This Is Who We Are

Chapter 16

JUGHEAD: What makes a place feel like home? Is it warmth and familiarity? Some idealized, make-believe version of the American Dream? Is it love and acceptance? Or is it simple safety? "Dude? Why'd you stab me in the back?"

Jughead woke from his dream in a cold sweat, he felt wired ever so slightly since the drive-in closed he was sleeping in the school and was just trying to survive. He walked out of the closet he was sleeping in and made his way towards the showers.

Or it's none of those things. And it's a place where the captain of the football team is murdered. Or maybe it's just a forgotten closet under a well-trod staircase, where it's just you and the mice and the spiders, like an extra in a Wes Craven movie.

Jughead spits out his toothpaste when Archie ran up behind him and sacred him, which caused jughead to jump back in shock. 

"Oh!" Jughead laughed.

 "Whoa." Archie chuckled back. 

"What are you doing here?" Arch asked his friend. 

"Taking advantage of the school's state-of-the-art facilities," Jughead said trying to laugh it off.

 "No, really, Jughead. What are you doing in here?" Archie said seriously. 

Jughead sighed. "Just let me finish getting changed then will talk," Jughead said.

Archie and Jughead walked towards the janitor's closet. Archie opened the closet and was completely shocked at what he saw. 

"Jug," Archie said. 

"How long?" Archie asked.

 "Well, since they shut down the drive-in. That's where I was living before." Jughead explained, as he went in and grabbed his bag.

 "Why the hell are you not living at home?" Archie asked as they watched people come into the school. 

"The truth is, things aren't good at home." 

"With your dad?" 

"Yeah," Jughead said sighing. 

"He kind of fell off the wagon. After your dad fired him, to tell you the truth. Hasn't had a job since. He keeps promising that he's gonna get his act together, but my mom couldn't take that rollercoaster anymore, so she grabbed Jellybean and went to live with our grandparents," just as Jughead finished the bell rang signalling that classes were starting. 

"Come on," Jughead said to Archie. 

"God, Jug, why didn't you tell me? And where does your dad think you are?" He asked concerned. 

"He thinks I'm couch-surfing," Jughead said as they got closer to the student lounge. 

"Well, screw that. Live with me." Archie said. 

"This is temporary, man. I'm going to figure something out. Just don't tell anybody. Ok Please, I just need time." Archie nodded with understanding as the two entered.

As everyone was sitting in the as Betty explained the situation to her friends. "My mom and dad don't want to get the police involved. They don't want anyone to know that she ran away, or about her shameful condition." Betty said. 

"Please. What decade is this?" Veronica asked. 

"Also, since she knew where Jason's getaway car was, they're afraid people might think that she burned it and that if she did..."