the other boys ⇨ jarchie

4

jughead.

i kick a silver pebble, watching it land in the grass beside my feet. 'tranz' by gorillaz blasts in my earphones. as i walk past pops, i hesitate. should i go in for a quick milkshake? or not? it's debatable. but when i see the time on my watch, 8:22, i know i won't have time.

archie is now in my good books. he's honestly not as bad as i thought he'd be. after everything that's happened between us over the years and years of bickering, i hated him. i disliked the ginger haired boy with a passion; but now i can see that he has changed for the better, and even watching him slap moose across the face with such determination was another tick in the box for me. i've hated moose ever since he said 'but you're a girl! why would you want to get rid of the makeup and the dresses?'

i kicked him in the balls.

if i think about it long and hard, i will be able to remember some of the kind things archie has done for me. i remember once, in 2nd grade, we were having recess and i was reading 'the perks of being a wallflower' quietly. i was getting to the part when they had that huge fight in the cafeteria when reggie mantle came up to me with his little servants. he took my book and dangled above his head so i couldn't get it, bearing in mind he was taller than me (i had tucked my long hair into my beanie, and luckily he didn't take it away). i can memorise it like it was yesterday...

"reggie, give it back!" i squeaked, jumping up and down whilst lunging for my book.

"shut up, julia! its a dumb book, who even cares what being a wallflower is like," reggie cackled.

i remember the name sending a numb feeling through my bones.

as reggie threw the book toward the sandpit, archie was standing there, my book in hand. his freckles were lines, scrunched in anger: he stomped toward reggie and his friends, and slapped his arm.

"leave her alone! reading makes you smart, so i'm not surprised if you don't do any of it."

i remember him slowly walking toward me, smiling. "here you go. i have to admit, i don't read much, but i think you're a great reader! if reading was a job i think you'd be a millionaire!"

oh, little 7 year old archie was a gem. i remember in middle school when he got in a fight with some kids from the southside. it was really dangerous, those 14 year olds had knives on them and all archie had was some good moves. it was like i was watching fire safety, he did the stop drop and roll, and he kicked one of them in the tailbone - they fell forward. archie was outnumbered, but he still won. three against one.

i see betty walking with kevin. he waves goodbye and joins his boyfriend, joaquin, a transfer student from the southside. he's pretty dodgy if you ask me, but i'm not one to judge a book by its cover.

i catch up to betty, pulling on her golden ponytail. "betty boop!"

she whips around and glares. "jughead! this ponytail needs maintenance 24/7. the last thing she needs is you pulling her perfect curls!" betty laughs.

i wrap my arms around her shoulders. "i'm sorry, punish me if you want," i pout sarcastically. "i've been a naughty boy."

betty nudges me in the stomach, mouth agape. "jughead JONES! stop it. you are too young to be doing this." she leans in toward my ear. "you'll be saying that to archie in no time."