ѕerpenт qυeen - Jughead Jones

XIII.

The inner circle of friends held a surprise party for Jughead and Ava, except they really don't like parties or their birthdays. Ava smiled slightly at Veronica as she said something in Spanish. Ava looked at Joaquin and arched an eyebrow at him. "Hello, I'm Aveline Creed. I don't think we have met." Ava said to Joaquin. Joaquin looked at Ava. "Hello Aveline. I'm Joaquin, Kevin's boyfriend." Joaquin said. Ava smiled and nodded, she looked towards the kitchen to see Betty coming out with a cake. Ava looked at Jughead, she already hated this and knew it would turn quickly. Betty was singing happy birthday to Jughead and Ava since everyone wanted to throw a party for her too. 

"Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Jughead and Ava. Happy birthday to you." Betty sung till the cake was in front of the two. "That was very haunting... Might actually have a nightmare about that later." Ava said softly. "Blow out the candles. Make a wish." Betty said. Veronica and Archie left the room which Ava thought was just her problem with her father. "I wish it were just the two of us right now." Jughead whispered to Betty. Ava stuck out her tongue. "Gross, get a room." Ava told him. The two of them blew out half of the cake's candles. Everyone clapped for them. "One blow." Kevin commented. Betty and Jughead left the room to get ice cream, Ava followed to check on Veronica. "Oh, sorry. Just coming to get ice cream. Is everything okay?" Betty said. "Yeah. No, I'm just not in a party moodlike I usually am." Veronica told them. Ava went to Veronica. "You can always tell me what's wrong." She said softly. Veronica nodded at her. "That makes two of us." Jughead commented. "Three of us." Ava said. "Wait... You're not upset that I threw you a party,are you?" Betty asked. "I am." Ava mumbled. "It is nice, Betty. I appreciate it. It's just I would be happierif it were just the five of us at a booth at Pop's." Jughead said. "We always do that.I wanted to do something special." Betty said looking at him. "The road to hell is pavedwith good intentions." Jughead commented. "Why is everything so doom and gloomwith you, Jug? Why can't it just be normal for once?" Betty asked. "I'm not normal. I'm not wired to be normal." Jughead said. The doorbell rings at the door. "How many more people did you invite to this?" Ava asked crossing her arms. "No one. Inner circle only." Betty told them. 

Archie walked to the door first followed by Jughead, Ava, Veronica, then Betty. The door opened revealing Cheryl and Chuck with a crowd of many other kids. "Did you really think you could have a partywithout inviting moi?" Cheryl asked. "Or me?" Chuck asked. "Archie, where do you want the kegs?" Moose asked. "Screw it.One in the kitchen, one in the backyard." Archie said smiling. Ava shook her head angrily and walked to the backyard to the shed. Jughead followed her after rolling his eyes. Ava sat down and put her head in her hands, stressed. Jughead walked in and sat with Vegas. They could hear the blasting music from where they were. Later on, Archie came through the door. "Dudes, Valerie just got here.You think she wants me back?" Archie said. "As my blood brother,it was your sole responsibility to ensure that something like this never happenedon my birthday... or Ava's." Jughead told him. "Now we're here,in the middle of a Seth Rogen movie." Ava mumbled stressed. "This was Betty's idea.I just went along with it." Archie said. "It's so not me." Jughead said. "It doesn't matter. You're her boyfriend now." Archie said. Jughead looked confused, "What does that mean?" Jughead asked. "You're getting a birthday party whether you want one or not." Archie told. Ava scoffed, the door opened showing FP. "Dad, hey." Jughead said. "FP... hey." Ava said. "Happy birthday, Jughead... Liana." FP said holding two presents. "How are you, Mr. Jones?" Archie asked. "Happy to be here, celebrating with my son and his best friend." FP said looking at the two. "Didn't realize you two had so many friends." FP commented.

"We don't. Fair warning, you're the only adult here." Ava said. "So I gather." FP said. "Where can I put this?" FP asked holding the two presents. "Table in the den." Archie said. FP started walking away before Jughead stopped him. "Dad.... Did Betty call you?" Jughead asked. "Yeah, she came by too. She knows what she wants, that one. I'll be back." FP said leaving. Betty came to the shed, Ava was playing with the guitar while they talked. " You do know my dadhas a drinking problem, right?" Jughead asked. "Of course I do.I didn't think people would be drinking tonight. I didn't plan on Chuck and Cheryland the rest of the school crashing, okay? This was supposed to be just your friends." Betty said. "Ava, you and Archie are my friends, okay? Everyone else, including Kevin,including Veronica are people that two months agoI would've shunned." Jughead told her. "Why?" Betty asked. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm weird. I'm a weirdo. I don't fit in, and I don't wanna fit in. Have you ever seen me without this hat on?That's weird." Jughead said. "It is weird..." Ava commented. "Why are you getting so upset? It's just a party, Jug." Betty said. "It's not just a party. It's the fact that you don't know or even care that this is the last thing I would want. You did this for you. To prove something." Jughead said getting frustrated. "You're a great girlfriend? I don't know. Doesn't it ever occur to youhow different we are? You're a straight-A student.You're a cheerleader. For God's sakes,you're the perfect girl next door." Jughead said. "I hate that word." Betty told him with tears in her eyes. "I'm the damaged loner outsider, from the wrong side of the tracks. Betty, come on. Who are we kidding? We're on borrowed time." Jughead said. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Betty asked. "Betty, I'm not one of your projects, okay? Like solving Jason's murder." Jughead told her. "No. You're not a project. You're my boyfriend." Betty said. "Until you're sick of slumming it with me... or until Archie changes his mindand he says he wants to be with you." Jughead said. Betty walked out as Jughead stood there watching it happen. 

Jughead walked out to see Archie drunk and explaining why he and Valerie should get back together. Ava looked around and saw everyone drinking. Jughead walked into the kitchen. "Jughead, hey." Ethel said. "Hey, Ethel." Jughead said. Ava walked in and looked towards FP and Joaquin. "Oh, you didn't have a piece of cake.It's bad luck." Ethel told the both of them. "No, this whole night is bad luck." Ava commented. "We're ghosting. We'll see you at school." Jughead said before walking off with Ava. Jughead and Ava rushed to the front door before getting stopped by Chuck and Cheryl. "Hey. Where you going, guests of honor?" Chuck asked, Jughead tried to get to the door again but Chuck pushed him away. "Get out of my way, Chuck." Jughead said. Ava crossed her arms looking at Cheryl. "Oh, but you can't leave now. We haven't even played our game yet." Cheryl said pouting. "Listen up, party people! Everyone has their secrets.And we've all done our share of sinning. That's one thing my dear brother's deathhas revealed. So let's play a little gameto get those secrets out in the open." Cheryl said before locking the door. 

"What the hell is Secrets and Sins"? Jughead asked. "It's a variation on "Truth or Dare" in which we own our truthsby telling it like it is. I'll start the game with Veronica Lodge." Cheryl said. Ava looked at FP and Joaquin, if she had to tell her secret she would be screwed. "..Isn't it true that your father, from prison,illegally purchased the drive-in land? Which makes me wonder,what else is he doing from behind bars?" Cheryl asked Veronica. Ava looked at Veronica. "Well, I can't speak for my father but I can think of someonewith a very dirty secret. Specifically,Cheryl killing her very own brother." Veronica said. The game continued, more and more secrets were revealed about Veronica... Archie... and lastly it was Betty's twisted secret. Jughead ended up punching Chuck and getting into a fight. The game ended, Cheryl walked to Ava. "Just wait till your secrets are revealed to the school, Serpent..." Cheryl told her before leaving. Ava froze in her spot, someone knew and it would end her...

Ava was sitting down in the shed when she got a random call. She answered the phone, "Hello?" She asked. "Hey Lia..." A male voice said. She knew the voice from anywhere. "Dad?..." She said with tears in her eyes.