Goodbye, good life | Bughead

14: New normal

They didn't heard about Jb for a while. So new week started at work. First two days Joel and Carla observed. They saw that something was different. Well of course they saw that.

Last week it was fighting and on this week, it was smiles, jokes, laughter and something new. They were like more free to just.. be. Betty was almost herself. They didn't know Jughead so well, but it felt he was more himself too. But no one said anything, this needed to go slow. Watch carefully what the hell was happening.

Things that Carla and Joel noticed:

1. On Monday, Betty shouted to Jughead's office.

"Jug! Get your lazy ass here, it's lunch time!" Betty yelled and she didn't really care if someone heard her. "Well Coop, my ass isn't lazy, I have done a lot today, so it's more like efficient. But I'm also hungry. Let's go," he grinned.

"Are we talking about Jones' ass? Well this is new," Carla stated and raised her brow.

"Yeah, but let's focus on food, I'm more interested in that," Betty laughed and then they all left to lunch.

That was new, definately.

2. Jughead brought Betty a coffee on Tuesday morning.

3. Betty threw a papertrash towards Jughead when he came to tell Betty she had still dip on her face one hour after their lunch.

4. On Wednesday morning Jughead spent thirty minutes in Betty's room. They saw that because their walls were glass and of course they looked. The whole thirty minutes they looked at them.

At lunch on Wednesday, it was time to discuss.

"So. Even though the topic was little awkward on the other day last week, how was your Thanksgiving?" Carla started.

Betty and Jughead looked at each others. And then they laughed. "You tell Jug what you want, it's more of your story," Betty smiled. "Yeah, we figured out something, Jug," Carla grinned to them. Betty giggled and Jughead let out a little laugh.

"Sorry you guys had to witness my burst back then. Familyissues. And Betty helped with those. I don't know if you guys knew that our parents dated and we lived in a same house in Riverdale? So she really knows my family. And I just kind of told the latest news. And that was what we did on Thanksgiving. And you can call us friends from now on, we are good," Jughead told and then came the questions. There were many shouts already during the story.

"Your parents? How did that.. what.. Okay we need a bigger story someday soon!" Joel was amazed and again so excited.

"But nice to see you are good. You've looked good during this week, like you really are friends. So welcome to our group, for real, Jughead. Or Jug?" Joel continued. "Yeah. Thanks," Jughead laughed and it felt good. To got them for real on his side too.

"So tomorrow. We are gonna hear your parents love story! Or yours now that you are more cooler?" Carla asked.

"Who-a. Our parents. Althougt we may not know everything. We both should call them, Jug?" Betty said and looked at Jughead.

"Not sure. But maybe. We can talk this later," he shrugged. He had to admit, he thought about it. Could he call to his dad? That they are trying to find Jb and that he actually got a text from her. But. Then he'd had to tell that he already found her once and he left her there. And all the other puzzles in this fucking puzzle.

"So it's all agreed, tomorrow is story time and we want a long story. Maybe little more about this reconnetion too," Joel winked to Betty and Jughead.

"Thursday night fun, we are coming," Betty singed in a tone she used for this particular sentence, it was her song, it was before Jughead came in the picture. "Betty is baaaack!!" Carla shouted, clapped her hands up in the air and they all walked laughing back to the office.

Betty wasn't all back. There was their unpacked box of stuff, it was still there, somewhere. Their story. And Betty had no idea how to unwrapped it. Jughead didn't seem eager to do that either. And Betty wasn't fan of one big talk, it sounded exhausting and difficult. She would be to mad and cry and say something stupid. If they'd do that. So no. Maybe one thing at the time? As they go on this Jb's case. This sure was gonna bring up their shit up..

Just before their day was ending at the office, Jughead appeared to Betty's doorframe. "Can I walk you home? And talk about your suggestion? It was maybe too big only for my own stupid head," Jughead asked and smiled slightly. "I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention. And you head is not stupid, it's very sharp. But yeah, let's go and talk this through," Betty smiled back to him as they walked together out to freezing November air.

Jughead started talking. And after first two sentences he already wondered out loud how the fuck this was now this easy. To speak his fucked up things to someone.

"We created so deep friendship back then, it doesn't just disappear even though we tried," Betty said smiling for the thought which was very comforting. "You are right. Good that we tried, now we know we can do nothing to make this go away. It's stuck with us, the fucking deep bond we have," Jughead grinned. "Yeah, maybe we don't go there anymore, it wasn't pretty," Betty said quietly and thought about those years for a second. They were awful. Jughead hummed and they walked in silence for a little more.

"Can we call together to my dad?" Jughead asked. He would listen Betty much better than him. And he couldn't get so mad. "Let's go sit there and try to call him. Relax Jug. He's gonna be happy that we have some lead," Betty calmed him.

And it was okay like Betty said. It was a quick call but it was a beginning. One more. Fp had no leads on Jb, but he was happy to hear Jughead had something. And since there was no time to catch up Jughead agreed to call again on Friday. Then it was gonna be the time for Jughead's own story and how did he ended up in New York and met Betty.

After Betty left Jughead and walked to her home, she called her mom too. And because they hadn't talked with her mother about any Jones since forever, she started by telling a story how Jughead found his way to her work place.

"So you are telling me Elizabeth, that this whole fall you have worked with him? And you didn't tell me?" Alice was little sad that her own daughter didn't share this big fact in her life. But on the other hand, she didn't tell her big things to her daughter either.

"I handled it. We are actually okay and it feels now we are friends. So much that he told me about Jb. Did you knew? I know you have been in touch with Fp," Betty continued and decided that argue wasn't anything she was trying to go. So she tried to go there nicely.

"I know that story. It's hard to see Fp like that, he's missing a piece of him," Alice said quietly.

"We may have on to something though, with Jug. And wait, can you fill me with how much you and Fp are in touch?" Betty asked carefully almost regretting the last one. They never talked like this much.

"Well that's great to hear. Maybe this nightmare is someday over," Alice sighed and continued. "He is here with me few weekends in every month. Betty. I'm sorry I didn't tell you but you and Jughead.. I thought it would be too much for you".

In deep down Betty knew that. And she forgave to her mother. It would have been difficult to hear that earlier even though she knew it made her mom happy, he made her happy. Now it was okay. She knew her mother and Fp had a special connection and Betty was grateful that her mother was there for Fp.

Well, now they have some story to tell Carla and Joel tomorrow.

Alice: Hey hon. I called to Fp and he was very happy hearing from Jughead, and you too. Can you two come to us some weekend and we could catch up properly? Maybe the one after the next one? There is separate rooms for both of you. Haven't seen you for a while and I miss you Betty. -mom

Fuck, thought Betty. What the hell were they gonna do? Riverdale. Jughead. Their old house.