Weirdo - Jughead Jones

21: The Car

damn that's a bit o reads

Alice Cooper was at a loss for words.

"You locked me up here. You kept this from me!" Polly sobbed and moved toward Alice before being pulled back by nurses. "No!" Betty started toward her but was also held back.

"Betty." I took a step forward but Jughead took my hand. He didn't want me to be restrained by a nurse myself.

Polly was sobbing as she was dragged away, struggling against their hold. Once her objections died down Betty turned to her mother, tears on her cheeks. She opened her mouth to say something but Alice beat her to it.

"Not now, Elizabeth, we're going." She took Betty's wrist and tugged.

"Get your hands off my daughter, you junkie," spat a new voice.

I turned to see my mother, who was glaring at Jughead. "Mom?" I didn't have time to ask before she ripped me away from him.

"Thank you for calling me, Alice," my mother said. She threw me a look. "Come on, Madison."

"Wait." I looked back at Jughead. He stared back in surprise. "Jug—"

"He can take the bus. Isn't that how you three schemed on getting to this place?"

I didn't answer and gave an apologetic look to Jughead as I was dragged away. He gave me a nod of reassurance, but worry tinted his features. I looked back again before we turned the corner.

Silent anger was heavily present during the car ride home. I stared out the window, unable to look or talk to her.

"You were never one to disobey, Madison." My mom spoke quietly when we entered our house.

I still didn't look at her. "Yeah, well I didn't think you would throw a fucking bottle at your daughter's hea—"

My face was stinging before I could see what had happened. The slap came so quickly. I saw the smallest look of regret cross her face before disappearing as soon as it had come. "You don't talk to me that way," she said. "Now, I'm going back to work. I had to leave what I was doing to pick your unruly ass up from that place." She picked up her purse and was out the door quickly.

My head had been thrown to the side from the impact and I raised it after the door slammed shut.

She wasn't even drunk this time.

I brushed my hair out of my face, careful to avoid the part of my face that stung. I inspected it in the bathroom mirror, wincing when I prodded the light bruise that was forming. My tears were silent as I walked into my room and shut the door. I slowly changed into a t-shirt and pajama shorts, my arms weak. I didn't care that I hadn't eaten, or that it was barely twilight. I simply climbed into bed and shut my eyes tight.

I wanted everything to go away. The murder, the lies, the fear, the anger. I wanted to go back to seven years ago. Everything was different now. We had all grown up too fast.

A tapping noise made me pry my eyes open. I raised my head to find the source and saw Jughead outside my window.

He watched as I stepped out of bed and walked to the window, opening it. I tried to make it look like I hadn't been crying.

I nodded at his permission seeking look and he climbed through the window and into my room. Once his feet hit the floor my body threw itself around him and I cried more. So much for hiding it.

Jughead immediately wrapped his arms around me tightly. "Hey," He said softly. "What's going on?" He pulled away and looked at me. His eyes were pulled toward the hint of darker color on my cheek. His eyebrows pulled together in concern. "Was this your mom?"

I looked away, unable to speak. From the corner of my eye I saw his jaw clench. I sat on my bed and invited him to sit next to me. When he did I pressed against him and sighed. "I'm sorry," I managed to choke out.

"Stop saying that," said Jughead. He wrapped his arm around me and brought me close.

"Jughead, this town...."

He slowly rubbed my arm. "I know." He was silent for a moment. "But, hey. I gotta love some detective work with my weirdo."

I chuckled. "As I with mine." I looked at him and smiled.

His eyes darted between mine as he leaned in and kissed me. I responded immediately, still smiling. His other hand came to my leg as he turned me more toward him. Neither of us pulled away for longer than a gasp for air.

But before the kiss led to uncharted territory it was interrupted by my phone ringing.

We took a moment pulling away both startled and out of breath.

I blushed and chuckled as I reached for my phone. I could feel the question hanging excitedly in the air; what could have happened?

"Hello?" I caught my breath and spoke into the phone.

"The car!" I heard Betty's urgent voice.

"What?"