Lost (in Your Emerald Eyes)

S I X

Jughead watched the blonde exiting the bathroom, and frowned to himself, seeing the way her nose and cheeks were pinkish, eyes glinting red in the light. She didn't pay any attention to him or the other customers as she made her way back to the counter. Jessy briefly touched her shoulder, and Betty managed a small smile for her before visibly sniffling and going back to work.

The boy didn't have much time left till his shift in the bar on the Southside, and as Toni had left while the girl was in the bathroom, he tried to stop himself from falling into conclusions or deep into his thoughts.

Betty's mother had basically told her she was fat. And not only was that untrue, but it was also mean and stupid. Especially as a mother. The problem was that Jughead wasn't sure if it was the first time, or it had happened before. Maybe Betty was just sensitive and that's why she had cried? Or maybe, it happened often.

He didn't know.

But he did know his shift was in 15 minutes, and he was already late. So, getting up from his booth, he walked to the counter where the blonde girl was making some milkshakes for the customers, as always. "Hey," he said.

Betty's eyes looked up at him as she smiled. "Hey. Ready to pay?"

"Yeah."

She nodded, wiping her hands clean before finding his bill. Jughead smiled a bit at her surprised face when he handed her a lot more tip than normally. "Um..."

"The coffee and the pie," he said.

"Oh. No, Jughead, that's okay. It's on me."

"I know," he shrugged, a small smile lingering on his lips, Betty's cheeks turning pink from the calm look in his eyes. "Bye, Betty."

The blonde exhaled, a bit more sharply than usual as she gave her head a few nods. "Bye, Jughead."

The boy had a smile on his face all the way to his bike, and when he finally jumped on it, turning the engine on, Betty's eyes were still watching him the way he always watched her.

"Jones."

Jughead looked at one of the boys his age, giving him a singular nod. "Fangs."

"Two rum and cokes."

The beanie-wearing guy rolled his eyes and made the cocktail, accepting the money he earned from it. Everyone knew very well that the kids weren't supposed to drink, but they were all familiar with each other. And therefore, everyone who was underage doubled the price if they wanted to get drunk, half of it going to the bartender's pocket, as a tip. Jughead didn't mind.

"Since when do you drink, Fangs?" Jughead asked.

"Pea wanted to do shots. Got him to agree with the cocktails." And just like that, he was gone from the counter, leaving Jughead rolling his eyes again.

Sweet Pea was the 'leader' of the younger ones, just like him. Everything he said mattered. And even though Jughead didn't want to accept the place as the Serpent king in the future, it still pissed him off that Sweet Pea's position in the gang was as high as his. The Joneses had created the Serpents. And he wanted to have a louder and clearer voice than people like Sweet Pea or Tall Boy.

But instead, not many people listened.

No one ever did.

The next day, Jughead woke up at his father stumbling home, cursing loudly and almost walking into a wall. The boy stood with a sigh, dragging his hand over his face and hair, trying to gain balance from the fast wake-up-call. "Dad," he muttered, grabbing the man's upper arm.