Forever?

Chapter 20 - Some Free Time

23rd July 2022
Jughead's POV:

🎁✉️🎁

Graduation Day. 12 years of studying was finally over. Blah blah blah, boring graduation speech, Betty being amazing, me dying of nervousness, Archie being happy to not have to wake up this early in the morning anymore and Veronica inviting us over to the Lodge-Lodge for the weekend. So we all packed some clothes and other stuff in suitcases.

The next day, in early morning hours, Veronica got picked up by a cab, drove to Archie to pick him up and then she headed to Betty's, where I had stayed over night as well - despite the disapproval of Alice. I mean, what is she thinking? That, when we are studying in New York, we'll just live in two different apartments? Anyways, we all then got in the cab and started moving. Archie and I both sat at the windows and the girls inbetween us and resting their heads on our shoulders to sleep a bit more.

One and a half hours later, we arrived at the beautiful lake Lodge. The Uber stopped and we all got out of the car, Archie and me taking the luggage while the girls already went inside to look and go back to old memories of two years ago. Two years ago when we were still just children, trying to find our purposes in life.

Now we are older.

Veronica is moving to New York as well to study Business thing or something like that and Archie is coming with her, obviously. Betty will study journalism at the NYU and I'll be studying creative writing... in Iowa - meaning that I'll be the lucky one who's not with the other three anymore, so yet again I'll be alone.

But I mean, on weekends and breaks, I would go to New York, you know? So that's why me and Betty have an apartment in New York, together. Plus, I try to take online classes as much as I can, so I'll be able to stay with Betty most of the time, I hope.

Surprisingly it worked, even though that there are some stricter provision because of the scholarship. It wouldn't have worked with the school if I wouldn't have it because I could never afford it.

I just hope that it works out... I actually didn't want to take the scholarship, because I wanted to stay with Betty, Archie and Veronica, but Betty told me that I couldn't bail on this and had to go, so now we just have to try and work it out.

I struggled a bit with the luggage and was only stumbling my way, so Archie took another bag that I was carrying. We both walked inside and then upstairs to the bedrooms before letting the bag fall to the ground. I just exhaled and then sat down on the stairs and Archie beside me, still looking relaxed though.

"You have to get me a PE workout at some point, I need to get stronger... for Betty and so on, you know?" he chuckled "of course, I can do that. Anything for you" I smiled, nodding "thanks, bro"

"boys, would you mind coming downstairs again?" Veronica asked and Archie smiled, patting me on the shoulder before standing up and walking downstairs. I hesitated for a bit before standing up and going downstairs to the others as well.

Everything was fun and so on, we had some dinner, played board games. While we were playing Monopoly, Betty's phone started ringing. She sighed, getting up, and accepting the call.

She had left the room for a bit but then soon came back in, telling me to come with her. Once we were in the kitchen, she reached me her phone. Confused, I put it on my ear and listened.

"Jughead," oh no no no no no no, that's dad. And he sounded mad "when did you plan on telling me that you go to college? In two weeks??" ah fuck. I've tried to delay telling him as long as possible, mostly because I have no idea how dad would react. I planned on doing it two days before we would go... that would not work now.

"dad, I-" he interrupted me "we have talked about this, Jughead. You aren't going to college. You're supposed to stay here in Riverdale, work somewhere that pays enough for a living and then become next Serpent King!" he yelled and I sighed... of course he wouldn't be happy.

He had forbidden me to go to college my whole life and I even agreed up to some point but that was mostly only because I knew that I couldn't pay this but now, with the scholarship, I actually have a chance, so I'm gonna take it.

"no, I won't. I will go, dad. There's nothing you can do about it, plus everything is already settled. Betty and I have an apartment in New York as soon as August starts, I got the scholarship in Iowa, you can't stop me anymore. I will live my life, the way that I want it, whether you like that or not. So I'm sorry but," I sighed, driving a hand through my hair "I won't listen to you anymore. I will end the call now, dad. I'm with my friends here to have fun and you're ruining the mood right now. Bye" I ended the phone call and then gave the phone back to Betty. She looked at me worried.

"everything okay?" I just nodded, swallowing and leaning on the worktop of the kitchen "what did he want?" Betty asked, walking over to me and grabbing my hands. I sighed "nothing... just stupid stuff about college..." I mumbled and she sighed, packing me on the lips, before hugging me, resting her head on my chest.

"I'm sorry, Juggy, I know that your dad didn't like the idea of you going away..." I scoffed "'didn't like' is an understatement" after a few more minutes of being comforted from Betty, I sighed before adding, "we should get back to the others. They are surely already waiting for us..." she nodded and pulled away, pecking me on the lips again before taking my hand and going back to Veronica and Archie, so that we could continue playing.

It felt nice to be free from school and Riverdale for once. Of course it couldn't last forever. Already the next morning, another event marked my life.

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It's been a while, eh?