid on, he simply grabbed her head, took a seat and propped her head on his knee when Lauren let out a mumbled 'Okay,'
"I can't believe this is happening." Jughead fumed, his eyebrows were drooped in anger and frustration, his jaw clenched.
"I can." Lauren answered truthfully, shrugging her shoulders. "This day was set up to be terrible from the beginning, Jug. Let's not lie to ourselves."
Jughead blew a long breathe. "Can't disagree with that."
A few moments passed of a deep silence, the two were comfortable, Lauren playing with the dog and Jughead playing with her hair, for a moment it felt like that it was just the two of them, not needing anyone else but each other, because that was the truth. Lauren and Jughead had always been just Lauren and Jughead, until Archie and Betty befriended them, but they never left each other, lately they didn't have time for anybody else, including each other.
Archie busted through the door, his face dripping with sweat and a smile present on the face. Not even for a moment did he notice the wave of disappointment on the duo's face. "Dude, Valerie just got here, do you think she wants me back?"
"As long as you're not an asshole." Lauren mumbled, gaining his attention. "Which you are."
"Archie," Jughead interrupted. "As my blood brother, it was your sole responsibility to ensure that none of this ever happened on my birthday. And now we're here, in the middle of a Seth Rogen movie."
"I think more of Zac Efron." Lauren disagreed, with a hum.
Jughead shrugged halfheartedly, as Archie scoffed, continuing. "This was Betty's idea, okay? I just went along with it."
"Which you didn't have to." Lauren chimed in.
Archie groaned. "God, Lauren, why does every-time you speak to me, filled with annoyance?"
"Because your actions infuriate me, Archibald, sorry." Lauren finally let out, sending the boy a quick glare before huffing and deflating back on the sofa.
"This is so not me." Jughead grumbled, his face still filled with emotion.
"It doesn't matter, Jughead, you're her boyfriend now." Archie laughed, shaking his head.
"What does that mean?" The boy questioned, his voice rising.
Archie smiled, ducking his head slightly. "That means you're getting a party weather you like it or not."
Jughead scoffs but doesn't argue when a subtle knocking interrupts their conversation, immediately, F.P Jones poked his head through the small gap of the door, his hands wrapped around a box meant to be a present. He walked in, hesitantly as Lauren admired and appreciated his small token.
"Dad, hey." Jughead starts, standing up, making Lauren get up into a seated position as well.
"Happy Birthday, Jughead." F.P said, pursing his lips into a tight smile.
Archie stood up as well, eyeing the present in his hands. "How are you, Mr.Jones?"
F.P shrugged, his smile not leaving his face as Lauren stood up with a grin. "Happy to be here, celebrating with my son."
"Hey, F.P." Lauren greeted, with a nod of her head, in any normal situation she would have given the man a hug but the tension in the air refrained her.
"Lauren," F.P nodded, before continuing. "I didn't realize you had so many friend."
"He doesn't."
"I don't."
Lauren and Jughead share a quick look of amusement before turning back to see the latter's father. "Fair warning, you're the only adult here."
"So I gather. Where can I put this?" He gestured to the box in his hands.
"There's a table in the den." Archie answered, receiving a polite nod from the man, he turned to leave.
"Dad," Jughead stopped him, "Did Betty, call you?"
"She did. Came over too, she knows what she wants, that one."
****
"You, Archie and Lauren are my friend, okay?"
That sentence is what made Lauren leave the couple alone in the garage and from then on she was unsure of where to go. So when Lauren made the decision of leaving the party in general, Jughead was on his way to the main door too, but when Lauren turned to the knob, Cheryl Blossom and Chuck Clayton stopped her from doing so.
Lauren licked her lips and glared at Chuck, his large silhouette covering most of the doorway. "Get out of my way, Chuck."
"No can do, Laur." Chuck laughed, licking his ow lips, smirking. "Where do you and guest of honor think you're going?"
With that said, Lauren furrowed her brows, turning around to see Jughead right behind herself, glaring daggers at both the redhead and the jock.
Lauren let out a breathe, exhaling lowly, maneuvering her body to get through the space but Chuck pushed her back, placing a large hand on her shoulder.
Cheryl pouted falsely. "Oh, but you can't leave now. We haven't even played our game yet."
Betty and Veronica emerged from the crowd, looking at Lauren and Cheryl in confusion noticing the former's eyes burning with infuriated rage.
"Listen up, party people." Cheryl announced. "Everyone has their secrets and we've all done our fair share of sinning. That's one thing my dear brother's death revealed. So let's play a little game to get the secrets out in the open."
With a turn of the lock and two jocks practically guarding the door like idiots, Lauren, Jughead and the others were pushed into the living room where the group were seated to be showcased like artwork. Lauren's eyes met Reggie's, his worried gaze found Lauren's who gave him a cold look before turning with a bitter expression, to face Cheryl.
"What the hell is Secrets and Sins?" Jughead demanded, standing near the 'hosts' of the game.
Cheryl started. "It's a variation of Truth or Dare. In which we own out Truths, by telling it like it is.I'll start the game with, Veronica Lodge."
"Naturally." Veronica retorted, sending a sarcastic nod Cheryl's way.
"Let's begin... with the day and your mob wife of a mother came to town with a so-called 'fresh start'. Tell us, Veronica, what's so fresh about defiling Archie Andrews in a closet."
"That was your doing," Veronica cut off.
Cheryl, however ignored the girl's interruption, simply waving it off with her hand. "Moving on, to dear daddy Lodge, isn't it true that your father, from prison, illegally purchased the drive-in land?"
"And why do you care about Veronica's father? I thought we were revealing our secrets, might as well make it interesting, Cheryl." Lauren snapped in annoyance, she was aware that none of this would affect the teens ego or confidence so it was just a time waste.
Again, Cheryl ignored Lauren's snarky comment, sending a quick glare before Veronica continued. "Well, I can't speak on the behalf of my father but I can think of someone with a very dark secret. Specifically, Cheryl killing her own brother."
"Everyone knew how much I loved my brother." Cheryl defended, softly, her harsh demeanor changing in a split second.
"Exactly, but did you love him, maybe, in ways that a sister shouldn't love her brother? And as you got older, Jason started to think it was strange and unusual? So he chose Polly over you. And you shot him between the eyes with one of your fathers many hunting guns." Veronica's taunt was working too well, as Cheryl wiped away a stray tear.
"This game is sick." Diltion Doiley butted in, pushing his glasses up his nose. "I wanna go next."
"That's the spirit, Doiley." Chuck encouraged, with a laugh, crossing his arms over his chest? "What secrets do you have to reveal?"
"I saw, Ms.Grundy's Car at Sweetwater River, the day Jason went missing. I told Betty and Jughead and two days later, Ms.Grundy had left Riverdale. And let's not forget Archie was there too." Dilton explained, gasps left the 'audience'.
"Oh my god," Cheryl gasped, her mouth parting in shock. "Color me shocked, Archie Andrews, is that why you became a mediocre musician overnight? Because you and Ms. Four eyes were pulling a Mary Kay?"
"Wait what?" Chuck asked loudly. "Andrews was banging a teacher? Well, damn, I wish I knew, would've added you to the book of conquests."
"Classy, Chuck, as always." Veronica sneered.
"Wait a second," Cheryl started again. "That also explains why Archie can't keep a girlfriend to save his life, he's got serious mommy issues. Anything to say for yourself, Archie?"
"Dilton Doiley plays with guns." Betty spoke up, in a weak attempt to distract them.
"Big whoop, Betty." Cheryl cut off, giving her an unimpressed look. "So Doiley is a psychopath, everyone knows that."
Well, I guess it's my turn now." Chuck started, a smirk finding itself on her face. "Boy, do I have a twisted secret to reveal, starring Betty Cooper."
"Leave her the hell alone, Chuck." Archie interrupted.
"Shut up, Andrews!" Chuck shouted, clenching his jaw.
Lauren finally let her eyes rest on Jughead's tense body, his eyes were squinting in anger, he wanted to leave and so did she. She could practically see his thoughts and his intentions, Lauren was really starting to lose all the patience that was stored up in her body.
"Hell, Betty doesn't even know herself." Chuck continued, Lauren's head snapping to Betty, it seemed like she was boiling and Lauren didn't want to be there to witness the aftermath. "Everybody knows why I got suspended. But what you don't know is... She dressed up like a hooker in a god awful black wig, drugged me, handcuffed me in the Jacuzzi and I almost drowned until she got me to say what she wanted to hear. And then she really lost it. She called herself Polly and me Jason."
To say Lauren was shocked was an understatement, her eyes were wide and her jaw was slack. Suddenly, Lauren felt nauseated, her lips were dry and her throat was filling up with saliva that needed to escape and before Lauren could act on it, her gut feeling from the whole day had returned. Before Jughead could act on his emotions, Chuck started again.
"And this will get you really riled up, Jughead." Chuck laughed, rubbing his hands together as he saw Lauren's expression morph into dread and fear. "Lauren Davis. She disappeared for six months out of nowhere, ditched her friends and what was left of her some-what family that only consisted of her sister. Did anyone wonder where she went?"
Murmurs erupted in the otherwise silent room, people were talking between others, looking over the options about the whereabouts of herself. Lauren clutched her eyes closed, gulping the lump in her throat, her eyes opening to a misty cloud, ringing settling in her ear, she suddenly felt light-headed.
How does he know?
How did he find out?
How does he know?
How does he know?
Chuck stared at Lauren dead in the eye, his face was void of emotion and for a moment even Cheryl deflated, noticing an evil look in his look, and in that moment Lauren was aware that her biggest secret would be revealed.
"She was literally in a mental hospital!" Chuck shouted, cackling right after as if he had cracked an amazing joke, everyone stared in shock, her friends turning to her, Jughead had the look of utter disbelief cross his face. She could feel the judgement in the room. That's when a tear escaped her eyes, though her face showed no emotion.
"And man, now her dad's dead! But what's funny is that your sister, she sent you. She was so tired of you, she sent you away. How depressed were you really, Davis? Damn! Were you depressed because your mother is in jail? Or your father leaving your ass in Riverdale."
Chuck was infuriated, his veins were popping and his words were filling up the room, leaving everyone's mouth shut and their eyes on Lauren. Finally Lauren opened her mouth, a sigh leaving her mouth as everybody waited for the storm she was going to unleash but instead she spoke calmly. "I might've seen you there, Chuck. For being a complete psychotic, teenager with serious Anger Issues. Was it I.E.D, Chuck?"
Whispers were spoken again, people actually believing Lauren's story, though she was still crying, a small smirk was on her face.
Chuck scoffed angrily, looking around. "She's lying. But seriously, when will you actually kill yourself, Laur? Next week."
There was a sickening ring in Lauren's ear, everything was happening in silence and in a blur and before she couldn't get up and leave in embarrassment, Jughead had swung his fist in complete and utter rage, Lauren gasped, standing up as Chuck reciprocated and sent another punch his way, throwing the boy onto the glass table.
Finally F.P got into the crowd and threw Chuck out of the house, his eyes were gleaming with anger. Lauren was paralyzed from Chuck's harsh words, she couldn't take the looks she was receiving from her friends and everyone in her school, so with one last look at Betty, Veronica and Archie, Lauren was barely tumbling down the steps of the house, pushing past all the teens. People had started to leave, so Lauren got in her car.
Jughead tried to walk away but his father grabbed a hold of him. "Jughead, talk to them."
"Dad, i don't want to talk to Archie and Betty right now." Jughead mumbled.
F.P shook his head. "Two girls, Jug. One loves you a lot, you have to chose. After everything I just saw, that jock's words, Lauren needs you. And you're not there with her. Chose, Jug."
And with shaking hands, the same girl, who only cared about her family and friends, who for the first time walked away from the, drove to her house in silence, not forgetting the look of betrayal Jughead had sent her.
****
HOLY SHit that WAS MeSSy.
I know this is short, but let's be honest, this chapter is just too much. I hope you liked it after a long wait, sorry for that.
Also, I finally watched the last 3 episodes of Riverdale and wow, who knew, they could up their game. I'm not saying I'm in love but man when Alice started to cry in episode 19 I think I died? Right now, only Choni and Falice is giving me life in Riverdale.
Anybody willing to talk about Infinity War cuz I would love to let it all out