Underneath ¤ Jughead Jones [2]

six

CHAPTER SIX, SAVING THE CHOCK'LIT SHOPPE

Lauren had stayed home for another two days due to her sudden rise in sickness. Despite pleas from her older sister, friends and boyfriend, she wanted to return to school as soon as possible, the thought of staying home for a whole week sickened her. She had decided to dress light, with a simple hoodie and sweatpants, she knew that nobody was going to look at the way she dressed up when she had almost died the week before.

All the positive attention she was getting from her classmates was blowing her mind completely as she had never been used to people being nice to her and helping her to class when she didn't have Jughead glued to her hip.

Maya had mentioned to Lauren about how she had visited their mother who was unaware of the situation Lauren was previously in was now aware of it.

"She wouldn't stop crying and screaming, it was kind of annoying not gonna lie." Maya spoke as she sat on the sofa opposite of Lauren who chewed on her bread nonchalantly.

"I'm not surprised, honestly." Lauren answered with a roll of her eyes. "I almost died because of her."

Maya sighed, nodding her head as she bit her lip unconsciously. "Are you sure you should go to school?"

"I feel fine." Lauren nodded, closing her eyes just as a knock was heard on the door making her jump onto her feet rather slowly. And walk more slowly towards the door, opening it with a wide smile.

Jughead gave her a knowing look as Lauren gave the boy a quick hug and kiss on the cheek before bidding goodbye to Maya and grabbing her car keys, handing it over to the boy, the same boy helping her to the elevator that would take them down.

"Why do you look unrealistically happy?" Jughead asked finally breaking the silence.

Lauren rolled her eyes. "Is that bad?"

Jughead shrugged his shoulders, a small, smug smile on his face. "I'm just not used to it."

"Neither am I, to be honest, it's weird being happy." Lauren replied, nonchalantly looking down at her shoes.

"Well I'm happy you're happy, you deserve it." Jughead added, putting his arm around her as they exited the elevator.

"How did the meeting with your dad's lawyer go, by the way? We never talked about it, did they negotiate further?" Lauren questioned while getting seated in the car.

Jughead sighed, shaking his head. "He's insisting we take the deal, he said 20 years is nothing if they compare it to what it go to."

"Jug, I'm sorry, that really sucks, I know what it's like." Lauren said with a sad smile, turning her body to face the boy.

"But there has to be something that we can do to get him less time, he's not a murderer, Laur." Jughead, distressed, added, running a quick hand over his beanie.

"Jughead, I believe you, I know your dad, he's done some shitty things but he's not a bad person. You'll get through it, just like I did." Lauren grasped his hand, intertwining their fingers as Jughead looked over at her, resting his head on the seat.

A small smile tugged upon the ends of his lips, him not knowing how it was possible she could lift him up in the worst times. It made him mad that he had ignored his and her feelings for so long and he deeply regretted it. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it with affection he barely ever showed. She smiled as well, Lauren wasn't used to receiving affection just like Jughead wasn't used to giving it.

"It's crazy how long it took me to realize how similar we are." Jughead stated followed by another shake of the head.

Lauren nodded, licking her lips. "It is, you're pretty oblivious."

Jughead rolled his eyes and started the engine, choosing not to respond to the subtle shade Lauren was throwing. With a triumph smile, Lauren relaxed into her seat.

****

"Mayor McCoy."

Both Lauren and Jughead leap onto their feet the moment the mayor had exited her office, though both of them had a mild hate for her, they needed her to be a little bias to help with the Chock'lit shoppe's situation.

"Lauren, Jughead." Mayor McCoy greeted, glancing at Lauren's arm in a sling and her other hand in Jughead's grasp. "I'm so sorry about what happened to you Lauren, how are you doing now?"

Lauren smiled a little awkwardly, wincing at the slight pain in her arm and quickly shakes her head. "I'm really lucky to be alive, so I'm doing well."

"Well, I'm glad." The mayor nodded, glancing at Jughead and proceeding to question the two. "So what can I help you with?"

"The chock'lit shoppe, it's where I work, you know my state, my dad is dead and my mom is in prison so it's my only source of income and it's on the verge of closing." Lauren starts, walking along side Jughead who kept glancing at her quietly.

"And we want Pop Tate to know the town is with him and will always help him. So we were hoping you could mark the building as landmark." Jughead pleaded, his eyebrows dipping as he watched the mayor.

"What if I endorse Pops and the next week someone else is shot" Mayor McCoy said, her face showing no empathy for the teens standing before her. "My priority as Mayor and a mother is to keep the town safe and if Pop's closes down for that, so be it."

"And you're okay with shipping my dad off to prison for a crime he didn't commit?" Jughead added quickly, his face flushed with anger as he pointed an accusatory finger at the women standing ahead of him who was trying to walk away.

Lauren grabbed a hold of his hand again, hoping he would calm. "Your father made mistakes, I'm sure he'll get a fair hearing."

"Rememeber this moment, when you turn your back on Pop Tate and my father."

And with that the boy stormed away from the women with Lauren following close by. Once she got out of the building she saw Jughead, puffing out, his nose red and his face emotionless as Lauren rushed up to him and embracing him, the boy leaning his head on her shoulder.

****

IM SORRY

I'm officially back you guys, I cant apologize for being gone because i was extremely demotivated with writing and anything other than school because it's been hectic getting back into the routine.

But Quicksand just hit 10K and I low-key almost cried :) Thank you guys so much for supporting this book, I can't wait to get in more dpth with this story and it' s plot.

Sidenote; who watched the new riverdale episode of season 3, Archie is finally coming back to me.