I Got You || Jughead Jones

Faster, Pussycats! Kill! Kill! // Part Two

Jughead, Betty, and I skipped school the next day. Our mission to find Polly and bring her home, safe, was in motion. We stood outside the gates of the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, none of us daring to move forward.

"Well, um. Here we are?" I lifted a hand weakly towards the building. My shoulders were covered in one of Veronica's oversized sweatshirts. Leggings adorned my legs and a pair of boots were laced on my feet. Jughead and Betty were dressed similarly. It was getting colder as winter approached. Not that I minded because I loved snow but it was hard not to wear the same outfit everyday.

"Hey," Jughead attempted to break the tension, "Don't judge a home for troubled youths by its facade, right?"

Betty tightened her ponytail and an unspoken agreement was made to go inside. I trailed behind Jughead as we walked up the stairs. The exterior of the building was creepy, mournful almost. Like there wasn't any sunshine, ever.

"Hi, my name is Elizabeth Cooper," Betty said as we approached the check-in desk, "I'm here to see my sister, Polly."

The lady behind the window leaned forward, "May I see some identification?" Betty handed over her license. "Sign in here, please. Those two will have to wait."

The lady motioned at Jughead and I as Betty signed her name. A minute passed before Betty was escorted out of the room to see her sister, leaving Jughead and I alone in the lobby.

"I'll be in the car." I turned on my heels to walk out but Jughead's hand on my elbow stopped me.

"Savanna, please. Just let me explain," He practically begged.

I sighed and pulled my arm out of his grip, "Fine," I agreed, not wanting to make a scene.

Jughead smiled and pulled me down into one of the many chairs in the lobby. "I know what I did was wrong but everything caught me off guard. I couldn't think fast enough to give you the response you wanted but since then, I've been thinking, a lot actually."

"Wow," I mumbled, "Didn't know you could handle that much thinking."

Jughead's elbow connected with my side, "I'm really sorry, Sav. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. It was wrong of me, especially for using Archie against you. And truthfully," His fingers gently lifted my chin so I was looking at him, "I wanted to know if you'd do the honors of being my girlfriend?"

My eyes widened at his confession, "Wait, are you serious?"

"Uh," His cheeks went red as he scratched the back of his neck, "I think so?"

My response of colliding our lips seemed to be enough of an answer for him. My hands tangled in his unruly hair as his cupped my cheeks. Our moment was however ruined by the slamming of a door. We jerked apart, both of us turning to see Alice Cooper staring at us.

"Figures it would be you two that would get Betty into this mess," She hissed.

I shook my head as I stood up, "Mrs. Cooper, we didn't-"

She stepped forward, her finger inches from my face, "Don't speak to me. You've done nothing but twist Betty up since you arrived. Now, you're coming to a private care facility to speak with my daughter, without my permission? I know you Lodges are into breaking laws but this-"

"Mrs. Cooper, with the most politeness I can have with you at this moment, please shut up." Jughead's hand wrapped around my arm as he came up behind me.

Alice clamped her lips together before stomping through the doors that Betty was lead through a few minutes before. Jughead and I stood and watched her leave before two nurses in white came up behind us.

"Follow her." One of the male nurses nudged me forward as Jughead's hand laced with mine. They paraded us through the hallways until we came up behind Betty and Mrs. Cooper. Our blonde friend glanced back at us as her mother dragged her along. Suddenly, we came to a stop as another girl, I'm assuming Polly, stood in front of us. She was definitely pregnant which shocked both Jughead and me.

"Mom?" I could hear her whisper.

"Polly..." Mrs. Cooper trailed off.

Polly stepped closer to her mother, her face contorting in pain, "Jason's dead? And you didn't tell me? And you kept me in here?"

Two nurses came running from the other end of the hall as Mrs. Cooper told Polly it was for her own good.

"Ugh! You always say that," Polly screamed as the two men gripped her by the arms, "And it's not true!" She sobbed as they ripped her away from her family. Betty's name left her lips as they started to drag her away.

Betty moved forward and wrapped her sister in a hug as the two nurses from earlier tried to push Jughead and I away from the scene. A gasp left my mouth as I turned into Jughead. This was absolutely heartbreaking. Polly was taken away from us as Betty stared down the long hallway. Mrs. Cooper wasn't even shocked by her eldest child's outburst as she turned and stomped down the hall leaving two crying teenage girls and a confused teenage boy to follow her.

--

My night was restless. I couldn't sleep. Polly's screams kept me up all night as they echoed through my head. I had tossed and turned for hours, texting Jughead numerous times and yet, I laid there, wondering what Betty and Polly did to have such unforgiving parents.

I finally got myself out of bed but didn't bother changing out of my silk nightgown. My footsteps were inaudible as I crossed the hardwood floors to the kitchen. I could hear Mom and Veronica murmuring my name as I paused to listen in. Normally, I wouldn't eavesdrop but recent events showed that more secrets were kept in this family than I thought.

"When your father was arrested, we made you a legal officer of Lodge Industries. Surprise!" Mom's voice was low as she approached Ronnie. I watched through the crack of the closed door as Veronica seemed disgusted by Mom's idea. "And two out of three signatures are needed to award the contract, which your father wants to give to a less than legit outfit."

"And you want my help giving it to your boyfriend?" Ronnie shook her head, "I was gonna apologize to you. If I sign that, will you stop seeing Fred Andrews?"

Mom tilted her head slightly, "Ronnie, I can't agree to that."

"In that case, Mom, I'm sorry, but no. Make Vanna sign it instead." Ronnie grabbed her costume from the couch and attempted to storm past Mom.

"She can't," Mom stated. My heart dropped at the news.

Veronica stopped and turned slowly to face Mom, "What do you mean she can't?"

Mom sighed, her hand rubbing her forehead, "I mean, Veronica, that your sister has no ownership in Lodge Industries."

A small gasp left my mouth as I started to tear up. Oh, my God.

"Mom, are you crazy? That girl deserves the world and more and you didn't bother to make her a legal officer?" Ronnie hissed.

"Veronica, I'm sorry. With the background she has, we figured she'd make unreasonable choices and-"

Veronica stepped in, "And what, Mom? Savanna loves you and Dad so so much. This would crush her. She's had so much faith in you since we moved here. She tried talking me out of majority of the arguments we've had and you respond to that by practically disowning her? Who are you anymore?"

Tears flowed freely down my cheeks as Ronnie continued the argument. Since we moved to Riverdale, everything turned upside down. This was another event in the series of why I shouldn't be here. My family was falling apart, my friends weren't far behind, and I couldn't even try to keep it together.