Lifeline ((Jughead Jones)) 1

17

Thicker than blood, more precious than oil, Riverdale's big business is maple syrup. Since the town's founding, one family has controlled this lucrative syrup trade, the Blossoms. They were a part of the fabric of our daily lives. Rich or poor, old or young, we consumed Blossom Syrup by the bucket. That sickly sweet smell was inescapable.

The death of Jason Blossom precipitated a crisis. With the heir apparent gone, who would inherit the family business one day? Certainly not Cheryl or Cynthia. It was a question that brought the wolves to Riverdale. And now the Blossoms were circling the wagons against possible attack from within their own ranks.

In the freezing snow, our family watched from under black umbrellas as our family arrived. I knew how much Cheryl wanted her father to choose her to inherit the business, where as I was praying he didn't offer it to me. If he did, I couldn't publicly turn him down, meaning I would be laboured with a life that I didn't ask for.

Aunts and Uncles greeted me, staring down their noses at me and Cheryl. Every year this happened. We saw them for a few days a year and they would complain about us the entire time. Every year Jason would shelter us from their gazes, being the golden-boy of the family, but without him, we were right in the line of fire.

They spent the first few hours complaining that Cheryl and I were yet to settle down. Each time I tried to interject, stating I had found someone, they would brush me off. I had asked father repeatedly if I could invite Jughead and he said no every time. Finally, in an act of desperation, I asked my mother. She, surprisingly, agreed but on one condition. He must go by his full name, not Jughead. I tried to protest but that was the only way I would be allowed to bring Juggie along. I set out for school the next day, ready to invite Forsythe Pendleton Jones to Thornhill.

I spotted him just before we reached the school. I ran over to him and jumped on his back. He immediately let me wrap my legs around his waist as he continued carrying me to school.

"Jughead, can I ask a favour?" I asked as we walked up to my locker. He put me down and turned to face me, his hands on my hips. "Every year, our family hold a tree-tapping ceremony. It's a really big thing in my family, bigger than Christmas," I paused, seeing how he reacted. He nodded, gesturing for me to carry on. Jughead always let me speak, and he knew when I hadn't finished. If he didn't come with me, then I doubt I would have been able to go. Jason looked forward to this time of year the most, loving snow, the tradition and how close it made our family seem. It made us normal.

"It was something Jason, Cheryl and I used to do together since we could walk. I need you to be my date. Cheryl is trying to convince Archie to come, so you will know someone. Please do this for me, Jug. I can't face it alone." My voice had lowered towards the end. What was only a few seconds of silence had seemed like hours. I looked down, taking Jughead's silence as a refusal to go. It wasn't until two fingers pulled my chin up and into a kiss that I looked at Jughead properly.

"Of course, I'll go with you, Thia. Anything for you, princess." He teased, kissing me lightly. My smile widened as I jumped into his arms again, for the second time that morning. A chuckle was heard from jughead as he hugged my tiny figure again.

Jughead came over the next day because I texted him to get ready at mine. Little did he know he had an outfit ready and waiting for him here. He arrived, and I hurried him upstairs before any of my family had chance to talk to him. Once in my room, I handed him a bag, telling him to get ready and pushing him into my bathroom. While he was complaining, I quickly changing into me preapproved outfit and had finished my lipstick when Jughead came out, pulling at the jacket.

"How did you even get my size?" He asked. In his black jeans and red long-sleeved shirt, he looked perfectly fit to meet the Blossoms. I shook my head before moving forward to kiss him.

"Jughead, you know when my family ask who you are?" I began.

"Yes?"

"You need to say Forsythe." I whispered, flinching slightly, waiting for him to shout at me. Instead nothing happened. I opened my eyes to see him rolling his. When we looked at each other, we started laughing.

"Anything for you, princess." He joked. I hugged him tightly, not wanting to let go. My mother called for us and we were just passing through my door when I added that he couldn't wear his beanie at dinner. I heard him groan in annoyance, but I kissed his cheek and he quickly shut up.

In the slowly falling snow, the stiletto heeled boot that mother insisted on, were hardly the most practical. Jughead had promised me that he wouldn't let me fall. The whole walk down to the tree, his arm was firmly around my waist and the one time that I stepped on an icy patch, he lifted me up slightly so that my family behind us wouldn't see me fall. I told him that Cheryl was doing the ceremony, being the next oldest, and he just had to stand with me which he was more than happy to do.

My legs, exposed by the short skirt that both Cheryl and I wore, were freezing. No amount of moving closer to Jughead would warm me. Father began to read the history of the tree-tapping ceremony as Jughead stood behind me, his arms wrapped around my waist as I rubbed his arms.

Cheryl and Archie moved towards the tree. I saw father's face glare warningly at her. If she messed this up, there would be no hope of her taking over the family business. She turned towards the tree, hesitated. She was thinking of Jason. Usually she was doing Archie's job with me, instead she was the centre of attention. With a swing of her hammer, the ceremony was complete. We all clapped. Jason would be proud of her, of all of us.

The photographer was set, and the snow had stopped just in time to take the photograph. Jughead and Archie weren't in the photo at the beginning.

"Archibald, Forsythe, come join us before the snow starts again." Father instructed. The two happily made their way into the photo. I grinned happily at Jughead as he came to stand with me. The annual Blossom family photograph, the first without Jason, but the first of many with my boyfriend. He put on arm around my waist before looking at the camera. I knew that this event wasn't his type of thing. I knew that he would much rather spend the day at Pop's. The fact he came because he knew how much it meant to me, made me fall for him even more. It showed that we weren't just some high school sweethearts, but a serious couple. Or that I owed Jughead the world.

The snow had fell heavier as we headed back to Thornhil. Jughead held the remaining black umbrella over us as we walked together under it. We kept pushing each other slightly, joking around. I grabbed a small handful of snow in my red gloves and threw it at him. We laughed together as he dipped the umbrella, so the snow fell onto me. Our laughing was cut short as I heard some board members talking behind us.

"I don't buy this dog and pony show." He stated to my distant aunt. "Cliff can't control his family, as shown by his little harlot of a daughter, let alone the company." That wiped the smile off both our faces. I began to walk next to Jughead again, silently pondering what the man had said. Was that really how my family viewed me just because I was with Jughead?

"Agreed. And if he tries to put Cheryl forward as a successor? Do you remember what they did at the funeral? Crocodile tears." My aunt said, as patronising as ever. I heard Archie stop and defend Jason, but Jughead kept us walking, wanting to get as far away from the pair as possible. It wasn't log before I hit a piece of ice, slipping onto the icy floor and managing to pull Jughead down with me. In the heat of the fall, Jughead managed to catch himself, but he still lay on top of me. As if the rest of my family weren't there, I just laughed, forgetting the comment made earlier. Jughead leant down and kissed me softly.

"See what I told you? Little harlot isn't deserving of her family's name." The name from earlier said. I tried to hold back my tears, but before I could, Jughead had pulled me up and turned to the man.

"Excuse me, but Cynthia is the most loving and most innocent person I have ever met. And the furthest thing from what you call her. I'm sorry for trying to let her have a little fun." Jughead then pulled me away from them as the pair stood there stunned that they had just been spoken back to, twice in the space of 5 minutes.

ing !