Collateral Damage ▻ Riverdale [1]

1.9

THE BEGINNING
CHAPTER NINE
May 20, 2017

"Jason? Jason!" Queenie heard someone shout which made her quickly open her eyes.

She quietly gasped when she realized her head was on Jason's chest. She quickly sat up before scooting away from him. Queenie's head turned towards the redheaded girl standing in Jason's doorway with a cornered look on her face. Queenie rubbed her eyes multiple times and squinted them to see who it was exactly. It was Cheryl, Jason's twin sister.

Soon after, Jason woke up and his eyes quickly went from staring at Queenie to glancing  over at Cheryl, "Jason, can you tell me why the hell there's a girl in your bed?" Cheryl asked with her arms crossed.

"She stayed the night," Jason replied, still half asleep.

"Who is she?" Cheryl questioned because Queenie was avoiding eye contact with the Blossom girl so she couldn't recognize her.

Finally, Queenie stared at her directly in the eyes and Cheryl's serious looking face turned into a bright smile, "Oh, you're that girl that punched Grundy and broke her nose with only one punch. And the same girl I've heard so much about from my dear brother. You're right, JJ, she is really pretty." Cheryl remarked and Queenie looked over to see that Jason was trying his best to stop himself from blushing.

"Thanks, I guess," Queenie answered quietly and Cheryl just smiled at her.

Soon after the brief and awkward meeting, Jason insisted on taking Queenie for breakfast at Pop's. She had shift later on that day anyway so it didn't make a difference.

After a moment of awkward silence for while sitting at the booth in Pop's together, Jason finally spoke up, " I wanna know more about you, Queenie." He told her and the Jones girl stared at him in confusion.

"Why?" She asked him as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well, we did save each other's asses on multiple occasions and you did just stay the night at my house. Not to mention, we shared my bed too." Jason replied and Queenie rolled her eyes, "Why do you always roll your eyes at me?"

"It's genetic," Queenie argued calmly, "We all do it; Jughead, my dad, me, all of us. It's instinct."

"Here you go, lovebirds." Pop Tate told them as he handed them their breakfasts.

"Thanks, Pop, but we're not--" Queenie began to argue, but Pop Tate only nodded at the girl in agreement, not quite believing her before walking off.

"Okay, start asking me questions," Queenie commented and Jason sighed before he started.

"Favorite Color."

"Red and Black." She answered calmly as she took a bite of her pancakes.

"Full name."

Queenie slowly looked up at Jason, but didn't open her mouth to speak, "uh...." She trailed off.

"Wait, your name isn't just Queenie Jones?" Jason asked her confused and Queenie shook her head.

Queenie sighed before she finally answered, "Queenie isn't my real name, but just like my father and Jughead, I was given a nickname. My real name is Forsythia Jones, ugly, I know."

"I actually like it, it's different. One of a kind," Jason smiled, "Next question: favorite hobbies."

"Punching people." She answered jokingly and Jason just shook his head but began to ask the next question.

"Favorite family member."

"My dad. And I'm his favorite too, he eve told me. We'll do anything for each other." She answered with a smile.

"Fear?" Jason questioned and Queenie tensed up in her chair.

She sat there quietly for a moment before she finally answered, "Getting close to someone and also losing someone I love. I have abandonment and trust issues if you haven't noticed, that's why I don't like to get close to anyone."

Jason nodded before asking another question, "How many boyfriends have you had?" He asked and she gave him a weird look.

"Not that it's any of your business, but zero actually. None at all. Like I said, I have severe trust issues." She admitted, "I wanna ask my own question now. Just one though, don't worry."

Jason and Queenie didn't break eye contact as she began to ask her single question, "Your type in a girl."

"Strong, independent girl that isn't afraid to speak her mind and stand up for herself," He replied contently, "Kinda like you, Queenie."

Queenie nodded in response and crossed her arms, "Last question: Do you like the life you're living?" Jason asked her and Queenie shrugged at first, but then shook her head slightly, "Would you ever leave it?"

"Honestly, if I had the chance, yes, I would." She said quietly as the duo still didn't break eye contact.

"Then run away with me," he suggested and Queenie was so caught up in the moment with the Blossom Boy, she surprisingly agreed.

"Okay."

"Really?" Jason gasped, but before she could reply, Polly freakin' Cooper came over and took a seat next to Queenie in the booth.

"Polly?" Jason and Queenie asked the Cooper girl in unison.

"Hi, Queenie," Polly told the brunette as she quickly glanced at her before turning her head the other way to look over at Jason.

"I want to come with you. To the farm."

"What? Why?" Jason questioned her confused.

Polly sighed, "I'm pregnant. With a Southside Serpent's baby."

Queenie's eyes widened as she looked at Polly, "What? Which Serpent? Do I know him? What's his name?"

"I can't tell you guys that, just please take me with you, Jason." Polly pleaded and Jason looked over at Queenie for her blessing to agree on taking Polly with them.

Queenie nodded her head at Jason as a sign that she fine with it and Jason finally took it upon himself to speak up, "Fine, we'll take you, Polly. You can't tell anyone else about this. Not even Betty, understand?"

'Yes, of course. I won't tell Betty, I promise." Jason smiled and nodded his head.