Unknown Feelings

4: Unintended Spoilers

Chapter 4: Unintended Spoilers

"You came after all." Alice said as she welcomed him in.

FP stood in the doorway, unsure of why he even came. Did he really want to see Alice cozying up to her husband? No he didn't but he felt guilty about letting his son down. He walked passed Alice and into her modern styled dining room area. 

Jughead's eyes lit up when he saw his father walk in. He thought he had work. Betty got up from her seat and greeted Mr. Jones.

"Oh good!" She exclaimed with a big smile. "Juggle said you had work. Luckily we have peach cobbler!"

FP nodded his head and forced a smile. "I had asked Pop Tate for the night off." Jughead sent his dad a puzzled look and his dad sent him a smile. "I felt bad that I had to work and I—" He paused before sitting on the other side of his son and ruffed his raven hair with his fingers. "I didn't want to let my boy down."

Alice went into the kitchen, fixing the final topping of crumbs on the peach cobbler. She felt almost anxious for FP to be in her sight. She also wanted to ask if what was with he bailing on her and Fred's friendship.

She took a breath and picked up the entree before swinging the door open. "Dinner's done!" She stated as she set down the dish on the table.

Fred took his plate and put a helping of mash potatoes on his plate. Betty went next and then Jughead. He didn't watch his quality intake. He knew the Andrews would understand. FP on the other hand didn't want to seem rude.

"FP, how've you been?" Fred asked randomly. This threw off FP. all of sudden he got nervous. He tried his best not to reflect his nervousness.

"Uh, I've been good. Gladys sent me the divorce papers a week ago." Jughead suddenly looked at him. Jughead didn't know that his mother decide she's never coming back. "Also, her rich fiancé got her pregnant. Yeah it was nice to know my wife can't be loyal." This was news to Jughead.

"Wait... Mom cheated on you?" He spoke up, almost turning red.

This wasn't normal dinner conversation. Betty squeezed his hand underneath the table and sent him a look of sympathy.

FP's face turned pink and started to feel hot. "Oh... Jug, I'm sorry for embarrassing you. And yes she did." He responded sadly.

Fred and Alice exchanged a look before he spoke again. "We're sorry for your messed up wife."

Dinner slowly turned into silence again. Alice felt awful about what she'd learned. She never liked Gladys and always thought she was the reason FP stopped associating with them all together. Jughead even noticed the undeniable tension in the room. You could cut the room with a knife and it would get stuck.

"Who wants Peach Cobbler?" Alice asks abruptly to break the silence.

It didn't take long for Jughead to devour the whole slice. Betty giggled before grabbing a napkin and wiped the corners of his lips.

"Jughead, how's school going?"

Jughead swallows his bite and clears his throat," It's been good, writing for the Blue-and-Gold room with Betty. Trying to figure out what I'm going to study for."

Fred smirks," Ah, I remember the Blue and Gold room." Alice elbows him and his dirty smirk falls from his mouth.

Betty's face pulls a look of disgust," Ew, Daddy! I didn't need to know that!" She exclaimed, growing uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, Betty." He says before he turns back to Jughead. "Oh what were you thinking of studying for?"

"English." He answers with a proud smile.

"Or Detective!" FP pointed," You love solving mysteries, Jug. Sticking your nose where it shouldn't."

Jughead sensed some worry in his father's words. He knew what he was talking about. The Jason Blossom Novel. He hated the fact his dad wasted Christmas break in prison because of Clifford Blossom's death threat before he hung himself two weeks ago in his barn.

"Thanks Dad." He says shyly," I'm glad I have you." He adds before drifting his eyes away and turned red again.