No one ever said that it would be this hard

Chapter 17

♾ 3rd person ♾

Jughead still wasn't sure if he would go to the White Wrym or to the trailer or somewhere completely different but he was on the Southside. He promised to call Betty later, he had made a reminder on his phone too — it would ring at 8, telling him to call her.

The neon light of the Southside Serpents Logo, plastered on the wall of the building, already lit up the way. The two headed snake was all over the place, on top of the front doors, on motorcycles, on leather jacket, on skin. Everywhere. His should-be home. He was a Serpent by blood. He was the next to lead. As soon as his father would retire and step back or... suddenly die, he was supposed to lead the gang. Jughead wasn't sure yet if he wanted that. He knew that he had a jacket, back in the trailer, hidden away in his closet in a box under a pile of old sweatshirts and skinny jeans. Betty knew that he had one, somewhere, but she didn't want him to wear it. She didn't want him to be one.

He wasn't sure if he wanted that either.

But right now, Betty wasn't there.

Right now, he pushed the front doors open, getting swallowed by the thick air and thrumming music. He hesitated, though then just started walking inside. People were looking at him but he didn't necessarily care. He was used to that. He was the Serpent Prince after all. Almost everyone had seen him grow up or grew up with him. Jughead exhaled deeply, making his way over to the bar, sitting down on one of the stools.

"Jones, good to see you again" Toni greeted, turning around to face him completely. She had eyed him ever since he entered "didn't think you'd turn up again after the funeral..."

"Can you give me a drink?"

"Drink like water or drink like drink?"

"Something with alcohol"

"You sure? I thought that you didn't..."

"I'm drinking today, Toni. Can you give me something or not?" he asked. Toni hesitated but then nodded.

"Okay, sure. What do you want?"

"Something with vodka"

That was the only alcoholic beverages that his father hadn't touched in his endless circle of taking alcohol to deal with things. He would probably vomit by only smelling other alcoholic beverages.

Toni reached him a shot glass and Jughead just drowned it in one go. He shook his head, putting the glass down as the liquid burned its way down his throat. Not what he necessarily suspected but his stomach was warm.

"Another one"

"Jug-"

"Another one, Toni" she paused.

"Very well then" Toni mumbled, opening the vodka bottle. She was about to fill it in the shot glass when Jughead reached over to grab the bottle.

"How about I just take this bottle?"

"How about we slow down and you tell me what's going on?" Toni asked instead, taking the bottle to herself again.

"How about you shut up and just give me the bottle back?" he snapped. He didn't know why he was so agitated and snapped at her. That was not like him, at all. When something didn't go his way, he just retreated back and gave up on that. He didn't go for a fight.