Chapter Three
Jughead narration: Fear. It's the most basic, the most human emotion. As kids, we are afraid of everything. The dark... The boogeyman under the bed. And we pray for the morning. For the monsters to go away. Though they never do, not really. Just ask Jason Blossom. Or it curls up inside you, tightens around your guts.
"Archie Andrews?" The strawberry blonde watched as her brother began to choke on stage. Kevin looked at her before he returned his attention back towards Archie. Her eyes focused on her twin as Kevin tried to give him time to collect himself. But there was Archie, succumbing to the horrors of stage fright as he blew his audition for the Variety Show.
She watched as he ran off stage. She stood up quickly and chased him out, only to run into Jughead. "Hey there, Sonic!"
"Ooh sorry." She said sheepishly.
"Where are you running off to anyways, you just got here."
She rolled her eyes, "Ha Ha very funny. I was looking for Archie, but it seems he now has company." She gestured towards the locker where he and Val were sitting. "It seems you interfered with my cockblocking skills, Jones."
"Last time I checked you were the one running into me, Thea."
He smiled down at her, causing her to look down. "Anyways," He continued as she looked up. "I was wondering if we could go and have dinner. Maybe keep me company and catch up?"
Emma nodded and attempted to suppress her beaming smile, that failed evidently so. "Pick me up at 8?"
"Until then, my lady." He bowed in a grandeur fashion as she mimicked then, "I bid you a fair well, my good sir."
Jughead sat in his usual booth, typing away as the bell to Pop's rang causing him to look up. Emma had pushed back their dinner to nine, so that she could grill her brother about Val and their relationship. With each passing moment, Jughead became antsy. He was unsure if it was the coffee or seeing Emma in general, either way his leg shook fiercely.
He had looked forward to sitting with her and talking, the same way they did when his mom left. They would sit on her front steps and talk for hours until Fred beckoned them to come inside for dinner. She was always different from Archie, though twins, they had a variety of qualities. Her hair was softer in tones of red, giving it the sweet strawberry color in comparison to her brother. She was smaller in stature compared to the rest of her family, more rebellious and outspoken.
He remembered how she often would get into trouble as her outspoken nature, also came with no filter. Yet, she was brilliant, outshining Archie in academics, much to his dismay. If Jughead was being honest, Emma was a better fit for his character than Archie, but opposites attracted- fusing the two boys together.
As the bell rung once more, Jughead looked up. In the sea of jocks, he spotted Emma. He smiled at her tan corduroy pants and black shirt, that was covered by her forest green blazer. He had never seen her wear a dress, 'unnecessary and so 15th century' she would say. He had noticed she had a smirk on her face as she approached.
"I see you've been waiting for me, with such enthusiasm." She slid into the seat across from him. He looked at her questioning her comment.
"Oh, Forsythe, I have been outside for about 10 minutes watching you stare at the entrance like a hawk every time the door chimed."
"I was not."
"Oh yes you were. I can tell by that smile. It was cute, I will admit." She smiled sheepishly.
"Cute?" He questioned her, with a smile. She hated herself for giving him even an inch, "Yeah like in a dark and disturbed, Edgar Allan Poe way." He laughed, causing her to feel relieved.
He pushed his laptop to the side, as the waiter came by to drop off their drinks. "I ordered you a vanilla milkshake."
She thanked the waiter and fiddled with the straw, "Ah so you remembered?"
"The most bland milkshake flavor, of course I did." She began sipping as their conversation flowed. She listened as he talked about what she had missed in his own life and school, then to the novel he was writing on Jason Blossom. She watched as a glint in his eye appeared every time he became passionate about something. His smile was radiant as she remembered, and his dark humor- unwavering.
"So, tell me about you?" He questioned.
"Eh, nothing really too tell."
She knew he didn't buy it and unlike Archie, he would ask. "In the two years I haven't seen you, you mean to tell me nothing has happened? I find that hard to believe with an enigma like Emma Theodora Andrews in a new city." He had caught her blushing, which made him happy. Though she was outspoken, she was always reserved. Never truly showing her emotions with such ease.
"Why did you come back?"
She huffed, "I just missed home I guess. I missed my friends and this town. When you're in a big city, there's this sense of disconnect with everyone. Here, everything is intertwined and no fast paced."
He nodded, "Did you like your friends at least?"
"Yeah, yeah. I did. They were really cool but it just seemed false. I don't know, it's weird to explain. I just wanted real connection, real roots."
He watched as she drank her milkshake and then proceeded to steal his fries. He let her as she began talking. "Did you have a boyfriend?"
"Is this you asking for a friend or yourself?" She snarked causing him to smile and shake his head. "Yeah, I did but like I said, false."
He was quiet for a moment as he noticed her slip her glove back on. "False..." He said quietly. She nodded, "Yeah, he wasn't the greatest guy." He noticed that she only slipped off the glove on her non-dominante hand whenever she wanted to grab something without her glove on.
She continued, "But uh, I guess who really is." Jughead began to think wondering about her odd habit.
"Why do you wear the gloves, Thea?" He was interested. Something Emma didn't like. She was reserved not an open book. Despite how close she was with Jughead before she left, she was far from open. "I'm a germaphobe."
"Germaphobe?"
"Yeah, picked it up in the city. Lots of people, lots of germs." She remained casual. As he looked at her intently, she became uneasy. Yet, when the bill came she paid for it, taking the disruption as cue to change the topic. As the two got up and made their way towards the door, they quietly exited as headed towards the Andrews residence.
"I'm sorry we didn't stay in contact, Jug. I'm glad you and my brother are still close though."
He nodded in agreement, "We've had our ups and downs, but we have been better lately." She smiled knowing Jughead was still part of Archie's life as she wasn't able to be for those two years. "You know it's funny, we uh, got into a huge fight when you left."
"About me?" She fished. As she pulled her blazer closer towards her. "In fact, it was." She was surprised that she was right.
"What was it about?"
"Well, Archie assumed that I liked you because of how close we had become towards the end."
"Really?" She chuckled.
"Yeah. He even said something along the lines of, 'She my sister. I don't wanna punch you but I will.'" They turned onto the main road as Emma laughed. "There is no way. You were taller than him. I'm sure you could've taken him right there."
Dipping his hands into his pockets he nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I probably could've but it was his sense of obligation. Even though he wasn't far off, I couldn't have him pummel my face. You had already gone, what good would that do?"
She stopped in her tracks with her mouth wide open. Punching him in the arm, he stopped walking. "And you didn't tell me!"
"You had left! What was I going to do? Beg Mr. Andrews to make you stay?" He laughed. They began walking, nearing her house. "Well, Jug, if it's any consolation, I liked you too. I was so mad for leaving but my mom hurried me in the car before I could say anything."
"Ah, the forbidden romance." He chuckled. "You were a force to be reckoned with." He continued.
She shrugged, "I'm sure you could've handled it."
"It would've been some ride."
"Tis' true." She smiled. "Well, this is my stop." She gestured towards her house. He nodded as silence enveloped the surrounding area. "You didn't have to walk me home, I know it's out of your way."
"I wanted to make sure you got home safe." He watched as she began fidgeting with her glove once more. He continued, "I had a great night with you, Emma. I'm glad you're home, don't go skimping out on me again. You might just break my 8th grade heart again."
"I promise I won't. Goodnight, Jug." She watched as he turned around and began walking. She began fiddling with her glove harder as she closed her eyes. "Forsythe!"
He turned around with a quizzical look on her face. "Text me when you're home. So that, I know you're safe." He nodded yet much to her dismay she continued, "That way I know you weren't swallowed by a beast or something." He chuckled and began walking again.
"...swallowed by a beast? Really?" She muttered to herself. As she continued up the stairs, she kicked herself for the lame line.
She wasn't sure why she was so awkward. Perhaps it was because of the story and Jughead's confession? Or maybe it was because of her lack of connection since leaving Riverdale. All she knew was that she really needed to redeem herself or it would be haunting her every time she closed her eyes.
