Their hangouts at Pop's become a common occurrence, occasionally joined with characters like Archie or Bettie (sigh) but always filled with conversation. Max learns countless things about Jughead, like his favorite movie (Psycho) and why he wears that beanie all the time (He said he's a weirdo, and she slapped him and commented on how cringe he was after he said this). He learned about her favorite color (yellow) and how her pet peeve is when people eat entire bagels without any topping and don't even consider to cut the bagel in half, the monsters. She eventually tells him about her parents fighting, and he tells her about the immense pressure to become a serpent by everyone contrasted with the resistance for it to happen from his dad. It gets to the point where he is ordering her vanilla milkshakes when he gets there first, and she orders him a black coffee when she does.
"I have never been more stuck." Max groans, slamming backspace with one finger repeatedly.
"You are still having writers block for that one part?" Jughead raises an eyebrow, looking up. He knows she had been writing a short story for her creative writing class for a few weeks now, and this was about the fourth day with no progress.
"I can't do it. I quit. I am officially, and I am declaring it now, uncreative. Creative bankruptcy. I retire my creativity." She shuts her computer and rubs her temples.
"No. Wrong. Don't. Say that." He points a finger at her accusingly, and she laughs.
"Fine. I won't. Stop bullying me." She smacks his finger, and reopens her computer. They work in silence for a bit.
"Hey."
Max lifts her head from the computer.
"I've been saving up some money these past few weeks."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, because there is an Oscar gambling pool, and I am pretty sure I can win it."
Max laughs. "You're an idiot."
"Hey!"
"I seriously thought it was going to be for something where the payoff was amazing, like you were going to pay to send off that goddamned million-page novel of yours off to publishers with the hopes of making it big in the author world, but no, you are gambling."
Jughead thinks for a second. "Nope you're so right, scratch my idea that is what I am going to do. But first–" he slams his computer shut and abruptly shoots up from the booth. He shuts Max's computer as well, before sticking out a hand with a grin on his face.
"I have to take you somewhere." His face is lit with a huge smile.
"Um, I was told never to go with a stranger to a secondary location." Max jokes, and Jughead chuckles while rolling his eyes.
"Come on Maximum, while it's still light outside."
Hmm. Outside? Now Max was a little concerned.
But she took his hand with a grin anyways.
He takes her to this tree where the town met the forest, with tons of twisting, winding branches hanging low to the ground. They climb a decent height, until there is a comfortable place on the branch with perfect room for two.
"Here, is my magic, secret, amazing, wonderful writer's block spot. It's where I always go when I'm stuck." Jughead tells her, and she looks around. It is somewhat enchanting.
"What's the success rate?" She asks.
"One hundred percent. The edge of civilization, where humanity meets wild. It's the cure to end all cures." He breathes, and Max can't help but watch him. He is captivating, the light from the branches glinting on his face and his eyes twinkling with delight.
"Alright well I just checked and it's not on yelp so I'm trusting your statistics. Don't let me down." She jokes, and he throws his head back with laughter.
She finishes her creative writing story.
They stay for a little longer, two almost-adults in a tree, just chatting.
"So, I know you've vaguely mentioned it before but, your dad…" Jughead is timid with this question, knowing it could very much hit too close to home. Max winces a little, but begins to explain.
"Yeah, him. He was a nurse, right. At St. Matthew's Hospital. It was primarily a hospital for people who had life threatening illnesses, and a lot of it was funded by donations, so the patients could have a less costly treatment. Well there were lots of drugs and prescriptions involved with these patients, and it comes out that my father was feeding them placebos, and selling the real drugs in the drug trade for money. He was fired from the hospital and his ADN license immediately got revoked. He came here because his brother in law has a mechanics business here, and he needed a job."
Jughead is very quiet as the story is told, listening intently.
"It's just fucked, because he was doing so well in his job from what I remember. He would come home with these expensive gifts for me and mom, and I would just be so proud of him for all he did. That he was so successful, and smart, and righteous. I looked up to him more than anyone in my life. And then it came out, and it was all a lie. Everything I knew about him." She exhales slowly, realizing her whole body was tensed. She unclenches her hands.
"I knew my family was shit all along, but you had no idea." He is looking at her intently. "I'm sorry for that."
She looks into the distance.
"It's fine. I'm fine, I guess."
"No, that's fucked, and I'm so sorry. You don't deserve any of that." He places a hand on her shoulder, and they meet eyes. His are emerald green. And she can tell he means it. She can't stop staring at his eyes, and without thinking her eyes glance to his lips. She quickly shifts them back up to suddenly realize that his focus has now shifted to her own lips.
What.
Her heart lurches, her mind running a mile a minute. Time seems to slow down. Butterflies erupt in her stomach. She can't stop thinking about Betty.
What the fuck is happening?
A phone rings.
It's Jughead's.
It's Betty.
He picks up, and says a few words, before ending the call.
They sit in silence until it gets dark and he drives her back to her car.
She wouldn't have kissed him. Betty was always in the back of her mind when she was with him, and she wouldn't have. And he wouldn't have kissed her, he was just comforting her because she was vulnerable and upset. He was just being a good friend.
She knows all too well that he will never be hers.