Invisible ♤ Jughead

Chapter Six: Dungeons & Locks.

'Hey there, Juliet.' - Jughead Jones.

The day after Jason's funeral, Ana was slowly reverting back to her old self. She felt herself slipping away from her friends and the people around her, she didn't know what to do. Anastasia did not have many friends as a child apart from Julian and Veronica being her constants - since she moved to Riverdale, she has been changing. Her confidence had increased, her mood had risen, she wanted to do more, she wanted to be with someone...all because of one person who had entered her life. 

Jughead Jones.

Something had happened that day, something had sparked inside Ana's stomach to make her feel this way. Why? You may ask...well, she needed him. She needs Jughead.

Anastasia did not know how to feel or what to do about this, she just knew that she had to ignore it for the time being.

♤ ♤ ♤

Later that day, Anastasia sat alone on a picnic table under a misty pink blossom tree eating her lunch and reading the thick book that lay upon it. She did not expect much to happen that day apart from the constant talk of the Annual Variety Show that will be on tomorrow night. 

The sun was beaming on her figure causing her eyebrows to scrunch in the middle until darkness shadows over her, she looks up from her book and squints at her shadowed figure blocking the sun - the bright light beaming around them, she did not expect who's names she said next...

"Archie?" Ana said tilting her head to the side and sliding a bookmark in-between the pages of her book, "What are you doing here?" She asked.

He shrugged settling down into the seat opposite her, "Just thought I'd come to see how you're doing..." Archie chuckled lowly as he trailed off.

 Ana laughed for the first time in hours...maybe even days, "Okay, you weirdo. Aren't you supposed to be practicing for the Variety show?" She asked absent-mindlessly twiddling a lock of her hair between her fingers.

He nodded raising his eyebrows, "Yeah, but I'd rather talk to you." He stated with a small smile then continued, "Are you coming to the show? You know...tomorrow night?" Archie asked cracking his knuckles, averting his eyes for a second.

Ana shrugged, "I don't know, I guess it depends if I can be persuaded." She said raising an eyebrow with a smirk.

Archie laughed with a groan, sat in thought for a moment, "I'll take you out for a burger at Pop's this weekend, what do you think?" He offered, rolling his tongue over her bottom lip once then sinking his teeth into it.

Anastasia pretended to think about it as if it was the hardest decision, "Well, you hold a hard bargain, Archie - But, I accept your offer. I will come to your show..." She smiled softly with a small chuckle.

He stood up and walked around to her side of the table, "Okay, I'll see you there then." He said leaning down and wrapping his arms around her shoulders into an embrace. She slid her hands around his hard toned torso as she stood up to make it less awkward. Archie pulled away, "Bye, Ana." And walked away with a slightest skip in his step.

Anastasia sat back down opening her book until something triggered in her mind, Did he just ask me out on a date?  Ana thought.

♤ ♤ ♤

Anastasia came home after school to find it completely empty. No Jughead to be found. 

She dropped her bag by the door and trudged over to the couch; she was too tired to each walk a few more feet to get to her bed. Collapsing into the sofa, Ana just wanted to sleep for decades - she didn't want to feel or think - she didn't want to overthink or complicate her emotions. Sleep would usually helped her to forget but, Ana had not been getting any of it.