Secrets • Jughead Jones [1]

|Supply Closet|

'What make a place feel like home? Is it warmth and familiarity? Some idealised, meal-believe version of the American dream? Is it love and acceptance? Or is it simple safety? Or its none of those things. And it's a place where the captain of he football team is murdered. Or maybe it's just a forgotten closet under a well-trod staircase where it's just you and the mice and the spiders, like an extra in a Wes Craven movie.'

~•~

As Jughead brushed his teeth in the school's changing rooms, Archie crept up behind him and asked why he was there. Jughead then had to explain why and showed Archie a supply closet with all of Jughead's belongings in there.

"How long?" Archie asked.

"Well, since they shut down the drive-in, that's were I was living before. Aria found out that I was living there and she wanted me to crash at yours but I had already found this place. So..."

"You didn't tell Aria that you hadn't said a word to me."

"Uh, no." Jughead guiltily muttered.

"Why the hell are you not living at home?"

"The truth is, things aren't good at home."

"With your dad?"

"Yeah. He kind of fell off the wagon after your dad fired him, to tell you the truth. Hasn't had a job since. He promises he'll get his act together but my mom couldn't take that roller coaster anymore so she grabbed Jellybean and went to live with out grandparents."

Archie stood in shock and suddenly the bell rang.

"Come on." Jughead turned off the lights in the room.

"God, Jughead, why didn't you tell me? Where does your dad think you are? And where does Aria think you are, at mine?"

"He thinks I'm couch-surfing and Aria thinks I'm at yours still."

"Well, screw him. Live with me, like Aria said in the first place."

"This is temporary, man. I'm going to figure something out. Just don't tell anybody. Especially not Aria. She has to think I'm at yours."

"I don't know Jughead, this isn't good, none of this is good."

"I'll tell her, when the time is right." Jughead walked off leaving Archie in the school corridors.

~•~

Aria, Betty, Jug, Kevin, Archie and Veronica (the squad) sat on the sofas in a room at Riverdale high talking about

"My mom and dad don't wanna get the police involved. They don't want anyone to know that she ran away, or about her shameful condition." Betty informed.

"Please, what decade is this?" Veronica spoke.

"Well, since she knew where Jason's getaway car was they're afraid people might think that she burned it and that if she did-"

"She could be the murderer covering her tracks." Jughead interrupted.

"Who did burn the car?" Archie asked.

"Sheriff Keller says it's possible someone was following us." Betty answered.

"I knew I should have stayed." Aria sighed.

"If you would of stayed, Aria, you could of been hurt." Jughead said back.

"Oh my god. Honestly guys, we should just move." Veronica enthused.

"Guys, what if Polly's really hurt? What if whoever killed Jason is coming after her next?" Betty trembled.

Archie replied,
"Betty, even though your parents don't want to, maybe you should go to the police."

"Seconded. We can talk to my dad about how he has to be discreet." Kevin added on.

"Kev, the first people your dad would tell would be my parents, and even they wouldn't tell me the truth. They'd probably twist it and make Polly sound inhumane, when she's not." Aria said.

Veronica questioned, "How can we help? Tell us, B. We'll do it."

They all sat in silence waiting for Betty to answer.

•

Sorry for it being short but I'll try to update a longer chapter next time.