Iridescent - Jughead Jones [2]

Chapter Four

IRIDESCENT

CHAPTER | FOUR

To say that Kyle was anxious about this date - that he didn't even agree to - with Cheryl, was an understatement. She was intimidating, knew what she wanted and would go to lengths to get it.

She looked stunning, of course, in a red skirt and simple black blouse with her signature spider brooch. She'd laughed at all his jokes and even slid her hand into his as he drove them to Pop's diner - a casual place, that somehow, Cheryl didn't mind him taking her to.

He'd taken Piper to the fancier restaurant just outside of town, and he didn't feel like opening an old wound tonight.

They ordered their food and as they delved into idle chit-chat, Kyle couldn't help but feel like maybe he'd been too rash in judging Cheryl. She had a dark sense of humour, true, but her family was cursed since the gunshot that killed Jason Blossom rang out into the eerie silence.

And so, when he asked her the words, "Would you like to go out again?", he couldn't help but smile when she agreed.

"Did you kiss her?" Savannah scared the life out of her brother as she swung around the side of the living room door.

"No, jeez, do you have nothing better to do than wait for me to return from my date?" Kyle threw his keys into the dish before taking in her smudged lipstick. "Or clearly you do - Hi Jughead!"

"Hello!" The boy cried back from within the living room.

Kyle couldn't help but laugh at the sheepish look on his sister's face as she started wiping around her mouth. "Where's Mom?"

"Out with her old friends." Savannah told him, "Along with the infamous Alice Cooper."

"They were friends?"

"Apparently." Savannah shrugged, "Mom never mentioned her, and Betty didn't even know until we spoke tonight, and they were going to the same place, at the same time, on the same night."

"Coincidence? I think not." Kyle added. "Well, I'm going to head upstairs and let you two frolic in sin in peace."

Savannah let out a mock gasp of delight, "Oh thank you, dear brother! You know it has been my dream to appear on Sixteen and Pregnant!"

"What?"

"Shh, Jughead, I'm kidding." Savannah scoffed, disappearing back into the living room. "We haven't even had sex yet, why are you worried?"

Kyle snorted and continued up the stairs. Some things he could go forever without hearing.

*

They'd retreated up to her room a little while after Kyle had come in from his date. Jughead decided that it would be better if Savannah changed in the bathroom, she'd quipped that it was for his sake more than her own. He didn't argue.

It was with the slam of the front door at around two in the morning, that the couple were jolted awake. Savannah had been sleeping in one of Jughead's shirts that she had stolen, paired with some shorts she'd dug out of her dresser.

"Did Kyle go out?" Jughead asked, his girlfriend hanging off his shoulder, having been laying on his chest.

Savannah rubbed her eyes and stifled a yawn, "He never goes out this late."

The answer to their question came thundering up the stairs a few moments later, flinging open the door to the brunette girl's room. In the doorway, her outline illuminated by the hallway light beaming from behind her, Savannah's mother.