Just Friends ▻ Jughead Jones

16

Victoria laughed as she stood with her mother and sister near a pool table in the Whyte Wyrm. Victoria didn't really feel comfortable being in the bar unlike Alex and her mother, this wasn't her place to be like it was for them. She wasn't a Serpent, she was a Bulldog. But, of course, Alex had insisted on spending time there instead of at Pop's because she was sick of being there, seeing as she worked there.

Alex and Victoria were taking turns with the same pool stick as they played against their mother, who seemed to be the master at the game that most Serpents played at the Whyte Wyrm when they were there.

"How do you know how to play so good!" Victoria asked her mother amazed.

A wide grin formed on Eliza's face as she looked over at her daughter, "Well, I've had years of practice. FP and I used to play against each other almost every Friday night back in high school."

Victoria smiled to herself, almost forgetting all about her mother and Jughead's father being childhood best friends. Hell, they were still best friends, "Mom, were you and FP ever more than friends?" Victoria asked her mother curiously.

"No, no, definitely not. Totally platonic," her mother answered as if it were obvious, which it kind of was.

"Unlike you and Jughead." Alex commented, playing it off as a cough, "Sorry, I think I'm catching some type of cold lately."

Victoria scoffed at her sister, while Eliza laughed, "What do you mean? I don't like Jughead like that, okay? He's just a friend." She argued, even though it was a total lie.

"You like Jughead, admit it," Alex smiled as she took her shot on the pool table, "You're in love with your best friend."

Victoria was going to argue until her mother spoke up, "If you like Jughead like Alex says you do, I say go for it, Tori. Tell him how you feel and he doesn't feel the same way, it's his loss."

"Plus, if he doesn't, there's other fish in the sea," Alex smirked as she looked around at her surroundings. She immediately stopped on Sweet Pea, who was in the middle of talking to Joaquin across the bar, "What about Sweet Pea? He's extremely good-looking, tall, protective of the things he loves, from the Southside--"

Before Alex could finish her sentence, Eliza cut her daughter off, "And definitely not going anywhere near my daughter. He's a total hothead and sleeps with any girl he can get his hands on," Eliza informed her, "What you need is a Northside boy, things will go so much easier if you do. You won't ever have to worry about choosing sides. What about that boy, Reggie? Isn't he in line to be co-captain of the football team with you?"

Victoria shook her head, "I'll pass on that. He's literally the dumbest person I've ever met and he picks on Jughead, which is a no no in my book."

"What about Archie?" Alex suggested, "Good looking, check. Trustworthy, check. Has been swooning over you since the third grade, check. Gets along with Jughead, check..."

"He banged a teacher, Alex, I'm not going anywhere near his diseased dick. Who knows what kind of diseases he contracted from that pedophile." Victoria argued and both Alex and Eliza looked at her shocked.

"But didn't you make out with him and spend the night at his house?" Alex questioned and Victoria frowned in confusion.

"How do you know about that?" Victoria gasped.

"I was working my shift at Pop's when I heard Jughead telling Archie off about it. They're both awfully protective of you, that's for sure." Alex explained while Eliza was still stuck on her daughter staying the night at Archie's house

"Remember when I told you you're allowed to stay at Archie's house when he invites you over for a sleepover?" Eliza asked her daughter.

"Yeah?" Victoria asked her mother confused.

"Yeah, you're not allowed to do that anymore," Eliza told her daughter, laughing to play it all off.

Just then, Sweet Pea and Joaquin walked over to where the three blonde females stood, causing Victoria to become deeply confused, "Hey, Joaquin, Sweet Pea." Both Eliza and Alex greeted the two younger Serpents.

"Joaquin," Victoria greeted the boy with a bright smile before turning to Sweet Pea, "Oh, look, it's the asshole who tried to kick me out of the Wyrm. Come to do it again, Sweetie Pie?"

"Actually," Joaquin spoke up, "He came here to apologize."

Victoria couldn't help but laugh, which earned her a glare from the whole group, "Wait, you're serious?" She asked confused.

Sweet Pea seemed annoyed by this, but still began to talk, "Look, I'm sorry for trying to kick you out of the Whyte Wyrm the other day, but you really look like a Northsider with your jacket. I hate that side of town so I tried to kick you out because I thought you were one of them." He apologized to her, but Victoria really didn't really believe it.

"You're shitty at apologies, but apology accepted."

___________

The next day at school, Victoria sat alongside Archie, Reggie, and Coach Clayton in his office. Coach Clayton was just about to tell the boys who made Co-Captain alongside Victoria. She already knew it was Archie, but something told her that her friend was going to decline the offer to focus more on music.

"I saw a lot of fire and hustle," Coach Clayton began to explain, "From both of you and  Victoria this week. And almost too close to call."

Both Reggie and Archie turned around in their seats and watched as Coach Clayton went to get the new jersey for whoever made Co-Captain. They both stood up alongside Victoria to made their way over.

"Now, Reggie," Coach began to speak up and Reggie smiled, thinking he had got it, "Your time will come. But for this season at least,  this is your new number, Archie, seeing as you took it upon yourself to retire Jason's. Which was the right call and what exactly a captain should do and would do."

Archie looked down at the jersey Coach Clayton was holding out in front of him, "Dude, are you insane? Take the freakin' jersey." Victoria insisted.

"I can't..." Archie trailed off, "I can't, Coach. I love playing football, but your starting line deserves two captains whose only love is football. Somebody like Reggie and Tori."

"What?" Reggie and Victoria both asked confused before Reggie started to understand what was happening.

"I mean...Yeah," Reggie told Coach confidently.

"What, you quitting on me, Andrews?" Coach Clayton asked the redhead in front of him confused.

"No," Archie shook his head in response, "And I hope you don't cut me from the team because I freaking love being a Bulldog, but that part of me I would have to give to you if I were captain alongside Tori, I gotta save that for something else."

Victoria couldn't help but smile at her best friend, feeling proud of him.