Shedding Our Skin {Jughead Jones}{Bughead}

Chapter Eleven

We ate rather quickly. Even though we knew it would most likely be hours before Polly would be ready to give birth, I could tell Betty was eager to check on her sister.

We split at the elevator; I went one way, to the waiting room, and she went the other, to Polly's room.

For the next hour or so, I mostly stared at my computer screen. For whatever the reason, I was experiencing an agonizing case of writer's block. I was secretly hoping Betty would visit me, but I knew she was taking a turn watching Polly while her mother went home to grab a change of clothes for the girls, as well as another few necessities.

I had written approximately half a sentence when I heard walking towards the room. I slammed my computer shut and stood up quickly, expecting it to be Betty or Alice. I was wrong, but not entirely; it was, in fact someone I knew.

I tried to hide my disappointment as I slid back into the chair. Veronica had her arms up in the air as she exclaimed, maybe a little too loud for a hospital,

"Juggie! Just the struggling writer I wanted to see."

"Hi, Veronica." I said, feigning frustration slightly.

Behind her was a trail of the rest of our friends. Archie, Kevin, and, although I'm not too sure I'd call her a friend, Cheryl.

"Hello everyone."

We all exchanged greetings, Cheryl called me an emo wildebeest, and Archie began to pass out food from Pop's.

"Thanks, man." I said, pulling out my wallet to pay him back.

"Nah, it's cool dude, it's no Veronica's mom and my dad." Archie told me, waving a hand.

"Oh, they did so wish they could be here! He were just worried that too much stress wouldn't be good for Polly." Veronica explained.

"Well, thanks guys!" I said, putting my wallet back in my pocket. I can't say for sure whether or not there was any money in that wallet, looking back.

"I can't imagine why anyone would be missing this!" Cheryl said, "Today marks the day of the continuation of the Blossom legacy!"

I rolled my eyes and Kevin looked at Cheryl and said,

"Has anyone ever told you that you occasionally sound like you've been possessed by a demon bird?"

"Had anyone ever told you that you sometimes sound like a closeted Ken doll?"

"That doesn't even make sense!"

"Neither does your Twitter handle!"

"Anything is better than cherylbombshell!"

"Hardly."

"Okay!" I said, clapping my hands together, "Could we at least act like we've been somewhere before? Just a little?"

"Jughead's right." Archie said gently, "We aren't here to fight and act like children. We're here for Polly."

"Polly! Yes!" Cheryl said, "I'm going to go visit her. I brought her a gift!"

She held up a small red gift bag.

"It's nothing big, but I thought it would be nice for the babies." She explained, "Archie, accompany me?"

Before we knew it, she was dragging Archie out of the door and in the opposite direction of Polly's room. I was going to let her and Archie figure out that one.

Veronica rolled her eyes. "Does she not realise how obvious she's acting? I mean, really, to pull that with me sitting right here!"

I shrugged.

"That 'small' gift cost more than my car, just so you know." Kevin said. "It's, like, an old rattle. Passed down or something."

"At least she's trying." I reminded them.

"Regardless, she needs to chill. How's Betty holding up?" Veronica asked.

"She's doing all right." I decided not to say anything about the nightmares, as I was sure that wasn't information Betty wanted to be spread. Maybe, in some selfish way, I didn't tell her because I wanted to know something everyone else didn't, for once.

"It's really good thing you and your, um, friends found her!" She said.

"The Serpents, you mean?"

"Yes, that's what I mean. What's going on with that, anyway?" She asked.

"If I'm honest, I'm not sure. I've been staying at Betty's since she got home, so I haven't seen any of them."

"Does Mama Cooper know about this?" Kevin asked, as if I was doing something pleasantly devious.

"Yes, Alice is well aware. Her and Polly have been doing so much for Betty and me. I really think she just has an odd way of expressing that she cares about her family above all else." I defended Alice, something I never thought I'd do.

Kevin put his hands up in the air in mock surrender, "Hey man, if her mom likes you, good on you. I can say from experience that mama liking you is the quickest way to get some, guy or girl."

"Kevin!" Veronica exclaimed in surprise.

"Just saying."

I rolled my eyes, ignoring him.

"Jug, you don't think the Serpents are going to cause you and Betty anymore problems, do you?" Veronica asked.

"I hope not. I'd do anything to keep her safe, even if that means taking her out of my life." I said.

Veronica put a hand over her heart.

"It won't come to that, Juggie, you two are going to be just fine." She said.

Before I could respond, Cheryl and Archie rushed into the room, a little out of breath.

"Jughead, Betty needs to see you outside of Polly's room." Archie said. "Polly's about to push."

I rushed to Polly's room as quick as I could. Betty stood outside the door, wringing her hands and beginning to cry. I pulled her into my arms, and stroked the back of her head.

"What's wrong?" I asked gently.

"There's something wrong with Polly." She choked through her oncoming sobs. "The doctor said only mom could be in there with her."

She was shaking now.

"Shhh. It's okay." I said in an attempt to comfort her.

"I don't think it is this time, Juggy." She closed her eyes and took a few shaky breaths. "There was so and much blood." She whispered.

Just then, we could hear Polly let out a series of God-awful screams from her room.

"Let's go to the waiting room." I told Betty. She nodded, sniffling, as I led her to the room.

"Hey guys!" She said in surprise upon seeing our friends waiting for her. She had just calmed down, so it was still obvious she had been crying.

"Oh, B, what's wrong?" Veronica asked. Even Cheryl seemed a tad bit concerned.

She explained to everyone what had happened, trying to hold it together.

"I'm actually really tired." She said when she was done.

"Take a nap then, we'll let you know if anything happens." I promised. She nodded, and went to curl up in a chair.

"That's so tragic, about Polly." Veronica said.

"I'm sure everything will be fine, we all just need to calm down." Archie said.

My phone buzzed. Glancing down at it, I saw something that make by blood run cold. It was a text from Donny.

Outside. Come here. Big problem.

"Guys, I'll be right back!" I said, stumbling out of the room.

I was, after all, a Southside Serpent.