Braking Hard (Riverdale-Jughead Jones)

15

"Thought we were in the middle of an argument anyways Jug?" I spoke to him as he sat next to me on his laptop.

I turned slightly in my hospital bed, putting down the magazine I had been reading and waiting for him to answer.

"How could we ever stay mad at each other?" He chuckled and I retaliated by blowing a raspberry at him.

"Anyways, the doctor said that my surgery needed at least 5 days observation in here, and then at least 6 weeks recovery and rest at home." I told him. He grinned at me and I huffed. "Don't you dare say it."

"I won't!" Jughead raised his arms in the air and a long silence followed before he spoke again. "No yard work for you!"

I grabbed the magazine and hit his arm with it jokingly as he trying to lean out of my reach.

The door swung open and we both turned to see Garret and Mary walking in. Garret and Jughead locked eyes and glared at each other slightly before I whacked Jughead again.

"Hey Ali, how are you?" Mary said softly, sitting next to me.

"Doing fine thanks to you two. Police said you guys called the ambulance." I was super grateful to them.

"Yeah, we came to work boss, but you were in front of the gate." Garret told me, and then Mary continued.

"At first we thought you might have fallen asleep, goodness knows you work that much, but then we saw the blood. Garret saw the hole in the fence and walked round to try and help you whilst I called the ambulance."

I frowned when she mentioned the hole in the fence and groaned. "God I still have to pay to get that fixed don't I?"

Mary and Garret sent each other a slight glance and I looked back and forth between them.

"Well, we all back at the yard, knew you would be worried about that, so we put our resources together and we already payed to have it fixed for you!" Mary told me with a slight squeal.

I smiled widely and giggled at how excited she was.

"You didn't have to Mare, honestly." I tried to protest but she shook her head at me.

"It's all we owe you Ali. But, we also have some bad news." She turned solemn all of a sudden and I sent a worried glance at Jughead.

"Gina, boss. She's quit." Garret inputted.

"She didn't want to work somewhere the Black Hood had targeted." Mary told me.

I frowned and turned to look at Jughead. "I guess I have to start advertising then."

Cheryl and Toni were sat next to my bed once again and I gossiped with them for a good half an hour before Betty and surprisingly, Veronica showed up.

"Hi, Alison. I know we haven't really met, but I know you're friends with Betty and Jug, so I came to say hi and that I hope you're better soon." She spouted to me, putting a bouquet of orchids and a box of cupcakes on the table next to me.

"Veronica you didn't have to come." I chuckled

"I felt like I should." She smiled as she sat next to Cheryl.

"That's a point, I feel like I should stay for an extra few weeks Ali, just to make sure you're relaxing." Cheryl told me and I sighed.

"Honestly Cheryl, I will not fix any bikes until I'm better." I held my hand up.

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die." I mimed crossing my heart but Toni frowned.

"Please don't say that. Almost reminds me you could have died!" She told me. I laughed aloud and turned to face her.

"But I didn't."

"That's not the point." Betty said pointedly.

"Oh Betty, that reminds me. Despite you being a beginner, you did a pretty good job on Reggie's Chevelle, and I have a spot on my team going. Want a job?" She looked at me in shock and I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Seriously?" She seemed surprised.

"Yes, seriously."

"Oh my gosh, well, I'll have to think about it." She looked at Veronica and I smiled

"No problem. Cheryl, do you reckon you can use up what's left in my fridge? I don't want anything to go weird." I said, turning my attention to the fiery haired vixen next to me.

"Of course Ali, in fact, I'll get you some new groceries when you come home as well." She turned to smirk at Veronica and stood up.

"Let me guess, you're going to go terrorise people?" Veronica spat at her as she turned to leave.

"Veronica, please don't, Cheryl is my friend." I begged and Veronica looked down slightly.

"Sorry Alison, just habit."

"What did you tell the police?" Toni cut in. I could tell she was just trying to break the awkward tension but I sighed anyway and told them.

"Just what happened. That the Black Hood was in my yard and attacked me. I didn't see anything more than what Archie had seen when his dad was attacked." I said confidently.

"Why did he target your uterus? Were you-"

"No Betty, I was not pregnant. But I was a sinner. Last year, not long after my 15th birthday, I had an abortion." Everyone went silent and I rolled my eyes. "I wasn't ready to be a mother, and I guess the black hoods way of making me pay for my sins, was by forbidding me to ever have a child, since I had killed one." I told them.

Betty put a hand in my shoulder and I smiled gratefully.

"It's not a big deal, but-" I started.

"No, it is a big deal Ali. We'll stop this guy ok?" Betty comforted.

I placed my hand on top of hers and closed my eyes, thinking about how lucky I was to have friends like this.