Overcast Night Stars

31: Just Another Day

Chapter 31- Just Another Day

A few hours later, Two former friends gather at the local diner, sitting and talking while the other stared at her untouched hot liquid beverage sitting by her hand. You could tell that the friend was dragged out of the comforts of her home.

"Al, You should really eat something." Mary suggested as she placed a comforting touch on Alice's hand.

Alice was unphased by the gesture and rolls her eyes at her two friends. She thought it was ridiculous how they were so concerned about her and didn't give her any place. She didn't want to leave her home. She didn't want to leave her bed. All she wanted was to curl up in a ball and drink. She didn't want to out in public and everyone staring. She hated the attention she was getting.

"No... I'm not hungry." She lies through her teeth as she look down at the coffee cup with an unsatisfied expression on her features.

Hermione bites on her tongue as she knows that Alice was just being stubborn like she usually was. She knows that Alice did this back in high school. She hated how this was going. Alice was starting to block people out of her life and act like she was all alone in the world. Even Fp hinted that he got her drinking more than usual. Mary also side eyes Hermione with worry in her eyes. She knows that Alice acts like this when something goes one and she's afraid that Alice might not be able to get out of the fog this time.

With her hands arranged on the table, Mary slowly hands Alice a piece of dry toast and jelly. Alice rolls her eyes and snatched the bread from Mary's hand. "Fine! I'll eat!" She snapped out of nowhere.

Her fuse was getting shorter and shorter by each day Koel was gone. Her friends were worried that the Alice they knew and loved was gone forever. Even her family was getting concerned about her health. Betty and Cheryl who both struggle with mental issues and thoughts were also scared for her. Betty's never seen her mother act like this. It was a only thing and it's been scaring her ever since.

"Okay."

"I was just worried, Al."

"Don't be, I'm fine."

But they knew that was a lie. Everyone knew she was far from okay. "I'm fine" was code for I'm not. Everyone knew that. They were just watching a trainwreck fall to pieces.

Fp was at Fred's house finally calmed down and sees his son curled up on Archie's bed holding a raggedy stuffed dog. He smirks at his son's sleeping form when he sees hot dog in Jughead's arms. His son would carry that thing everywhere with him. No matter the place; he still brought it.

He slowly shakes his head and enters the room. The room instantly grows colder and Fp doesn't understand why. He sits his weight on Red's bed and strokes his son's raven curls with two delicate fingers. Fp Jones was not known for affection. But over the months since Jughead's attack. He's been more cautious. He still blames himself for what happened and still frequently wants to drink.

It's been his struggle for years; only just a year ago. He came to the realization. Now that Koel is still missing; his drinking urges increase. He's still afraid and worried for Alice's sake. He knows that she's struggling with the loss and he wants to make it all perfect again. But the truth was— perfect didn't exist. Not in the Jones or Smiths. That was just the reality; unfortunately that was just how it was. Or—- it is. 

"Jug." He softly says as he lightly rocked his son's from his sleep.

He hears his son's groans and sighs as he tries again. His son was always impossible to wake up. "What?" Jughead mutters as he rubs his tired eyes.

"It's time to wake up."

A groan pushes forward," Fine." Jughead was far from ready. He didn't want to keep remembering these past two days.

Dinner was quiet; just like it had been for a couple days. Nobody really talked. Alice stared at the wine glass and Fp looked at her with worry in his eyes. Betty, Cheryl and Jughead still were trying to figure out who could've possible stolen Koel. Cheryl had come to the idea that Mr Keller was right. It was a crime of passion. The only thing that didn't add up. Was that who ever took Koel wanted what? Revenge? For what? That didn't make any sense to Cheryl. Jughead's head was clouded by the missing person at the table. And soon the Jones family could return home. What kind of home could it be without their complete family? Koel was the happiness in the dark family tree. He was the problem solver. All Jughead knew was that it was up to him and the whole town to find him.

Nov. 6th. 2018

Day three the investigation was still on going. There was still no new leads. Which worried the Jones family. Fp started to struggle more and more with his Substance abuse problems. He didn't like or actually hated how his problems took a toll on his life. It caused his behavior to change exponentially. Unfortunately that didn't help the rest of the family.

Jughead sat in class staring at clocks with the inability to focus. His eyes kept moving from one side of the clock to the other side. Betty and Cheryl couldn't focus on school either. It seemed like neither of them could. Koel's kidnapping was taking a toll on the Jones. Like or not. It was.

Fp was in the living room, looking through the photo album of Koel's first memories. A bunch pointed out Fp and Koel laughing and others were just plain silly. And others were a — Slap to the face. A painful, excruciating slap to the face.

"Fp?" He looked up from the album. His eyes staring to cave into the weakness. He looked up and saw Alice's dark circles underneath her eyes. She had just as much pain as he did. Maybe even more than he had.

"Hmm?" His voice was quiet was his fingers laced the page with his index finger. "Tom has some news." Fp's eyes quickly shifted over to Alice.

His heart pounded. What kind of new? He needed a miracle. Even if it wasn't a miracle it was something. At least he hoped for one. "What?"

"Come on, Station now!" Alice's voice ordered as she grabbed his arm and pulled him along.

They needed a miracle. More than anything at that point. Nothing else would matter until their son was found, alive and unharmed.