Come Back For Me | Jughead Jones

Chapter 20: Panic

↳ Tuesday

Nov. 22nd↲

A few days had passed since the fight, and I haven't seen Derek besides one passing period every day—fifth period. I never noticed we passed each other until the other day when we accidentally brushed shoulders after class. It bothered me because Jughead wasn't near by since he was all the way across the school.

I was on my way to lunch when Cheryl stopped me in the almost empty hall.

"Hello, Catherine," she said in a rather harsh tone, which didn't surprise me.

"Cheryl," I replied, also feeling cold towards her.

She held up an old picture I nearly forgot. My eyes widened as I took the photo in hand to examine it closer.

It was me and Jason Blossom. I almost forgot that we dated back in elementary school. I was seven and he was eight or nine. In the picture, he was kissing my cheek and I gave a big toothy smile.

"I was looking through one of my scrapbooks and I found this. You want to explain?" She demanded.

I shrugged, handing it back to her. "What can I say? We dated."

She grew even more frustrated and grabbed the front of my shirt. I was waiting for her to yell at me or even slap me, but instead, she dragged me to the janitor's closet, not wanting to make a psycho scene.

She closed the door behind the both of us and turned on the dangling light. I was in an interrogation room.

"Please," she begged, putting down her façade.

She held up the picture to me one more time, tears welling in her eyes. "I just want to remember Jason. I don't remember this."

"Me either, honestly. Uh... maybe ask me some questions and I can try to remember?" I suggested, trying to help her out. Seeing Cheryl cry was a foreign experience for me, which let me know that this was personal and important.

She sniffled, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Um... how did he ask you out?"

I leaned against the wall and thought for a brief moment. A wave of memories hit me.

"I was under a maple tree drawing or doing homework. Jason walked up to me with a bell and a blossom in his hand. He asked if they looked nice, and I said yes. Then he asked me and I also said yes," I smiled to myself. "It was clever."

Cheryl smiled a little bit, laughing and nodding. "That sounds like him. Jay jay was always creative..."

I didn't want to spend the rest of my life in the janitor's closet, so I tried to slide towards the door.

"How did you both break up?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at me.

I looked around, trying to remember. "We just naturally parted I guess. We both lost interest after a month. We were little, so..."