I'm Darkness || Archie Andrews and Jughead Jones [2]

Rigged Game

RIGGED GAME

"Lodge's master plan has something to do with your old stomping ground, Shankshaw."

"Yeah, and we tried calling the warden." Ellie adds while leaning forward on the balcony of Pop's. "He hasn't called back."

FP scoffs. "That corrupt son of a bitch."

"Do you have contacts on the inside who might know something?" Jughead asks.

"Yeah, War Baby." He replies right away. "He knows everybody's business."

"War Baby?" Ellie repeats the name and looks between the two Jones. "Is that supposed to be like his big scary criminal name?"

"Ellie, let's focus, okay." Jughead snaps his fingers in front of her eyes, calling her attention. But truth is she's tired, so she can't keep her head on the game. He turns to his Dad again. "Can we get in to see him?"

. . .

"Ellie," Alice stops her from going up the stairs before she can even consider it. "Come here for a moment, hun."

Ellie is not sure what this is about. Somehow, she knows it's not about the pills, it can't be, because no way her mother would be this calm. But then again, Alice Cooper is a surprising kind of woman, you never know with her.

"Mom," She breathes while approaching, the living room has a small light on and it's just the two of them there. She sits down uneasy. "what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just..." The woman sighs, and she seems sad at her daughter's eyes. "I just wanna say I'm sorry. About you having to drag me out of the reading and... I'm sure that was enough painful for you without me to –."

"It's ok, really." Ellie reaches for her mother's hand, and comforts her. "It's fine, I'm –."

"Eleanor, I'm worried about you."

"You shouldn't be, Mom." She insists, but for a moment it feels nice to have someone caring. It's been a while, and now the mask is hard to take off. So she lies. "I just told you, I'm fine!"

"Well it's my job as your mother to worry!" Alice cries out, and a small tear runs down her face. She hasn't been doing enough, she knows that. She wipes it away, she needs to be strong in front of her kids. "I know... I know what broken looks like, Ellie, and if I did anything..."

Eleanor is looking down, she can't face the woman crying right next to her and it hurts. All she can think about is how she will be her mother's downfall if she ever finds out about the pills, maybe she will end up breaking Alice Cooper, and not the other way around.

She finally looks up, and there are tears in both their eyes. Ellie's about to say something – not sure what – but something. She has to, she can't let her Mom blame herself for whatever is wrong with her. But the front door opens, and they are forced to look away.

"Hey!" Polly greets, and right behind her is Betty.

Ellie clears her throath to sober up. "Did you guys go on a shopping sister's day without me?"

"Well, we did call you like ten times." Betty tells her, while walking her way into the living room.

"Oh right, I'm sorry! I've been on this big investigation with Jughead so."

"How is that going?" Alice asks her, and she sounds enthusiastic which almost leads Ellie to question her own sanity, did she just imagine their conversation or does she take her ability to lie from her mother?