Tangled Up in You

Chapter One: The Meeting

Today was just like any other day of teaching, well that is until an unlucky student dropped something in the hallways. Well, maybe not so unlucky.... I picked up the thick stack of stapled papers. I wasn't fast enough to catch the kid who dropped them though. Kid? Who am I calling a kid? I'm practically a kid myself. It was lunch hour at the school and I headed back to my classroom to eat the granola bar that I had brought with me and to grade some tests. Well, I had planned to grade tests, that is, until I picked up this stack of papers. I went into the classroom and shut the door behind me. I sat down at the desk and look at the cover page. It read: Untitled by Jughead Jones. I didn't want to be nosy, but it was pretty thick, so I figured I would take a peak.

Thankfully for me, I am a very fast reader, because this was a very long story. I could tell it wasn't quite finished yet, though. Jughead was very talented and he could go very far in his writing. I wanted to provide Jughead an opportunity to go places. I would have him in my class next period where I would talk to him about meeting him and his dad after school. I looked up his father's cell phone number and dialed. It rang three times.

"What's up?" Jughead's dad answered the phone, his words slurred. I looked up at the clock. Drunk at 12:50pm?

"Um, hello? Mr. Jones?" I asked.

"Speaking. Make it quick, lady."

"You're pleasant. Anyways, I'm Mrs. Holcomb. Your son's history teacher. I would like for you to come in and speak with me today after school, please."

"Damn, you're married? Got my hopes up for nothin. Alright, fine. I'll sober up and be there at 3:30." He slurred.

"Thank you, sir. I'll see you soon. Goodbye."

"Bye."

The bell rang when I hung up the phone. At that moment, the students all slunk in slowly. The only students that liked coming to history class were the boys and that's only because they're hormonal 17-year old's with a 23-year-old teacher. They had five minutes left to get in here before being late. Jughead was always on time, and there he walked through the door.

"Hey Jughead, come here." I called out as he walked through the door.

"Oh hey, Mrs. H." He said looking down. It was obvious he was missing his papers.

"So, I have good news for you. I found your story and that's not all. I set up a meeting with your dad at 3:30 today!" I said beaming and clapped my hands together excitedly.

"My dad is going to come here for a teacher meeting? You're joking, right?" He laughed.

"Well, he said he would be here when he sobered up."

"Good luck, Mrs. H. Can I have my papers now please?" I handed him the papers and he walked over to his seat. He didn't believe his dad would really come.

The rest of the class went on as usual and I assigned some homework. We got through one more period of school before it was time for my meeting with Jughead and his dad. I was getting nervous because I had heard stories from the other teachers about him. FP Jones, gang leader of some motorcycle club or something. Super dangerous guy is what they all say. I'm sure I can handle him. The bell rang, it was 3:30. A few moments later the classroom was empty. I was lost in my thoughts, looking down at some notes on my desk. I didn't hear anyone walk in.

"Mhm." I was startled out of my thoughts and looked up to see a tall man with brown hair and light brown eyes. Tan skin and scruff on his face.

"Oh hello, Mr. Jones, I didn't hear you come in." I stood up and shook his hand. It was warm and he had a firm grip. His hand was rough like that of a workman's.