The Sad Breakfast Club // BUGHEAD + VARCHIE + KEVIN

SEPT

"So...what's your poison?"

~ Andrew Clark, The Breakfast Club (1985)

🌻🌻🌻

VERONICA

MR. WEATHERBEE CAME BACK into the library just in time for lunch.

"Go ahead, you have forty-five minutes to eat your lunch."Mr. Weatherbee spoke, his face a blank expression and his voice stern. He stood at the aisle of the tables, facing all of us, his hands hidden behind his body. The students stood up all at once, lunchbags ready and in hand, but were all cut off from their movements by the principal's next words. "You will all remain in the library, you will eat your lunch here."

"Sir, I think the cafeteria will be a much more suitable place for us to eat our lunch."Archie spoke, but was only glared at by Mr. Weatherbee. "I will not risk having all five of you out of this library—Lord knows what escape plan you're all brewing in those troublesome heads of yours."

"Will milk be made available to us?"Jughead asked, leaning forward, ready to stand once Mr. Weatherbee started shaking his head to answer his question. "You know what? I'll get the milk myself."Jughead smirked, now on his feet, taking a step away from his chair and whistling softly. Mr. Weatherbee quickly snapped forward, a look of warning on his face.

"Sit down! Someone else will get it."Mr. Weatherbee said through gritted teeth, looking at each and everyone of the students, who looked at him expectantly. Jughead let out a sigh and sat back down on his seat. "I told you, I volunteer myself to get it."He insisted, but Weatherbee ignored him and looked down at Archie. "You, get up."He said, snapping his fingers at Archie, who stood up immediately.

"I can accompany him."Jughead volunteered, but once again was ignored by Weatherbee. He pointed his finger to Veroncia's direction, snapping his fingers at her as well. "Hey, you! What's your name again?"He yelled, snapping his fingers once again to get Veronica's attention. Veronica turned to face him, a glare on her face and fire in her eyes. Clealry she was not used to her name being forgotten—she was a New York socialite, after all.

"Go with Mr. Andrews."Mr. Weatherbee commanded, leaving no room for argument, and Veroncia groaned as she was forced to stand up from her seat and walk out of the library. "Get back here as soon as you get the drinks."

"Preferably milk, but I'm cool with anything."Jughead called out as Veronica and Archie made their way out of the library, leaving as much space between them as possible. Veronica looked so different from Archie, dressed in her black splendor while Archie was decorated with the blues and golds of his letterman jacket.

The trip to the vending machine was silent, neither Veronica nor Archie knew what to say to each other. Veronica walked with her head held high, her purse in hand and her stilettos echoing along the hallways as she walked. Archie, on the other hand, walked with his head hanging low, kicking the air with his feet and his hands shoved int eh pockets of his jacket.

"So, what's your poison?"Archie asked, not knowing what else to say. He cursed himself silently for asking such a question. Who asks a stranger that? Archie thought to himself, wanting to slap himself hard for not being able tot control his mouth. Veronica turned her head to him and glanced at him, confused by his intentions of asking but answered anyways. "Vodka."

"Vodka?"Archie asked, looking at her with a raised eyebrow. "When do you drink vodka?"His interest has piqued, not knowing someone who would go all out on vodka. He had some mates who would kill for beer, but never vodka. Veronica scoffed and rolled her eyes at him, clearly unimpressed with him.

"Oh my god, I'm kidding!"She told him, and immediately Archie pursed his lips. How was he supposed to know that she was kidding? It was hard to tell if she was, because if she really was joking, then it clearly didn't show on her face. "Diet Coke."Veronica soon muttered once they reached the vending machine. Archie turned to look at her, his brows raised in question. He hadn't heard what she said.

"Diet Coke."

JUGHEAD

A BURGER FROM POP'S was all Jughead had for lunch. He had devoured it just as quickly as he tore the wrapper away from it, and he was already leaning back on his seat, feet propped up on the table. A part of him was hoping that Betty would talk to him, or even look his way.

"What did you have for lunch?"Jughead asked softly, unsure whether Betty heard him, or if Kevin did as well. Maybe Kevin would answer him, thinking that he was asking him and not Betty. They weren't on speaking terms, and he hated it. Besides, he always loved annoying her.

"Sushi."To his surprise, Betty replied, and Jughead's eyes widened as he nodded his head slowly. Betty made no move to look back at him, though, but hearing her voice was enough for him. "What about you?"She asked.

"Burger."He replied, keeping his voice low, but in the corner of his eye he could see Kevin looking at them. "That's all you ate?"Betty asked, keeping her gaze straight ahead. Jughead was staring at the back of her head, at her blonde hair which was fixed into a tight ponytail, the same way it's been ever sicne he knew her. Despite the fact that she couldn't see him, Jughead still nodded his head in reply.

"It was all I had."He replied, and he could hear her gulp softly. Betty knew all about Jughead's life, how much his parents pushed him aside and hated him, and gave him nothing. She knew that he had to basically fight for just a scrap of some food, and claw his way in society just so he can have a job—if being a Serpent is one—so he could provide himself with his basic needs. And it shouldn't be like that. His parents should be there for him, but they're not.

But Betty knew Jughead didn't need her pity.

"What's so good about burgers that you can't stop eating them?"

"What's so good about raw fish that you still bear to eat them?"

Jughead didn't see it, but Betty smiled.

KEVIN

THE UNIVERSE IS A bîtch.

It works in so many mysterious, crappy ways. One second it's fine, the next it's not. One second the world's spinning around you, and the next, it's falling apart and crumbling underneath your feet.

He watched the exchange of words between the golden-haired girl and the dark-haired boy. He couldn't peel his eyes off them, he didn't know why. But Kevin knew one thing for sure—it was that in that moment, all he could see was a beanie-wearing boy staring at the ponytail-wearing girl, and she was avoiding his gaze.

It was a beautiful moment, really. The small smiles they sneaked in while they talked, knowing that the other one wouldn't see it. The glint of light in their eyes when the other replied, when they weren't expecting them to reply at all. The way Jughead changes his demeanor when he's alone with Betty, compared to when he's with Archie or anyone else. And Kevin would be lying if he said he didn't see that small blush on Betty's cheeks when Jughead started talking to her and broke the thick wall of ice that have built between them.

It's safe to say that Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones were on speaking terms again.