Timing is Everything

The Truth (Chapter 29)

* Your POV as Jellybean *

Did you hear correctly? Did dad and Alice have an actual relationship while you were suffering alone back in Toldeo with mom? While you were blaming yourself and feeling guilty for mom taking you over your brother, it now comes to your knowledge that dad was perfectly fine without having the family complete! He found himself a makeshift lover. What does this now make mom? A sloppy second?

"Jellybean. Please let me explain what you just heard. Ok, sweetie?" Dad asks tentatively, moving to sit up on your brother's bed where you are still lying.

"Don't sweetie me!" you snap and turn your back towards him.

Your dad's eyes soften knowing he made the mistake of speaking about Alice with your brother in front of you. Of course you weren't sleeping. You roll your eyes at the thought. The minute you heard Jughead walk back inside his room, you kept a close ear wanting to know how things would play out with the abuse he endured last night from FP.

"Jellybean... come on kiddo, don't be that way..." he whispers and softly rubs your hair that faces him along with your small back.

You sob lowly into the pillow feeling sorry for buying into your dad's lies that he was ready to bring the family back together. You also can't help but feel angry towards your brother for not telling you the full extent of FP and Alice's fling.

"Jellybean! Please listen to what dad has to say... please..." Jughead climbs on his bed and sits close to your face, knowing whichever direction you turn you will have to face someone. This makes you mad and you glare up at him.

"Go away!" you yell and push your brother before turning your back to him and huff seeing dad stare down at you. Before you can feel sorry for yourself knowing this is a lose-lose situation, you feel Jughead's hands on your back and clench your jaw realizing he had just pushed you back. How dare he!? After what YOU just overhead, he should be the one trying to correct things, not stoop down to your immaturity and embrace in sibling rivalry at a time like this.

"Jughead! I said go away!" you hiss back and turn to him again before kicking at his hip. You immediately freeze and feel like a horrible person as he lets out a strained yelp. How could you forget that he is still hurting from last night?! You never mean to really hurt your brother when you two fight like this, and you never want to be the culprit of causing him actual pain. 

He rolls himself off the bed clutching on to his hip and staring up at you with teary eyes and glares at you. "HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID!"

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* Your POV as Jughead *

You feel as though the dull fire rumbling inside you from last night has been rekindled and lit to a burning flame from your sister's kick. You immediately wince and hold onto your hip and curse lowly at the sense of your tears stinging your black eye.

"Juggie.. I-I... I didn't mean to hurt you..." Jellybean mutters softly, clearly feeling bad for becoming violent from her own frustration, "....I'm sorry... I forgot-" she gulps as you cut her off with an annoyed tone.

"You forgot? YOU FORGOT?!" you yell angrily and throw a pillow at her, knowing you can't do much more with your dad still in the room, nor would you be able to actually hurt your little sister, "... I was trying to help you see through your thick little head that Dad and Alice DID have a relationship! Ok?! But..." you take a deep breath as you are literally towering over Jellybean looking like a hot mess, ".... It was good! It was a good and healthy relationship that helped Dad... and it helped me too.... get through the damn mess our family was going through!..." You begin to ramble and soon wonder why Jellybean and Dad suddenly look like they've seen a ghost.

"What?" you huff and run a hand through your hair. You narrow your eyes at the two of them and study their faces, unsure why they are both suddenly becoming mute. "What did I say?" you huff again and frustratedly pull at your beanie and groan, "Would somebody say something?!"

"I'll say something Jughead." your mom says from behind as she closes the door to your bedroom with a quiet slam, it was haunting, "... Keep talking and don't leave out any detail boy."

Just when this morning seemed like it couldn't get any worse, you are the one to screw everything up again. You feel as though all the blood has been drained from your body and turn around slowly, feeling like hours, to face your mom with the same horrified expression your dad and Jellybean have. There was no use in hiding the facts. Mom and Jellybean were going to learn the truth of what went down while they were in Toledo.