PANIC

Are You Going To Finish It?

Avalon and Archie walked through the front door. As they entered the kitchen, Archie placed down his keys on the counter. It was loud because it was the only thing you could hear. Other than the fact that Jughead was closing the fridge as he had just been putting something away. Avalon grabbed a stool at the little island in the kitchen and sat. Archie stood beside her on the end and Jughead stood across. None of them daring to speak.

"I have homework that I need to finish before tomorrow. I'll be upstairs." Archie excused himself from the awkward conversation, jogging upstairs. There was more silence. A long silence where neither of them spoke.

"So how was it?" Jughead asked and Avalon shot her head upwards.
"How was what?"
"I presume you read the book so how was it?"
"Oh. Yeah, it was ok. I didn't read it though." Avalon shook her head.
"Of course you didn't." Jughead shook his head as he scoffed.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"You don't admit or commit to anything, Ava. You just lie. Sometimes, I don't even know if we're related!"
"Can we talk about something else?" Avalon stammered, hanging her head.
"See? You just give up." He gestured to her as she hid her face. "Fine. Let's talk about something else. What do you want to talk about?"
Avalon thought about this before she found a good idea. One that hopefully wouldn't make him find a reason to yell at her. "Are you going to finish it? Your book." She asked.
"That's what you want to talk about." He throws his hands up in the air. "Of course my book. Avalon, that thing was a piece of garbage. It wasn't actually ever going to be a book! It was just something I used like a diary so I could get the thought out of my head!"
"What thought?" Avalon tried to be interested but it was hard as he was yelling at her. She tried not to flinch at every word.
"You! You, Avalon! You know what, that's it. That's it! I'm going to Betty's, she got out of the hospital." He ran upstairs most likely to grab some belongings before heading off. How was he going to get there? I don't know. Maybe by bus, maybe by walking. Did it matter? No.

Avalon sat in the kitchen awhile as she thought about what's happened until Archie came jumping down the stairs, skipping every second one. "Avalon!" He smiled, walking up to her. "Where's Jug?"
"He left." She said without making eye contact.
"Oh. Where'd he go?"
"To Betty's."
"But how is he going to get there?"
"Betty's mom will probably pick him up. Or he'll take the bus I'm guessing.
"Okay? Im sorry, Avalon. Is there something we can do? I can call Veronica and see if she wants to come over."
"No thanks. Im just going to listen to music in the living room. Thanks though." Avalon faked a smile before walking off.
"Okay." Archie frowned. He wished he could do something. The problem was what did 14 year olds like to do now a days?

"Alright, Avalon. C'mon, we're doing something!" Archie smiled as he skipped into the living room.
"Like what?" Avalon rolled her eyes.
"I don't know." Archie shrugged before beginning to juggle small bean bags.
"What are you doing, Archie?" Avalon crossed her arms, not in the least interested.
"C'mon, you try." He tossed the bags of small beans at the young girl. She failed to catch all but the first one thrown at her.
"I'm good." She set them beside her before turning her headphones.
"I don't ask how you're doing. I said try." Archie placed his hands on his hips. "C'mon," he urged.
"Fine." Avalon rolled her eyes as she reluctantly stood up, grabbing the bean bags. She threw one into the air and tried to catch with her other hand as she let go of another. Instead, the first one she threw landed splat on the ground and the second followed. Then the one she still had in her grasp slipped out as her mind focused to the ones on the floor and so the third followed closely behind. In instinct, Avalon kicked it and it flew across the room and hit a wall before slouching against it on the hardwood floor. "Sorry." Avalon mumbled.
"It's ok. How about we do something else? We can..."
"Sleep." Avalon finished.
"No. We can, let's see. It's three right now so..."
"So we have a nap." Avalon yet again finished his sentence.
"No, Ava. How about I teach you how to skateboard?"
"You don't even know how to skateboard." She gestured vaguely towards him.
"Hey! So what? I know the basics. Well, I can probably figure them out."
"Fine, fine."

Archie led her to the backyard and into a shed where he grabbed two skateboards off a hook. But what was Archie trying to do? Why was he wanting to hang out with her so much all of a sudden? Maybe because he was worried. About what? Avalon.

"Ok so I think you put a foot here." Archie placed a foot in the middle of the board.
"You think?" Avalon echoed.
"Yes. And then another here." He placed his other foot gently more at the back.
"Uh huh." Avalon nodded, not intrigued or enthusiastic at all.
"And then just- oh wow ahh!" Slowly, his board began to lean forward and he was soon rolling down a hill. Oh sorry. Probably should have mentioned not on his skateboard. His board rolled down the street and continued until he couldn't see it any longer. As for Andrews, he had scraped an elbow in the process of attempting to control the board all the way down. Yeah, it probably wasn't a good idea to practice on a steep hill in the middle of the road.
"Alright, we're done here." Avalon waved goodbye as she headed back to the house.
"No, wait, Avalon!" Archie screamed as he scrambled onto his legs and ran up half of the hill before reaching Ava. "Try, it's fine. I won't let you fall, I promise."
"I don't care if I fall. I just don't want to."
"C'mon, Ava. You can't sit at home all day and listen to music!"
"Watch me." Avalon cocked her head to side before continuing to walk off.
"Avalon!" Archie screamed and Avalon flinched before freezing. She was traumatized as she began to think of her past. Avalon, Avalon, Avalon. It was her dad's voice without a doubt. Avalon couldn't move, she couldn't talk. She was... paralyzed in standing form and there was nothing she could do.