EMBER~> JUGHEAD JONES (BOOK 2, SEASON 2)

Chapter 38

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I stood next to Jughead and I held onto his hand. "Thank you all for coming." Veronica spoke up into the microphone "Ladies and Gentleman, I Give you your next mayor of Riverdale." She smiled widely "my mother, Hermione Lodge." I falsely smiled, The Lodges had won, and we couldn't do anything about that.

Hermione stepped up to the Microphone and smiled at all of us "Thank you, Veronica and thank you all very much. Like many of you, I grew up in this town, dreaming of a better Tomorrow." She started to say, a small smile blossoming onto my face "For myself, my family and for my friends. And now for the future that you all so deserve. Riverdale is one of the most dynamic, resilient communities—"

My phone began to ring loudly, I pulled away from Jughead and walked towards somewhere more secluded "Hello." I spoke up when I answered my phone.

"Julie, come to the trailer I need to tell you something." Jennifer spoke up from the other end, she sounded nervous.
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"What!" I exclaimed in anger as I stared and Jennifer "Please say this is some sick joke you're playing on me?"

"I'm sorry." Jennifer spoke up while she grabbed onto my hands "I didn't know he was Hiram Lodges brother until we got married."

Jennifer had just told me that Stefan, the man who she had been seeing for six months, proposed to her and they both had a secret marriage, was Hiram's younger brother.

"I didn't even know Hiram had a brother!" I tried to calm down, if Jennifer was happy, That is all that should matter to me.

"That would be my fault." Stefan spoke up from beside me, a small smile on his face "I told Hiram not to tell anyone about me." He reached over and took my hand "I wanted to live a Mundane life, not be involved with any of this, but it's who I am, I'm a Lodge, I can't escape my bloodline."

"I'm sorry for shouting at you guys." I spoke up after a few moments of silence "I'm just shocked and confused."

"There is another thing." Jennifer spoke up, I turned to look at her "I'm moving in with Stef and I want you and Jerome to move in with us, be a family."

I sighed and looked towards the floor, one part of me was screaming for me to say no, but the other was saying yes. I could escape Chic and his weird fascination with me, I could finally be with my mom for good, maybe we could make this work.

"Juliet." Stefan spoke up as I turned to face him, staring into his green eyes "I want you to take the family's last name, I want you to be a Lodge since your mother is already one."

"Okay." I blurted our after seeing Jennifer's hopeful gaze fixated on me, almost guilt tripping me before she smiled widely and hugged me. Stefan soon joining in.

Why did I say 'okay' Why did I just agree to throw my life away and join Jennifer in becoming apart of this drama. Jughead will probably hate me, break up with me again, this time probably for good as he sees me wither away from my old self.

It all went fast as we went down to town hall and got my name changed, with the Lodge power it was able to happen in a good ten minutes, I was now Juliet Lodge, I was part of the Lodge family.
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"Thank you." Jennifer spoke up as she straightened out my navy blue dress, making sure it looked perfect for the dinner we were about to be attending with Hiram, Veronica and Hermione. "Thank you for agreeing to join this family, I needed you with me."

"You needed me." I smiled weakly at her "But right now Jerome will need you, he's packing to see his mom for a few days."

Jennifer nodded her head and walked into Jerome's room in the trailer, boxes were piled up in the living room, some labeled 'Kitchen', 'Living room' and 'Juliet'

It was weird, in a few days we would move into Stefan's place, all this was happening too fast, I was becoming the person I didn't ever want to be. Just because my real mother found her soulmate.

I don't plan on hiding any of his from Jughead, I will tell him the truth on the situation. "Juliet, can I ask you a question." Stefan asked as walked into my bedroom in the trailer, I looked over and nodded my head as I sat on my old bed. "I know this may be hard to hear, but just listen to what I have to say."

"Just tell me, Stef." I smiled at him, I've spent a good two days getting to know him, he's actually starting to feel like a father figure towards me, I've already lost two of them, Jeremy and Hal, but maybe Stefan would stick.

"I want to adopt you as my own." My eyes widened as I went to speak but he put his hand up to stop me "Jennifer regrets giving you up, she told me that the first time we met." I stayed silent and looked down at my hands "I know you are attached to The Coppers, but having you as Jennifer and I's would be lovely, being able to call you my daughter, we would be a family."

Stefan did have a point, I was already moving in with them, Alice had her son back, she didn't need me as a burden on the family anymore, Chic May hate the idea but I don't really care what he thinks. Jennifer needs me, even if that means throwing my life away.

"What about Jerome?" I asked, Stefan smiled.

"I've already spoken to him, I've agreed to let him keep the trailer as his home when he returns back from seeing his mother." Stefan replied "He told me he's happy with that."

I nodded my head "Have you already spoken to Alice?"

"Yes." Stefan replied quietly as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out papers, I took them from him as a tear escaped my eyes, Alice and Hal had already signed them, so has Jennifer and Stefan.

"I'm officially your daughter." I muttered, this was happening way to fast. I ran my fingers through my hair, turning to face him. "How did you convince Alice?" Surely she wouldn't have just sighed them.

"It was hard, she put up a good fight." Stefan responded "But then she looked at Jennifer and I and something changed in her eyes and she just sighed the papers." Apart of me knows she didn't just change her mind that fast.

I nodded again and stood up and walked towards the mirror, I was officially a Lodge.

Juliet Lodge.

Authors Note,
I did this for a reason, Bear with me
~Robyn