CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN:

↳ FIRST DATE

     ARCHIE AND JUGHEAD WERE FINALLY ALONE after Ginny went to work. She was upset that she had to go to work but now since she was living by herself, she needed to get money. Jughead had walked Ginny to work, however, and when he had to leave he left a sweet kiss on her lips with a promise to call her after her shift.

"So the worm turns. Mary and Fred. A possible rekindling?" Jughead narrated, as if he was writing his story. "That would've been a Li'l Archie's pipe dream. Stranger things have happened, man. Like for instance, my dad shaved. Which is the equivalent of tectonic plates shifting. I was thinking, maybe it's time I go back and live with him again. It's that or–"

"Or what?" Archie asked, his eyes narrowed at how breathless he got and how his best friends eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Ginny asked me if I wanted to move in with her." Jughead breathed out, putting his arms behind his head as he stretched out on the ground.

"What?" Archie asked shocked, sitting up from his position. The covers pooled around his waist, leading him to shiver slightly from the nippy autumn air that came through the window.

"Yeah, granted, it's weird. But she's all alone and I was like that before and I think we could support each other. I just don't know though, I mean my dad wants me to come back." Jughead was in a state of pure elation. The girl of his dreams was his and his father wanted him back in his life.

"Based on the fact that he shaved?" Archie clarified, his mind still reeling over the fact that Ginny asked Jughead to live with her.

"Well, he also hasn't missed a day of work, and he quit drinking." Jughead shrugged his head, thinking of how great his father was doing.

"That's–That's great, Jughead. But maybe you should wait a little bit longer just to make sure it sticks."

"No, dude, I'm telling you, something has shifted. I mean, he even asked to read my work. The essays, the articles I wrote about Jason." Jughead felt proud of himself.

"Your dad did?" Archie asked in clarification. This was getting weird.

"Yeah. And he read them. Even more surprisingly, he engaged with them. He asked me questions about them."

"What kind of questions?" Archie felt like he was interrogating his best friend but Jughead happily answered.

"Like who I thought did it." Jughead had been thinking of his talk with his dad, maybe things were becoming better.

"Your dad asked you who you thought killed Jason Blossom?" Archie thought of Veronica and what she had said about FP Jones— maybe, just maybe, she was right.

"You repeating everything I'm saying is getting really annoying." Jughead called him out and he dropped the subject, knowing he needed to seeing Ronnie immediately.

"Crap l forgot. My mom likes almond milk in her coffee, and we don't have any, so I'm gonna go get some." He got out of bed quickly, stumbling around Jughead's body lying on the ground.

"Well, you are a terrible liar, Archie. Off to a late-night rendezvous with a certain raven-haired princess? Relax, man, I'm just giving you a hard time." Jughead snorted, "I probably should call Gin anyways, she must be off her shift by now."

Jughead pulled out his phone and his best friend left, calling up his other best friend. The phone rang once before Ginny answered.

"What's up Juggie?" Her voice echoed through the phone into the room where Jughead lay. 

"Wanted to make sure you're alright. Did anyone give you a ride home?" He stared up at the ceiling in part boredom, wondering when Archie would come back home.

The phone line was silent for a second before Ginny hesitantly replied. "N-No."

Jughead sat up from his comfortable position, alarmed. "Wait what? Where are you? Should I meet up with you?"

"No, no it's fine Jug. Just stay on the phone with me?" Virginia glanced around, knowing she wasn't in that big of danger walking home but if she was on the phone with Jughead, she felt much safer.

"Of course, so how was work?"

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     IT WAS THE NEXT DAY— THE DAY OF THE DANCE. Music poured out from the schools doors as Ginny patiently waited for Jughead to arrive. She was not happy about the dinner he was going to at Betty's. He was entertaining the blonde girl and giving her ideas– giving her hope.

Ginny patted down her yellow dress, looking around to see if any of her friends had arrived yet. Veronica had been the one to help Ginny choose a dress. The young brunette knew nothing about fashion and Veronica sure did. Ginny felt beautiful, she just hoped Jughead liked it as well.

Finally, she saw FP Jones' truck drive up to the school entrance and she watched from the top of the stairs as Betty hopped out.

"You be a gentleman tonight, okay?" FP asked his son, watching the blonde hop out of the car.

"He always is, Mr. Jones." Betty had cooed and Ginny's eyes narrowed at the girl who was stealing her man.

"Betty, would you mind giving us just a minute?" Ginny had heard the older man ask before Betty complied.

"No, of course. I'll see you inside." Betty walked up the steps, looking at Ginny with jealous eyes but didn't say a word as she passed by.

"What's up?" FP Jones asked after Betty left, noticing how Ginny waited at the top of the stairs for Jughead.

"Look, I've been thinking. I mean, if it's all right with you I could come back. And I could–I could come back home." Jughead told his father, nervously. It was an unknown trait for Jughead to be nervous but he just wanted to go home– be with his father.

"I'll do you one better. It's time the whole family gets back together. Us, your mom, Jellybean. They've got a sweet set-up in Toledo, there's decent work there–"

"In Toledo? Well, why not Riverdale?" Jughead asked his father, his heart stopping.

"'Cause of dinners like we just had. And what you're writing about in your book. And hell, you know what happens to people like us in Riverdale, Jug. We get chewed up."

"But what about Ginny?"

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     JUGHEAD AND GINNY FOUND THEMSELVES in the school gym, watching everyone around them dance. 

"The best of times Gin, tonight after the dance, I'd like to talk to you about something." Jughead sighed and Ginny frowned as he tightened his grip on her hand. " It has to do with my dad."

"O-Oh?" Ginny felt like her breath escaped her body and wanted to die. Did Jug find out? "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, actually, things are great. Better than they've been in a while. I just kind of wanna figure something out together." He pulled her hands up in the air, watching their fingers intertwine.

Ginny felt nervous, it was Jughead and her first date and she didn't want anything to go wrong. She was close to Jughead, a slow song on and she wrapped her arms around the taller boys neck. His hands found their way around her waist, pulling her closer as the two of them slowly rocked to the music.

In that moment, everything was perfect.

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DID YOU ALL HEAR THE INTERVIEWS AT COMIC CON– JOSIE AND REGGIE MIGHT DATE????