NOW AT @ALWAYSTRAGIC.

“What did you think of it?” he asked, eyebrows raising slightly. It had been dark, Jughead knew that but some either thought it ‘too much’ or hyper-sexualized the poem like children. “And if it was something bad, I’m not going to get pissed at you. You didn’t know better, I guess.”

           “  it  almost  sounds  like  you’re  EMBARRASSED  to  be  seen  with  me.  just  IGNORE  them.  tuck  in  your  elbows,  and  SHOOT. “

Hands shoved into his pockets as they walked, he had hoped for a moment that Clay would just let them walk in silence. Jughead wasn’t interested in being buddies or anything nor did he see a need to share everything with the other teen. But of course he’d press for more information. “Remember when that poem was going around school and everyone was just a giant douchebag over the whole thing? I saw her looking upset and quite a few people knew who wrote it. So I decided to sit with her. Sitting by yourself for lunch isn’t exactly the best.”

Lydia couldn’t believe what she was hearing and from HIM of all people. She shook her head with a small scoff, turning as if to leave but made no steps towards the door. The thought of Bryce being such a person made her feel sick to her stomach and all the times he had hit on her, those touches before she’d bat away his hand and move on like it was something. How many times had she rolled her eyes at girls that felt uncomfortable around Bryce? Made some harsh comment about how they were overreacting about him just hitting on people? It wasn’t as if she hadKNOWN. Too many thoughts in her head and she couldn’t contain the sob before she shook her head again. “No, you’re wrong. He’s not like that.”

Was he implying what she thought he was? Eyes formed a squints before she shook her head. “That is really NOT funny, Clay.” She had come to him in her grief and guilt and was he making it out to be some joke? “just because you don’t like him doesn’t mean he’s—— that he’d HURT a girl.” Lydia couldn’t even bring herself to say the word, a sickening sensation in the pit of her stomach. “He’s helped me before. When I just became popular, he helped me out. He can be a dick, but—— not like that.”

           hannah had already stayed late.      work felt more comfortable than home lately so when he asked, she already knew the answer.      she’d rather be with him than paralyzed in her bedroom again with whoever was watching her peering through her window.       “its better without the shadow.”      didn’t give her the chills like it had the other night.      the moon should never stay hidden.      “no, i don’t but i will.      friends don’t let friends watch the moon alone.      let me just text my mom, okay?”      her mother likely wouldn’t care.      both her parents had been staying late at the store lately trying to make ends meet.      

Her eyebrows furrowed at his words about Bryce;  What was he talking about? DANGEROUS? Sure, he wasn’t the best guy considering he could act like a total jock stereotype but that didn’t make him a bad person. They weren’t best friends or anything either but he was one of the first people to ‘befriend’ her after she became one of the popular girls. Social standing and all that. “What are you talking about?” she finally asked. Sure, he had gotten into fights but that was usually just testosterone filled bullshit between guys. “I get he’s not the best person but I don’t think he’s dangerous or anything. If it’s just because he’s known to have weed or something——”

Sure, he had made some advances on Lydia but she had turned him down on them but it wasn’t anything unusual so Clay’s words came as something of a shock to her.