Braking Hard (Riverdale-Jughead Jones)

5

I sat in the desk chair early morning, waiting for Mary to arrive. As she did I began fixing bikes, my eye on the Honda waiting to one side of the garage.

I soon lost myself in cars and bikes, and just as I was leaning over a Porsche engine I heard a clatter.

"Welcome, Jughead Jones, to the knocking things over championship!" I put on an announcers voice and made the sound of an audience cheering.

He chuckled and picked up the empty oil can he had knocked over. I wiped my hands on my trousers and shut the bonnet of the car. He smirked as I headed over to his bike and pushed it to him.

"Try it." He looked at me warily, but started the bike up. It purred to life and he looked down in surprise.

"It sounds perfect!" I smiled and threw a rag hanging from my pockets over to the table, unbuttoning the top of my overalls.

"Well like you said yesterday, I'm the best mechanic in Riverdale. Who referred you to me?" I asked, pulling the overalls down to reveal my normal attire of a baggy plaid shirt and sweats.

"No one, I just got told about you and decided to see if what I heard was right. Toni Topaz?" I nodded and hummed.

"Toni's always been a good friend. She likes to hand my name along to anyone she thinks needs me." I explained, pulling my hair into a pony tail.

"So do you often get serpents?" Jughead asked, leaning on his bike..

"Often?" I flicked the light switch so he could see all the serpent bikes filling up the opposite side of the garage. "Most of my customers ARE serpents." I threw my overalls onto a hook and flick the light off again, grabbing Jughead's bike from him and pushing it out of the garage so I could grab the stool and pull the door down.

He watched me as I did and smiled slightly when I stepped down from the stool. I led him over to the office.

"Talk to Mary, she'll get payment sorted so you can go." I pointed him to Mary as I grabbed my school bag and my keys, throwing them over my shoulder.

"Late again Alison?" I head Louis behind me and grinned at him.

"Of course. Wouldn't be a normal day if I wasn't." I smirked and went to leave but Jughead stopped me.

"Wait, so even if you leave now, you'll be late?" He asked. I nodded in reply and turned to the door, but he once again stoped me. "Look I'll give you a lift."

"But we don't go to the same school, you'll end up being late." I sighed.

"I go to southside high. You really think it matters if I'm late?" He mocked. I smiled awkwardly and held the door for him. "Come on then, I don't have a spare helmet though..." He trailed off as I picked up a helmet from the side of the room and smiled at him.

I strapped it on and grinned. "Come on then." I tapped the top of my head and ran over to his bike, hitching my bag up.

He chuckled and jumped on, letting me wrap my arms round him to hang on, and starting the bike on, driving out of the yard and towards Riverdale High.

As we reached the school I hopped off and gave him a big hug. "Thanks for the lift, now get to school!" I watched him smiled goodbye and drive off, clicking off my helmet and running inside just as the first bell rang and students began making their way to class.

I thought to myself. This was the first time I hadn't been late in about 2 years. I jogged into my Spanish class and smiled to myself as the teacher began getting us to recite clothes options in Spanish.

When it got to lunch, I again grabbed a single apple and went to sit by the tree but as I did I was pulled aside by a hand. I shrieked and hit it.

"Oh my god, sorry I didn't mean to scare you!" I turned to see a blonde ponytail and frowned in confusion.

"It's ok, why are you talking to me?" I said, getting straight to the point.

"Well," Betty started. "Jug told me yesterday that you came here, and that you were fixing his bike for him. I was wondering if you wanted to sit with me?" I stayed silent and looked over to her normal table.

"With?"

"Oh sorry, Archie and Kevin are there, but that's it." I sighed and nodded reluctantly, letting myself be dragged over eagerly by the blondie.

"Hey guys, guys meet Ali." I looked at her in confusion. Ali?

"Nice to meet you." Archie spoke lowly, before turning back to the guitar on his lap. As Kevin faced me I sent him a glare, encouraging him not to say anything before smiling.

"Nice to meet you guys. I think." I bit into the apple and everyone was silent.

"So. Jug said you ran the auto shop?" Betty attempted to make conversation.

"Yeah, Cogs and Gears. My dad left it to me." I replied, spinning the apple in my hand.

Everyone went quiet again and I bit the inside of my lip nervously. Even though they were making an effort they still weren't really bothered about me, I could tell.

The rest of lunch passed in an awkward silence, the only commotion being when Veronica popped over to remind Betty of the Vixens practice.

"So, who are you? Are you new?" Cheryl asked as she stopped at our table. I rolled my eyes and looked down, my half eaten apple on the wood.

"No Cheryl, I've been in the same class as you since 7th Grade. I'm just not the person you would normally notice." I explained, not looking her in the eyes.

"You know, if you actually bothered with your clothes, and washed whatever that black stuff is, off, you'd be great as a Vixen. Follow me, my handle is-" She went to rattle off her handle but I instantly stopped her.

"@CherylBombshell I know. Don't worry." I told her. She smiled and stalked off and I groaned slightly. Betty chuckled and Archie sniggered, and I shot a joking glare at them.

"You know she's right. You're the perfect model for a Vixen." Betty commented. I snorted at this.

"Are you kidding me? Thanks Betty, but it's not my thing. A, I'm the clumsiest person alive, and B, this bike oil, and this sense of style?" I said, holding out my clothes and a piece of my hair. "Is the only thing making me unique."

We all let out a small laugh and I smiled slightly, despite still being wary of the group.