He's A Rainbow

9.27

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Nothing Gold can Stay (Referenced later on in chapter)

~4 years old~

There were only 4 words to describe Archie and Jughead's friendship at this point. It needed more attention. Ever since Archie started Pre-k, the two only saw each other on Saturdays and Sundays. It just wasn't enough. It was the total definition of torture, suffering, pain. Archie didn't express it as much, in order to impress his parents, but it hurt so badly not to see his best friend. It hurt worse than needles. It hurt more than banging your head against a wall. It hurt more than cutting your skin. It hurt more than getting hit by 5 trains at once. If you think I'm over exaggerating, I'm not. Neither Archie or Jughead could take it possibly any longer. It was only a matter of time before they both bursted, and then, things would be worse.

"Mommy, why can't I go over to Jughead's house a lot anymore?" Archie asked during dinner. Mary looked up af Fred. He cleared his throat.

"Well, son, because, umm. Uh. Well, we...we're..." Mary slammed down her fork.

"Damn it, Fred. Archie...we're moving." Mary said. The entire dining room became silent. Archie's eyes widened.

"We're moving? Houses?" He asked. Mary nodded. "Are we...? Are we moving to another state?" He asked, in a quiet voice. Mary, hurt by her son's reaction, bit her lip.

"Yes, Archie. To Georgia." She said. Archie fell silent. His eyes began to water, and his heart raced.

"I'm not hungry anymore." Archie sniffled and ran to his room.

"Arch, wait." Mary tried to call after him, but as she figured, he ignored her. He locked his door shut, and plopped down on his bed, crying into the pillow. He wasn't gonna miss his school, or his hometown, or Betty, or Reggie, or Veronica. He was gonna miss one thing and one thing only. His best friend, his Juggy. He had to go to him, and spend as much time as he could with him.

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Archie slowly opened the door, making sure not to wake up his parents. He looked down at his shoes, making sure they were tied. He quietly walked down the hall, and to the front door. He turned the locked, and left the house. He knew his own way to Jughead's house. He had been there so many times before. He was eager to get there. He couldn't stay away any longer.

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Jughead awoke to the sound of a knocking on his window. Jughead hopped out of bed, with a bright smile that could shine through the night's darkness. He slid up the window, and Archie grinned. "Hey, Romeo." Archie said sweetly. Jughead blushed a bit, and helped Archie inside. They sat on the bed.

"Archie, what are you doing here?" Jughead asked. Archie began to cry again. Jughead embraced him in his arms, as Archie's tears fell on his best friend. Usually, Archie was Jughead's safe haven. Now, Archie needed Jughead. He wasn't ready to lose him.

"Archie?" Jughead began. "Arch, what's wrong?" Jughead asked. Archie wiped his tears away.

"I-I'm...I'm moving." Archie answered, as much as it hurt to answer. Jughead's jaw dropped, and his eyes grew big.

"No, you're joking? Right?" Jughead's voice got shaky. Archie didn't have the guts to really answer him. He wanted to be strong for Jughead, even though Jughead couldn't be strong for Archie. So, Archie forced himself to stop crying, however, Jughead was just getting started. "No, Archie." Jughead cried harder. "Archie you can't leave. I'll miss you too much. Who will play tag with me? Who will come to my house every weekend? Who will hug me when I'm sad?" Jughead's voice got lower. "Who will be my bestest friend?" Archie's head shot up. He was hurt. So hurt. Hurt that Jughead obviously didn't know that Archie needed him beyond imagination. That he was his only miracle, and would always be his only miracle. That Jughead was his forever, right from the start. From the second he saw Jughead sitting alone for the millionth day in a row and said, "My bwest fwend." From the moment Archie saw that boy, with the Silver glowing skin, his shiny emerald eyes, his bright smile that the sun couldn't barely compare to, and the way he could light up a dark room with his heart. In Archie's eyes, he was beautiful and sweet and lovable. He didn't know what he'd do if he didn't have his Juggy, his Silver.

Archie and Jughead were silent for a while. Jughead had so many mixed emotions going on. All he could think about was the moment Archie was leaving him. The moment his Golden was leaving him. But as the poem goes, "Nothing Gold Can Stay." You know, that poem by Robert Frost?

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower,
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf,
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day
Nothing gold can stay.

Jughead felt this way, as his most prized possession was soon to be gone. Oh, how he wished he could go with him. How he wished none of this was happening, and the world could stop forever, just for them.

Soon, the silence was broken, and Archie spoke. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry, Juggy. I'm sorry I'm leaving. I'm sorry it hurts. I'm sorry." Jughead leaped onto Archie and hugged him tight, making sure not let go. Archie did the same.

"I'm gonna miss you so much, Arch. I wanted to grow up and still be best friends. I don't want any other best friend. Never. Only you." Jughead cried. "And maybe it does hurt, but I'll find a way to make sure your here with me, forever, until you come back to me. Promise me you'll come back, Arch. Please?" Archie nodded.

"I promise, Juggy. I swear, I'll come back when I'm older, and we'll go back to the way we were, and I'll never leave again." Archie promised. The two fell asleep, the same way
they always did, just in case they'd only get to do it one last time.
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Yes, I cried, too. I'm not cold hearted enough to write a sad chapter and not cry. Who do you think I am?