#dilton

Archie Andrews Day at Lodge Records Chapter 1

The night before Archie's Andrew's Day. At Lodge Records

The music in front of the store was playing ,Watermelon Sugar. by Harry Styles.

Jughead wasn't sure how people could listen to it. He secretly wanted to slip in Coyote Shivers, Sugar High. He personally thought that one was better and dirtier.

Jughead Jones was regretting having to work tomorrow. He slowly moved to the backroom. To avoid having to do with anything having to do with that day.

He, for one, was not into, meet and greets.

He may love music enjoyed having the space to work on his zine, but having to feed into this teen heartthrob that he felt couldn't sing.

Archie just knew the right people to get in the door. Archie sounded whiny; he could swoon a girl with his love songs. Cause, of course, they all want their men to sing that to them.

Jughead wanted to puke to even have to help with the set up for tomorrow. So he decided to hide in the workroom, claiming he had to finish some last-minute touches to his zine article.

He put on the headphones he put on that exact song he wanted to slip in instead of the sound blaring upfront.

Betty was working the cashier out front (music playing You should be sad, by Halsey).

When Dilton walked up to her, "Betty, I need you to get Jughead out here please" She just shrugged and moved so he could take her spot. She wanted to laugh a little that he thought he was an assistant manager. He only assumed that because of the person that should be assistant refused to do so.

When she walked back to the backroom, she heard the song switch to Good as hell by Lizzo and Ariana Grande

Working on his zine with his headphones on. Betty knew Jughead was a writer; she also knew that he was a movie buff, and the music he listened to wasn't typically the mainstream. He had a knack to sell you a record instead of a CD. The costumers seem to flock to him. Maybe it was the way he worded things, or perhaps it was his knowledge like he read up on all the artists they were selling. Either way, watching him work, she almost didn't want to bother him. Almost being the keyword.

she tapped on his shoulder, "Hey Jug."

Jughead takes off his headphones and stares at Betty. His music blasting some Operation Ivy, Take Warning.

"What's up, Betty?"

As he closes his laptop, and his azure eyes stare into her, she almost forgets what she was going to say. Almost.

"You need to be out front, selling not working on that!"

He laughs, the sweetest laugh she's ever heard.

"Was that a directive from Mr. Lodge himself?"

She squeaks, "What no, he's not here! That's from Penny"

His eyebrows go up, "OH."

"As long as I'm selling and not helping with Archie Andrews day," he says somewhat sarcastically, almost bitter.

Betty stares at him, thinking, "Why? Archie's cute!"

he mimics Betty, "Yeah, so cute, think he'd date me?"

Betty wants to slap him, "Well, I'm going to lose my virginity to him!"

Jughead gets up, "Good for you, just know it'll be nothing special, and you'd probably have to do all the work!" He winks at her, "Thanks for letting me know your plans want me to get you some candles and condoms?"

Her mouth opened and closed, and he smiled, knowing he caught her off guard he loved doing that.

He was about to leave the backroom when Betty said, "Jughead, what is that movie we watched from the '90s about a record store?"

Jughead smiles, "Empire Records."

Betty shakes her finger at him, "Right Empire Records. Who is the guy that was gluing all the stuff down?"

"A.J."

"And who did A.J. love again?"

"Corey"

"So what would A.J. have done if he saw Corey stripping for Rex Manning?"

"Draw a picture of it?" He chuckles, "Nah, he'd throw up!" He shrugs his shoulders "He wouldn't confess his love to her at 1:37 exactly."

His eyes turn dark. He crosses his arms, "He'd realize that Corey is no different than any other teen pop girl that throws herself at her teen idol crush. Not realizing they are human. That this guy probably gets this non-stop and hey if she/he is willing to go ahead. He won't stop you."

"However, A.J. would probably date Deb; they are both creative, trying to find themselves and not really genuinely being heard by the people they like. Corey is blind; clearly, A.J. is hurt. He won't punch out the moron who is Rex. He'd just realize Corey is the wrong one let her go off to Harvard. He'd feel bad for her, though, because that's not how her first time should be. She'd probably regret it because he wouldn't treat her like the love songs he sings about. "

Betty was going to say something, but now she can't. Her words seem void somehow.  That was deep. Maybe part of Jughead was in there. He was a mystery; honestly, she had no clue how he felt about her. Jug always seemed to want to protect her. Betty kind of felt like that was just in his DNA.

Dilton walked in, "Jughead Penny needs you on the floor, man."

"Got it!"

As Jughead walks out, "I hope nothing happens where I'm locked in this store with Archie Andrews."

Betty smiles, "Oh, I hope it does Jug, I hope we all get stuck together."

He laughs, "Yes, Mr. Lodge would love that!"

As he walks back out, he wished to have his headphones because Maroon 5 Memories was playing. He was beginning to wonder who picked this station. Yet tomorrow, when he worked, most of it would be Archie's songs. So he'd rather deal with this.

"What's up, Penny?"

"Can you close tonight, Jughead?"

"No, I can't Penny, I told you that!"

"I can't have Dilton do it."

"Well, I can't either Penny, I'm not even old enough to close yet." she knew this. He did too, yet more often than not, he was the one closing.

He looked at her, "Isn't Reggie working?"

"You want me to trust Reggie with my money?"

He laughed, "Well, Penny, it's either him or Dilton I can't." He looked at his watch, "I'm off an hour."

She rolled her eyes, "Jug, please!"

"Sure Penny, I will if I get to tomorrow off."

she scowled and stated, "Oh hell no!" she pointed her finger at him, "You will be opening though"

"Always Penny, always," he gave her his best grin.

Betty came back out front to run the cash register next to him. Penny smiled at him and walked back to her office.

        Archie Andrews Day!

Jughead opened the store like he was supposed too. Since he was the only one in there. He put on some Descendants, Coffee Mug  Rancid, 11th Hour, and Korn A.d..i.d.a.s before the rest of the crew came in.

He made the coffee dark and intense like his soul. He swiped down everything that would be used for Archie and the employees that had to be with him. Made sure the boss lady's door was locked like Reggie was supposed to do when he closed. For once, it was locked. He wasn't sure if he should take that as a bad sign.

When Fangs walked in, "What's up, Jughead ready for Andrews's day!"

"oh, Hell, no!" Jughead stuck his middle finger at Fangs, "Don't you dare say it."

"But, he's so cute though," and he bursts into laughter.

Jughead play hits him, funny dude.

Sweet Pea walks in, "So what's with today, today?"

"Are you drunk, Sweets"? Fangs said while laughing

"No, just quoting one of Jug's movies that secretly cursed him with his own Rex Manning."

"Fuck it did Pea I need to quit like right now!"

"Oh, Jug quit being dramatic."

they all start laughing when Betty and Toni walk in.

Jughead looks at Betty, knowing very well what she had told him the day before. He really didn't need that image in his head for a 17-year-old male that was dramatic and traumatic, according to him.

He decided instead, "Toni and Betty you make sure the TV's work, so we hear the song on a repeat of

can you be my valentine? by Archie Andrews."

Toni Just smiled, "Anything else?"

Yeah, "Can you two run the cash registers for the first half-hour?" Toni and Betty look at each other and head out.

Jughead shouts," Was that a yes?"

He hears Toni say, "Sure if we can play the Skittles game."

"Yes"

He hears Fangs say, "Don't eat them all this time, Jughead" Jug just laughs it off.

Alright, Fangs,” you are guard duty outside with the walkies so we can have ground control, Cool?"

Fangs smile, "Hell, yes"!

He smiles at Pea, "Oh Pea, you get to guard Archie Andrews after his own bodyguard."

He sees Pea roll his eyes, "Oh, Joy!"

That's when Penny walks in. She hears Jughead assigning roles. She can't deny how that makes her secretly happy.

Fangs smugly, "What are you going to do, Jughead?"

Jughead smugly responds, "Inventory."

Pea friendly punches him, "Of course you are"

Jughead thinks to himself. The only reason why I am is that Penny doesn't trust you. The only other person she believes can handle it is probably Betty. Betty needs to be upfront cause she's more people-friendly. He looked at his watch and smiled.

As Dire Straits, Like Romeo and Juliet, came on.