Back In Black

Chapter 20; Surrounded by Insanity.

I walk over to the Andrews' house as I had the past few nights on my way home from Pop's. I walked right in, calling out but not getting a response. I get all the way upstairs standing behind Fred.
"I'm... I'm heading out. Sorry to be missing your birthday this weekend, Jug."
"Oh, you will not be missing anything, Mr. Andrews," I stepped in
"Juggie doesn't celebrate his birthday." Fred jumped a little. "What, I called out..." They laughed before Jughead continued.
"Like Kat said, I barely acknowledge my own birthday."
"Arch, can you give me a hand downstairs?" I look between the two. Fred goes to leave before turning around.
"Kat, as much as you are like family..."
"I won't do anything Mr. Andrews, if it makes you feel better I wont even stop in." I laughed.
"Thank you Kat, keep them safe for me yeah?"
"Of course." I laughed as Fred and Archie left the room. I sit on the floor next to Jughead, who paused his game.
"Come here." he whispered. I sat in his lap facing him, my arms draped around his neck.
"Yes, Mr. Jones?" He makes a face
"No." I laugh lightly
"What's up babe?"
"Come to the double feature with me on my birthday." I get a huge smile
"You still do that?"
"Of course." I give him a short kiss.
"I'd love to go." we smile at each other before I climb off of him and look at the TV, he goes back to playing and I just watch. After a few minutes I pull out my sketch pad and start drawing what I see.

The next day I'm walking through the hallway as I over hear Archie and Betty talking, I didn't hear much but I got
"He really doesn't like to make a big deal about it..." and "Actually there were four musketeers" I catch up with Archie.

"Hey Arch. What were you and Betty just talking about?"
"Oh, I just let her know that it was Jug's birthday."
"Why?"
"She deserves to know Kat. She is his friend after all."
"She's gonna make a big deal about it... He's already got plans," I start to walk away before turning around to shout. "With me!"

I walk over to the lunch table just in time to hear Veronica start.
"Enough about my drama. Betty, you were saying something about Jughead's birthday?" I start to sit down, next to Kevin.
"Thats my cue to leave" I mumble before Kevin pulls me down.
"Yeah. Just that Mr. Jones told me Jughead's never had a birthday party."
"mmm-hmm" Arch mumbles. I glare across Kevin.
"You talked to FP?" Betty looked at me confused.
"Never had a Party..." she repeated. "Let's have one for him. Like a low-key surprise party."
"OH HELL no! Jughead Hates, and I mean Hates his birthday."
"Uh, no, no." Archie starts
"That's a fantastic idea." Veronica speaks up.
"NO the hell its not." I repeat.
"Kat is telling the truth, Jughead doesn't like his birthday." Archie leans around Betty to look at me.
"Everybody says that, nobody means it." I smack Kevin and I smack him hard. I then slam my hand on the table, just enough that the group would shut up.
"Jughead doesn't like his birthday, period exclamation point. Besides he already has plans."
"Yeah the double feature that you will leave early."
"Betty, you aren't listening."
"Ignoring the negativity. Betty, you know me, any excuse to wear a cute party dress." I rest my head in my hands. "Okay, so I'm thinking a quaint gathering, inner-circle only." I look up to yell when I see the last person I ever wanted to see again.
"Oh, my God, don't turn around." Kevin says putting his hand on my knee to keep me from getting up. "Holy Chuck, I think his lats got bigger. Not that I care, because he's the evil incarnate." Kevin continues, I try to move but Kevin tightens his grip.
"Whats Chuck Clayton doing back?" Archie looks at the girls with a sad look
"He got suspended, not expelled." Veronica answers.
"Even though he should have been drawn and quartered for what he did" I continue. Veronica nods knowingly. Betty gets up and I lean across Kevin smacking Archie.
"The hell?"
"I told you so!" I leaned back pushing my tray away from me.

"What was he doing? Accosting her?" Veronica starts
"No, he was... Apologizing."
"A Clayton, apologizing... never in a million years did I think I'd hear that." I mumble.
"Oh, I'm so sure." Veronica spoke over me. "Chuck Clayton doesn't have a contrite bone in his muscle-bound body."
"You know what, can we talk about something else? Like... Like Jughead's surprise party." Betty looks overly happy before looking down at her hands. "Look. There's a lot I can't do, a lot I can't control. But I can damn well make sure my boy...." She stops and looks at me. I perk up and send her the evil eyes across the table. "My friend has the best birthday of his life."
"I'm still not in. I know Jughead, he would hate it."
"Screw it. I'm with Betty." I look down to Archie with disgust. "My dad's away. We can do it at my house." I scoff "We could all use a good time."
"Now you're talking my language." the whole table looks down at me.
"Oh Hell no... Nope, not happening. If you are throwing a party I'm having no part in it." I look directly at Betty "Jughead and I are just now starting to get over our last rift, I'm not doing anything I know he hates."
"Don't be a spoil sport." Veronica says. I squeeze my fingers into the palms of my hands, something I hadn't done in a long time. I stand up grabbing my bag.
"You guys can do whatever the hell you want, but I know my boyfriend, who is also my best friend. I'm not going to be apart of this." Archie sighs
"Its just inner circle Kat how bad could it be?" I just look at him dumbfounded. "Besides, we need you or it will be extremely late by the time he gets back." I could feel blood starting to pool in the crescent shapes in my palms. I roll my eyes marching away. I could barely hear Archie's final remark.
"This will be epic."