the other boys ⇨ jarchie

17

jughead.

the next morning, i wake up with archie's sculpted arm wrapped around my waist. sun shines brightly through the wet, snowy window above us. it's golden rays highlight the bronze and ginger parts of his hair. his freckles are like little brown planets, and his spider web like eyelashes flutter in his sleep. i turn around so that i'm facing him: i trace my hand along his cheekbones and down to his jawline. i move my hand away briefly when i discover that he wakes up.

"sorry," i mumble.

"it's fine," archie croaks, "i like it when you touch me."

i laugh. "that didn't sound sexual at all. what you just said has many connotations."

"meh, whatever. take it as you will," he replies, sitting up, "you got any plans for today?"

"oh actually, i need to check up on my dad today. make sure he's keeping himself sober, or at least conscious. and i also need to head down to the whyte wyrm to see toni," i answer, stroking his fiery hair.

"why?" archie asks, his dark brows furrowing.

"cheryl has a crush on her, so she's sent me to be her cupid," i smile, "they're both bisexual, apparently."

"damn, ever since i came out it's like all of the gays are coming out of the woodworks," archie chuckles, scratching the back of his neck. "but why does she want you to do that all of a sudden?"

my heart drops. shit, i didn't tell him about the contract. i only told betty. "uh... my dad kinda uh... blackmailed clifford blossom into giving him $40,000 for my bottom surgery?"

"what?" archie says in disbelief. "how the fuck did he do that?"

i shrug. "he's FP jones, he can do anything."

"fair enough. but that hardly seems like an even deal, she gives you 40 grand and you give her a girlfriend?" archie quizzes, getting up and putting on some grey sweatpants. he finds his old grey football top that says 'bulldogs of riverdale' on it and the school's logo.

"well, as they say, money can't buy happiness," i say, snatching some black adidas shorts from his bedroom floor and a purple sweater.

"true," the ginger hue replies, checking his phone. "it's 10, let's get breakfast."

we head downstairs, giggling like little girls when archie accidentally misses a step. we reach the kitchen, and fred gazes at us from the living room. he doesn't say anything.

"what should we have?" i ask as archie rakes through the cereal cupboard beside the sink. the sun bounces off the gleaming white marble.

"i don't know... pancakes?" archie states, shutting the cupboard. he moves along and he finds the pancakes.

he retrieves honey and gives us 3 pancakes each. he sets them on some pink and orange patterned plates which look like they belonged to archie's dad in the 80s. we gobble them down hungrily. fred flounces from the living room and leans on the kitchen's white marble island.

"you boys sure are hungry," he observes, an eyebrow slightly raised.

"starving," reply, muffled, my mouth full of honey. archie nods in agreement.