Aberration ≫ Jarchie

F O R T Y - S I X

Sixteen Years Old ❣︎ September

Summer break went by way too fast, and Jughead seriously doesn't want to be back in school. He hates seeing the redhead everyday because it causes this abnormal pain in his chest and it won't go away no matter how hard he tries.

That redhead will be the death of him.

However, Jughead needs to be here because he's decided that he wants to attend NYU. His grades are amazing, but he doesn't do many clubs so he'll sign up for writing ones since it helped him so much over the summer.

He's not in that bad place as much as he was anymore, but he'll always keep the tattered journal because he thinks he at least shows some potential in writing.

That's what he decided he wants to do. He wants to either write books or be a journalist. Either way delivers a message and that's what he wants to do with his life.

When Jughead steps through the school doors, all eyes are on him for some reason. The last time this happened was in sixth grade because of that picture of him that got leaked, but Jughead can't tell what it is this time. He continues walking, politely smiling back as some random girls he's never spoken to wave to him.

What the hell is going on today?

Jughead keeps walking down the hallway, waving and smiling back at random people who offered the gesture before sighing heavily and practically running up to Reggie in the place where he said to meet him.

The two were on okay terms, but they'll never be as close as they were before. That's partly because Reggie needs his distance so he can get over the beautiful wreck, and because that same beautiful wreck doesn't think he can bounce back from being hurt again.

"Hey? Is there something on me, or are people talking about me or something?" Jughead asks quickly before waving at some girl who just decided to smile at him.

"Dude, what are you even tal-" Reggie looks up, his jaw almost dropping as he takes in Jughead's appearance.

"Damn."

"Damn what? Oh my gosh tell me!" Jughead laughs.

"I'm going to try and say this without sounding as gay as I pretend I'm not."

"Go ahead."

"You were pretty cute before but now you're..."

"What?"

"Hot."

"How does someone get hot in 3 months?"

"I don't know, you tell me, because you did it, and it's not really helping me." Reggie sighs before checking out Jughead more who is smiling to himself a little bit.

"You're not lying to me?"

"When have I ever lied to make you feel better about yourself?"

"True." Jughead smiles, and Reggie's heart practically flutters.

"So I'm guessing your summer was good? Considering how you look and how you seem happy again."