Max returned to Pop's 2 days later.
Granted, she did actually have things to do, and yes, she could have done them numerous amounts of places besides the diner, but every alternate location had some sort of inconvenient excuse she made up in her mind to convince her that Pop's was her only option.
When she enters the door, the bell chimes throughout the room. Jughead is already placed in a booth, typing away furiously. He looks up.
Shoots her a grin.
Her heart melts.
He tilts his head towards the open seat, and it takes her a few seconds to realize that her feet are floating towards his table. She sits, almost confused on how she got there.
"Hey stranger." His teeth are blindingly white.
"Hey." It's breathless and weak sounding, and her head is spinning so much it takes a second for her to realize that Pop was standing at their table and asking if she wanted anything.
"Oh, yes. A milkshake."
"What flavor?" Pop's has a twinkle in his eye and a soft smile on his face when he asks.
"Ah. Yes. Flavor. Vanilla." She dazedly states, and with a smile Pop's is gone with her order. Jughead is back to typing, and she takes this as an opportunity to take out her own computer and open it up. Faced with a blank page, she sighs and stares for a while, thoughts running rampant in her mind.
"Do you like your new school at all?" She is surprised by the words that come out of her mouth, her thoughts flowing into sound. He looks up.
"I'd say yeah. The education is shit, and the location and utilities are shit, but I vibe with the people there. They're different from Riverdale –"
Max snorts.
"I can only imagine." She is quick to catch herself. "Not–that they are like, ratchet or anything. Just that like, Riverdale people are snobs. Some of them. It's opposite. I don't know what I'm saying, continue."
Jughead laughs.
"I do miss the Riverdale vibe. You guys at least. My friends. But the Southside people are pretty good friends as well. Just in a more 'I'll kick your ass if you talk bad about my friends' kind of way."
"Interesting. I'd think I'd win in a fight." Max comments, grinning.
Jughead smirks. "Interesting. What brings you to that conclusion?"
"Well my uncle taught me how to fight once. Fists tight, thumbs not tucked in, arms together, cover your face. I think people would underestimate me –"
"Understandably so."
"–Shut up, and I would win. Against a Riverdale girl, at least. Like Josie, or something."
"I think if you touched Josie the mayor would personally remove you from the town."
Max laughs. "You right. Sick way to go though."
Jughead pauses for a second.
"Are you glad you moved here? To Riverdale, I mean."
Max thinks. There are many reasons she likes Riverdale, and a big part of it is him. But she can't say that. And she's mad at herself for even thinking it. She has turned into somewhat of a lovesick idiot, acting like he is her world when he has a girlfriend and she doesn't even know him super well. So, she thinks about the other things.
"Well I wasn't exactly thrilled when my parents told me we were moving here. And the pictures on Google didn't really help reestablish the image –y'all need to get more attractive photos of the town, notify the tourism department or something –and I wasn't happy for a little. But I like my friends here, and the creepy woods vibe kind of grew on me. I guess you could say I'm not exactly glad, but more…content." She finishes with satisfaction over the way she phrased it.
He stares at her with wide eyes, nodding.
"Interesting. So if there was an opportunity to move back–"
"I'd still take it in an instant. And you'd cry about me for days, I'm sure." She grins, and he laughs.
"Months."