↳ CHAPTER ELEVEN:

NORMALCY ↵

AFTER GETTING HER SHIT TOGETHER, Ginny found herself forgetting the weekend and enjoying her time with Jug at Pop's. The two were served by Hermione, who Ginny thanked for covering her weekend shift. Hermione was like a mother figure Ginny wished she had- but didn't.

Virginia Hopkins loved Pop's diner for two things: his milkshakes as a nighttime snack and his waffles for breakfast. Jughead knew this fact to be true and that's why he walked with Virginia to Pop's for a remedy to her sadness.

"Mhm," Ginny moaned in pleasure as she ate her last bite of waffle. "That was so good."

Jughead cracked a grin, glad his plan worked but this faltered as his eyes dropped to the whip cream left on her chin. The boy with brown hair slowly turned pink as he cleared his throat, pointing to her face.

"Um, you have a little..."

Virginia's face turned bright red in embarrassment, her tongue attempting to peak out and swipe up the leftover cream.

Jughead sighed, leaning forward. He used his napkin, reaching across the booth to clean her face.

Both were completely embarrassed at the tender moment— especially how Jughead's fond gaze lingered on her cute face.

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THE ICONIC DUO FINALLY TRUDGED TO SCHOOL, frustrated how attendence was a requirement for graduating. . . even when they were sophomores. The day went by slowly and the duo managed to get to lunch in one piece, where they met up with Betty.

"Betty, I'm sorry. That's hardcore." Jughead told his friend after she told him and Ginny what had happened the night before.

"I asked my dad if I could call Polly. He said she was doing better. But then, when she heard about Jason's death, she had a big setback. He doesn't want to risk another one.

"Why does a rich kid sell drugs?" Jughead asked, fingers interlaced with one another. He furrowed his eyebrows in concentration, trying to figure out why.

"He was running away from his parents."

"Yeah. Probably." Jughead said, standing up. Jughead was known to pace when nervous or when he was thinking hard.

"Or drug dealers." Virginia added, sprawled out on the seat beside Betty. Her head was in Betty's lap and Betty had begun to play with the brunette's hair aimlessly.

"Oh, my God. Is that possible?" Betty asked, shocked. She thought of her sister, Polly, and what she could have been involved with.

"It's a theory." Jughead added, his eyes flitting down to the lounging body of his best friend. "Yours is more likely. But why would he have to run away from mommy and daddy?"

"Because they're monsters." Virginia told them with a frown. "They're the richest people in town, you don't think they got there by being nice, no something is wrong with that family."

"Yeah, but why, specifically." He walked closer to the two girls a thoughtful look in place.

"Well, we can't exactly just ask them." Betty replied, astounded. It was an outrageous thought, especially when the funeral was this weekend.

"So we have to ask Jason." Jughead state and Ginny snorted as she pushed herself out of Betty's lap.

"Are you proposing a seance or–"

"No." Jughead looked at Ginny as she looked happy about communicating with the dead. It was one of her quirks that he hated, Ginny always forced him to watch cheesy supernatural movies with her.  "Dead men tell no tales. But their bedrooms, their houses..."

"Those do," Virginia added, her eyes lit up in excitement. "We're gonna break in..."

"No!" Jughead exclaimed with wide eyes, calming his best friend who craved an adventure. "We're just going to go upstairs while the funeral is happening and. . ."

"'Look around.'"

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VIRGINIA PEAKED THROUGH ONE EYE at Jughead who entered her room with a knock.

"Ready to enter the belly of the beast?" Jughead smiled nervously, placing his hands in the pockets of the suit. "It was the best I could do." He looked down to the side at the glowing smile sent his way.

Jug cleared his throat, noticing how unprepared Ginny was. She was in her underwear and bra, sprawled out on her bed, not really motivated to get ready to go to a funeral. Especially a Blossom's.

"We need to get you ready for the funeral." Jughead told her as he sat down beside her relaxed figure.

Virginia cracked a smile at the sight of his beanie. "Can't stop wearing it, can you?" She loved his beanie and thought it was cute how he even wore it with a suit.

"No," he sighed as Virginia tugged off his hat to see his dark hair messed up. "Hey!"

She giggled as she stared up at his wavy hair, reaching up to comb her fingers through it.

"I don't know why you don't show off your hair, I love it."

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     JUGHEAD HAD FINALLY MANAGED TO DRAG Virginia out of her house and to Betty's, who drove the two to the Blossom's mansion across town.

"Mr. and Mrs. Blossom," Virginia stuck her hand out in greeting. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

"Ah, look who it is." Mrs. Blossom said as she took in the brunette girl and Jughead. Virginia didn't look bad at all, wearing a pair of black heels and a black, knee length dress. However, Mrs. Blossom didn't care for what she was wearing but more about the drama that had occurred a year ago with Virginia's mother. "How's your mother doing dear?"

"S-She's fine," Virginia replied uncomfortable with the shrewd look sent her way.

"Not in prison yet? I thought your mother would be long dead by now." The redheaded woman rolled her eyes. "Good riddance, your mother could rot in hell for all I care."

Virginia wanted to say something, anything to defend her mother but Jughead tugged on her hand and away from the intimidating Blossom family. She frowned, her hand tightened on Jug's, why did she freeze up? Was there no good thing to say about her mom?

The duo found their seats, ready for the evening to begin. Thank God their friends were there and Virginia was happy that Betty slowly gravitated towards her old friend.

Archie stood up from his seat at the site of Penelope Blossom entering the room, a jersey in hand. Virginia reached over Jughead, grasping onto the end of Archie's letterman jacket. He frowned, looking down at the hand holding him back.

"Arch," Virginia hissed. "Don't, not now."

Archie ignored Virginia and his jacket was pulled from her small hands and she collapsed onto Jughead, annoyed. She turned to him, eyebrows raised at his amusement.

"What?" She asked with sass as she pulled away from Jughead to smooth out the wrinkles from her dress.

"You're just cute," Jughead shrugged, leaning back in his chair to watch the interaction between Archie and Mrs. Blossom.

Thankfully, Jughead missed the blush on Ginny's cheeks.

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