A Falice Story

6. It'll Never Change

"Ali?! Come on! Are you almost ready?" FP shouts from downstairs. "Yeah, I'll be down there in a sec!" I finish curling the last few pieces of hair. I take a step back from the vanity, "Okay, Alice. Everything is going to be fine. You have nothing to worry about," I say quietly, trying to pump myself up for this. I run my hands through my hair, separating the curls anxiously. I give up trying to stall and start for downstairs. 

"Wow, you look--amazing," FP remarks with utmost sincerity. I'm only wearing a flowy hot pink button-up top and black skinny jeans--but being I've been so sick lately, he really hasn't seen me very put together. I've never been one to take a compliment--usually I would tell him he's just biased, or I really don't look that beautiful; but today was different. I needed to hear that from him. 

"Thanks, babe," I smile and walk out the door in front of him. He's shocked that I didn't try to fight his compliment. He grabs my hand when we get in the car, "Everything is going to be just fine, Ali." I smile, a genuine 'I really do believe him' smile, and press my lips against his, "Let's go see our baby." 

*

What we didn't know was that Betty and Jughead left school early that day. 

"Come on Jug! We have to figure out what they're hiding."  Jughead groans, "Betty--come on. It's our parents. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt, huh?" She pouts, "I know my mother, and she will not crack. There is no way they're going to tell us on their own." 

He runs a hand through his hair in defeat, "Well--what is it then? What do you think they're trying to hide?" Betty stops halfway up the stairs and turns to look at him, "Jug--I'm not sure, but I have a suspicion that we might be getting a new member of the family pretty soon." He looks confused, "Wait, what?" She pulls his hand, dragging him up to their parents' bedroom. 

"My mom has been so emotional lately, the slightest little thing makes her cry--" she starts going through dresser drawers feverishly, "She's been sick too--remember this morning? I know I heard her puking in the bathroom one night." Jughead watches her, "Are you saying?" She nods, "She's pregnant, Jug. I know she is." He sits on the bed in shock, "How are you so calm about this?!?" 

"I'm not! If it's true and our parents are having a baby, that means we are going to share a sibling--which is going to make our relationship a thousand times weirder!" He groans and leans back, flopping onto the bed. He quickly rethinks it and shoots up, "Ugh, God I don't want to be anywhere near where it happened." 

"Help me look!" Betty tells him. "Look for what?" He questions, joining her. She moves to the closet, "Anything that points to her being pregnant--like the test, or prenatal vitamins...a sonogram?" Jug starts looking, but pauses, "Jeez, Betty. Can't we just ask them point blank when they get home? I really don't want to stumble upon--well, you know..." She just rolls her eyes, "Oh, grow up! It's not like it's a secret that they--well, you know..." He just groans, trying to block out any mental picture of their parents, "Why'd you have to say that?"

Jughead starts looking through his father's nightstand, finding a box of condoms. "Well these clearly didn't do a damn thing!" He tosses them aside, "You know, your mom was the one who was always telling us to be safe. She should have taken her own advice!" 

"Your dad is responsible too! Don't blame it all on her!" Betty shouts, defending her mother, which comes as a surprise to herself and Jughead. "Sorry," he apologizes, and goes back to looking. After a few seconds he finds something that looks like a marker, "Oh god, oh god, oh god!" he lifts it out, quickly tossing it on the bed and Betty knows exactly what he found. The test landed upside down, "Well, way to go Jug! Now we have to touch it again!" Betty complains. She pauses, an immense amount of fear hitting her, "I--I don't want to know."