Consequences

Chapter 12

"Jughead! I've missed you! You're all grown up, my darling boy."

"Juh Juh!"

"Mom. Jellybean," Jughead kept his distance.

Gladys Jones' smile wavered but quickly recovered when FP went over to give her a hug.

"Jelly, wow, you're such a..girl now!" Jughead studied his sister.

"Duh, I am one," Jellybean laughed.

"Who did your hair?" Jughead asked.

"I did," she smiled proudly as she fixed her braided top knot.

All of a sudden, Jughead was sentimental. When they were small, their parents was always at work and rarely had time for them. Consequently, Jughead had learned to do Jellybean's hair for her when she couldn't.
He guessed she was forced to learn by herself when their mom brought her to Toledo.

"I missed you, kiddo," Jughead wrapped Jellybean in his arms.

Jellybean held tight, finally letting her emotions show by wetting her brother's shirt with her tears.

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"This is Veronica. Veronica Lodge," Jughead introduced to his sister, who, along with Jughead and Veronica, had went up to their room to give their parents some space.

"Hi, nice to meet you, Jellybean," Veronica flashed her signature smile.

"Hi," Jellybean replied somewhat shyly. "Call me Jelina, it's not Jellybean anymore."

"Why? What happened to Jellybean?" Jughead was taken aback.

"It was weird," she muttered.

"Well, I think both names are beautiful," Veronica filled the awkward silence when Jughead did not know how to reply and Jellybean could not meet his eyes.

"Anyway, you two reunite, I'll go make lunch," Veronica made an exit.

One look at Jellybean, and Veronica could already guess where she stood in the high school hierarchy. As former queen bee at Spence, she knew what type of people would be on top and who would be at the bottom.

Veronica guessed Jellybean was somewhere near the bottom. After having analysed Jellybean, her outfit was nice, but not something the 'rich queen bees' would wear. Jellybean had probably changed her name to fit in too, Veronica thought.

To her, Jellybean was cute and innocent, and that made Veronica adopt a 'sisterly' role towards her. She decided she needed to help Jellybean build up her self confidence.

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"Thank you, dear, dinner looks lovely," Gladys Jones marvelled at the luxurious dinner Veronica had prepared. "Jughead must be lucky to have you as a girlfriend. Thank you for taking care of the Jones men while we were away."

Jughead choked on his food at his mother's incorrect assumption of their relationship. He and Veronica exchanged awkward glances.

"Mom, Veronica's not— we're not dating," Jughead corrected sheepishly.

"Ah, sorry, my bad," Gladys apologised embarrasedly. "I just assumed since you were living together."

"Cheryl and Toni are living here too," Jughead pointed out.

"He's not my type," Cheryl and Toni said in sync, while Jellybean laughed quietly to herself.

"Sorry, she just seems like the kind of girl you would date," Gladys explained herself.

"I know right, that's what I said too when I just met him," Toni chimed in, unaffected by both Veronica and Jughead's death glares."Emily the Strange is totally his type."

"What's up with you and Ariel's habit of comparing me to fictional characters? I'm offended that you would even compare me to her!" Veronica protested.

"She's more like Chris Hargensen from Carrie," Jughead joined, earning a kick under the table from the offended Veronica.

"Ow...seriously?" Jughead complained.

"Sorry for Jughead. He's just saying that because I played Chris in the school musical," Veronica defended herself.

"Alright guys, settle down, let's all be on our best behavior for the reunification of the Jones family, eh?" FP finally joined the conversation.

"To the Jones," Veronica toasted.

"To the Jones," everyone at the table toasted as well.