Timing is Everything

Apologize (Chapter 28)

* Your POV as Jughead *

You wake up the next morning and are in a state of confusion as to why you are sleeping on the floor. This confusion fades when you turn the other side of your face on the ground and instantly wince from the floor rubbing against your black eye. You open your eyes again and stare up at Jellybean still sleeping on your bed. "At least someone is comfortable" you mumble sarcastically and force yourself to stand up with a grunt.

You make your way over to the dresser and grab your hearing aids before walking out to the bathroom. You walk as quietly as you can, while placing your hearing aids on and adjusting the volume to the 'on' position.

After closing the bathroom door behind you, you freeze when you notice the dark swelling around your eye. "..Of course it would be my freaking eye.." you mumble, moving closer to the mirror and touching it. The small touch towards your bruise sends a rumbling of deep pain electrify around your eye and down your spine. You quickly pull back from your finger and scrunch your eye shut.

What to do? What to do? The pain in other areas can be hidden, you're used to forging off a limp or faking homeostasis when you're aching in pain. But bruises on your face? A black eye? That's going to be tricky to hide. You try to think of an excuse or a way to hide the evidence. You suppose you've gone into a laser focussed sense of panic because you don't realize the bathroom door begins to open.

You quickly reach to close it shut with a huff. "Can't I get some privacy in here?" you retort annoyed, not yet sure who tried to open the door.

"Jug dear? Is that you?" your mom speaks softly and tiredly, "..I didn't realize anyone else was up now..."

Mom! No no no. You tell yourself to take calm breaths and not freak out. You know there's no time to think anymore and decide it's time to go back to your writing side and craft a story of how you got these beautiful new colors on your face. You decide to wash your face the best you can without touching your eye, and open the bathroom door.

Not seeing your mom in sight, you look down and make a mad dash towards your bedroom until she speaks up again.

"Hey Jug? Come join me on the couch, we haven't had time together in a while."

You look over your shoulder and see your mom laid out on the couch with a throw blanket covering her legs. She looks tired but also relaxed, clearly not expecting her only son to walk on over and raise her blood pressure.

You swallow hard and remove your beanie, showing off your hearing aids. Maybe the display of these new bad boys will take the attention away from your fresh new bruise. You begin walking over and pray she doesn't make a scene.

"How are you doing mom?" you ask lowly, bracing yourself for questions galore.

"I'm good son. Just a little tired. You know, I have to say... I like being a secretary, its not too bad, but there are moments where I really just want to-" she pauses with horrified eyes noticing your bruised eye. "Oh my gosh Jug! What happened to you?!" she turns your face to look at her and grazes over the injury.

You jerk your head back from your mom's hand. "Don't touch it!" you hiss while biting your bottom lip to hide a yell and stare up at her with watery eyes. You're not crying from what happened yesterday. You're eyes are literally tearing as an involuntary reaction to your bruise receiving the lightest of touches from your mom's slender fingers.

"I'm not going to touch it, but you need to LOOK at me and tell me what the hell happened to you Jug!" your mom narrows her eyes with concern at you. You inch back a bit, to ensure your black eye is safe from future encounters.