CHAPTER THIRTY SIX:

↳ PROGRESS 

     IMMEDIATELY AFTER SAYING THAT, Ginny Hopkins jumped up from her position at the table and ran off. She rarely liked being a drama queen and there she was, making a fuss over a stupid dance. Jughead sighed, standing up slowly, knowing he would have to go after her.

"Dude, you didn't ask her to the dance yet?" Archie asked in disbelief, shaking his head. Sure, Jughead was new to the dating game but he should've asked her on a date already. 

"No," Jughead told his friend. "I didn't think it was that big of a deal. I'll be back." He pushed himself out from his spot on the bench and walked in the direction he saw Ginny go. 

Jughead found Ginny in an empty school hallway, leaning up against a wall, her legs pulled tightly to her chest. Jughead sighed, looking at the girl who was wearing his jacket and approached her.

The young boy collapsed beside the brunette girl, who turned at his movements. 

"I'm sorry," Jughead began, clasping onto her warm hands that took shelter on her knees. "I'm new to this boyfriend thing and you're my best friend– I never knew you would want to go to the dance." 

"I don't," Ginny said with a shaky laugh, wiping away the tear stains left behind. "I'm just really emotional right now–"

"Why?" Jughead asked sharply, his grip on her hand tightening slightly. He was protective of Ginny and if it was because of her mom or that older man– "Is it because of your mom?" 

"N–No," Ginny laughed, squeezing his hand. "I–It's my time of the month, Jug." 

Silence filled between them and Jughead's mouth opened in realization. "Oh."

"Yeah, oh." Ginny nodded with a blush. She knew that she had to be honest with him, even if it was just about her period. She knew that eventually she would have to reveal a bigger secret to him. "I get that we're new to being more than friends and I shouldn't care."

"You should care," Jughead interrupted, his eyes narrowed at her words. "I haven't properly asked you out on a date yet." 

"You haven't," Ginny mused, leaning in towards Jughead with a teasing smile. .

Jughead stood up, pulling the young girl up with him. He grabbed onto her hips, pushing her up against the wall slightly. Ginny's heart was pounding in her chest as Jughead looked down into her big doe eyes. 

"Virginia Hopkins, will you do me the honour of being my girlfriend at tomorrow's dance?" 

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     JUGHEAD JONES APPROCHED BETTY in the school gymnasium, slightly nervous for the talk that needed to occur between them. They hadn't really talked much about their split.

"Hey, you. Why didn't you tell me about the dinner?" Jughead asked Betty, pulling her aside after lunch. He had located the blonde in the gym putting up decorations. After his talk with Ginny, Mrs. Cooper had pounced on him to go to their house for dinner. He obviously, was confused.

"What?" She replied innocently, glancing at the box in his hands. He had been roped into helping the dance.  

"Your mom basically tackled me in the hall to invite my dad and I over before the dance. Did you not know?"

"No, no, of course, I've just, you know, got so many–" Betty cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Plates are spinning."

"I'm a little confused about it all, we aren't together anymore." Jughead told her bluntly. He knew it might be rude to say that but it was true– Betty already knew he was with Ginny. 

"I–I know that we're not together anymore, Jug." Betty sighed, grasping his hand with her own. Her petite fingers traced his own, her heart sinking from the previous interaction they had. "I know you're in love with Ginny but I haven't told my parents we aren't together. Can we just pretend? For tonight at least?"

"Yeah." Jughead sighed, dropping her hands from his own. "Sure." He felt bad for the blonde. He cheated on her,  maybe this was the right thing to do.

But how was he going to tell Ginny?

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     IT WAS AFTER SCHOOL WHEN THE DUO came back to the Andrew's household. Ginny was hanging out with Jughead until she had to go in for her work shift when they heard voices coming from downstairs. Jughead tugged Ginny behind him as they walked down the stairs, hands intertwined.

"Hello?" Jughead called out awkwardly, looking at the family in the kitchen. Ginny stood behind him awkwardly, knowing they interrupted something.

"Jughead, Ginny, hey."

"Are we interrupting a family meeting? 'Cause we can come back." Jughead told the family, his hand tightening around Ginny's.

"Absolutely not."

"So, who's going to the dance? Besides your dad and me." Mrs. Andrews asked the trio, bringing up the huge event that was occurring the next day. "Oh, and Hermione, whom I invited."

"You did?" Fred asked her, his eyebrows raised.

"We'll talk about it." 

"Wait, you guys are going to the dance? Together?" Archie asked his parents with furrowed brows. It was weird enough seeing them together at home getting along, but at a dance?

"We were talking about it." Fred started off slowly. 

"We both want to hear you play, if that's still happening. If you're good with it." His mom talked to him and Ginny felt awkward as she listened into this conversation. Sure she knew that Andrews family for awhile but it still felt weird with his mother back.

"Yeah, totally. I'm great with it." Archie said with a smile. 

"Good."

"And Archie tells us you two are going together?" Both Ginny and Jughead blushed, Ginny tightening her grip on Jug's hand. They managed to keep together that whole time.

"Yes, yes we are." Jughead said with a shy smile, squeezing her hand back. 

Jughead and Ginny excused themselves from the Andrew's house to go to the garage where the two collapsed onto the couch. 

Ginny cuddled up onto Jughead's side, her head in the crook of his neck as she hugged him tightly. The young girl sighed in content as Jughead's fingertips traced her skin lightly, leaving goosebumps behind. 

"I'm going to Betty's tomorrow for a dinner. She hasn't told her parents we've broken up, probably will tell them afterwards. I just couldn't say no." Jughead began, nervous. He hoped that Ginny would understand and wouldn't be jealous. "It's just– I feel bad we kissed while I was kinda with her and–"

"I get it, you don't have to explain yourself. I trust you." Ginny sighed, feeling like now was a good time to bring up a new topic. 

"Jug," Ginny suddenly said, sitting up. She straddled his legs so she could look him directly in the eyes. There was no sexual motive behind it, rather Ginny wanted to look Jughead in the eyes and talk with him. "I-I've been thinking, since you've been crashing at Archie's all the time, they probably want some alone time." 

"Thanks for saying I'm a nuisance," Jughead joked. 

"No! Not trying to say that, Jug." Ginny began nervously, wishing she had a cigarette to ease her nerves. "Since my mom was gone, I was wondering if you would want to move in with me?" She started to ramble as Jughead just stared at her in shock. "I–I know it's early in our relationship but we've been best friends forever and I just don't want to be alone–"

Jughead interrupted Ginny's rant by pressing a sweet kiss to her lips. 

"Gin, that's a very sweet offer." Ginny held her breath, waiting for his answer. "I'm going to see if I can go back home– my dad is finally acting like a dad again. But, I appreciate your offer and if I can't go home, I'll move in with you." 

They were finally happy.

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everyone's going to hate me but i'm going to post a new chapter every two weeks! that way this story will end right when season two will start!!

instead i'll be writing more for my betty cooper story and my fp jones fic! go read those in the meantime :)