Chapter Two: Blood in Blood Out
I was waiting in the lobby for Jughead, shifting my weight on either foot. The scenarios were swimming in my head: what if Jughead runs away, what if he doesn't give me a chance, what if FP never gets out. "You can do this Anna," I whispered to myself trying to give myself a pep talk. The Serpents were easy to win over, but Jughead would be a different story. I heard footsteps down the hall and all of a sudden I felt like vomiting. Never had a member of the male species made me that nervous. Winning over the stepson that's parents had screwed over time and again would not be easy, but I was determined. Jughead approached me. "Are you ready to go," I asked him gently?
"Yeah." Jughead was curt. I led the way to the car.
"I hope you like the house. You can decorate your room however you want." I tried to start some kind of conversation; I've never really been comfortable with silence.
"I'm sure it's fine." Four words this time; an improvement. "How did you meet my dad?" Woah, there it was. The story I was hoping to avoid.
"I'm not sure you're ready to hear that yet."
"Tell me or I'll leave." Like father like son. Ultimatums were FP's favored way of getting what he wants.
"Your dad saved my life." Now I was the one avoiding conversation.
"How?"
"My ex-husband was a customer. He put all his money right here," I tapped the inside of Jughead's elbow, "when he spent everything we had he started pimping me out. Eventually that didn't bring him enough money, which he blamed on me. Your dad came to collect, and my ex sold me to him to settle his debts."
"My dad bought you?!" Jughead shot me an incredulous look.
"That's when your mom left. Mind you he never touched me, not until later. Your dad gave me a job at the bar. He gave me my life back."
"I'm still stuck on the fact my dad bought a person."
I pulled into the driveway. "Jughead, he bought a whore and turned her into a kingpin." The look on his face told me he understood. "Well here we are, home sweet home.