Taken- A Bughead Fanific

Chapter 18: "Jughead, what exactly are you implying?"

ONE WEEK LATER

Jughead slumped into Archie's couch, staring off into the distance. To others, he was just daydreaming. But in reality, he was putting the last details of his plan into fruition. Memorized in his brain was the final draft, blueprint, if you will- the code.

The secret key to stop Penny- no- the snake charmers for good.

He had measured twice and cut once, and did that 3 more times. Jughead replayed it over and over in his head in different ways it could go wrong and how he could fix them till-

It was foolproof. It couldn't go wrong.

"Jughead!" Betty exclaimed form the kitchen, "This is the third time I've called your name!"

"Sorry," Jughead replied, quickly snapping back into reality, "What is it?"

"Would you want to go to Pop's tonight? All four of us?" Jughead solemnly notices the bruises and lacerations painted across her face. She sat stationary at the kitchen table with a plethora of pill bottles splayed our before, not to forget a tall- glass cup of water. He sighed to himself. Archie, Veronica, and Betty were all peering at him from the kitchen, waiting for a response. According to there pj's and bed heads, Veronica and Archie had just woken up. Betty and Jughead had been up since 8:00. Her tight ponytail and sweater made him want to stay. But sadly, that was not in the cards for today. Or tomorrow. Or God knows when, if all goes according to plan.

Jughead glanced down at his watch.

11:30, he thought to himself. I need to go.

"Um, actually," he stammered, trying to create an excuse on the spot, "I'm really tired, I think I'm just going to go and get some rest."

"Woah, woah, woah. Slow down there. We all just got back from the hospital last night, and you want go home. . . alone?" Veronica protested. She looked at Betty for support, but got none. Her eyes were already distracted on Jughead. He surveyed every person in the kitchen, lastly landing on Betty. She had an unreadable, blank expression on her face. She looked away, using her water as an excuse to break eye contact. Jughead watched her gulp down her water for a short moment before making his way to the door.

"Yeah, I'm just tired," he mumbled. Archie jogged over to the door and kept his hand propped up on it, preventing Jughead from leaving.

"Are you sure?" Archie asked him. Archie's eyes peered into Jughead's, clearly suspicious, "I just think it's kind of... odd. Leaving so soon and all."

The audacity!

Jughead's voice softened so Veronica and Betty wouldn't hear from the kitchen, "Really, Archie?"

Too bad Betty wasn't in the kitchen. She listened diligently, hiding just out of their line of vision.

"Because I think it's a little odd to run into the woods after that kid, then coming back. . . bewildered."

Archie froze, trying to mask how taken back he was by Jughead's inclination.

"What really happened in that forest, Arch?" Jughead refused to break his glare.

"Jughead-" Archie forced out a laugh as nonchalantly as he could.

"I'm just saying," Jughead puffed his chest, "When you think about it, it makes sense. You acting weird after coming back from that forest, and all-"

Archie quickly interrupted him. He leaned in closer and with a stern voice he dared him to go on. "What exactly are you implying?"

The black haired boy went on like Archie never interrupted, "You know it had me thinking that maybe Cassidy never got away from you. Maybe you caught up to Cassidy instead?"

Archie gulped, then lowered his arm from the door.

Jughead went back to a normal volume with an accusatory tone, "Kind if weird, don't you think?" Letting go of the doorknob, Jughead crossed his arms and leaned against the door.

It couldn't be farther from the truth, but nevertheless, Archie stepped back and gestured to the door.

"What I think, is that you should get some rest, Jughead. You do seem pretty tired. Maybe tomorrow you will be be able to think straight."

Jughead pursed his lips and brushed his hair out of his face. Then, opened the door and stepped out.

"Maybe," he added, before closing the door.

Probably not, he thought to himself silently.

Defiantly not.