Braking Hard (Riverdale-Jughead Jones)

7

I woke up to a loud banging on the door to my trailer and I groaned loudly, pulling the curtain hiding my bed away and throwing myself down where the table would normally stand.

I looked down at my outfit. Large baggy plaid PJ's. I shrugged and opened the door slightly, wincing at the bright light.

I hated sunday's.

Fred Andrews was stood outside my door, a wrench in his hand and a guilty look on his face. I crossed my arms and shot him a pointed look.

"McFarlane, I need your help."

"Go on Mr Andrews?" I asked, motioning for him to come in.

I pulled the table out and let him sit down by it, offering a cup of tea which he politely declined.

"So my diggers not starting up. I've tried figuring out the problem on my own, I can't do it. I'm a builder. I need a mechanic. Reckon you can come look at it? Obviously I can't bring it to your yard, it's way too big, and I know you do house calls for the city buses." He asked, holding out the wrench.

I smiled slightly and took it from him, sliding into the seat opposite.

"Of course I will Mr Andrews. I don't know how long it will take but as soon as I've got my toolbox and some proper clothes on, I'll head down and see what I can do." He smiled brightly and stood.

"Thank you! I'd better get back down there, and I'm sorry about waking you up, I've been working through the night which is why I came so early!" I chuckled and let him out.

"It's no problem at all Mr Andrews!" As I shut the door my face fell slightly and I groaned. House calls on a Sunday?

I looked out the window to see Mr Andrews walking towards the exit of the trailer park, but as he did a trailer door popped open, and Mr Thinks He's So Funny stuck his head out.

They began talking for a second, and I winced, unable to hear them from so far, and my eyebrows raised when Mr Andrews nodded in my direction.

I saw Jughead looked confused, and I squatted down as soon as I saw Mr Andrews turn to point directly at La Bella Vita.

I swore under my breath and waddled over to my closest, hoping Jughead didn't come over this early. Just in case, I pulled out a pair of sweats and a plaid top to match my PJ's and some socks and shoes.

I stumbled into the bathroom as I stood, and quickly pulled my PJ's off, jumping into my pants as I did.

Once I was fully dressed, in a record time I might add, I began putting my loose messy hair into a fishtail braid, not bothering to brush it.

As I was pulling the hair tie over the end of the braid, I heard a knock at the door and groaned, stumbling out of the bathroom and towards the door.

Jughead Jones was stood outside the door with a wide smile on his face as I opened it.

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms, my raised eyebrows asking the question for me.

It's a Sunday, why the hell are you here?

"Just hear me out. You promised we could hang out sometimes, and what times better than the present?" He smirked and I growled at him.

In my head so I didn't seem like a complete weirdo.

"When I have time off and don't have to be at work in 15 minutes." I retorted angrily.

"Ouch. Well when your next day off then?
"He asked, watching me as I grabbed some bread and pushed it down in the toaster before grabbing the shop keys from the wall.

"I don't have days off." I explained, tapping my foot impatiently.

"Ahh come on that was unfair. You promised we could hang out."

"And we did. When you gave me a lift to school. And now, when I'm blatantly hinting at you to leave and you won't. There, promise fulfilled." I answered sarcastically.

I grabbed the toast as it popped up and stepped out of the door, watching him step back to let me lock the trailer, and beginning to follow me as I walked towards work.

"So you think that standing outside of a trailer as I watch you get some toast qualifies as hanging out?" I shrugged with the toast hanging from my lips.

"Yeah, why not." As I reached his trailer I paused, looking over at the Honda. "I'm going to need your bike. Now." I held out my hands in demand and Jughead looked at me in confusion.

"Why?" I rolled my eyes and smiled slightly.

"Well you can't give me a lift if we don't have the bike." I said jokingly, poking his chest. He grinned and ran over to it, before letting me climb on.

"Wait, do you have-" I grinned and shook my head.

"Don't worry. It'll be fine. It's only a 5 minute drive." I replied, pushing my keys into my pocket and swallowing the last of my dry toast.

"It's not safe, I thi-" I whacked him on the shoulder gently and he stopped talking.

"Just drive!" As we began driving I let out a whoop of laughter, my hair flying behind my face as a result of the lack of a helmet, and smiled as Jughead turned his head slightly to see me. As we pulled up to Cogs and Gears he helped me off the bike.

"Why don't you have one?" I heard from behind me as I unlocked the gate.

"Huh?"

"A bike. Why don't you have one?" At this I looked at him in disbelief.

"Have you never noticed the football team at RH?" I asked, pushing the gate open. "They think it's funny to run around the parking lot and scratch all the nice cars. If that happened to a bike I owned, I'd go ballistic." I explained, walking over to the office.

"Right. I get it." He followed me, and I sighed.

"Fine. One time we can hang out. Thursday. After school, I can manage maybe an hour." I told him, waving my finger in the air. "But don't forget, it's only the one time, ok?"