Quicksand ¤ Jughead Jones

17- Slipping Away

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN, SLIPPING AWAY

There was something in her chest that Lauren Davis felt. It was described as 'Heartbreak' from her friend Veronica, but this couldn't be heartbreak. Heartbreak was merely a psychological term that gave a title to a feeling but surely what Lauren felt couldn't be as small and painless as Heartbreak?

If this is what Heartbreak felt like, Lauren was yet to discover real pain. Sure, she had felt immense pain earlier in her life, too many times, in fact. But in this exact moment, it seemed like there was no comparison needed when it came to this kind of pain. It was something else. 

Lauren didn't want to sit around and hope she would get her heart fixed by the boy she was so lost with, instead she decided to get over it, she had other things to worry about, other than her heart being played with. To her, right now, her heart wasn't the most important.

Others would argue that your heart made you the person you are, that your life was useless without your heart. However, Lauren disagreed, sure it was the organ of life, one you're dead without but emotionally it simply made her weak, it made her re-think her decisions and lose confidence, she didn't want that. Lauren was absolutely done with actin upon her feelings. She just wanted to shut down.

So instead of swallowing herself in self-loathing, Lauren put on her warmest coat and made her way to the rest of her, somewhat, friends and made sure she was tagging along with Veronica and Kevin instead of Jughead, Betty, Archie and Valerie, who found herself somehow sucked into the groups problems as if she were their own. 

"So how's the cold war at home?" Kevin asked barely engrossed in what the trio were doing, he stared at the device in his hand, expecting it to give clear instructions where to go. 

"Ugh, horrible." Veronica groaned, narrowing her eyes as she stepped on a twig, scratching her boot heels. "Look, I hate fighting with my mom but until she is ready to admit and to own that she forged my name to help her illicit trysting with Fred Andrews. I can't blink, Kevin. She needs to make the next move." 

"And what if she doesn't?" Lauren questions with raised brows, her giving Kevin a pointed look as he struggled with the compass. Finally she grabs it from his hands and holds it right, the boy staring at her sheepishly. 

Veronica rolls her eyes at the two's childish games, still not believing that Lauren had agreed to come when she was upset about a certain relationship, nevertheless she smirked at the question. "Back in New York, whenever I needed to blow off steam or force my mother's hand, I'd go out on a bender, dancing with my fave celebrity gal-pal, my best gay, an awkward slash nerdy bestie, along with some dim-witted, sexy, disposable arm candy. That's Josie, Kevin and of course you-" 

Lauren salutes her in response, Kevin letting out a small gasp and putting his hand on his heart graciously. "Honored, both of us, I'm sure."

Veronica continued with a grin, "I figured you would need this," Her statement was obviously directed towards Lauren who gave her a grimace.