august 2008
eleven years old
Archie sat in the back of the class admiring the blonde haired girl from afar. The second she gracefully walked into the classroom his wide brown eyes were glued to her every move.
She immediately got along with everyone. I mean, of course though, with looks like that she's obviously a catch. Although, it wasn't just her looks but her sparkling personality as well. No one had ever met anyone as sweet and beautiful as her.
Archie usually disliked new students. He was always the teachers pet. Always the straight A student, always the main attraction, and always the kid who got a starburst for being a good boy. He never wanted anyone to take his reputation away from him. He was too scared that new kids would be smarter and nicer than him. He didn't want anyone else getting praised for the things he was good at.
With this new student though, she could stomp all over him, be a straight A student, and steal all of his starbursts, and he would thank her.
For once, Archie didn't feel in the mood for talking out loud. This was a new feeling that he had never felt before. He was always loud, but in a good happy way of course. He was always in front of the classroom. But something changed now, he found himself in the back of the classroom waiting to be acknowledged by the pretty girl.
Yes, he could just go up to her and introduce himself or crack a joke or comment on how nice she must smell but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Something was holding him back and he wasn't sure what it was.
Even if he did go up to her, he'd make a fool of himself. A part of him knew that was impossible. He doesn't recall anytime he ever made a fool of himself or humiliated himself in any way. He was perfect.
So why suddenly was he feeling so...shy?
He nearly shuddered at the word.
Before he can make any moves or discourage his thoughts anymore, he felt someone take the place of the empty chair beside him.
"Dude, what are you doing in the back of the classroom? The excitement is up front."
Reggie. Reggie has been Archie's best friend since the third grade. They used to hate each other. He even punched Archie one time in the second grade. Reggie had been just as jealous of Archie as everyone else. Archie always stole Reggie's thunder. He always interrupted Reggie, praised himself in front of Reggie, and even stole Reggie's girlfriend, Veronica.
Veronica and Archie didn't last more than a few days. Archie then went up to Reggie with a big apology and offered to help him with his Science Fair project. They both ended up taking credit for the project and won first place.
Now, it wasn't just Archie. It was Archie&Reggie. The two most popular guys in the class. But everyone including Reggie knew that he couldn't meet Archie's standards.
"I think I'm better off back here Reg." Archie said taking out his bag of starbursts and giving some to Reggie.
"Oh come on. Your chances are being thrown at your face and you just keep dodging them. So if I were you I'd grow some balls and get out of weenie hut junior."
"I am not in weenie hut junior."
Reggie snickered. "Yah you're right. You're in SUPER weenie hut junior."
"Wow. What are you? A spongebob fanatic?"
"Everyone's been a spongebob fanatic at some point in their life."
"Yah and it's really sad that you still are one."
"Stop changing the subject and go talk to her!"
"Alright." Archie got up and grabbed a starburst and made his way over to her. He awkwardly stood behind her as she was talking to some of her friends. To pass time he checked himself out in the window reflection.
The girl turned to face him just as the door opened. Archie's eyes travelled from the girls small smile to the door that had opened.
A new mystery walked into the door. Archie could almost feel everyone's demeanor change. The boy looked different. The casual school uniform that everyone was required to wear was replaced with a David Bowie shirt with a tacky beat up looking jacket over it. He wore denim ripped jeans with black high tops converse. Worst of all, Archie thought, he had a crown like beanie placed on his head that covered his dark locks.
Archie could hear reggie snicker from behind him.
The blonde girl in front of Archie was just as intrigued with the boy as he was.
The boy awkwardly stood in front of the classroom, his head down staring at the ground.
The teacher had gone to the copy room to gather worksheets for them so this was really awkward for everyone especially the boy.
After a few stares and whispers everyone retreated back to their conversations completely forgetting about the boy in front of the room.
The blonde girl turned to face Archie and smiled at him. "You must be Archie Andrews! My name is Betty Cooper." She said happily, her ponytail bouncing behind her as she joyfully talked. Archie couldn't really hear the rest of what she was saying. His eyes had drifted back to the boy who was now sitting on the floor.
"Um. Can I get back to you?" Archie said looking at Betty.
"Oh. Yah sure! It was nice meeting you." Despite her reassuring smile she sounded disappointed.
The dark haired boy was sitting up against the wall in front of the class wondering how long it would take for the teacher to get back. He constantly felt eyes on him and every time he looked up it'd be a ginger haired boy staring at him. It made him uncomfortable so he directed his eyes to the ground which seemed far more interesting.
His interest was interrupted when his eyes were met with a pair of fancy black shoes. His eyes scanned up the boy standing in front of him. Sure enough, it was the ginger who was intriguingly staring at him before.
"Why are you staring at the ground?" The ginger asked.
The boy sighed. "Oh you know, just inspecting for floor worms."
"I didn't ask for an attitude." The ginger said scoffing.
"I didn't ask for a bad attempt of having an attitude."
"Why are you being so mean?"
"I'm not mean. You're just taking my sparkling personality in a bad way."
Archie sighed and sat next to him. "We've never had two new students before."
"How fascinating."
"Can you please respond in something that is not a sarcastic comment?"
"I can't help that that's what I'm fluent in." The dark haired boy shrugged.
Archie rolled his eyes and dug around in his pocket until he pulled out a starburst. He was supposed to give it to the blonde haired girl but he forgot.
"Do you want this?"
The boy looked at him a bit shocked. "Really? I thought you didn't like me."
"I don't. You're too mysterious, strange, and awkward. And I don't like people who are like that. But it's still a nice gesture."
"Sorry that I couldn't meet your "goody two shoes" needs." The boy said taking the starburst and unwrapping it. "But to be fair, I don't like you too much either."
"I give you a starburst and that's the response I get?" Archie questioned wondering where this boys manners were. He was also wondering why he didn't like him. What wasn't there to like?
"I can tell you're into big crowds just by the way you approached me, you assume too much, and you're needy." The boy said popping the starburst into his mouth.
Archie blinked. He did not wanna talk to this boy anymore but he wanted to know his name.
"What's your name so I can leave?" Archie said straightforward.
He gained a confused look. "Why do you wanna know? You obviously don't want anything to do with me."
"You're right I don't but I'd at least like to know your name. We are classmates anyways." Archie shrugged.
"My name is Jughead and I don't wanna hear any shit about it."
Archie blinked again. Jughead? What the hell kind of name is that? Even if it wasn't a name that's a strange nickname.
"Your head doesn't even look like a jug." Archie commented.
"Well that's good to know." Jughead said.
Before the two could continue their conversation the teacher finally walked through the door.
Archie jumped up quickly and before he ran to his seat he looked back at Jughead. "Archie."
"What?"
"My name is Archie."
"I don't really care to know your name Archie. It's not like we're gonna be acknowledging each other anyways."
"You're right Jughead." And Jughead watched as Archie walked back to his seat and sat down completely forgetting about him.
•
This was just the first chapter just to give you guys an introduction to Jughead and Archie's character. Jugheads pretty moody but he's lovable while Archie's just gonna get cockier as it gets older. You can't really blame him though, he's gonna be a teenager and trust me I know teenage boys I'm friends with them and they have more self esteem than I ever will. Not saying all boys are cocky but just the ones I know hehe.
~Kaitie