Never Quit Loving You

T W O

Jughead liked England.

He liked the accent and studying the actual roots of their language. He liked the culture and all the places he could go to that would teach him new stuff he found interesting, especially if that something was about literature. He liked the people and their way to sarcasm and how no one would be offended if he made dark jokes about something he found funny.

But his favorite part about the country were the huge parks where hundreds of families went to every day. He loved just sitting there, against a tree or on a random empty bench, and looking at people walking by.

Jughead was fully aware it could seem a bit weird to some, but he was always so relaxed in nature, especially if no one was talking to him. He liked having his laptop with him for writing, or a fat paperback that he could go through in peace.

What he hated was sitting at home now that his degree was done and he had no homework. But, unfortunately, he needed to do just that right now. Because he needed to pack.

"Have you seen my red bra anywhere?"

Jughead looked up tiredly, a big yawn taking over and stopping him from answering the question.

"Nope," Joaquin said from the other side of the room.

"I think it's in the laundry," Jughead said through yet another yawn.

The girl crossed her arms on her chest and stared at her friend in amusement. "I'm not gonna pack all your things, Jug."

He rolled his eyes and shrugged, focusing back on the game on his phone.

"She's serious, you know. We're hurrying because you set a date three and a half years ago," Joaquin said.

"I've got most things packed," Jughead grumbled and stood from the couch. Wordlessly, he walked away and closed the door behind himself once in his room. He fell onto his bed and dropped his phone, fixing his blank gaze on the ceiling.

Jughead didn't like to think about going back. He hated the town and most of the people in it. He hated the bad memories that all the streets would bring him. He hated the complicated answers he would have to give.

But he knew he needed to go. For Betty and Fred. Even if he were a bit worried neither of them would remember him. After all, Betty and he had only known each other for about seven months before he went away, and Fred only for a few. And he knew it sounded ridiculous, but he was actually worried that neither of them would even remember he existed.

He had a nice life in England. He had a part-time job at a bar close to the apartment he shared with his childhood friends, he had a couple of new, particularly good friends, and even a girlfriend. Yes, things had been complicated with her lately, but they had been together for over eight months, and he really liked her.

Of course, he had never forgotten the blonde girl that had been the first one to capture his heart back in his small home town, but he had kept up with her on the internet and knew her dreams were certainly on the point of coming true. Her photography was featured in different magazines, which included both pictures of models in clothes she needed to sell, and pure landscapes where he knew her heart lay.

And even though there were no pictures of the author and no introductions as blogs usually had, he was also quite sure that the girl had a food one online. After all, how many Betty Coopers who owned the best cupcake recipes could there be in the world?

Jughead still thought about her all the time. When sad or stressed, he would close his eyes and remember her smile. When happy, a flash of her emerald eyes would sink into his memory. And every night, somehow his brain made him believe the girl was still in his arms, only to wake up to a pillow or his current girlfriend there.