Aberration ≫ Jarchie

E I G H T Y - T H R E E

Twenty Two Years Old ❣︎ December

"He's not dead." Jughead shrugs, continuing to eat his cereal.

"Juggy..." Archie sighs, not knowing what to do.

"He's not dead Archie!" Jughead snaps.

"You're being delusional." Archie says softly.

"He isn't dead, they're lying." Jughead bites his lip, slamming his spoon down into his bowl and placing it in the sink.

"They have pictures. They have Identification." Archie continues.

"He wouldn't just die in a car crash! That's not how he's supposed to go out! He's not dead!" Jughead screams as Archie makes his way towards him and tries to grab his hands. Jughead pulls away sharply and rolls his eyes.

"I know it's hard to believe it-"

"Because it's fake. He was fine. He just called me yesterday! Today is his birthday. He didn't answer my call because he's busy. He'll be over soon." Jughead continues rambling as he walks away from the redhead.

"It's on the news."

"The news lies."

"Juggy, his parents called."

"They're always looking for attention."

"He's dead!"

"My best friend isn't dead! Stop making up lies!"

"I've never seen you like this before." Archie mumbles.

"Like what? Everything is fine." Jughead scoffs, his hands shaking uncontrollably as he sits on the couch and turns on the TV.

"Jackson died. That's not fine."

"How many times do I have to tell you that Jackson isn't dead." Jughead seethes, angrily pressing the buttons on the remote to turn away from the breaking news story about a fatal car crash involving a drunk driver and a blonde haired boy. Archie sits on the couch next to him and takes the remote from his hands, turning it off.

"I'm worried about you."

"Well you shouldn't be. Everything's fine."

"I want to be there for you like how you were for me when my mom died."

"Jackson isn't dead." He chokes out, his body convulsing again as tears begin to fill his eyes.

"How would you feel if he was?" Archie asks, taking a different approach since reason or logic doesn't seem to be working.

"Empty."

"What do you mean?"

"If someone so innocent and benevolent could be taken away from the world at such a young age for no reason at all, nothing would make sense to me anymore. That would leave me empty." He says quietly, grabbing onto Archie's hand tightly.

"The world is cruel, bad things happen to good people, accidents happen."

"Not to Jackson. Jackson wouldn't die in a car crash. He just, he wouldn't." Jughead shakes his head, refusing to believe it.