Broken Promises / / A Falice Story

Chapter 3

For the rest of the night Alice refused to play Betty's game and be a part of any conversation at all. She didn't want to talk, her eyes were glued to FP, watching his every move and whenever he looked back at her she'd look away.

After dinner Alice cleaned the kitchen. It was around eleven when she went into the bedroom, she was still in her dress and had make-up on. She planned on taking it off and changing her clothes, but the moment she entered the bedroom Hal stood up and rushed to her. "What the hell happened?" Hal stood right in front of Alice, he was beyond angry and Alice swallowed hard.

"N-nothing, what are you talking-"

"Don't play dumb!" Hal warned Alice as he stepped even closer having her against the wall.

"Why the hell did he talk to you like that?" Hal asked hovering over her, Alice was looking up at him, directly in his eyes. "Are you cheating on me with him?"

"How would I? I spend most of time inside because you-"

"Don't you dare talk back to me!" Hal slapped Alice across the face. She turned her head again to look at him, she was used to it, but it didn't mean it didn't hurt. "You're mine! Understood?" He asked and Alice just stood still. "I said-"

"I understand." Alice said as Hal grabbed a handful of her hair and eventually he let go.

After he walked to the bed Alice checked her wrists, the bruises there were fading and she was relieved he didn't gripped them again because she was tired of hiding them, she needed a little break.

For FP life wasn't easy either, not as hard as Alice's, but he had his problems. He was a single father and had to take care of both Jughead and the Serpents while keeping his job at Pop's. His biggest regret was not having Alice in his arms at night, he wanted to hold her so badly the thought of it physically hurt.

Ever since that dinner FP and Alice hadn't seen each other until he knocked on the door. Alice was in the kitchen and Hal in the living room when FP did so and of course Hal didn't bother to answer the door so Alice had to. "FP, what are you doing here?" Alice was panicking, but she didn't show it. She didn't want him to know that and she didn't want to seem weird if Hal happened to go to the door, he was going to be so mad at her.

"Jug and Betty didn't answer my calls. I thought they might be here." FP was genuinely worried about them, but at the same time seeing Alice again was something he really wanted.

"They're not, but I'll call her-"

"FP." Hal said and Alice's heart almost jumped out of her chest. She didn't hear him come to them and FP didn't look in any different way when he saw him behind her. "What are you doing here?"

"He was just asking about Betty and Jughead." Alice answered almost immediately. She didn't want to give Hal the time to think of something else, but Alice knew he did the moment she felt his hand on her lower back, grabbing tightly on her shirt.

"Why don't you come in?" Hal asked sounding much friendlier than before and Alice was surprised to hear those words.

"I really-"

"No, I insist." Hal said firmly and he walked inside with FP. "Call the kids Alice, I'm sure they're fine."

"Yes." Alice whispered under her breath before she went into the kitchen. She grabbed her phone with shaky hands and called the kids, obviously neither of them answered. She made a few more calls to their friends and eventually found out they were all at Cheryl's house, having fun.

Alice was just about to go and tell that to FP and Hal when FP entered the kitchen. "You ok? You look pale." FP said the moment the door closed behind him.

Alice took a deep breath. She didn't want to answer it, she wasn't ok, she hasn't been completely ok ever since he broke her and he had the audacity to stand in front of her and ask her if she was ok.

"Hey-"

"Don't touch me!" Alice moved away from him so she was out of his reach and FP looked at her confused.

"What's wrong?" FP asked genuinely worried, he thought it was about the kids.

"Nothing." Alice said and shook her head. It was childish of her to be mad at him for something that happened decades ago, but she was. "The kids are at Cheryl's, their phones died and they didn't notice, they're fine."

"Are you? You don't look good." FP said as he slightly leaned down to look at her and Alice wanted to let it out, to tell him, but she would've made a fool out of herself. "Look Alice, I know that we haven't talked in a while and-"

"Don't." Alice cut him off. "I don't know what you think you see-"

"What I see is that you're not ok. I know you Ali-"

"You knew me. You don't know me, you knew me." Alice said as seriously as she could. She wanted to seem cold, but she didn't manage. Her thoughts and feelings were to FP an open book ever since day one.

"What's going on in here?" Hal asked after he opened the door. Alice managed to pull herself together and turn around so he wouldn't see her face.

"Alice spoke to the kids, they're at Cheryl's and I was gonna get the beers." FP said and Alice wanted to turn around and tell him no. She knew alcohol wasn't something he should be around. He was doing well, he hadn't ended up being actually drunk for years, but Alice didn't like hearing the words alcohol and FP in the same sentence.