2 | Game of Survival [JUGHEAD JONES]

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR:

THE AWKWARD EX

     BETTY LED THE WAY WITH JUGHEAD behind her, entering the waiting room with bags of food from Pop's. The two were silent on the way back, Betty awkwardly clutching onto Jughead as he drove them back to the hospital. Betty was thinking about what they had talked about and Jughead was thinking that it was a mistake to bring the blonde girl with him.

"Who's hungry?" Jughead called out to the group as he held up the bags of food. "We've got burgers and fries and onion rings—"

Cheering drowned out the rest of his words as people came up to help with the bags.

"Nice, Jugs."

"Your dad would be so proud of you, Arch."

Jughead spoke up, a small smile on his face. "Yeah, you've really been just a rock-star god through all of this."

Veronica paused, watching Archie's reaction to his friends words. She was worried. "Archie– what is it? Talk to us. Maybe we can help."

Archie sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Guys, there's something I haven't told you, 'cause I'm–So I'm so ashamed." The red headed boy stared down at his hands, avoiding his friends stares. 

"After the guy hit Ginny and fired his gun, I should've rushed to my dad straight away. Or I should've tackled the guy, but I was I was paralyzed. I didn't move, not even when the guy walked up to me, and he held his gun to my head. And I just closed my eyes, I don't know how long. Long enough for the guy to have taken my dad's wallet, I guess. But I didn't open them until I heard the bell. Pop's bell. Which meant he was gone."

A shuddering breath escaped from Ginny as she heard his point of view from the terrifying experience. She was happy that she was knocked out so she didn't have to witness Fred getting shot. 

"There was nothing else you could've done." Ginny told him with a shaky voice. "He had a gun."

"That's not true, Gin.  I could've done anything to comfort my dad. To get the gun away from the guy. I was a coward. And now, me and my dad were witnesses, Pop Tate too. This guy may have my dad's wallet, all his information. What if he comes back?"

Those final words Archie spoke chilled Ginny to the bone.

Would he come back?

º   º   º

      AFTER STAYING AT THE HOSPITAL for long enough, it was time for Ginny to go home. The hospital was making her uncomfortable. Being in the hospital for too long reminded her of her mother's overdoses. Jughead obviously was going to take her home. Together the two walked hand in hand through the doors outside.