Back In Black

Chapter 23: Horrors of Home

After my time with Kevin, I decided to stop by the Andrew's household. I wanted to talk to Jughead about the dance, but more importantly what Alice was planning. Jughead let me in, he opens the door with a smile closing it softly behind him
"Hello?" He announces
"Jughead, hey. Kat?" Archie says rushed.
"Kat? As in Kathleen Quinn?" I hear a familiar feminine voice speak. I come around the wall to see a familiar red haired woman staring back at me.
"Mary?" She smiles as I walk over and hug her.
"We aren't interrupting a family meeting are we, cause we can come back?" Jughead says quietly as I return to his side taking his hand.
"Absolutely not. So, who's going to the dance? Besides your dad and me... Oh, and Hermione, whom I invited."
"You did?" Fred speaks up
"We'll talk about it." Mary whispers.
"Wait, you guys are going to the dance? Together?" Archie seems almost heart broken. I look up to Jughead, his gaze trained on the interaction in front of him. I start to let go of his hand but he tightens his grip.
"We were talking about it." Fred starts
"We both want to hear you play, if that's still happening." and Mary continues
"If you're good with it." Archie smiles before looking at us. We both nod and give him a small grin.
"Yeah, totally. I'm great with it."

" Good. So, Kathleen, when did you get back in town?" I look to the overly happy Mary with a small smile.
"The beginning of summer. Des was finally able to get custody." I shrug.
"How is she doing? And Perry?" My breath hitches for a second. The tension in the room becomes heavy.
"Des is pretty good. We are surviving the two of us. She's got a full time job, she is one of the coaches at Southside high, and she bartends the Whyte Wyrm on the weekends. As for Perry..." I look to Archie and Fred both of whom have guilty eyes for not filling her in prior to this moment "Perry killed himself a little over a year ago." Her smile fades in an instant.
"Oh my god my dear I didn't know. I'm so sorry."
"Honestly Marry, its okay Perry was a great kid but life got rough for him. I miss him but It doesn't hurt as much anymore." She nods slowly.

"So the dance?" She looks back around the group.
"Kat?" Jughead asks.
"Yeah?" I look up at him.
"I realized that I still haven't asked you to the dance."
"This is true you have not..."
"Kathleen, will you go to the Homecoming dance with me?" He gets the biggest smile on his face. The corners of my lips turn up.
"Of course I will" I give him a big hug. I hold him tight not wanting this moment to end.
"You okay?" Jughead whispers
"yeah, i'm all good Juggy." We pull away seeing Marry happily smiling towards us.
"You two are so cute." She beems.
"On that note." I chuckle stepping out of the Kitchen "I really should get going. Alice will send a search party if I don't get home soon." I ignore the confusion on Mary's face leaving the house.

The next day, homecoming had arrived. My phone had been ringing off the hook all morning. I roll over to see twenty missed calls from Cheryl one from Jughead and a few texts from Des and the other serpents. I call Cheryl back first.
"Hey Cherry whats up?"
"Polly would like it if you came by the house before the dance to help her get ready." Cheryl sounded rushed but quiet.
"I am supposed to get ready at Betty's, Juggie is picking me up here..."
"Kat... She keeps asking about you and Perry, I can't be the one to tell her..." her entire voice shifted to complete heartbreak.
"Should she really find out tonight before accepting the crown as co-queens?"
"She is going to find out soon anyway... especially if she keeps snooping, please just come over long enough to talk to her..."
"Okay okay, I'll be over in fifteen."
"Thank you" Cheryl sighs before hanging up.

I climb out of bed throwing on my mom's old Southside high hoodie and a pair of black jeans. I slide into some simple vans before making my way down the stairs, fixing my messy bun.
"Good morning, you are up early." Alice calls from the dinning room.
"My phone has been going crazy all morning. i have a couple errands to run before the dance. Apparently one of the yearbook kids didn't get the right props for the photo booth. I should be back in an hour or so."
"Be safe!" She calls as I leave the house. My phone buzzes in my pocket.