Alice was preparing lunch for Betty and her when she heard someone opening the front door.
Alice: "Betty, honey. Is that you?"
Betty: "Yes, mom. Is lunch ready?"
Alice: "It's barely finished. Give me a few more minutes."
Betty walked to Alice into the kitchen. One could see that she was kinda nervous.
Betty: "Mom? I wanted to ask you something. And I am not sure what you will say..."
Alice: "What is it honey? Just say it."
Betty: "Okay...I want to throw a birthday party for Jughead at the Whyte Whyrm and FP Jones allowed it. You are they only one I did not asked up to now. I talked to Hog eye and he is okay with it. I organized food from Pops and FP will take care that no one does something stupid on the party. No alcohol allowed. So everything is well organized and there is nothing you have to do. You just have to allow me to go there and stay out for longer than normal."
Alice: "So you planned everything without asking for my permission?"
One could hear the anger in Alice voice. How could her own daughter deceive her like this and tell her everything last. Did her own daughter doesn't trust her? And why did she went to the Whyrm on her own.
Alice: "And you thought I would just be okay with your plans after you hid them from me all the time? You know what I think of the Southside and nothing changed since I told you the last time. The Southside is dangerous and I don't want you to go there on your own. And you tell me that you went to the Whyte Whyrm, a bar full of drunk Serpents on your own? And you still think I would allow you any of this?"
Betty: "But Mom...I aready organized everything! Everything is planned. And FP Jones already agreed to take care of all of us. Veronica, Archie and Cheryl will be there too so I am not alone there. I really want to throw this party for Jug. I love him."
Alice: "So FP Jones agreed to take care of you...are you serious? This is even worse than Hog eye taking care of all of you! You know he has a drinking problem, don't you? And that his wife and daughter left him, since they didn't wanted to live with him anymore? And you think this guy could take care of a bunch of teenagers in a bar with alcohol? Are you kidding me? He can be happy if he can take care of himself."
Betty: "But Mom...Please! Just go talk to him. You know he is in AA. And he is trying to be a good father for Jug. That is why he allowed me to throw him a party again after last year..."
Alice: "As far as I remember last time Cheryl and some Bulldogs crashed the party and I needed a week to clean everything up again. Some of you also did Jingle Jangle...I will go and talk to FP. I can't believe he allowed you all this."
Betty: "Sure, mom. Talk to him. He will tell you the same I did. Everything will be good and he will take care. Maybe he can change your mind."
Alice: "I don't think so, but because you are begging me like this I will talk to him and maybe we will find another way to handle the situation."
Betty: "As long as I can still throw the party for Jughead I am happy, mom."
Betty went to her mom to give her a hug. Alice hugged her back to then turn to the door and walk outside to drive to Pops to talk to FP.
It wasn't that she thought her daughter could get hurt on the Southside. She just don't wanted her daughter to get into all the things she got into when she was her age. She just wanted her daughter to be safe. And she knew it was easy to get into this. Even more, because her daughters boyfriend was the kid from the serpent king.
***
FP was working at Pops. He was cleaning the tables when Alice came in.
Alice: "Are you serious FP? You allowed my sweet innocent daughter to throw a birthday party for your son at the White Whyrm. You know they are too young to go to a bar. I know Jughead was there before, because it's kind of a hangout place for your serpents, but not my innocent daughter. It's not the right place for her! It will ruin her! And you know that!"
FP: "Waoh! Woah! Alice! Slow down! It was Bettys idea and not mine so you don't have to shout at me for a decision you own daughter made. And by the way you remember that you were even younger than her when you took me to the Whyrm for the first time? And you didn't thought any of us was to young! You thought it was a fun idea! And I will be there too. So why are you worried?!"
Alice: "This is something completely different, FP! You know what happened to me and I don't want all these things happen to my daughter too. That's what I am worried about! And that you are there doesn't compose me in any way. And your son is like you! I know how alluring the Jones man are. I have been there myself! I don't want my daughter to make the same mistakes we did!"
FP: "They weren't all mistakes..."
Alice: "FP! That is not the point! This is nothing about you and me! There is not you and me and there will never again will be!"
FP: "But you said I am alluring..."
FP had a smirk on his face. He would never be able to resister her if she was open for it.
Alice: "FP! I did, but that means nothing! And you are sidetracking again. This is not about us! This is about our kids!"
FP: "Uh...you said us..."
Alice: "FP!!! Just shut up!!! This is not why I came here!!!"
Pops had listened to the argument for some time until he saw some costumers standing up from their booths to go home, because they didn't wanted to listen to this dispute anymore.
Pop: "FP! Could you and your lady please finish this outside? You two are scaring my costumers away..."
FP: "Sorry, Pop! Sure! We will go outside now! I will be back in a few minutes!"
FP grabbed Alice at her wrist and pulled her outside of Pops. They walked a bit away from Pops so not everyone would hear them. He grabbed her by her shoulders to turn her around so she faced him. She was so surprised by everything that she needed a moment to gather her thoughts.
FP: "So where did we stop? I think you were yelling at me..."
Alice: "Yes...I was! And I won't stop just because you pulled me outside now!"
FP: "You really want to continue yelling at me for things I didn't do? This is quite cute..."
FP smiled at her again with a smirk on his face. He loved jokey offend her like this.
Alice: "FP! This is not funny!"
She jokey slapped him on his arm. Somehow she overbalanced and felt with her head into his chest.
Alice: "I am sorry. This wasn't on purpose."
FP: "Are you sure?..."
Alice: "I am..."
Alice was a bit confused. FP smelled still like he did when they were together. She always had loved his smell. I always made her feel like home. She shyly looked up to him. Directly in to his eyes. She couldn't resist staring into them like in old times. FP did the same.
FP was so concentrated on her eyes that he nearly didn't noticed that her face was inching nearer to his. Their faces were only a few centimeter remote from each other when Alice stopped moving. She put her arms around his neck before she pulled him down to her. She waited another second until she crashed her lips right into his. He kissed her back, but pushed her away after some moments.
Alice was quite surprised. She thought he wanted it too, yet it seemed she was wrong. She was about to turn away from him and go. He stopped her by grabbing her at her shoulders again.
FP: "It's not what you think, Alice..."
Alice: "What than? I kiss you and you push me away. That's very clear."
FP: "I wanted to kiss you and I still want to kiss you, but I am not sure if it has the same meaning for you that it has for me... I still love you Alice! I think I never stopped! And you kissing me feels like there is a chance that you also still like me. Yet I am not sure and don't want to get my hopes up if it was just a random kiss for you. This is why I stopped you..."
Alice didn't answered him she just took his face in her face and kissed him again. This time more passionate than before.
Alice: "Did this made my intentions clear enough?"
FP: "I am not sure...maybe we should just try it again..."
Alice bit her lip and pulled it in in excitement to kiss him again. FP had a smirk on his face before this time he grabbed her face to pull her into a needy and passionate kiss.
The moment their lips touched it started to rain. FP and Alice couldn't care less about the rain. They just had eyes for each other and their tongues were fighting a battle while FP was pushing Alice back to his truck. Alice stopped their kiss for another time. FP looked a bit upset...he didn't wanted to make another break.
Alice: "I love you too, FP"