GAZE- Jarchie

4- Staring

8:30pm

I walk outside down a path and find him sitting on the top bit of a bench smoking a cigarette. When he sees me he raises his eyebrows and smirks. What's it with him always raising his eyebrows and smirking? He hands me the cigarette he was smoking and I happily take it. I sit down on top of the bench with him. Feeling his eyes strongly gazing at me. We stay in silence just smoking for a bit.

"You know the group leader?" He suddenly asks. "Josie? With the love exercise?" I reply lightly laughing. "What even was that?" He asks lightly laughing with me. "I had to bail on that. I can't be bothered with that stuff. What happened?" I ask curiously. "She got us to go and feel each other in a dark room. If you walked into a dick, you had to suck it" he says seriously. Wait what the fuck? "What? Seriously?" I ask raising an eyebrow. "No" he replies laughing. I laugh too. We go back to silence again. "What year are you in?" I feel the need to know since I know for sure he's not in my year. "Year 13" he answers. One year above me. "You didn't go here before?" I question. "No, I've only recently moved to this school" he answers again. That's why I've never seen him before. "You transferred in your final year?" I ask curiously. It's a bit odd since year 13 is an important year.

Before he could answer I hear a recognizable voice. "Hey you" Valerie says to me smiling as she approaches us. "Hey" she says to the boy next to me who's name I still don't know. He smiles back. "Hi" I greet. "Uh for the cooking series thing, we should be in pairs" she suggests. "I don't know many people. I only know the leaders who obviously aren't taking part. So that's why I was wondering if you wanted to be with me..." she continues. I sit and think for an excuse. For some reason part of me really doesn't want to go in pairs with her. "I thought we were already going together?" The boy suddenly says. I look at him confused but suddenly catch on. "Yeah I had already, in a way, agreed to be with-" fuck I don't even know his name. "Jug" he says shaking Valerie's hand. "Or Jughead" Jughead? I've never heard that name before. It's unique. I like it. "Valerie " she greets shaking his hand back while looking at me curiously as to why I don't accept her request. "I'm sure we can be a three" she continues. "I think she said we should be in pairs. But I don't care" Jug replies looking at me. "It seemed Josie was really clear on wanting pairs. But sure we will do that" I say giving in. "Yeah, okay" she says as she joins us on the bench. "Can I have some?" Valerie asks as she see's Jug smoking the cigarette. He hands it to her. "Thanks" she responds. We continue awkwardly sitting on the bench until it gets late and I head home.

Saturday 4:36pm

After last nights events, I'm now on my bed with Kevin. Thinking about him. Jughead is his name. I go on instagram and try find his account. Shit I don't know his last name. I search up Jughead on Facebook and instagram but can't find anything. "Look at this guy" Kevin says as he sits beside me. "Do you think he's handsome?" He asks. "I don't fucking know" I say shrugging my shoulders. "Look" Kevin says pushing the phone closer. I sigh and look briefly again. "Definitely handsome" I say so he can stop asking me. "Archie, you can say a guys handsome without being gay" he says rolling his eyes. "I said he's definitely handsome?" I question getting irritated for no reason. "I'm going to meet him tomorrow" he continues. "You need my confirmation that he's hot before you meet him?" I ask making Kevin lightly laugh.

"He says he's not gay. Give him one year and he will be out the closet" Kevin says. I sit up getting slightly uncomfortable with the topic. "Kevin, why do you think every guy is gay?" I question. "I don't think every guy is gay, Archie" he sighs. "What's the...What's the characteristics of being gay?" I ask curiously for some reason feeling slightly awkward asking . "Okay. A clue, for example, is when someone starts talking about sucking dick with a stranger" he answers. "Right?" I respond. It's weird he says that because that's basically what Jughead did. Wait why am I thinking about Jug?