Falling Apart

Chapter 28

The summer is slowly ending. With every drop of rain touching the ground, the temperature slowly changes to a colder one. Jughead has taken me out for brunch the whole summer, every single day, just like the last one. Only that this time, sometimes, our friends are joining us too. Just like right now.
“I'm telling you guys, Junior year is harder than the Senior one,” Nick says over the phone, on speaker as Betty's phone is on the table in the biggest booth at Pop's, fitting all their gang.
“We need to be in a fucking musical to get through it,” Jughead complains.
“Baby, you don't actually have to sing or anything. Kev here is directing it, and he has a good idea what you could do,” I say.
“Really? What is that?” he sighs as I'm sitting on his lap.
“A videographer,” Kevin smiles. “Behind the scenes footage, the rehearsals, the fights, everything. You get it on camera.”
Jug seems to be thinking about it, but I kiss his cheek. “You don't have to decide yet, we have until January when we have to start making it.”
“Wait, when's the musical?” Nick asks.
“In June, before our graduation,” V says.
“Well if you guys need any tips on the singing parts,” he smirks and winks at us through the camera. I giggle quietly as the others look even more excited. He points his finger at he camera, obviously at me. “Don’t laugh, Lizzie. And get me a front row seat, no way I'm missing that.”
“Done,” I smile. He chuckles and smiles softly, I know what he's thinking. He misses me.
“You just have to get a role. A singing one, please,” he says.
“Not as good as you,” I say.
“Can’t argue with that,” he smirks, making all of us laugh. He has an ultimate ego. “But you sing great, your voice is cute and you dance even better. What's the musical?”
“We’re between Carrie and Heathers,” Kev says.
“Ooh, old school. Even better,” he says.
“Calm down, Nicky,” I giggle, making Jug kiss my cheek and tickle my waist, ‘cause he loves my giggle apparently.

“So what are we going to do tomorrow?” Fangs asks quietly as all of our gang is located in my living room. We have the house to ourselves, having a sleepover. It's August 28 and my birthday. Since I didn't want any parties or stuff, they insisted on at least having a sleepover. Nick was bummed he has a concert, but he said we have to watch it from TV where they're gonna show it. So that's what we are doing at the moment. Everyone can cuddle and have sex for all that anyone cares, but no one's really in the mood.
“Don't study, get bad grades, repeat the class two times so that I'd still have my friends,” Jellybean says sadly.
We all chuckle at her. “You’ll have other friends. Some will probably even join the Serpents,” Jug says to her softly and ruffles her hair.
“I think we should just… Be,” I say. “Survive the year, apply for colleges, wait answers from Harvard and wait for my brother to come back in the beginning of June.”
They all laugh at me as well. “I agree. Let's just be teenagers and try not to get kidnapped,” Ronnie says and gives Fangs the look. He was kidnapped a few weeks ago by the Ghoulies.
My phone starts ringing. I frown, it's like 11 or 12pm. “It’s Nick,” I say and we all look at the TV. He is literally holding his phone and trying to face time me. “Turn the voice down, he's a jerk,” I grin, knowing what he's gonna do. Cher puts the TV on mute and I answer the call and smirk at his face.
He starts singing Happy Birthday to me and all the crowd and his band and everyone. It makes for about 20 000 of them I think.
When they end, they all start applauding and cheering, making me smile even bigger. He chuckles at me. “Happy birthday Lizzie. I miss you.*
“Yeah, but we'll see a week right?” I ask.
“Two,” he says at the same time as Jug does.
I sigh. “Two.”
He smiles sadly. “Go to sleep, okay? You've got school tomorrow.”
“The exact reason I'm still up,” I say, making most of the crowd laugh and now I understand they can all hear me.
“Okay,” he chuckles. “Love you.”
“Love you too,” I smile and blow him a kiss as we always do and then end the call.
“That is super sweet,” Peaches says.
I smile shyly. “Yeah. I feel Jug chuckle behind me and then kiss my cheek.
“We should do as he said. Lets watch a movie and then go to sleep,” he says.
“He never said that,” I grin at him. He winks and pecks my nose after what he pulls me onto his lap and wraps his arms around me after I take a comfortable position.
“You guys are cute too,” Cher says.
I nod. “We know.”
“We do?” Jug chuckles. I wink at him as he did before and they all laugh. He nuzzles his nose into my cheek and leaves a warm kiss lingering there.