Jughead sat up, his chest fell up and down sporadically. It was just a dream, is what he told himself. Just stupid nightmare that was meant to scare him, it wasn't real. He was in Archie's room on the blow up mattress and it wasn't real. He let out a whine as he closed his eyes and saw the nightmare replay in his eyelids. Archie leaving him, everyone leaving him, the whole world forgot about Forsythe pendleton jones the Third. He wasn't ready for middle school. He was just a kid. He was just a 12 year old kid with a beanie and two best friends that were too good for him. He didn't know he was crying until he heard the click of a light and the soft pattern of Archie's feet as he got out of bed.
"Juggie?" Archie whispered as he slowly crawled over to where Jughead was in a pile of blankets on the floor. Jughead practically fell into Archie's familiar embrace and held on tightly to his pajamas shirt. Archie smelled like his new cologne that he had been so excited to spray and show Jughead. Dad had gotten it for him as a welcome to Middle school gift and Archie was all kinds of Cherry red and warm maroon at the idea of how mature it made him.
Jughead shook as he slowly leaned away to wipe his eyes and look at Archie in the dimly lit room. Archie was growing, at a fast rate. He will always be one of the tallest boys in class, however he had grown out of his lanky phase. Archie had been working out all summer, running and doing push ups and lunges and all these Jughead didn't have the stamina for. He was only 13, but he was slowly becoming a real teenager. Jughead was still one of the shortest boys in his class (only an inch taller then Dilton Doiley but he'll take it.) and he had a baby face. He wasn't a teenager like Archie, and he hated that he was still a tween. He almost gagged at the thought before sighing, "I'm sorry i woke you, I had a nightmare."
Archie shook his head, "You're fine, Juggie, do you wanna talk about it?" Archie said as he ran a hand down Jughead arm. Jughead shook his head and pulled away from his grip. He had to stop being a baby. They were starting at Riverdale Middle School tomorrow morning and he can't be a cry baby anymore. There were bigger things he had to think about. Like what teenager guys do, and why his face is oily all the time, and why he thinks Archie Andrews is the most handsome boy he's ever seen. Although maybe it'd be best if he ignored the last one for the time being.
"No, I'll just go back to sleep now. Big day tomorrow." He decided and slowly pulled the covers over himself and sniffled. Archie sighed as he got up and turned off the light. He slipped under his covers and stared at the ceiling. Jugheads soft breathing was heard from the other side of the room. Archie sighed softly, as he pulled the covers closer and tried to go back to sleep. He was reaching an in between grey area, where his body was almost asleep and his eyes were closed and his brain was turning off, when he heard footsteps.
"Archie," Jughead whispered, slowly fluttering his hand on the boy's shoulder. Archie hummed in response turning around to look at him, blinking away sleep to look at Jughead's blurry form. His hair was messed up and he was slowly twisting the bottom of his shirt into his thumb.
"Can I please sleep here tonight?" Jughead spoke softly, almost as if he was ashamed of the question. Archie didn't answer with words, instead opting for sliding over to make room for the boy and lifting the covers. Jughead climbed into the bed. staring up at the ceiling as Archie pulled the covers over them both. He turned over to face the redhead, both of their faces a mere few inches from each other.
"My nightmare was about tomorrow," Jughead started, keeping his voice low so that he wont wake Mr. Andrews. He didn't even know if Archie was awake but he just kept going.
"In it, you had gained a lot of popularity and everyone was all over you. 'Cause Archie Andrews smelled like honeydew cologne and had perfect hair and a perfect smile. You left me for Reggie mantle, because you both were picked for co-captains of the JV football team remember? In the dream I had a meltdown and you weren't there to save me, nobody was. The world was all navy blue and nobody cared about stupid crybaby Jughead Jones. Even Jellybean." He finished his ramble and sighed, holding back fresh hot tears. Archie slowly placed his arms on Jughead's waist and pulled the boy closer, placing his head on his chest, and Jughead leaned into the touch . Archie ignored the cold toes touching his legs and instead focused on running one of his hands through Jugheads soft black curls.
"I would never ever leave you, Juggie. You're stuck with me." Archie whispered, before closing his eyes and trying to fall asleep. Jughead let out a breathe he didn't realize he was holding and wrapped his arms around Archie suffocating in his warmth and protection.
-
"Oh for the love of everything wonderful in this world, Betty Cooper i am begging you to hurry up." Jughead yelled dramatically as he stood next to Archie at the bottom of the stairs. They were in the Cooper household, because they were supposed to pick Betty up and walk to school together, but of course, she was taking 300 years because that's what girls do. Archie laughed at him, in a perfect kind of Archie Andrews laugh, full of daisies and maroons.
Betty came stumbling down the stairs, putting her hair up into a pony tail as she walked. She smiled at the boys as she reached the bottom, pulling the ponytail tight and shaking her head.
Archie frowned as he handed her a soft yellow backpack with her name written on it in black sharpie. "What happened to the iconic pigtails?" He asked. Betty threw the backpack over her shoulders and bent down to tie her pink converse.
"Im a teenager now, I want something new." She explained, getting up and smiling at the boys. The trio walked out the door and down the steps from her house. It was cold out, enough where you felt it nip at your nose and turn your cheeks rosy.
Jughead pouted, "Am i seriously the only one who isn't a teenager yet? This is bullying." The two laughed at him as he over exaggerated his pout even more and crossed his arms. The two teenagers only laughed at him more and he sighed, "How am i supposed to survive in this world with you two as my best friends?"
Archie threw an arm around both of his best friends shoulders, sighing over dramatically as they turned the corner nearing the school. "I'm hurt Forsythe, honest to god. How can you offend me like this? We're wonderful."
Betty groaned as the two boys continued to bicker at each other. She pinched the bridge of her nose before announcing, "idiots! I'm stuck with two idiots! why didn't I become best friends with Cheryl Blossom."
Before either boy could make a witty remark, they made it to riverdale Middle. Archie slowly unwrapped his arms from his friends and gulped. The building was tall, 3 stories to be exact, with big windows and bright red doors. The entire front yard of the school was covered in trees and planters and children. Everyone was loud, shouting out friends names as they hugged, small sixth graders asking for directions, and eighth graders who looked like they could beat someone up. Betty straightened her stance as she turned to look at her male companions.
Another voice was heard behind them, "Listen are you guys going to move anytime soon or am I going to have to move you?" The trio flipped around to find the owner of the voice, Reggie Mantle. He had styled his hair, and just like Archie he had put in the effort this summer to work out. He almost towered over Jughead and Betty, just like Archie did, but in a less nice and more demeaning way. Just standing by him made Jughead nervous but he stood his ground and swallowed any attempt his brain made to cry. Archie just let out a stale laugh, and fake pushed Reggie, telling him to chill out. Reggie laughed back, and Betty and Jughead made eye contact as they fake laughed with the two of them. The trio, which Jughead guessed was now more of a group since Reggie was following them, walked through the gates and towards the registration table that had a big 'WELCOME ALL SIXTH GRADERS!' sign. Jughead just wanted to grab Archie's hand, but he was too busy talking to reggie about the football practice schedule to notice him. Instead, Jughead found himself grabbing Betty's hand. She squeezed his hand in recognition and smiled a signature Girl next door pretty pink smile. He flashed one back, with less pink.
-
They decided that the wall behind the Science classrooms was their new sitting spot for lunch. Sadly though, that included Reggie Mantle now too, who was sitting next to Archie, (which was Jughead's spot) and talking more football with him. It left Jughead and Betty to talk about school together. Everyone had roughly the same schedule (minus elective classes) because of how small the class each year was considering Riverdale's population. Jughead loved their English teacher, and Betty thought their Math teacher was cute in a (her words) 'Robert downey Jr Kinda way.' which cause the two to almost double over in laughter.
Finally, Jughead found himself asking the question he didn't want to ask. "Betty," he started, "What's going to happen now that's Archie has football practice everyday after school? We'll still hang out right?" He bit his lip as he looked at her. Betty sat for a second, pretending to think it over when really she had been thinking about it all of her Spanish class and had the perfect solution.
"Hear me out before you complain," She warned, giving Jughead a serious look before sitting down her bag of fritos and getting ready to lay out her master plan. "What if we joined the Drama club?"
Jughead blinked at her, trying to guess if she was kidding or not. upon inspection, Betty cooper was not kidding. "We? As in I? As in Jughead Jones does Theatre?" He asked, making sure he heard her right.
"Yes sir," She confirmed, smiling at him with hopeful eyes. Jughead gawked at her, shaking his head.
"Not happening." He denied, crossing his arms at her. Betty pulled her puppy dog eyes and slowly pushed her bag of fritos towards him.
"Oh please oh please oh please," She begged. "Just give it one meeting today Jug c'mon!" Jughead firmly shook his head at her. Betty slowly opened his hand and pushed the bag of fritos into it.
"Please, for me?" She tried, one more time. She stared up at Jughead with those pearly blue eyes that practically screamed bubble gum pink and Jughead simply couldn't say no to her. It was like when Jellybean would force him to play toys with her. Betty was like his other sister and he couldn't let her down like that. So no, even if he didn't like Theatre, he was not going to tell her no. Could you say no to those eyes? He sighed as he metaphorically waved his white flag for all to see.
"Alright," Jughead caved, "I will go to one meeting for you and your drama club, okay? one. Uno." he held up one finger to put emphasis on it being a one time thing as Betty squealed with delight and hugged him.
-
LONG CHAPTER I'M SORRY I JUST HAD A LOT TO SAY
ummm basically be prepared for theatrekid!betty and jug.
ok thats all
r u liking this book????? i hope so????