Chapter 2: Steppin' Out of Touch


The Road-trip Music Recs:
Part 1 (Betty) : Steppin' Out by Joe Jackson
Part 2 (Jughead) : Out of Touch by Hall & Oates


"Get in a good mood. How hard is it just to decide to be in a good mood and then be in a good mood?"

Camerwon Crowe, Say Anything

She won't look. There may be an hour or just a few minutes left, but if she looks it will break the spell.

Betty buries her nose deeper into the smooth surface of her pillow and away from the time bomb on her phone. One of three blankets is still wrapped comfortably around her torso, as the others have been abandoned in her recent twisting. There's still a slight dip of grogginess and she may be wandering between thinking and dreaming; she knows for sure that her mind has rehearsed the incoming morning routine more than she can even recall.

Usually it was a lingering of anxiety that forced Betty awake before her alarm could sound, and she'd shield her eyes from the ticking clock, hoping there was more sleep in store. This morning however, was a different tune. The pounding in her chest is definitely not a discomfort. Despite her ungodly bedtime there's no dread for the coming buzzer. For one of the first times, Betty realizes with a lazy smile swallowed in the cushioning, she's actually excited to wake u-"BEEPBEEP!"

Her excitement does not stop the groan from the obnoxious electronic screech.

"BEEP BEEP!"

Within the minute she is bounding out of bed towards her phone across the room. Today could not afford the usual Betty Cooper routine of alarm extensions and "five more minutes".

"BEEE-"

"I'm up, I'm up," She says lightly with a swipe to cancel the blaring alarm. The screen blaring a 5:00 AM reminder disappears and Betty notices a message that came in minutes before.

Of course, it's from Veronica.

Up and at 'em girl! I'll see you in two hours at Pops! Don't forget the boys ;D 3 3 3

There's nothing special in the text but it still puts a gleeful hop in Betty's step as she moves to fulfill the promised meeting time because they're actually doing this!

Betty strips her thin pajamas and throws them towards the vanity chair which her backpack occupies. The thing looks ready to burst or tip off the seat. It's possible that she may be over packed, but after removing surplus the night before she can't bear to leave anything else at home. Every item stuffed into the clumpy backpack is already stapled to her fantasy of the incoming adventure.

Besides, there's no time for repacking. If there were minutes to spare she would have spent them bundled in bed instead of narrowing down pairs of socks or hair ties.

The baggage is left behind as Betty rushes indecent to the bathroom. She needs to work quickly. Brushing her teeth, showering (only pausing once to rifle through the bathroom sink for the strawberry body wash that Jughead recently noticed with a deep inhale, and then again to relish in the memory), drying her hair, and finally dashing a bit of makeup and sunscreen on her skin over the porcelain bathroom sink. The whole thing feels sneaky and Betty can't help the bubbling of giggles when she dashes back to the bedroom, only this time, with a towel for cover.

When she returns a sharp line of sunlight is poking through her curtains. The rays shine over the day's outfit she had laid out by the window. She slips into the midi pair of black shorts and tight blue tank top before the sun has a chance to leave a warm resonance on the seams. For a taste of natural light, Betty pulls open the curtains open and enjoys the slight heat on her back when she sits down to pull on her white sneakers.

She doesn't have to check the mirror to know a beaming smile is spread across her cheeks, though she still does even if it's only to add the final touch of her favorite necklace and earrings.

As she stands tall in front of her vanity there's an unfamiliar thought.

Perfect. It's perfect.

And not the unblemished or pure kind of perfect that she always loathed. Things just feel right. Looking in the mirror there's nothing she would change. Thinking about her life there's nothing she wants different.

Betty can't deny that her radiating joy right now may be connected to the implications of this specific morning. Veronica had said, in a whisper at their isolated end of the lunch table a week before, this 5:00 AM start was the first step in the "Ultimate B&V Operation." Now that the day's schedule was underway it was smoother sailings to the thing that had been keeping Betty up late at night, slipping her into daydreams during class, causing her to mistakenly print the name "Betty C Jones" on a recent Blue and Gold article - which she swore was because of a specific Jones' road side service and not of whatever Kevin was implying – which was Veronica's spontaneous road trip.

Also known as the Ultimate B&V Operation.

For the remaining two weeks of school, after the original (failed) introduction of the idea, Betty and Veronica had painstakingly spun their plan for a road trip success. Although Veronica had insisted on a grab and gun it approach, but the success of that was probably less than half, especially since they were grabbing four of their unsuspecting friends before gunning it. Instead, after a heated discussion, and the exhaustion of three baskets of Pop's fries, they compromised. A split of Betty-planning for the first day and Veronica's spontaneous unscripted adventure for their actual travels. If everyone was going to get on board, or get in the car, they needed a strong schedule for the day of departure.

Although, unbeknownst to Veronica, Betty may have still done a bit of research regarding on-route rest stops, and it was possible, that she may have bought a cross country map which was now decorated with her own pink and blue highlights.

Doing a bit of map studying never hurt anyone before venturing off.

Granted, she would have to admit that the multi folding paper had become a recent pain to hide away when Veronica or Jughead visited her room. Her unsuspecting boyfriend had nearly caught her scribbling stars over a specific scenic route. Thanks to quick maneuvering, however, she had hidden it under her blankets in time. After those slip ups the map had been relocated to the car's visor, unfortunately, it was no available in the bedroom for her late night road trip fantasies.

But Betty doesn't need to fantasize anymore, the days for map hiding was over and the day of action had come. As long as she follows the script to the "t" everything would go smoothly.

With one last once over in the mirror she shuffles the heavy backpack over her shoulders and makes her way downstairs. During the trek, Betty settles for blowing a goodbye kiss through the nursery door to the sleeping twins. It was better to avoid any risk of waking the adorable one year olds, especially since her poor sister had just finished an exhausting week. Two days ago Polly graduated Riverdale High and with the flowering of gifts, obligatory Cooper-celebratory dinner, and the usual baby coddling at horrific hours of the night, the young mother deserved a morning of well-earned sleep.

There's some guilt in this sneaking out to have a fun and carefree time with friends. Polly hardly gets that privilege and although she never once complains about motherhood, Betty still notices the longing behind her sister's eyes from the burden of stress that she carries alone. Betty almost halted the road trip idea to once again help carry some of Polly's weight, but that idea was met with rejection from her sister (and although Betty would never say it she was secretly thankful for the release).

As much as she loves Polly and being a godmother the overbearing stress in school, home life, and future mapping (or avoidance of) was making her yearn for a day of teenage normalcy.

There's just a small part of Betty that wishes she could give Polly some of that freedom too.

Betty peeks up the stairs a finally time and thinks that at the very least she could follow up on Veronica's proposition of snatching cute souvenirs at every tourist stop they passed. Polly would definitely love that.

With a clunk of her backpack she hops off the last step to the floor and heads to the kitchen. The sound of sizzling meat and the sweet smell of a cooked ham gives her an overwhelming greeting.

"Morning Mom," she chirps approaching the slouching figure of Alice Cooper, who is still adorned in loose pajamas by the stove.

"Good morning sweetie." Her mother leans over to drop a kiss on her cheek which then transforms into a yawn. "I was already up so I figured you'd like something to eat before you go. Not to mention cooking breakfast keeps your father in bed a little longer."

Betty smirks and grabs a slice of ham the moment Alice places the finished piece onto the nearby plate.

There's a moment of only greasy pops and her own chewing so Betty uses it to grab the keys that have already been set on the kitchen table. With a swallow she also grabs the two plastic containers nearby that have been filled with fruit and sandwich pieces. One is labelled Jughead.

"Thanks mom, but I won't be able to sit and eat, I have to grab Archie before I go."

"What time are you meeting Veronica, again?" Her mother asks while shifting to grab the carton of eggs.

"Seven," she replies and glances at the analog clock hanging on the wall. "I should go, I have an hour to pick everyone up. Is the car..?"

"Parked on the street." Alice almost gives her a smirk. "I had your father take it out of the garage for your," she pauses and this time her lips are quirked up. "Camping trip."

Betty balances the key on top of her Tupperware in one hand to give her mother a one armed hug. "Mom, thank you so much," she presses. "Just… thank you! Thank you!"

Her mother brushes a manicured hand up her back before pulling back with a tired smile.

"I owe you a little fun. Just stay safe Elizabeth, and make sure you don't drive the whole time!" She lightly snaps with her usual glint of finality. "And once you're back I hope you'll finally sit down and finish those college applications-"

Betty nods through her mother's tangent. "I will, I promise."

She rather keep any source of stress on the backburner for now.

"Also if you stop for the night please text me the address, so if anything happens-"

The nodding continues. "I will, Mom, but really we'll be fine."

Before another Alice Cooper reminder is handed off Betty steadies the plastic containers in her arms to grab the car keys in a free hand.

"I have to go, but thanks for breakfast," she smiles and skips around the kitchen island heading for the front door. "And for lunch too!"

Betty is already half through the door when the last nagging – something to do with "Just don't eat while you're driving, pull over if you have to" – needs to be cut short. Betty shoots back her usual "I know, I will!" to end it and finally closes the heavy red door.

Outside the early morning is a bloom of birds singing and blistering June sunlight that is still trapped behind the neighborhood rooftops. On her way down the manicured walk way she also notices a dampness to the stone along with the pristine covering of droplets along the black railings. The morning dew catches on her fingers as she streaks them across the stairs railings for balance before she jumps down to the ground, missing the center steps.

With a final hop Betty reaches the key to the road trip's success and inserts her own key to unlock its door.

Her father's newly finished 1984 Ford LTD Country Squire.

The yearlong culmination of free time between his grand-parenting and her assistance during spring break, is now ready and waiting for the road trip of a lifetime.

Although it wasn't technically hers, her father was almost eager for someone to take it for worthwhile drive since he was mostly stuck inside cradling two grandchildren while juggling Register work. Not to mention, he also deemed her the second (unofficial) owner of the station wagon from her constant help during the restoration process.

Although it was truly thanks to her mother's cleverly timed mention of Betty's "camping trip" with Veronica and Cheryl, during his mulling over the dust gathering state of the vehicle, that she had landed the gift for the week.

Peering at the sparkling wooden frame of the dashboard and hearing the call of the untouched steering wheel Betty bounces slightly on her heels to settle her excitement. She can't hit the gas yet. There's still one more step in the first stage of the Ultimate B&V Operation and it consists of a grab before gunning it.

She sets the packed lunch onto the plush floor of the car and rolls a window down to keep the food safe from the slow heating of the sun.

With that the easy stage of the plan is done and Betty quickly jogs across the front lawns to her first challenge.

When she rings the doorbell of the Andrews' house there is an uncertain pause and she almost doubts if Veronica successful laid the bait.

That is until the door knob is jostled and pulled in to reveal the familiar scruff of Fred Andrews.

"Morning Betty, sorry I kept you waiting I'm still waking up and that old couch is practically a bed," he jokes, but the delicately placed hand on his side hints otherwise. Fred widens the entrance and waves a hand for Betty to enter. "Archie's almost ready, he should be down in a few."

"Thanks Mr. Andrews." She tilts her chin for a grateful smile and moves over the front stoop into the familiar narrow entrance hall of the Andrews' home. Through the narrow passage besides the stairwell the kitchen lies open and Betty can just make out the cluster of power tools lying about the counters.

"I heard you're redoing the kitchen," Betty offers in attempt for small conversation.

Fred glances back to the end of the hall before resting an arm over the wooden railing of the stairs. "You heard right," he responds with a light grin. "Figured I'd put myself to work. Put in a new sink and counter, nothing too heavy. Just got the doctor's okay for it, so I should be starting soon enough."

"That's really great Mr. Andrews," Betty sings and it takes an extra push to ignore the slight lump that has formed in her throat. The prospect of home renovation may have seemed unusually dull from the outside, but its implication is heavy with an almost divine thankfulness.

A year ago when Betty had stood spilling tears over the broken pieces of her childhood friend, desperate to hold his broken self together, there was a suffocating fear that Fred Andrews, the heart of Archie's life would slip through.

Now as she stands in this house, besides its warmest presence, there's a fight not to shed tears over the beautiful distance from that haunting memory.

A slight rumbling echoes from the floorboards above and Betty breaks from her reminiscing to peer up the stairs.

A muffled curse is heard and then the responsible ruffled mob of red hair appears.

"Sorry Betty!" Archie calls from the top step he leans onto. "There's just a couple of things Ronnie asked me to grab, I swear I'll be right down!"

"No problem, Archie!" She calls back, but the poor whipped boy is already bounding back upstairs.

Betty slightly kicks herself for ever doubting the methods of Veronica Lodge.

A chuckle resounds and Betty draws attention back to Fred who is moving to the connected living room.

"I heard you're all having a day trip out of town," Fred begins before stopping to take a sip of a mug that had rested on the center coffee table. "Not to mention you're taking the Country Squire."

There's a sharp shine behind those worn eyes and Betty suddenly realizes she's no longer in the realm of a small chat.

"Uh… yes! My dad's letting me borrow it, so Veronica and I thought after breakfast we could take everyone out for the day-"

"Week." Fred takes another sip after he gently cuts her off.

Her hands ring nervously around the cold metal of the car keys. "Um…"

"Heard from your dad you're going out for the week." Another sip. "A camping trip. And apparently, he said, it was just you and the girls."

Shoot.

Betty warned Veronica that too many cover stories – especially cover stories with fundamentally different time covers – might unfortunately come back and overlap.

Although getting Archie out for just a single day was the best they could do recently. There wasn't much room for an alternative.

Somehow, she knows, there's going to be a lot of necessary weaseling to undo this inconsistent web they've weaved.

"Mr. Andrews I-"

A hand unwraps quickly from the body of the coffee mug and gently signals her to stop.

"But if you had told Archie a week," he starts again with a quick glance towards the groaning boards of the celling. "He would have said no. On account of me."

Betty shifts weight to her right leg. Her bottom lip is tugged awkwardly by a single tooth, as she waits for him to continue.

"It's been a year Betty. You're a smart girl and you've got a good eye, you've probably noticed, Archie's been walking on egg shells since I came home, and he probably goes out less than me." Fred sticks a hand into his pocket and pulls out a folded piece of paper before once again approaching her.

He offers the mystery note to her and she takes it with little hesitation. Whatever is written inside doesn't matter, Betty knows that she's essentially been passed the baton of responsibility for Archie Andrews.

"Give that to FP Jones. I figure it's safe to say you'll eventually stop by Jughead's," he squints with a grin that almost appears as a wink. Betty flushes slightly under the knowing eyes of Fred Andrews.

"Even I need the house to myself sometimes."

Then the thundering squeaks of wooden stairs interrupts.

"Hey Betty!" Archie sprints down the remaining steps with his own over flowing backpack in tow. "Sorry, that took forever! Ronnie texted me a whole list of random things to bring just in case, but knowing her if I don't grab it- well you know!" He laughs, and Betty smiles back before slipping the note into her back pocket.

Fred claps a hand on Archie's back and starts pushing them back through the front door.

"Well then you probably don't want to keep the lady waiting, kiddo."

"Yeah you're right… Oh- hey Dad," Archie halts and shimmies past Betty to approach his father again. "Did you get the okay to start the kitchen, 'cause if you wanna start tonight I'll come home early…?"

Betty catches the slight glance the older man gives her before he replies. "Doctor actually called back this morning, said I should wait another week before I start any heavy labor."

Archie responds with unsuspecting disappointment. "Alright, just let me know if you need anything," he says and adds a chipper good bye before heading for the street.

"Betty!"

The call yanks her attention away from Archie as he demands "shotgun!" to no one but her.

"It was nice talking to you and good luck!"

Betty stands with her jaw definitely hanging open as Fred Andrews waves and then disappears behind the white door.

She's left wondering how Veronica and she thought they were the sneaky ones.


Maybe it was the fact that he'd slept through his alarm.

Maybe it was because Jellybean had occupied the shower for a ridiculous amount of time, claiming she couldn't simply interrupt an eight minute Led Zepplin song.

Maybe it was because Hot Dog had decided his faithful black sneakers were a perfect morning chew toy and he had to wipe the slobber off them with a tissue.

No matter the actual reason, Jughead Jones is in a less than cheerful mood.

There's actually quite a bit he should be happy about, he thinks, while slipping on a pair of frayed jeans. Despite the early wake up on the first official day of summer break, he is going out to breakfast with his girlfriend and their friends.

It was actually Veronica who had begged him to drag his lifeless body away from the possibility of a late morning sleep at the prospect of enjoying time with Betty, which apparently the girl had been pining for, and it would be a lie if Jughead said he wasn't feeling the same.

Things had been rather hectic recently. Excluding the craziness of their respective families, Betty had also been a little off – distant? – recently, with increased, and isolated time with Veronica. If he can move passed this six-thirty crankiness then he'll admit there's a flutter of excitement to sit down and actually relax with Betty – and Archie, Veronica, Kevin, Cheryl crowded together during the bustling morning rush of Pop's diner…

Okay, hopefully relax.

Betty's message of "On my way!" had chirped on his phone a few minutes ago, so he has about ten minutes before she arrives at Sunnyside.

With a slip of his palm through his hair the beanie is settled on his head and he figures this is as good as it's gonna get in the bathroom mirror. He clicks off the lights and slips out to the trailer's kitchen only to be greeted by additional snark.

"Look who woke up the dead."

Jughead admits a mock groan and flanks to the right to jostle the chair Jellybean occupies. She screaks and loses her grip on the Cheerios box resulting in an overflow of cereal over the bowl.

A perfect strike back from the earlier hot shower steal.

"Jug! Come on!" She slaps at his arm and glares at his too obvious glee. "What the hel-"

"Hey! Language missy!"

The front door creaks open just in time for his father to saunter through and catch Jellybean's profanity slip.

"I was gonna say heck…" she pouts and begins returning the lost cheerio soldiers to her bowl.

Jughead leaves the kitchen for the main den to search out his backpack.

"Hey Dad, did Mom leave already?" He asks, glancing through the window for the likely empty spot of his father's truck.

"Yeah, she just left." There's a jostling of a kitchen drawer as FP replies from the kitchen. "Said she'll be home for dinner, but it'll be a long day so we can get pizza or something; that way she doesn't have to cook. Sound good?"

He turns to find his father sneaking a spoon into his sister's cereal to a steal bite. She lets of an incredulous "Hey!" at the thievery.

"Yeah that's fine but…I may be out late."

FP leans onto the kitchen table as he defends from the onslaught of "JB fury fists," and manages a smug grin.

"Gonna be a late night with Betty?" He chuckles.

That definitely merits an eye roll and Jughead lets him have it.

"Not just Betty, I'll be out with Archie and the usual group too. Besides," he pauses glancing away, before he tackles the next topic. "I can't be that late. I'm getting up early tomorrow."

Jellybean laughs. "What's earlier than six for you Jug!"

His father however, catches the hint.

"Work?"

"Possibly,"Jughead replies and lets his eyes drift to the side to catch the look on FP's face.

Truthfully he hasn't landed anything yet, but recently there had been a tension with his father just regarding the idea of Jughead looking for a job over the summer. Which was definitely unsettling because him working wasn't a new concept in their house, he always made his own money. If there was a new pair of headphones he wanted, he bought it. If there were notebooks for school he needed, he handled the bill. This whole adversity of him getting a few summer jobs is a ball game he hadn't played – and he fucking hated baseball in gym, so that didn't really help the situation.

"Look Jug… if this is about school you don't have to-"

He tenses at that line of prodding.

"Actually Dad I do. I can't really mess around this summer, I have the time so I'm going to use it." He lets that begin and end the entirety of his reasons, not willing to discuss the topic further.

The slightly forgotten early morning irritation is springing back. He runs a thumb over his eye, hopefully removing the remaining sleepiness.

When his hand retreats he's taken aback that FP has shifted from the relaxed position by the table and now stands tall and almost intimidating in front of him.

Like a father, Jughead thinks.

It was a common aura he carried after being released from jail the previous year.

"Jughead, you may not think so, but I actually do know what this is about." FP begins with a slightly softer tone. "Your mom and I are working, you shouldn't have to feel-"

There's a crash of something obviously glass before a delayed cheer.

"Betty's here!" Jellybean shouts and Jughead peers around his father to see the splatter of milk and mournfully soggy cheerios around glass on the kitchen floor.

FP sighs moving for the mess. "I'll get it."

Jughead kicks on his chewed shoes. "I'll get the door."

He grabs his backpack preparing to exit the trailer before an overexcited knocking resounds on the other side of the front door.

Definitely Betty, he thinks with a smirk.

Pulling the knob he's greeted to the absolute radiance of Betty Cooper, donning a tight fitted tank top and dangerously cut shorts. Usually he maintained a certain amount of control over himself, but he's been itching to see her the past few days, not to mention touch her.

They had hardly managed a simple hand hold at Polly's recent graduation dinner.

"Juggie! Morning!" Betty beams, with an infectious energy that vibrates her whole being. For a moment Jughead thinks she's going to pounce at him in front of his family and the entire population of the Sunnyside trailer park, until she reigns control and settles for a light grab at his elbows at the voice of their friend.

"Hey Jug," Archie smiles as he reaches the front stoop. "Did you see Betty's ride! Her dad let her take it!"

Betty mutters a protest of its insignificance, but he's already looking towards the trailer's edge where the classic blue station wagon sits.

Sharp wooden sides and shining silver rims in the strengthening morning light. He's not a car enthusiast but he can definitely appreciate them, and this automobile is certainly deserving of that.

He also recognizes it as the sacred Hal Cooper project that he had been given the orders of "look and don't touch" during his many visits to Betty's house. The closest he had ever gotten to thing was when he brought Betty a water bottle as she helped fix something under the vehicle. Jughead remembers Betty explaining the piece but he had been short-circuited after walking in on the obscene image of her rustling with the underbelly of the car, and afterwards Hal had given him a look that could be interpreted as Jughead's last time in the Cooper garage.

The car is beautiful, a truly different image from its beaten-up state months ago, but its presence also sends a splash of confusion over him.

"Your dad let you borrow his car for the day?" Jughead questions, raising a purposeful brow towards his girlfriend. "What's the occasion?" He chuckles slightly.

Betty's smile falters and her hands slip from his arms. "It's nothing!" She replies, in an almost, quick recovery.

Jughead's not stupid. He'd like to think he's probably the furthest thing from it, so he knows, better than anyone, that Betty Cooper is being less than frank with him right now.

"I just figured," he starts with a steady but prying tone. "Your dad lending you his third untouchable grandchild wouldn't be for a day just a day at Pop's."

He's caught her and with an unsure tilt of her chin he knows she's scrambling.

"It's just… Ronnie and I figured we may do some driving around… and with the Squire we can fit everyone, it'll be fun!" She finishes with an innocent shrug of her bare, but still reddened, shoulders from her sleeveless dress during graduation.

His mind wanders off the confident stance Betty offers him to the actual "Squire" in question.

The station wagon fits five people. They have six.

Not mention it has good mileage – which Mr. Cooper raved about – and the extra storage in the back.

He may be on to something but he needs to check.

"Hey Arch," Jughead calls to his friend who's standing almost helplessly nearby, though he doesn't peel his eyes from Betty. "Did Veronica ask you to bring anything… weird today?"

Betty's eyes crinkle into a passable cringe.

"Uh… yeah, she did," Archie answers. "Ronnie asked me to pack some extra clothes, a bathing suit – I just figured maybe she'd turn the day into some search for a pool or something, it is supposed to be hot – and she also made me bring pajamas which was kinda weird…I guess," Archie finishes at the uncertainty of his own list and then whips back between the car and them.

That's all Jughead needs. Evidence of an impromptu packing request, a sleek long driving vehicle, and he's figured Betty Cooper out.

Although it may also be thanks to the fresh memory of National Lampoon's Vacation floating around in his mind from a recent revisit with his sister that lets him connect the dots to Veronica's proposal two weeks prior.

Now that he thinks of it two weeks ago was when Betty and Veronica had increased their usual "B&V time, and when Betty had started acting a little shifty.

"Betts, if what you're planning has anything to do with driving and traveling then no." He wipes a hand down his face at the realization of this now obvious scheme. "I told you this summer I can't." He turns away and moves back into the house.

He glances back in time to see that her face has morphed with a level of disappointment, but there's still an edge there that proves she hasn't given up yet.

Archie's voice is calling after them as Betty follows him into the trailer.

"Wait, what's happening?" Archie asks slipping behind Betty. "This doesn't have anything to do with that road trip thing Ronnie brought up, does it? I thought we were just doing breakfast?"

Jughead crosses his arms. "That's exactly what this is about. " Then uncrosses them. "Betty, I told you I wanted to work this summer, I thought you were okay with that," he finishes with a softer tone.

"I know Jug, and I am," she complies. "V and I just wanted a chance to spend time with everyone."

Archie cuts in with a look of guilt. "It's a fun idea Betty, but like I told Veronica, I can't really leave my dad."

The three of them are left awkwardly clustered at the entrance waiting for someone's final word.

Jughead feels rather crappy throwing a massive bucket of cold water on Betty's plan. A road trip always had been an appealing idea during the summer, but when he wanted to do it something always came up. Archie bailing was a reason two summers ago, and this year weighed more on the unsettling question his future and finances which had recently been planted by a rather unhelpful guidance counselor meeting, and an unfinished discussion about it with Betty.

Suddenly a rough cough breaks his spiraling and the group's silence.

His father stands awkwardly with a bunch of paper towels sopping with milk and cereal, as an unwilling audience member, with Jellybean slinking behind.

"Uh… although I'm not entirely sure what all this is about, you may want to pull up a chair if you're gonna be a while," he offers with a gesture to the kitchen chairs. "Not to mention we've got waffles…"

Archie pulls from their triangular arrangement towards the table, gives Jellybean a high five and then snatches some food. Jughead stays planted except for shrugging his backpack to the ground.

"Oh! FP," Betty calls from besides him reaching into her back pocket. "There's something I need to give you. It's from Mr. Andrews."

His father successfully tosses the dripping paper towels into the trash bin before taking the folded note and reading.

The kitchen echoes with his rare hearty laugh.

"Typical Fred," FP smirks and hides the note into his own pocket.

Then without warning he's shooting forward grabbing Jughead's backpack and tossing it to Jellybean.

"Wha- Dad what are y-"

"JB do me a favor, throw some essentials in there, some of your brother's clothes too," his father asks and Jellybean hesitates with the nearly empty bag for only a second before giving a salute and scurrying to the bedrooms.

Next to him Betty's eyes shine with a new certainty as if their earlier rejections were now voided.

Was this her plan all along?

Jughead tries to uphold his earlier stance. "Dad-"

"I've been given orders to kick you out of the house and send you on your way with this lovely lady here," his father replies with a quirked brow that dares Jughead to fight him on it.

"And that includes you Andrews."

Betty's hands press together in an excited prayer. Archie sits slack jawed with a waffle in hand. "Wait, what? What did my dad say?"

Jughead's losing control of the situation with every inch his father's grin inches upwards.

"Your dad has fired you as his twenty four hour baby sitter, Archie. Apparently, you're not allowed home until you have a good time," FP answers and ignores the shocked response Archie when he shoots up from the kitchen table.

"Look," His father wipes his eyes over the three of them. "You're kids, and believe it or not you deserve to be just that, which is something Fred and I can agree on," he states peering towards Archie and then back to Jughead almost cutting him down in size. "Jughead, if you want to work that's fine, but believe me you've got your whole life for that. Riverdale's taken a pause in its usual bullshit-"

"Hey language!" the shrill voice of Jellybean cuts in, as she returns with his luggage.

"Sorry, I meant nonsense," his father corrects with a smirk which then turns into a sincere look. "Son, I'm just saying you should take this opportunity while you can, hold off on your job tomorrow. Let me be the parent for once."

Jughead something heavy weigh in his throat, as he lets the almost fantastical image of his father, offering more than he could have ever imagine, manipulate him.

He gives.

"I didn't actually find anything yet," he mumbles. "For work…"

A familiar figure shifts in front of him and he's thankful because it hides his misting eyes.

"Juggie please," Betty pines quietly almost an inch from his nose. "I know you're worried about where we're headed and how we'll handle it, I am too… but I swear we'll figure out together, like we always do." His hand is clutched between her own. "We can think about the future with some fun too."

Suddenly, his shoulder is pummeled by the thud of Archie's palm.

"Dude, at this point if we don't go Ronnie will probably skin us. Besides… we can, you know, make up for our own lost opportunity of sophomore year."

God, at this point he's fighting a losing battle. As his fingers twist around Betty's and the old forgotten talks with Archie about long drives and good music return he's essentially allowed himself to wave a white flag.

He sighs. "Alright, you're all ridiculous, but you win, I'll go. Okay, I'll go!"

Archie hollers and FP laughs as he chucks a full backpack at him.

Then before he can blink Betty lands a chaste kiss to the corner of his lips that leaves him so dizzy that when she pulls away the next thing he knows they're already pulling away from the waving figures of Jellybean and FP at the trailer door.

A cheerful knot twists inside Jughead as he leans back in the front seat, a new appreciation for this morning now in sight.

"Okay! This is a serious low blow. I had dibs on shotgun!" Archie pulls forward, creaking the seatbelt to its limit. "Betty come on this is a serious betrayal!"

The image of his friend straining a head between the two front seats is frighteningly close to Hot Dog when his white fluffy mug hovered over the middle console.

Jughead manages his worst sneer towards the whimpering teenager. "Sorry dude, the lady has spoken. I guess I really am Betty's favorite." Then, for added scorn, Jughead stretches a hand past the radio to pinch the soft skin of a knee.

An entirely stereotypical squeal breaks from the holder of the steering wheel. Archie's eyes roll around their sockets and he allows the grey strap to take him back as prisoner in the second row. Although Jughead misses the humor in the moment, as he is completely lost in the familiar roll his chest gives at the sound of Betty's glee, even her light slap swipes across his shoulder.

"Juggie!" Betty giggles. "I'm driving!"

A deep groan emits from behind before Jughead can form a return to her scolding.

"Guys...I'm too hungry to be the third, fourth, fifth, and six wheel right now. Ronnie did promise breakfast and that's honestly what I'm really here for."

"Dude, I saw you inhale two waffles at my place. Don't confuse pining for starvation." Jughead secures an elbow above the seat peering to the back. "The second row's not too bad, once we throw some bodies in the back it'll be a real party."

Archie lunges forward in a mock attack. "Enjoy the throne while it lasts bro. Ronnie is gonna throw you in the back with me, once she gets in."

Jughead scowls and prepares a fire back to that ridiculous idea until a familiar "DING" sounds from the console below. Betty's attention is immediately drawn and her hand slips from the wheel to pass Jughead her phone.

"Juggie can you check that for me? It's probably Veronica."

"Sure," he complies clicking the screen on to check the message.

He's not entirely sure what to make of it when it appears.

"Um…She wrote 'girl, bombshell in the bag, but worst scenario is-"

Archie's laughter interrupts his attempted reading.

Betty jerks the car at what Jughead hopes, is a legal stop.

"Wait – Archie shush! – what did she say about a scenario," Betty asks.

Jughead glances to the phone before continuing. "She said worst scenario is- and I quote – 'a hellish shit storm of daddy's bright idea.' And then 'operation changed from meetup to breakout.'"

Betty moans leaning towards the wheel. "God, nothing is going to be easy today is it? Okay, Jug. Text her that we're getting Kevin, right now, and then we'll be on our way."

He sighs already typing Betty's request. "With our luck, we can hardly organize a normal Pop's meet up, it's kind of expected that your road trip kidnapping wouldn't exactly go smoothly with a simple meetup."

"Wait, hold on, I know we're doing the road trip," Archie butts in with his head over the center console, and Jughead almost pities the sad confusion written on his friend's face. "I thought Ronnie said we were doing breakfast first?"

Jughead responds by dipping into the seat, as the first probable road bump of their trip sits as an empty lump of hunger in his stomach.


Author's Note:

Oh my GOD. I finally FINISHED THIS CHAPTER. Hope it was worth the wait, after this we are gonna be hitting the GAS! The adventure is really gonna begin! I've got TONS of fun stuff planned as well as a playlist of music that's waiting to be forced into chapter titles!

Updates should come a bit more regularly now! Let me know what you all thought about this chapter and I'd love to know the thoughts on the song choices too!
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