Calm Waters [Jughead x Archie]

₀₉.

Monday. I've been dreading it all weekend. I wasn't particularly ready to be humiliated by multiple people today.

But I had no say in whether I could stay home; my father was back from whatever he was doing and now was at the house. I don't really like hanging around my house that much because of many reasons but I don't want to get into that now.

I started my morning how I always did; walking up, laying in bed for twenty minutes questioning if my education was worth it, then I got up and brushed my teeth and combed my hair, I didn't look very good with bedhead, finally I'd throw on some clothes preferably black skinny jeans, my black t-shirt with a skull on it and beanie.

Since I'd lay on my bed for majority of my morning I had no time for breakfast. Plus Reggie was here early which set me in panic mode since my father was already awake in the living room. I always try to talk to my dad even if I don't like him that much and Reggie had popped up on many occasions.

I quickly grabbed my backpack off my desk and ran down the hallway only to discover my dad speaking to him.

"Reggie Mantle, sir." Reggie held his hand out for my father to shake but my father narrowed his eyes at him.

My fast reflexes kicked in and I was now in between the two.
"Alright bye dad." I said before pushing Reggie out the door; closely following behind without letting my dad get a word in, but he wasn't the type to run after me anyway.

"So you're dad didn't seem too happy." Reggie said before turning his head back around to look at my house.

"Well you might have popped up in a few conversations." I admitted.

We'd made it to the end of the walkway, I jumped into the passenger side of the black Hummer while Reggie jumped into the driver side.
Before starting the engine Reggie turned to me and said,
"Are you going to tell me the full story of why you to- you know."

The engine roared to life and I was stuck, what to say to him? Reggie was my friend now, right? I can trust him.

"We were just," I hesitated as I was trying to think of the words.
"It was a few months back but, me and Archie were working on a project then we suddenly kissed and everything started unraveling from there." I sighed.

"This sounds like a cliche love story." Reggie said sappily.

"I don't want to continue." I sunked into the passenger seat more after hearing the words slip out of my mouth. Okay maybe I didn't fully trust Reggie. Even though he's been nice I've felt like something suspicious is happening and I'd rather leave everything as simple as I can. I do not want to give him grave detail of anything. Reggie at least needs to give me a few weeks to a month, when things are hopefully blown over; and hopefully Reggie sticks along for that long.

The drive over was silent from there on, no radio. Instead of the soothing silence I was so use to, this silence was choking me. Suffocating me in my thoughts; it was almost nerve-wracking to be in this car with him.

Reggie only simpled sighed at the lights that turned red on us. Or the sound of his hands running against the rubber steering wheel. During intersections his right hand always traveled from the wheel and to the back of his neck where he rubbed, maybe out of the awkwardness, I couldn't tell.

Finally we had arrived to hell.
Reggie cut the engine, placed his keys in his pocket and grabbed his backpack out of the backseat and he exited the vechical which only meant I had no time to try and make a game plan. I followed his actions by slipping out of his Hummer.

He was waiting for me on the sidewalk. I cautiously stood beside him and watched the students entering and exiting the building.

"It's going to be fine." Reggie's voice rang out softly, cutting me out of my thoughts and back to reality.

My breathing quickened as I saw more an more people showing up. I hadn't noticed until I look down at the ground and my eyes caught what my hand was doing. My left hand clang to Reggie's wrist without me realizing it.

"Breathe Jug, everything is going to be okay, you'd have to face them any way." Reggie said softly so only I'd pick up on what he was saying.

You'd have to face them sometime. You'd have to face them sometime. You'd have to face them sometime. I kept repeating in my head as we made our descent to the front of the building, and past the doors. My hand slipped away from Reggie's wrist as we fully emerged into the school.

Immediately the mood changed, the chattering stopped as I entered. Eyes pierced through me, hundreds of them. Then for some reason I froze and tried to think of something else.
Writing, eh no. Walking, boring. Reggie, definitely no. Archie, I hope he was alright. Did he think about me as much as I thought about him the past few days. Why is he mad at me? I wish he felt the same thing I was feeling.

"What are you looking at!?" Reggie's sharp, cruel voice broke the silence and caused a few people by us to flinch.
"Keep moving!" Reggie demanded as his eyes narrowed at anyone, waiting for someone to challenge him.

Of course no one did, in my case the only good thing that came out of Reggie. Everyone began to talk again and moved from their lockers and to class like I wasn't even standing there.

I was amazed by how much people were afraid of Reggie Mantle, the boy who is a complete douche most of the time and a softy 3% of the time.

Reggie's eyes flickered back to me, they softened once they stopped on my figure. I looked back at him ready to tell him 'thank you' but a redhead boy's hair caught my attention down the hallway.