Smokestacks - Jughead Jones [1] ✔

Chapter Fourteen

SMOKESTACKS

CHAPTER | FOURTEEN

He was screwed, Jughead realised, as he watched the group of girls sitting in the common room at school. He had been talking to Archie outside about his dad, when he glanced through the door window, to see her.

She had her hair down in loose curls and wore gold around her eyes, bringing out the flecks of amber amongst the deep brown. Her lips were painted a faint red, leaving a print on the green straw that protruded from a clear Starbucks cup.

She'd always liked her caramel frappuccinos.

"I don't want Polly to run away." Betty sighed, confiding in her two friends. "But if she can't live at home, then I don't know. I can rent her an apartment?"

"Let me talk to my mom." Veronica held a perfectly manicured finger up to Betty, the gears in her head grinding together furiously.

"No." Betty protested.

"Yes." Veronica insisted.

"You have your own stuff that you're dealing with right now, V." Betty told her friend with a shake of her head.

"I'd offer," Savannah piped up, setting down her cup on the table and crossing her legs. "But we all know that would be extremely awkward and uncomfortable for me and Polly to be under the same roof."

Veronica wasn't finished, "Betty, Polly needs doctors. She needs prenatal vitamins -"

"She needs her family." Cheryl interrupted dramatically, drawing the attention over to her. "Betty, can I have a moment?"

Savannah and Veronica shared a curious look as Betty let out a sigh and stood up, sending a save me look in their direction before leaving with Cheryl.

"Think she'll kill her?" Savannah asked bluntly, picking up her cup once more and darkening the imprint of her lipstick.

"If she does, let's hope she's merciful."

"Hmm." Savannah nodded along thoughtfully.

Veronica frowned and then turned to the brunette sharply, "What are you doing tonight?"

"Other than binging ice cream, not much." Savannah told her, staring down the straw to see ice clogging up the end. "Why?"

"Kevin and I are going clubbing." She said excitedly, "Getting back at my mom for stabbing me in the back."

"As you do." Savannah nodded along in agreement.

Veronica shot a half exasperated, half amused look toward the girl before she continued, "Do you maybe wanna come? Get your mind off everything?"

It was a strange turn of events, considering that less than a week ago, Savannah would bristle when Veronica even took in a single breath. Although, if nothing else, there was one thing that Riverdale was good at, and that was dynamics changing severely in such little time.

Savannah pursed her lips in thought, white teeth grazing her painted red lips. "Okay." She agreed, self-consciously wiping her teeth. "Yeah, okay." She nodded with a half-laugh, "What the hell, right?"

Veronica smiled and nodded in agreement, as if she had achieved something. She leant back into the seat, feeling rather content as they waited for Betty to return.

*

It was official, Savannah decided.

She had no clothes that seemed appropriate club wear. Her cupboard was full of worn grungy t-shirts and black jeans, long-sleeved shirts and one black skater skirt.