Melody Andrews (FP Jones)

Whatever We Make It

I put my car into park outside the house. My eyes only gazing upon the exterior while my nerves rise. "Are we... going in?" Jug asks, opening his door. Archie looks at me and grabs my hand. "It's okay, Mel. You're home." I huff and nod, opening my door and walking to the entrance. Archie pulls out his keys, unlocking, and swinging the door open. "I'll get you one of these." He says tucking his key into his pocket.

I step into the house holding my breath. I scan the walls holding pictures of the family when everyone was once happy. I examine every inch before the two boys burst into laughter. I see them just watching me with wide smiles. "What?" Archie walks over slinging an arm over me and looking at the photo of my brother and I on the wall. "I'm taller than you now." He laughs.

"You've grown up into a beautiful woman, Melody." I spin to see my father standing in the doorway with FP and Jughead. FP holds my eye contact. His orbs withholding unleashed emotions. I look back at the photo smiling. "Thanks, Dad." My dad sandwiches me between the two. I lean my head on his chest. "You know they left your room just the way you left it." Jughead says smirking. I frown, sighing. "Did you really?" I groan and make my way up the stairs with everyone following me.

I open the closed door and walk into my forgotten bedroom. "Are you upset we didn't touch it?" Archie laughs sitting on my bed. "No. I just had a lot of hiding places that are still stocked." "Hiding what?" Jug asks, sitting with Archie. I open my closet and sit on the ground moving shoes away. I lift up the floorboard making my dad complain. "Trust me, dad. You'll want this out." I laugh as I reach down and grab the bottles of Jack and dime bags of weed that have been sitting for 6 years. "Melody!" Archie laughs as I stand up looking at the materials, and walk into my bathroom flushing everything. FP watches me carefully reading each movement.

"Do you still play, Mel?" Archie asks gesturing to my guitar propped in the corner. "Oh yeah, had a little band in college. We actually played in France one year." FP raises his brows and interjects himself. "France, huh? What did you like about it?" I smirk looking deep into his eyes. "They called me, Frenchie. It was kinda cute, but you know how things are. They end." He bites his tongue and sends me a noticed glare.

I pick up my guitar and play a few cords. "Alright, alright, rock star," Archie says grabbing at the neck. Jug hits Archie's shoulder and stands up quickly. "Let's go in the shed and jam. I can use spoons." "Aw, Jug, you are going to be so happy when I..." I pull open my bedside table and grab the two spoons Jug used to play with. "Show you this!"

He laughs, grabbing them and clanking them together. "Oh yeah, still got it."

~

Archie plays the guitar as FP jams on the drums looking hot as hell as he does. They finish the song and FP laughs nodding his head. "Damn, hoss. You are good. Way better than your dad." FP stands and walks over to the fridge next to me. "Does Fred keep any beer in here?" Before he opens it Jug intervenes. "Dad, don't you think it's late?" I look between the two noticing something flash across FP's eyes. "Yeah. Yeah." I sit up in my seat. "I can grab one from the-" "No Melody, it's all right. I got a big day tomorrow anyway." He pats my knee smiling. His touch leaves the feeling of fire.

"Hey, Mr. Jones, before you go... Can I ask you a question?" "Yeah." FP looks at my brother awaiting the question. "Earlier tonight, you said my dad owed you. What do you mean by that?" I furrow my brows. I have so much to catch up on.

Jughead stops him. "Hey, Archie, why don't we quit while we're ahead, you know?"

But FP answers instead. "It's ancient history, but your dad and me, we, uh.... We started Andrews Construction together." "You two were partners?" I ask him, grabbing his attention. He looks down at me and shrugs. "He wouldn't call us that. Anyway, we, uh.... We struggled at first. Fred, he just had your-- You, Melody and your mom to provide for. I had Jughead and Jellybean and their mom and hospital bills. So I took some odd jobs that weren't exactly on the level. And sure enough, one of them landed me in some hot water. And your dad was... Well, he was good enough to bail me out. Then he said we should part ways. That I was a liability. Made me sign a paper saying that the bail money was him buying me out of the company. Never mind that my share of the business was worth probably 10 times that, easy. That was that. He went his way and I went mine." FP trails his story in his head. I wish I could reach out and hold his hand or kiss his cheek. Something just to show him support. "You know, I think I need something a little harder than beer. Should've asked you to keep those bottles, Mel." He chuckles and rubs his neck. This man is more complicated than I even knew. He looks to be drowning in his own life. He needs fixing. He needs someone to save him.

~

-FP POV-

Jughead helps me into the trailer and I lay on the couch in a drunken state. Fucking Melody is messing my thoughts up. "I'll sleep right here on this couch. You can have the bedroom." I say closing my eyes. "I'm not gonna take your bed, Dad. It wouldn't be the first time I crashed on this thing." Jug helps me up again and walks me back to the bed. "But if you stay.... Are you? Are you gonna stay?" He nods making me smile.

Before he walks out he speaks, "Hey, I talked to Mom. She got a job at a call center to pay for online classes. I guess she's finally going after her GED. Jellybean is helping her study. Oh yeah, by the way, Jellybean wants to go as JB now. She thinks it sounds cooler." I laugh rolling. "She's 10 years old and listens to Pink Floyd on vinyl. I don't think she could get any cooler." Mel would fucking love Jelly.

"What was that?" I look up at Jug confused. "Huh?" "You said something about Melody?" I shake my head rolling away. Jug walks away without saying another word. Leaving me alone to regret ruining things with Melody.

~

After they leave I sit in my bed running over the millions of things I'm going to tell FP. I stare at the ceiling thinking how this could go very bad, or even good. I could call him when everyone is asleep. No that won't work. Or I can-

"Knock, knock, knock," Archie says before he opens the door. "You don't have to say it if you do it at the same time." He rolls his eyes laying next to me. "What are you watching?" "Criminal Minds. Spencer Reid is so cute!" "Yeah, I'm sure that's the only reason you watch it." I laugh watching as the team comes up with a solution in under 20 seconds. "This is not realistic." "You're not realistic." Archie just laughs, throwing his head back.

"Knock, knock, knock." My dad says entering too. "Wow, you too? Is that your thing?" "No!" They both shout. "I wanted to say goodnight to my kids, and also turn this off." He picks up the candle and cuts off the false flame. I am home.

~

The sun rises and the bird's chirp awakening me. I sit up smiling and running my hands over my sheets. I never imagined it could feel this good. My bare feet pad on the floor until I reach the bottom of the stairs. "Hey, there sleeping beauty. I've got to run, but I'll see you later." My dad says as he rushes past me and out the door. I walk into the kitchen and flick Archie's head. "Ow!"

I pour some orange juice and grab a slice of toast. "You need a ride to school?" Archie nods finishing his breakfast. "Can we get Jughead too?" "For sure! Give me five minutes." I race to my room changing and grabbing my purse.

Archie and I speed down the roads blaring music and catching up on everything new. I pull up to the trailer as Archie gets out. He bends down again and looks at me with confusion. "What? Is he here?" "How did you know this was where they live?" I stare at him blankly.

Suddenly their door opens and Jughead runs out hopping in. I hit my hands on the wheel smiling. "Alright! Who is ready for an amazing day?" They groan as I drive to Riverdale Highschool.

~

I stand at the door taking a deep breath. "Okay." I knock once, but nothing happens. I knock louder again and in seconds an angry FP yells at my face. "WHAT?" I step back recovering from the volume.

He meets my eyes and he stops. "Melody."

"Hey. I wanted to-" I'm cut off short as he pulls me in and connects our lips. I wrap my arms around him. He pushes me against the closed door and groans. "You've been on my mind, Frenchie." I meet his deep eyes and peck his lips once more. "You've been on my mind too, Jones. Who would've thought things would get so messy." He sighs, snickering lightly. "Yeah, you are the one who approached me first." "And you sealed the deal. We are equal in this."

"Oh yeah?" FP lifts me up and holds me against the door. "And what is this, Frenchie?"

I dive into him, catching his lips as he leads us to his room. He lays me back on the bed making his way up my body. I grab his collar kissing him again. Getting drunk off of his aura. FP Jones is intoxicating. "This... is whatever the hell we make it. Life is too short." He smiles at me, bringing his hand to my face and pushing my hair away. "You are so beautiful, Mel."