A little surprise

Chapter 05

A car parked in the driveway. Jughead didn't bother to look up, he was too busy trying to stop shaking and regulate his breathing with the tears rolling down his cheeks like waterfalls.

"Jug...?" Kevin asked, crouching down in front of him "Hey, I'm here now, okay? We will make it together. Have you gotten your stuff yet?" He shook his head, sucking in a breath. Kevin started to breath louder again, trying to make it easier for Jughead to follow him.

"I can't get up. Kev, he- he just..."

"It's surely just because it was overwhelming" Kevin offered, reaching him his hand "Come on, I'll help you pack" He stood up before helping Jughead who leaned onto him. The two walked inside the trailer and Kevin set Jughead down on the bed before he searched for a bag.

"What do you need?" Jughead looked at him with big eyes "Do you have your clothes in your closet?" He nodded "What do you need then? Shirts or rather sweatshirts?"

"Shirts" Kevin nodded and got to the closet, opening it, only to see just barely enough. A small stack of t-shirts and sweatshirts, an even smaller stack of pants. Some boxers, binders and socks in a box at the bottom drawer. He was on his way when Jughead spoke up again "or maybe sweatshirts. I don't know. I get cold easily"

"How about I will just put in both?" Kevin suggested and he nodded, pulling his knees to his chest again. In the end, Kevin just packed all of his clothes. It's not like Jughead had that much anyways, they barely filled up half the backpack.

"What else do you need? Uh... your laptop, where is that?"

"Over there" Jughead pointed to the bed before pulling out a bag and reaching it to him with shaking arms.

"Okay... uhm... Do you want to take your camera with you?" He shrugged.

"I don't care, I just... want to sleep"

"Okay, I'll just put it in the bag. We can get your school stuff later on and anything else that you need. I mean, it's just a 20 minute drive, easily done"

"Sure..." Kevin zipped the duffle bag close and then shouldered it before grabbing the laptop case. Though he halted on his way to the door to go back to the bed.

"Hey, can you breathe alright?"

"Yeah... Yeah, it's getting better. I think"

"Okay, let's go to the car and then home" Jughead nodded, pushing himself to the edge of the bed before slowly getting up.

"Thank you, for being here with me... even though..."

"I think that we've gone over other stuff already, which is way more worrying to be honest. Jughead, I-.. care a lot about you, no matter what. We can go through this, okay?"

"Do we have to explain everything to Mr. Keller...?"

"No, not now" He smiled softly before taking his hand again to walk over to the car. He got Jughead in the backseat first before putting the luggage in the back. After that, he sat down in the passenger seat.

"You two good to go?" Tom asked, eying the boy in the back before turning to face his son.

"Yeah, thanks for waiting up... and letting him stay. I swear that we will explain everything, just... not today anymore, okay?"

"Sure" Tom started the motor. By the time that they parked, Jughead had laid passed out against the window. Carefully opening the door, Kevin supported Jughead's head, so he wouldn't drop down before softly shaking him. Kevin would have loved to just carry him over to his bed or at least to the couch but to be honest: he was not strong enough. So he had to wake him up.