BROKEN DREAMS II Riverdale [3]

Jones' yard

„For a moment, I thought you wouldn't listen to us", Jug began to talk when we were sure that we were far away still walking fast.

„You're right, it's been like that."

„But you're right with one thing", I had to agree although I was afraid of the truth, „Hiram is going to haunt you or us wherever we go. And we're always going to be clearly inferior."

„So what's the plan?"

„We go to my mom", Jug told us determined.

I didn't think that he would consider going to his mom an opportunity, „Are you sure, Jug?"

„Does anyone have a better idea?"

Luckily, a man who stopped for us on the road drove us to Gladys with his pick-up truck.

„Yes, this is the right place, believe me", Jug told us looking at the „Jones yard" sign which confirmed his thoughts.

„Did you get lost or do you want to pick up goods?", a boy asked.

Jug showed him his Serpent tattoo, „We're looking for Gladys Jones, we're family. We have to hide for a certain time."

„Jughead?", a young girl looked up at us from the truck she was working on.

„JellyBean?"

„I knew I've smelled something rotten", she grinned and immediately ordered the boy to open the gate for us to hug her brother.

„Ellie?"

„We haven't seen you in a long time", I smiled also pulling the young girl into a hug.

„Jughead?", Gladys was surprised to see her son after years since she's left FP with JellyBean.

„Hi, mom."

„Oh, Jug, you feel like a sack of jacks. Do you eat enough? You're not a vegetarian, are you?"

„Is that supposed to be a joke, mom?"

Archie and I looked at each other mentally laughing about Jug who's never tired of eating even after he's had three cheeseburgers.

„Oh", she laughed, „I remember the red hair and the irresistible Smith smile, Archie Andrews and Elizabeth Specter. God, Archie, you became a real man and Elizabeth you look just like your mom. Ah, I understand.. Boys, you two are finally a couple, right? I knew that there's something going on between you two."

„Oh, this is great, I'm going to save this quote for your marriage", I laughed loudly.

„No, we're not a couple, we're just on the road together. Plus, Ellie is with us", Jug told Gladys awkwardly.

„Yeah, like a bromance."

„Sure, you didn't come to Toledo for the weather. What's going on? And why didn't you call me and told me that you would come?"

„Last time you said that we shouldn't come", Jug told her about the past.

I still remembered that, too. Jug and I wanted to run away when FP was arrested and she told us not to come.

„Those were other times. Hey, I've finally gotten the closure and I've opened the business. I'm a real business woman now."

„Hey, Gladys, we've just brought them. Where should we store them?", the boy from earlier came back with something that looked like automobile parts.

„Yes, yeah, not now. Hey, wait. Tell everyone that my son came home and his best friends, too. Tonight, we're going to have a party."

„Els, hey, are you alright?", Archie stopped me with a worried look when we were throwing our bags into the room which Gladys had told us to sleep in, „I mean we were walking a long way and although you tried to hide it from Jug and I, we noticed that your knee still hurts from what the Ghoulies have done to you."

„It's nice from you that you think of me but I'm alright. I'm actually fine, Archie", I gave him a warm smile.

„Don't act like you're fine, Ellie, you know that you can't hide your feelings from Jug and I", Archie shook his head with a light smile and laid his arms around me, „Especially not from me. We shouldn't have dragged you into this, I'm sorry."

„Archie Andrews, don't dare to say that", I sighed, „It's always been us three against anyone and that won't change, it never will. I'm just afraid that you get hurt or that you would do something that you might regret like earlier."

„About that.. I'm sorry if I scared you. I just.. Hiram Lodge ruins all of our lives. He let the Ghoulies hurt Jughead and you and he threatened to hurt my dad."

„I know, I understand how you feel", I laid my hand on his cheek slowly, „You've got every right to hate him, we all do. But we shouldn't behave like him. Just because he lets people be killed, we won't kill him. You really scared us, Archie. Not because we think you would hurt anyone but because we were afraid that you will get hurt."

„You're pretty emotional right now, huh?", he improved both our moods.

„It's hard not to. You tend to get into trouble very easily and I love you too much to lose you", I spoke too fast to realize what I've just said.

„El-"

„Let's not talk about it", I took my hand back from his face quickly and wanted to turn away but I was pulled back by Archie who made sure that I wouldn't go away by keeping his hand in my neck and kissed me hard.

I was thrown back four years when Archie pressed me against the closed door and moved his lips from mine to my collarbone and his hands traced down my back to my butt while my hands ran through his fiery red and ruffled up hairs. As soon as his fingers lifted my shirt to undress me like I did with his shirt, I lost my mind completely which was usually always so clear and serious and let my mind concentrate on our delicate touches.