PANIC

The Conference

"Hey, was-sup Jone's?" Archie called out, enthusiastically through his window as he pulled up in front of the siblings.
"Hey, bro." Jughead said, getting up and into the passenger seat.
"C'mon, Ava! Hop in!" Archie nodded at the back seats of his truck and Avalon hopped in, faking a smile. I've said it before and I'll say it again, she was good at that kind of thing. Pretending. "So why am I picking you guys up exactly?" Archie asked before turning the keys in the ignition and starting the car as well as driving off. Jughead glanced at Avalon and she looked up at him as she hung her head. They still hadn't spoken a word. Then Jughead faced the front once again.
"He was drugged." He said nonchalantly.
"Mhm." Archie nodded. "You sure you guys don't want to live with me and my dad? Things would be so much better for you."
"Sure." Jughead shrugged.

Archie drove back to the gym, this time with Jughead and Avalon. They had stopped at a drive through to briefly get milkshakes and burgers as Ava was hungry and Jug was starving. Once they got to the gym and walked in, Jughead found a computer and began to type away in a quiet location. Archie, of course, began working out with some people around the gym. Avalon stood there, unsure of what to do. After a while, she sat on her phone. Her brother had given it back in the car ride. And she did play on it for hours on end. Until, it died. She got up to go find her older brother as she had finally found the courage to talk to him. It was silly, yes. It was scary to be nervous to talk to her older brother because quite frankly, she didn't know if he would even want to talk to her.

"Can I come in?" Avalon stuttered as she knocked on the doorframe.
Jughead sighed before responding. "Yeah, what's up?" Yet he didn't take his eyes off the device, the screen.
"What's this?" Avalon picked up a short stack of paper with lots of writing. "The Conclusion" she read out loud, which was printed on the top of the paper in bold. "Are you writing a new book?"
"Yeah. Avalon, what do you want?" He leaned back in his chair, finally looking at his sister.
"I just wanted to talk. I didn't know you were writing a book."
"Yes, I am. I just started."
"What's it about?"
"It's about a group of teenagers that all have a secret. One day, at their usually meeting spot in the school, they decide to tell each other one secret each. All of them did but the only thing is is that one lied. Eventually, the others find out and go on a hunt to find out why their friend refused to tell them and why she didn't tell them." Jughead responds, crossing his arms. Avalon sighs and puts the stack of paper back on the desk in front of him.
"Jug, I'm sorry. I know, I should have told you sooner but I was worried!" Avalon almost cried.
"About what, Avalon?" Jughead stood up abruptly. "That he'd hurt you? Avalon, we're gonna protect you. Archie, Veronica, Betty and I. We all love you."
"You're not acting like it." Avalon mumbled. "You're mad."
"Yes, I am mad! You should have told me. I can't- I just can't." Jughead shoved his sister to the side and left, leaving the building and beginning to walk home. Not home home but Archie's house. For now at the time being. During that, Avalon began to panic. She felt short breathed, no air. She curled into a ball as she reheard everything in her head. Should have told me. Hurt you? The voices wouldn't stop yet her breathing did. It became harder to control. She began rocking back and forth as she hugged her knees to her chest. Please, please stop, she mumbled to herself.

Moments later, Archie walked in, not at all expecting what had just gone down. "Jughead! Avalon! Ready to- Oh my god, Avalon!" Archie rushed to her side, flinging the towel that hung around his shoulders and wrapping it around her. She was freezing. She always got cold after panic attacks. "Avalon, breath. Avalon, it's okay, I'm here. I'm gonna call Jughead, okay? Just breath, can you do that for me?"
Avalon nodded before shaking her head. "No." She stammered. "No Jughead. Don't call him, please." Tears gently ran from her eyes.
"Okay, I'm gonna call Ronnie then, okay? Remember, breath. In, out, in and out." Avalon nodded in response as Archie pulled out his phone and quickly put it up to his ear. "Ronnie, Ronnie I need you at the gym right now." Silence. Archie stood up, pacing back and forth. "No, no, now. Avalon doesn't want me to!" Another moment of silence. Archie brushed his hand through his hair as he paced. "Ronnie just get down here." More silence and then he stopped. "Because Avalon is having a panic attack! Help me!" Then he pressed the end button but nothing had changed. Avalon couldn't control her breathing and she continued to gasp for air.
"Archie," she gasped. "Stop."
Archie stopped pacing yet again and turned to her. "Right, sorry. Can I get you water? Anything? Ronnie will be here soon, Avalon. Just relax."
She vaguely nodded before she was swooped upwards and Archie carried her to a softer spot than the hardwood floor. A couch. There, he layed her down before running to grab a pillow and blanket.

10 minutes later Veronica ran through the doors, rushing to Avalon's side. "Are you okay? What happened?!"
"I don't know, I just walked in and there she was sitting on the floor crying!" Archie ran his hands through his hair yet again.
"Avalon, are you okay?" Veronica asked, resting a hand on her shoulder. Ava nodded as her breathing had slowed during the time Veronica was driving. "Let's get you into the car and to Archie's. You can rest there a lot better than on this rusty couch." Vee helped Avalon stand up slowly. "The car is just outside, we'll meet you out there. You'll be good?" Avalon nodded. "Ok, we'll be right there." Veronica ushered her outside before facing Archie. "Does Jughead know?"
"No." Archie shook his head.
"We don't tell him any of this happened, ok?"
"Why? It's his sister, Ronnie!"
"Jughead hovers over her like a mother as much as it is already. This is just another thing for him to worry about and that's not helping him or Avalon."
"Okay."
"Alright."

And with that, Veronica drove home and Archie drove Avalon to his house where Jughead waited. Archie didn't know wether he agreed with his girlfriend's decision but he had promised. And he had planned on keeping it.