Chapter 44: Awkward New Years: PT.2
The party continued throughout the night. After Betty was surprised with a new car, more presents were handed out in the living room. Alice sat down on the couch, holding her squirmy son on her lap, smiling at the cute sounds he was making.
"Alice!" She heard someone call for her. She rolled her eyes at the guy." What do you want, Freddie?" She asked annoyed he was in the room.
Fred scratches nervously at his neck," I just wanted to thank you for telling me to go for it with Hermione. Although... I'm still sorry for what happened on New Years..." He shrugs awkwardly to himself.
Alice scoffed rudely," You mean FP and I found you guys having sex in our jacuzzi hot tub? Oh, yeah. That was a true sight to see." He could hear the sarcasm in her voice.
"It wasn't supposed to happen that way, Alice. We didn't want you find out that why." Alice laughed sarcastically," It would've been nice for my two best friends to tell me that they were dating instead of hiding it." Fred could see hurt reflecting off her eyes.
Taken aback, Fred stood there simmering with guilt. He hadn't thought of her feelings when him and Hermione got together. He was so caught up in the excitement. He forgot that he never told her about them getting back together. He also knew that her finding out the way she did wasn't right either.
"I'm sorry." He apologized, gently sitting down on the couch and turned his body.
Alice still didn't say anything, Koel babbled on her lap and Fred sighed," Al, please say something." He really wished FP was there to him. He was out back with the kids, watching them do backyard karaoke. "I'm sorry that I never told you. That wasn't right. You are one of my best friends, you should've been one of the first people I told."
"Yeah, you should've." Alice simply replied with a huff.
Xxxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxx-xxxxx
X-New Years Eve-X
The night was lit with excitement and joy. It was New Years Eve, the night that the ball drops in time square down in New York City. Well here in Riverdale, it was a little be different. It was a new year and that meant a start over. The kids were at Veronica's annual New Years Eve party that she held down at La Bonne Nuit this year. Alice and FP decided the spend the night cuddled up on the couch.
The door bell rings causing Alice to get off the couch and to answer the door. "Tom, Sierra? What are you doing here?" It had been quite sometime since they saw them. Tom and Sierra had been out of town for winter break visiting Tom's cousins for a wedding.
"I know it's a surprise but we wondering if you and FP are doing anything for the New Year?" Alice shrugged.
"No, not really. Just chilling. What about you and Tom?" The married couple looked at each other and smiled. "Oh. Nothing."
Alice looked at FP, who was still on the couch. He nodded." Do you want to come in?"
The night grew longer, even though it was shorter than the hour before. The doorbell rung again and this time when Alice opened the door. It was Fred and Hermione.
FP looked at the clock and it read: 11:55 P.M. It was almost midnight and to bring on the new coming year. Alice and Sierra were dancing to the music blaring in the background. She and FP decided that they wanted to go over to their hot tub, opened the screen porch and screeched.
"Ah, my eyes!" Alice yelled as she threw her hands over her eyes and back towards FP.
It was like she was in an episode of Friends: TOW: Ross Finds Out. And she was Phoebe when Ross was showing Rachel and her his new apartment he just got and she spotted Chandler and Monica having sex by the open window! That was her life right now. She wasn't expecting to be in an actual episode of FRIENDS. She may joke or quote the show all the time, have debates with Jughead, but to actually have your life like that episode is just weird. Oh, boy Jug is lucky he didn't see it.
She wanted to wash her eyes out with acid from what view she saw them in. She never would ever get that vivid image of their naked ness like the Ugly Naked Guy that Ross had to get the apartment- out her mind.
FP couldn't believe his own eyes. In the hot tub bubbles displayed a very nude Fred and Hermione Gomez, on top of each other and in a very compromising position.
"What the hell?!"
Fred and Hermione jumped away from each other's warmth and the rapid bubbles surrounding them and caught the glimpses of Alice and FP's face. Neither could tell if they were angry or just too stunned to speak.
Hermione tried to help the situation by throwing on her coverup and slowly approaching Alice and FP. "Al--" She was cut off by Alice's hand raising.
"Don't. Just don't. You'll only make it worse."
Fred looked over at FP for help and the man just shrugged his shoulders at him. "Just get dressed and we will talk about this like adults." He turned toward his Fiancée.
Alice just rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her stomach. "Fine."
On the count of three about five minutes later it was officially the brand new year. FP cupped Alice's soft cheeks under his hands and kissed her passionately when time struck. Alice deepened the kiss and moaned into his mouth. FP slowly broke the kiss and brought two strands of hair behind her earlobe.
"Happy New Year, Al." Alice smiled at her partner.
She wasn't alone anymore. She had FP to help her with the kids and most of all - the sex. Oh! The sex was amazing! Her sons' and daughters made so much joy in her life. But she couldn't do any of it without him.
"Happy New Year too, Baby!"
Xxx-xxx
"Yeah, you should've."
Fred looked over at his youngest nephew in her arms and asked," Can I hold him?" She nodded and placed Koel into his arms. Then he looked back at Alice and sighed," I never meant for you to find out that way. Hermione and I were going to tell you guys at the party that we were together but you found out that way. I swear, Allie. The last thing I'd ever wanted to do was hurt you."
Alice could see the sincerity in his eyes and decided to get off the couch and pulled him into an embrace. His arms wrapped around her and she met his eyes." I forgive you." She shudders out of embarrassment." Just seeing you like that wasn't what I needed to see." Fred chuckled and also grimaced at the same time.
"You're going to tell this story if I ever get married, aren't ya?" Alice shook her head.
"Nah. I'll save you from that disaster." She shrugged," But hey! I can't promise I won't say anything drunk."
He started belting in laughter." Deal."
Two rounds of claps caused Fred and Alice to pull away from each-other and to see their soulmates. FP saw Alice sneak away after they had cake and found Hermione by herself. She told him that she was keeping an eye on their lovers. Yes, they were talking? FP saw that for sure. He could tell she was annoyed by him being around.
"You two made up!" He announced loudly, scaring them.
Alice glared in his direction." Don't scare me like that." She caught him laughing," It's not funny, Forsythe!"
Hermione shook her head in disagreement." It told was, Alice. You should've seen your faces." She took out her phone and showed them." See, I even got proof." She grinned wickedly with her eyes and smile.
Alice rolled her eyes and shared the same look as her boyfriend had on his face. "Hermione, that was not funny." He saw FP's grin appearing on his face and groaned." I'll get you back for that, right Alice?" Alice turned toward him and winked." Oh, yeahhh, I will so get you two back for that."
FP and Hermione started laughing and that caused their lovers to come up with a wicked idea." I'm sure Mary would back us up on this. She's always wanted to get you back for what you did to her in 8th grade." The look of horror quickly whipped off the grins.
"No. You wouldn't dare." They shook their heads in denial.
"Only one call and you're asses are ours and yes we do dare." Alice confirmed.
"Alright we will drop it if you stop making fun of us."
"Deal." Hermione and FP said with the certainty that Alice wasn't kidding around.
"Alrighty, now that is settled, who wants to have so fun and only if you never put in an episode of Friends again." FP, Fred and Hermione looked on in wonder. What was she talking about? An episode of FRIENDS?
"Monica and Chandler." The looks on their faces all lit up.
"Oh that episode?"
"Yeah." She said with a shudder in her voice and a chill went down her spine. She smiled giddy at the baby in Fred's arms." We got a deal?" They nod their heads.
"Alrighty, I'm going to find Jughead and we are going to play catch the ball without dropping it." She said before walking away. But before she left she caught the confused looks. "Friends? Oh, come on, I made you guys watch it with me. It's the one where they keep tossing a ball and they can't drop!" She groaned out of frustration." Oh, Lord! I'll just find Jughead you uneducated fools!" She left them, shaking their heads at one-another.
Luckily she found Jughead over by the snack bar and he was eating chips and loaded his plate with Cheese Fries. Of course he would be by the snacks and it didn't even take an genius to figure that one out. A monkey could do it on its own- especially if he's marcel.
"Hey, Jug. Wanna play catch the ball?" Jughead gulped down the rest of his drink and belched. "The one from Friends?" She gave a terse nod." Yeah, I'm in!"
"Good. I tried telling your father and the lovely uneducated fools." Jughead gave a look that said," Are you kidding?" She shook her head.
"Wow, they're so uneducated!" He exclaimed as she tossed him the ball.
"I know!" She squealed like Monica Geller. "I'm so glad I have you, Jug."
"Me too, Alice. I can't wait for you to be my new mom." Alice's eyes widened as she stood taken aback by the boy's words.
That was the first time Jughead ever said that. She never knew that he'd thought of her like that. She knew Gladys died after she tried to kill him. She understood why he would want a new one after that.
"You-you really mean that?" She couldn't get the words out as she stuttered.
Jughead caught the ball and then threw it back." Yeah. I do. You are like the mom I never had. And I know that you make my dad and JB happy. So why not me too? I ca--" she cut him off before he could finish.
"No." She shook her head," No, I love it." She caught the ball and then pulled him into a strong hug. "I love you like a son." She admitted as she tried to fight back the tears that were floating around in her orbitals.
Jughead's eyes started to well up with tears." I-I love you too like a mom." He felt her hands cup his cheeks." Don't cry. And let's play don't drop the ball for real this time." He nodded as she threw a curve at him.
JB, FP, Hermione, Fred and Betty rolled their eyes as they watched the competition between Jughead and Alice. They thought that debates and competitions were out the window. But who were the kidding? Only themselves, this is Jug and Allie people.
Betty rapped at his shoulder with a soft knuckle," Are you sure you want to marry into that?" FP's eyes floated over to Alice and he couldn't stop smiling. "Yes? Are you really dead sure, FP? 'Cause, FP, you are marrying her debates and also her addictions... there's no backing out when it gets too tough."
"Yes. Yes, I will be marrying her with her debates and her annoying addiction to Friends. The way she cringes at the sound of forks scraping or when she picks my own son over me - I will still be marrying her." He said confidently. He had been waiting twenty-six years for her and he's not going to wait any longer. She's his Lobster. "She's my lobster." Everyone's eyes shoot over to him.
"She's my lobster? Did I just hear you quote phrase from Friends?" Oh no! No, no, NO! She did hear him quoting Friends.
"No, No, No, NO! I didn't just say it. I did? Damn it!" He cursed as his cheeks went red with shock and embarrassment.
"Yes, you did, F." Fred said.
"I said she's my lobster?!" Apparently he said it too loudly because less than a sec later he heard. "I'm your Lobster?!"
The whole room darted their eyes at FP and Alice. Alice had been playing an intense game with Jug when she heard FP say that. She ended up forfeiting the game and Jughead won. "Yes! I won! Finally! We've played six rounds, and I finally won!" He started doing Chandler's victory dance.
Alice ignored him, handed out a twenty to shut the boy up and headed over to FP. He had a look on his face and she couldn't stop smiling at the redness in his face. FP finally composed himself enough and opened his mouth and spoke.
"Yes. Uh, alright, you're my lobster, happy?!" Alice doesn't say anything. Instead she leaned forward and kissed him as everyone in the room watched. Taken aback, FP started kissing her back and she broke the kiss first.
"Yes, I am. Not because you quoted Friends, no. I'm happy because even though my love for friends is more than Jughead's for burgers." Jughead was about to protest.
"Nope." The seventeen-year-old groaned as he stifled his comments in his head. She looked into his eyes and giggled," But none of that matters, you still are there for me no matter what. Hal... he would always make of it and it hurt. You... you don't. Sure you joke, but that's all you do. I love you and if I'm you're Lobster then I'm the most lucky woman in this room."
FP kissed her again and pulled away," Fine. You're my Lobster, but I'll only admit it this time and I'll deny it any other time."
"I feel like I'm re-living Friends." He search for an explanation. Alice threw her hands up." The one where Chandler spills that Ross bought Carol that expensive duck." She paused." Ugh! I give up!" She threw a look back to Jug.
"And Phoebe says Ross is Rachel's Lobster." Jughead recited, impressing the room.
Betty rolled her eyes at her boyfriend. She had been dealing with mom's problems for years. And now she had to deal with his. She was going to lose her mind. At least she had FP to help her escape their crazy family.
Later that night after everyone left. Alice and FP were in bed when they heard," WHO ATE MY SANDWICH!" She quickly noticed the guilty look on his face. "DADDDDDDDDDD, MOMMMMMM, SOMEONE ATE MY SANDWICHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"FP... you didn't."
FP's eyes filled with shame." I did... I'm sorry." Alice groaned as she threw the blanket off her body and stood up. "The sandwich I made for him because it was part of the deal if he won, I would have to make him the 'Moist Marker'" She searched his eyes for any answer and got fed up. "I told you about the episode Ross's boss ate his sandwich that Monica made for him and he threw it out. And now you don't remember the deal do you?"
FP thought back and instantly he remembered to what happened a few hours ago. It was ten minutes after the Lobster thing was over. He was watching his son, Jug and Alice add another ball and this time Tom joined in which was surprising. Well he whined when Jughead chucked it at his forehead and he was out of the game. Those competitors are mean. Then he recalled that Archie threw in a bet. Jughead said if he won she would have to make the blah blah sandwich and if he lost he would be in a box? Yeah a box... his family was strange. Sometimes he wondered why he was marrying into the this family. He did for her and because he loves her just that much to deal with all the crazy. He assumed it had to do something with that show.
"Oh...no..." He said just as the door was pounded on.
Alice opened the bedroom door since he didn't bother to get up and face the music. She expected to see Jughead but it wasn't only him. No. It was Betty, JB, Cheryl and even Veronica since she was spending the night. Her mother and Fred well... took over the house and she called Cheryl and Betty to make her escape.
"Do you I even want to know why he..." Betty started as she pointed at Jughead with her pointer finger,"... interrupted our sleepover by screaming and I quote," WHO ATE MY SANDWICH!!!!' like a banshee!"
Cheryl rolled her eyes," Yeah, Hobo was that necessary BB was doing my makeup and when you screeched like a baboon and now the eyeliner is on my HAIR!"
Jughead retorted." Who ate my sandwich? If somebody wouldn't have took my sandwich I wouldn't have needed to make a scene."
"Are you really that narcissistic, Jughead? It's just a sandwich. Just make another one." Veronica added as she rolled her eyes.
Alice caught the look on his face forming and heard him scoff," Just a sandwich?! It's not just a sandwich, Veronica. It's The Moist Marker from Friends!"
FP was kind of weird about what his son would do to him. "Apparently" that sandwich meant a lot to his son. Oh, no, FP what have you done?!
"Are you kidding me?! This is about Friends?!" Betty exclaimed." Jughead, this needs to stop."
"Not until I find out who ate my SANDWICH!" He snapped as the rest of the room shook their heads at him. "Now. Who. Ate. My. Sandwich?" He turned to towards his sister." You. Did you eat it?" Jellybean rolled her eyes and laughed.
"I'm not an idiot, Kidcowacic. Why don't do you always think I've got to do something this? I'm not Megan from Drake and Josh. Even though that would cool and, I'd totally wipe your ass." And then she added with a smirk," Have you asked your buddy, Arch?"
"Archie knows not to mess with my food." He stated as if it was obvious to the naked eye. "Besides Archie took pizza from me one time and hasn't done it since."
"Fine. I ate it, Jughead."
Jughead's eyes flew open with shock and anger started eating away at his blood. He turned to see who it was and seethed.
"It was you?" He scoffed in disbelief," I should've known it was you." FP knew his son was pissed at him. Especially since Alice shook her head judgmentally at him. He knew he messed up. "You made a big deal that I let Alice have a few of my burgers when she was pregnant with Koel and you weren't happy. And now you take my sandwich."
"I-I didn't know it was yours, son. I swear. I'll make it up to you." He saw an evil sparkle in his eye." And I'm not going in no box, Boy. You can forget about that one." He heard his son groan and the pout form on his lips.
"Alright." He smirked again." You have to wear an "I heart Friends" shirt for one whole week." FP groaned. He really didn't like that deal. "Fine. One whole week and than you'll forgive me?" His son nodded with an evil laugh.
"Yes. Oh, this is going to be pure fun." The smirk got bigger when he started to talk again." And you have to watch one season of Friends with Alice and I - any season of your choice. After that I'll think about letting you off easy. We got a deal?"
He frowned as his son handed him the shirt and he was forced to put it on."Deal." He knew Fred and his friends would never let him leave this down ever.
-xxxx—
Okay I'm sorry I had so much fun with the friends stuff in in here. It's my favorite show. Thank you for waiting so long for an update. I hope you enjoyed it.