Poison | Jughead Jones

Chapter twenty one

The right to remain silent

Bella was perched on one of the torn down tables residing in the south side cafeteria, her mind floating carelessly as her friends chuckled on around her. Her red lipstick was pulled up into a smirk as she whacked Jacks shoulder after a sharp comment caught her attention.

"All I'm saying is, imagine bagging a north sided pep girl. Making someone so good, do something so..." Jack quirked his eyebrows as some of the boys nodded in agreement, and the girls scowled at the notion. Bella hit the side of his head, her eyes rolling and smirk falling graciously.

"I know pep rally cheerleaders darker than you, Jack. Trust me, you'd be the one shaking in your muddied boots." She shot back, her attention drawing to the buzz of her phone as some of the gang howled with laughter.

Betty's innocent beaming face popped up on to her screen and for a minute Bellas thoughts of severing all ties to the north side suddenly began to scream in the back of her head. But something told her to take the call, as why would Betty Cooper be contacting her in school hours if not for something bad.

She excused herself from the table, quickly answering the call and listening to the slur of words suddenly dropping into the air. Bellas body went rigid as she processed what had been going on in the north side whilst she was away.

The whole fabrication of decency crumbling to the floor. The North side was no longer the sweet little town after all. Her face ran cold as her skin turned pale, agreeing to meet the Scooby gang outside the police station immediately.

"What's wrong Pea?" Toni Topaz spoke out as the brunette turned to see the prying eyes of her family. Bella swallowed hard, her mind now racing with a way to get there without anything but her feet.

"Jugheads been arrested. I need a ride to the police station."

*****

Jessebelle thanked her brother for the ride and handed him her helmet, panic resting in her gaze. SweetPea didn't say much as the girl raced away, knowing how much that dweeb meant to her.
She passed Betty Cooper and Archie Andrews without as much as a hello, nodding in acknowledgment before darting for the station.

The rusting door cried on its hinges as it smacked against the wall. Sheriff Keller watched as the disgruntled girl marched to the front office, her expression full of anger.

"What can I..." Keller asked with a small smile, keeping up appearances as the sharp tongued teen cut him off.

"Cut the bullshit." She snapped, landing her some harsh glares from onlooking officers.

"You know I've come to see Jughead Jones." She pressed, her gaze lacking any form of humour as some people snickered at the kids name.

"Unless you're family, Jessebelle. You know that's not allowed." Sheriff Keller sighed, exhaustion clawing at his skin.

"I am family, his family basically raised me." She retorted, heading to the doorway that lead into the interrogation rooms. She knew her way around the police station enough to figure out where the boy would be.

"You're not allowed back there." Keller darted after her, quick on her heels. Pea simply rolled her eyes and carried on searching the rooms, peering into the small multitude of windows that were nestled on the door frames.

"What you're doing is considered illegal, Jessebelle. I could have you arrested." Keller roared, hoping to get the fear of god to rest in her bones.

But how could you possibly scare a snake?

Bella stopped halfway down the corridor, making him believe he had done his job. Instead, she had stopped by the door to the interrogation room she needed. Jughead Jones could see the ball of brunette hair as she whipped around to the sheriff, shock embedding into his skin.

"Arrest me, my ass. I could get Peabody down here in minutes, do you really want me to do that?" Bella shot back, her hand slamming onto the door and an eyebrow arching in the sheriff direction.

"Now, are you going to unlock the door or am I going to have to kick it down? Your choice, sheriff." She stated nonchalantly, her lips pursing as she waited for a response. Keller muttered small profanities as he retrieved his set of keys, shaking his head as he pushed past the girl slightly.

The door creaked open with a yawn, and the sheriff just let the girl slip past; too tired to deal with more anger penned up in such a small body. She grinned, walking into the room with a spring in her step. Bella turned to the sheriff, waving her petite hand as the man began to walk away.

"Thank you mr K."

*****

"Jughead Jones, how do you find yourself in these situations." Bella rolled her eyes as the door clicked shut, a fake look of exasperation painted on his skin. Jughead watched as the girl came forward, disregarding the seat that was opposite him and heading past the table.

"You know how damn worried I was when Betty called?" Bella reprimanded the boy as he rose from his chair, thankful the hand cuffs had been taken off of the restraint lock on the table.

"You know I didn't do it, don't you Bella?" Jughead whispered out, his eyes full of worry and regret as he searched for any sign on the girls face. She sighed, her fingertips grazing his cheeks as he stared down at her, a small smile resting on her lips.

"Jughead Jones, a murderer? You cried when you stepped on a bee when we were four." She laughed softly, letting her hands settle into the warmth of his skin.

"I did not cry." He retorted light heartedly, the pad of his thumb finding her delicate hand.

"I had dust in..."

"in your eye, yeah keep telling yourself that." Bella interrupted him, trying to ignore the fast pace of her heart or the buzzing under her skin when he touched it.

"Is my dad here?" Jughead turned the conversation around, a serious look resting on his expression as he watched the girl falter. Her hands dropped and she stepped back slightly, eyes darting back to the door.

"Archie and his dad are here talking to Keller, Betty has probably been dragged home by mrs Cooper by now. And your dad is on his way, I'm sure of it." Bella smiled sympathetically, knowing being on time wasn't FPs strong suit.

Jughead nodded, falling back into his chair and glancing at the clock that signalled how long he had been held captive with lack of evidence.

"He's trying his best Jug, I can promise you that." Bella pressed, jumping up and resting on the the rickety table.

"As long as you're here." The teenage boy smiled as his gaze fell to the floor, twiddling his fingertips as his mind began to race.

"You think I'd miss you being arrested? After you had a go at a twelve year old me for accidentally trespassing." Bella chuckled, nudging his shoulder as her legs swung idly underneath the tabletop.

"Accidentally trespassing? Pea you lock picked your way into north side middle school to steal the guineapig." Jughead noted, remembering when him and his mother had to come and pick up a disgruntled kid from the police station.

"Yeah, well I was sleep walking." Pea kept up her excuse with a narrowed gaze, smirking at the beanie boy as his mood lightened.

"Sure, you keep telling yourself that."