Reasonably Confident

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"Archie, Archie!" Avalon shrieked as she jumped on the bed

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"Archie, Archie!" Avalon shrieked as she jumped on the bed. "Yesterday was actually fun. I think we should go to Pop's this morning for breakfast."
"Does Pop even serve breakfast?" Archie groaned as he sat up and Avalon stood next to the bed.
"We can still go there! It'll be fun, c'mon." She tugged at his arm.

Avalon for once in her life was happy. She wasn't worrying about her brother hovering over her, her abusive dad or anything else that could cause her anxiety. She could just... chill. She loved it! She loved feeling free. Not only did Avalon love it but Archie did too. He always enjoyed seeing her smile. She did often but he knew it wasn't always genuine. He knew she had a secret but he knew it also wasn't his business. That was the point in all of his though, wasn't it? To make Avalon feel like a teenager as she should? Yes, it was, it did. And it worked! Avalon did feel like a kid again. And most teens wouldn't like that but what did Avalon know about being a kid? To say the least, she enjoyed it. No. She loved it.

"C'mon, Archie! I'm hungry! And I want to learn how to skateboard and juggle and I want to beat you at another painting contest where Veronica chooses who's is better! C'mon, Archie!" Avalon wouldn't stop tugging at his arm. Archie groaned as he was pulled out of something comfy and cozy. Bed. Archie knew it but Avalon wouldn't admit that she was having fun. She would never because she would never want to jinx it.

After many minutes of groaning and getting his arm almost pulled out of it's socket, Archie agreed to getting up and bringing Avalon to Pop's even though he was more than 100% sure that they didn't open until 11. Did he care? No, not really. Archie got dressed and drove Avalon to Pop's. She was bursting with excitement and hardly could sit still in her seat on the way there. The music was blasting and they were singing their hearts away until they pulled into the parking lot and Archie turned off the stereo and turned to Avalon. "Ready?" He raised his eyebrows, trying to make her laugh.
"When am I not for food?" She shrugged before hopping out of the car. As you know, Avalon's morning was going spectacular! Amazing! Awesome! But it's like the movies, Avalon's life. Right when you think everything is peaches and rainbows, it becomes a blackberry. Maybe it's sweet but it's more likely sour and dark, depressing.
"Avalon?" Avalon heard a faint voice behind her and she turned to investigate.
"Jughead?" She responded.
"Oh hey, Jug." Archie waved as he rounded the corner of his dad's truck and stood by Avalon's side. Archie wouldn't say it but he didn't want Jughead to be anywhere around Avalon. Yes, he was her sister but Archie thought of her as one too to him. After all, Jughead is the reason Avalon had a panic attack and Archie hated him for that. He hated it for Avalon because absolutely no one should have to go through that and he was right, no one should.
"Don't." Jughead raised one hand up to Archie as he spoke. "Avalon, what are you doing here? Pop's doesn't open until 11."
"I was hungry." Avalon shrugged. She didn't raise her voice like him. She was calm, weirdly.
"Hey, how about we all just talk over breakfast?" Archie interjected as he stepped forward, worried fists were going to be thrown.
"Jughead, just leave me alone, okay? I'm trying to have a good day and you're not making that any easier. You know, I had the best day yesterday with Archie. It was amazing! I had more fun with him than I ever have with you." Avalon sighed. "You're my brother, you're supposed to be there for me."
"Be there for you? Avalon, how am I supposed to do that when you won't tell me what's going on with you?! I've always been there for you even if I don't know what's happening but I always try to put a smile on your face." Jughead shoots back.
"Well you're not really good at it." Avalon shakes her head as she crossed her arms. Archie was impressed of Avalon as she was finally being confident. Reasonably confident. "Do you know how hard it is to tell someone, oh yeah, my dad abuses me, like, every day so... yeah!" Avalon waved her arms about before freezing as she thought about what she said. "Wait, Archie!" She began before being interrupted.
"Your dad what?!" He screams. "Jughead, Avalon, why didn't you tell me! That's not right." Archie shakes his head. "How long?!"
Avalon began to rub her forearm before answering. "A while."
"We are going home, right now." Jughead grabbed Avalon's arm and began to walk off.
"No! No, Jughead, I don't want to! I don't want to go back there!" Avalon pleaded as she tried to escape his grasp. Archie wanted to help her. Archie didn't want her to go back home. Especially not if her dad was going to hit her. But Archie couldn't move because he was in shock as the words replayed in his mind. Avalon and Jughead's dad hits her?

"Jughead, let go! I want to go back with Archie, not you!"
"Avalon, I know what's best for you and I don't want you hanging out with Archie anymore. Archie has enough to worry about like school and hanging out with a family that loves him. Now worrying about your problems that you announce to the world after hiding them from your own brother." Jughead continued to walk, still with Avalon's arm in his grasp. Avalon began to cry as this brought her back memories of being hurt a lot worse.
"Jughead, please!"
"I don't care! We're going home and we're staying there so you don't burden others and I'm going to talk to Archie and tell him that what you said was fake, alright? You hear me?" Jughead pointed a finger in her face. With tears, Avalon nodded as she hung her head, confused about what the word, "home" really meant.

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