The sound of wind chimes (a Jarchie fanfic)

Chapter 2: The kiss

Archie walked toward the closet and opened the door. He went into the closet and waited for the beanie wearing boy. Jughead followed Archie and walked inside the closet shutting the door behind him. In the parlor, Cheryl turned on a timer for 7 minutes. "Your time starts now!" she shouted so they could hear her.

With a shaky breath, Archie walked toward Jughead. "Jug, there's something that I must tell you. But, I don't know how to say it" he said as his light brown eyes looked up to stare into Jughead's green eyes. "I just feel like this is the perfect chance to say it."

"Arch, you know that you can tell me anything. What is it?" Jughead asked as a worried look started to form on his face. "Is everything okay between you and your dad?"

"Yeah everything's fine at home. It's a personal thing. I don't know how to tell you because I think you might judge me for it...."

"You know I'm not gonna judge you. I'll never judge you for anything ever. You know that."

"I- I think I'm g-gay, Jug. I've had a crush on you for a long time. Ever since the third grade I've liked you as something m-more than a friend. I just never knew how to tell you u-until now."

There was an awkward silence for a few seconds until Cheryl broke it shouting "6 minutes left, boys!"

"Jug, please say something. It's making me feel like you're judging me. It's okay if you don't like me as anything more than friends but I just.... I just need you to say something" Archie said, his voice breaking almost sounding like he's about to cry. "Please just say something! You being silent makes me regret coming out to you!" 

It broke Jughead's heart staring into Archie's tear filled eyes. "I.... I really don't know what to say, Arch."

A tear rolled down Archie's cheek as he heard Jughead say those words. "You're supposed to be my best friend. The one who always seems to know what to say. But, yet when I tell you about my sexuality... you're speechless."

Jughead walked closer to Archie to the point where there was only about a foot of space between them. "I support you and your sexuality. In fact, I have a confession to make, Archie." 

Archie sniffled before signaling Jughead to speak. "Wh- what is it, Jug?"

"I think I'm gay, too. I've sort of had a crush on you since the sixth grade. I just never knew when or how I'd get the chance to tell you until Cheryl spun the bottle and it landed on me. I was scared that it would land on Kevin or Betty or any other person that is at this party."

Archie smiled slightly as he heard his best friend's words. "So, when you weren't speaking... were you trying to figure out how to say that you're gay?"

"I guess so, yeah."

Awkward silence... and then Archie started sobbing. 

"Are you okay? Why are you sobbing?"

"B.. because I d..don't know h..how I w..would tell m..my dad t..that I'm g..gay!"

Jughead stepped forward and hugged Archie tightly, letting him know that he was there for him. "Archie, your dad is the most supportive father in this town. I know that he'll be supportive of you. If there's any dad that might not be supportive... it's mine."

Archie broke the hug and looked at Jughead, tears still falling down his face. "Jug, w..what do you mean? I thought things were getting better between you and your father."

"They were and still are. But, if I tell him that I'm gay then he might disown me or something."

Archie grabbed Jughead's hands and stared into his eyes. "He won't disown you. He treats Kevin like his son and he's gay. My dad might think that me being gay is weird and make me live with my mom in Chicago and I don't want to live there" he said, his eyes filling up with tears again.

4 minutes left in the closet... the time was ticking slowly.

"Archie, listen to me. Your dad is not gonna send you to Chicago to live with your mom. Your dad will appreciate you for who you are. He treats Kevin kindly and he's been gay ever since we've known him."

Archie sniffled and nodded. "Yeah, you're right. You've always been caring, Jug. That's one of the things I love about you."

Cheryl shouted from the parlor again reminding them that they have 2 minutes left. 

"Can you believe we've been in here for 5 minutes? It feels like it's been longer than that."

"Yeah..."

"Maybe we should do something besides talk"

"What did you have in mind?"

Jughead stepped forward so that they were face to face. "Maybe something like this." He placed both hands on Archie's cheeks and kissed him passionately. Archie's lips tasted like a strawberry milkshake with a little hint of chocolate sauce. He kept kissing him letting him know that there was absolutely nothing to be afraid of. 

With just a minute left in the closet, Jughead broke the kiss and looked at Archie smiling. "Why did you pull away, Jug?" Archie asked before leaning in to kiss him again. Jughead loved kissing Archie because it gave him a type of love that he had never felt before. 

10 seconds left in the closet...

The boys were still kissing, not wanting the moment to end. 

9 seconds...

They were almost not caring about the world or the party.

8 seconds....

They only wanted each other. 

7 seconds...

They wondered how they would walk around at school the next day.

6 seconds...

Their kiss became more passionate as time went by.

5 seconds...

The only thing on their minds was each other.

4 seconds...

Archie forgot what love felt like.

3 seconds...

'Don't let this moment end' Jughead thought.

2 seconds...

'Does it have to end?' Archie thought.

1 second...

They both pulled away at the same time and smiled. "I loved that!" they both said before laughing.

That was moment they will never forget.