I'm Darkness || Archie Andrews and Jughead Jones [2]

The Better Person

THE BETTER PERSON

"We should've known better." Jughead breaks the silence that settled between them five minutes ago, while they ate their breakfeast. "I should've known better. We should've driven that car out of town."

"No, you couldn't have known Junkyard Steve drags the swamp for people's castoffs." FP comforts them, or at least he tries. "It's dumb luck."

"It's Jones luck, you mean." Jug scoffs, and leans back.

"Chic should be here." FP speaks up, and he finally voices with both blonde girls are thinking since the moment they left home. "He's the one who brained the guy."

"Don't worry about Chic." Alice dismisses his comment.

"Normally, I would disagree. Definitely worry about Chic." Betty replies with a bit of sarcasm, which is always nice. Then she continues. "But he doesn't know about the car."

"We wiped the thing clean of prints before we pushed it in so." Ellie recalls, trying to keep a positive thinking.

FP questions with his eyebrows raised. "Wearing gloves?"

"Most definitely,"

"I think so,"

"I'm pretty sure."

"What do you mean you think so?" He frowns at their answers.

"No, we hundred percent sure." Betty assures.

Suddenly, the bell on top of Pop's front door rings which calls their immediate attention. The worst-case scenario almost true when they see Sheriff Keller walking inside, making his way to the balcony, and for a moment they all hold their breaths.

"If anyone comes around asking questions," FP warns them. "we don't know anything. Don't talk to anyone. Act like everything's normal."

"Including, Betty, you coming home, so you're not nesting with a bunch of Serpents."

"No. You're not gonna use this to manipulate me, Mom." Betty argues, and reminds her of the reason why she left in the first place. "You know the deal, I come home when Chic leaves."

"Everybody, be cool." FP interrupts the fighting that's bursting right in front of them. "In the unlikely event that something happens, we batten down the hatches. Until then, life goes on, and nobody goes anywhere near that car."

. . .

Jughead and Ellie make their way to Riverdale High together, there's a Serpents' meeting in less than fifteen minutes, but the only thing Jughead seems to care about is how she's holding on.

"I told you I'm fine, Jug."

"Who do you kidding?" Jughead replies with a glance towards her. "I know you like the palm of my hand."

"Do you really?" She raises her eyebrows at him, and her tone is challenging. "Because if you really knew me that well, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"How about Chic?"

"What about Chic?" Ellie frowns.

"My offer still stands." Jughead shrugs.

"Yeah, I don't think so." She clears her throath before continuing. "House is full."

"I didn't ask Betty, I mean that's important, but she asked me to stay at my place." He tells her, because for some messed up reason he needs her to know that he didn't bail on her for Betty. "So, I didn't, you know –."