Lucky// Jughead x Reader (book one in Lucky Series)

Chapter 2

I wake up curled in a uncomfortable ball on my couch. It's slightly comfortable but it's not at all meant to be slept on. Hopefully I won't be sleeping on it for much longer. I roll off the couch and stand moving back to my room. Swiftly I dig around in the suitcase and pull out my clothes quickly changing before making it back outside to my things in the living room. I grab my laptop bag and shove everything inside it. The money, my camera, my laptop. Everything that I might need for the day of errands. The first stop on my adventure a cable company to get wifi. I pay them the fee and give them my address to set up a router. My next stop Pops. The place of many past ventures with my friends, hundreds of sleepless nights scrounging up cash to buy milkshakes with Jug at 4 am. The little bell noise signals to the diner of my arrival. People sneak looks over at me. I guess I'm a new face. The first in a long time. That small town nosiness was something I'd never miss. Somehow everyone found their way into your business. I smile politely then move back to a booth and pulling my laptop from the bag. I start searching for a store that could deliver the things I need. But a voice distracts me from this.

"Is that the great Y/n back in the town that was never big enough?" Pops says as he walks to the booth. I smile at him.

"It is indeed," I say. Pops was like another father to me. He'd make sure I ate when my parents were too busy and gave me things to take to my siblings on nights I spent here until the early mornings. It's nice to see him still running the show here at Pops.

"The insomnia twins back at it again?" He asks. I smile nervously.

"Ugh actually not anymore, I haven't seen him yet," I admit to him, "just got back into town and I don't wanna rush it." He frowns and shakes his head. As if he was about to scold me.

"You better," he says to me, "and you better do it soon. It would be a damn shame if you two didn't keep me up at all hours making you guys coffee again." I chuckle.

"Well, I'll talk to him eventually," I say to him. As the words exit my mouth the bell rings signaling the entrance of another customer. As I sneak a glance I catch the sight of familiar gray spiked beanie.

"Well he is here so talk to him," Pops says to me. I feel myself start to panic.

"Give me a chance to settle in," I say to him, "I need to figure out what to say. We left things so awkwardly and I was terrible at responding to his letters. Just give me a second." He nods. "-and please don't tell him I'm here." Pops raises his eyebrow in confusion. But ultimately nods. "Oh, and can I get my usual?"

"Anything for miss y/n," Pops says as he walks away. I duck behind my laptop screen hoping to just get what I need done without any interruptions. It isn't until Pop's sits down my milkshake I allow myself to sneak a glance towards the beanie boys usual booth. He catches my eyes for a second before I move hiding my face in the laptop. I close my eyes in panic.

   "Please say he didn't see me," I whisper quietly.

"Y/n?" a voice says. I look up to see a familiar pair of green eyes. He say saw me. Dammit. Damn what am I gonna say.

"Hey," I say awkwardly as I meet his eyes.

"You're back?" He says softly. His eyes watering. I stand up and move from the booth standing a couple inches away from him. I smile nervously. Waiting for him to go off about how I was terrible at keeping in touch.

"I'm back," I say waiting for the anger. Instead He smiles and pulls me into a hug. He holds onto me tightly as if to prove to himself that this is real. As I pull back I wipe the escaping tears from my eyes.

"How? Did your foster parents move? Did you move in with your Aunt? How-" he says.

"I ran away from it all," I say. His smile slowly turns into a frown. Worry fills his eyes.

"You have to go back," he says, "we can't have you get in trouble again remember what they did last time-"

"No Juggie its fine, I got them to give custody to my aunt," I say, "I didn't actually run away. I just got away from it all."

"So you are here for good?" He asks at once.

"Yes," I say. I see him smile at the words. "did pops tell you I was here?"

"No I saw you," he says, "I saw those iconic e/c eyes and knew it was you."

"Jug," I say softly. He smiles and sits the stuff down on the table across from me. We both sit there working on separate projects. Occasionally talking about everything. But the silence remained. It was just the type of friendship we had. We good just sit by each other and enjoy each others presence. No need for words. Because each of us being there was enough. Comfortable silence. I didn't realize how much I missed it.

      In the ongoing weeks Jughead and I kept up the practice of going to Pops until early in the morning typing or writing, or talking. We did that for what felt like forever. As may turns to June and the long days of June turn into July.
Occasionally Jug would ask about the time I spent away. I would dodge the questions or just say. "The Past is the past, I'm back in Riverdale and that's what matters." Or "it sucked but its over now." But Jughead being himself knew better than to believe that bull. But he also knew better than to press me. Instead he decided to leave it alone and just enjoy our time together.

As for the rest of my old friends well every now and then I would see others like Archie or Betty. Apparently I caught her as she was on the way to the airport to board a plane to LA. I got to see Archie more. A couple meals together at Pops or some days spent at his house. He, like Jug, was excited about my great return. Back in the day, it was a common fact that Jughead and Archie were my boys. My best friends who I loved so much and would fight anyone who hurt them. So seeing Archie again reestablished the Mighty Trio. However I stopped seeing Archie around and he started dodging my calls. When he did answer he always said his dad was keeping him busy with work. So busy he bailed on a camping trip with Jughead the week of fourth of July. Jug told me all about how big of a betrayal it was that Archie was gone and such. However even then we didn't realize how big the Fourth of July would be. How in one day the rest of our lives would change.