Flatline ((Jughead Jones)) 3

27

(A/N: At the end of the chapter is what I envisioned Cynthia to be wearing.)

When I eventually woke up, my hair had been fashioned into an elaborate updo that would have rivaled any royalty. The next thing I felt was the heavy amount of makeup on my face, and the false eyelashes that had been stuck on. Finally, I saw my outfit. Instead of my Serpent jacket, I was in a long green dress, the bodice jeweled and corseted, cinching my waist far thinner than it should be. It had thin spaghetti straps with pieces of tulle over my shoulders.

As I looked around the room I was in, I saw I was in the room that Cheryl and I shared at the Hunting Lodge. We had spent summers in this room. We thought that this lodge was our castle, our holiday castle when the palace of Thornhill got too much. Something to my right, sitting on the dresser caught my eye. On the dresser, in front of the mirror, was a crown and a pair of heels, with an envelope sat on top.

I got out of bed and made my way over, opening the note.
Please complete your outfit then come downstairs. Fail to do so and I would hate to see what happens to our guests.
Mother liked her threats. Play nicely or you won't be getting dinner for the rest of the week. Be quiet when visitors are here or your clothes are getting sold. Never talk back or else you can forget ballet. I always headed her threats.

So, I slipped my feet into the shoes, knowing that the woman would hear if I tried to get away with going down barefoot. Sitting on the stool and looking at the girl who stared back in the mirror, I was stunned. I almost couldn't recognise myself. I looked just like any other perfect Blossom, skin smooth and pale, eyes big and highlighted with winged eyeliner, lips plump with red lipstick. I placed the crown on my head, hating that mother made me wear it. Then again, I often hated what she put me in. When I saw the dress, I couldn't help but love it in any other situation, but not this one. So, I picked up the crown, noticing how heavy it actually was, before placing it on my head.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door to my room, readying myself to go downstairs. The moment I opened my door I could hear my mother's voice.
"Ah, finally. The Angel has descended." She announced, smiling. I saw a large banquet laid out, everyone sat around it. Archie. Ronnie. Betty. Jughead. They were dressed for prom too, wearing suits and fancy dresses. The only sound I heard was my heels against the wooden stairs as I made my way down, my mother gesturing to the seat opposite her at the other end of the table.

"Why am I dressed like this?" I asked as I sat down, eyes firmly glaring at the woman as I tried to understand what was happening, and why everyone was sitting around the table. Jughead caught my eyes and he seemed angry that I had ended up here too, looking like he was about to run over to me and drag me out.
"You were improperly dressed, so I burnt your clothes and had you changed." She dismissed, turning back to the rest, ready to continue the previous conversation. Instead, I cut her off by slamming my hands on the table, leaning over the wood and towards her, standing from my chair.
"How dare you! That was my jacket!" Jughead knew immediately what had been burnt then. My witch of a mother had burnt my Serpent jacket. She snapped her head to meet mine.
"Sit back down now, and I shall excuse your improper behaviour. Do so again and it will not be tolerated!" She demanded, with a sharp tone. She was serious. I sat down straight away, biting my tongue. When I took a seat once more, I couldn't help but sit exactly like I had been told. Back straight to show good posture; shoulders back to show confidence; head slightly bowed to show humility. I hated this.

A queen should never bow to anyone, she should never have to submit her power to another. So, sitting mutely at the end of the table like I was, hands placed neatly on my knees as I waited for her to continue, was similar to making a queen bow to the dragon who slaughtered villages.

Where I was sat, I was one place either side away from Betty and Veronica, and I couldn't help but feel a little isolated at the end. Standing a few paces behind Betty was a nun, a corrupt nun that had visited us as children many times to help correct our posture and our vocabulary. Betty and Jughead were trying to work out everything in their heads, Archie and Veronica looked concerned, while my mother seemed brimming with excitement.

"First things first, two more guests." My mom rang a bell beside her and two people entered through the main door. One was the Black Hood. Jughead turned to me, as if asking if I was alright, but I was too busy trying to abide by every rule that had been laid down in my childhood. If I put one foot out of line, I worried that it was friends and my boyfriend that would be taking the fall for my mistake. It was this mindset, that made me feel the weight of the crown on my head. If I was going to get through this night with no casualties, then I would have to play my part until the last moment.