1: A Not-So Clean Break

"I just don't think we're compatible anymore," Connor said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Your eyes focused on your hands, folded in your lap in front of you. You were sitting in the far corner of Pop's, a basket of fries between you that neither of you wanted to touch.

"Is this because of yesterday?" You mumbled, focusing your eyes on the cars passing outside. You didn't want to start crying. The night before, you'd had another episode.

"Honestly, yeah," he admitted. "When you get like that you're really depressing, and I don't really know what to do."

You shrugged. "Sorry."

"Yeah, I'm sorry too," Connor said. "Friends?"

You shrugged again. "Okay."

Your boyfriend, or former boyfriend it appeared, of two years gave your hand a squeeze you didn't want. He stood, paying the bill and leaving the restaurant. You wandered to the door sullenly before feeling someone grab your hand. You turned back. Sitting in the booth by the door was your friend, Jughead.

Jughead was the first friend you'd made in Riverdale. Your similar interests and personalities drew you together from the first conversation. You'd be lying if you said you didn't crush on him from the moment you met him. After being friends for months, he never let on anything about feeling anything more than friendship, and you took that as enough message to move on and find someone else.

"Oh," you said, trying to sound chipper. Tears fell from your eyes. "Hi, Jughead."

His brow furrowed. "What's wrong?" His tone was soft, trying not to draw attention to you from the other restaurant-goers.

"I... I..." you sniffled, the words not coming out.

"Hey," Jughead said, grabbing your arm. "Let's get out of here."

You allowed Jughead to walk you out of the restaurant to the nearby park. You sat on the bench, fiddling with your coat buttons and sobbing intermittently.

"Connor just broke up with me," you eventually said in a whisper.

Jughead sat back, worry in his eyes. "Oh no."

You shrugged, continuing to cry.

"Did he say why?" Jughead asked.

You bit your lip, not wanting another person to view you as a freak. "Just incompatible, I guess..."

Jughead drew his arm around you, rubbing your shoulder. "I'm sorry. That sucks."

You shrugged again.

"He was a tool, anyways," Jughead muttered, a smile in his voice.

You laughed a bit, wiping the tears away. "You think so?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I know so."

You smiled. "Thanks, Jughead."

His eyes went to the setting sun. "Let me walk you to school tomorrow. I know Connor always did that for you and I don't want you to have to walk alone right after the break up."

"Are you sure? You don't have to do that...."

"It's the least I can do," Jughead said, with a small smile.

You nodded. "Okay."

Jughead walked you home, hugging you tightly before letting you inside.

You snuck into the bathroom, avoiding your parents. You showered off the days events, climbing under the covers and feeling the pain of the recent break up seeping through your body. When you got depressed, things were okay with Connor around. But now, you had no one. You felt yourself spiraling into another episode.

You felt your phone vibrate. Connor? You reached over. It was a text from Jughead.

Hang in there. No use crying over a tool. See you tomorrow morning? –Jughead

You smiled despite yourself.

See you tomorrow morning. –you replied

And somehow, things didn't feel as bad. You were able to fall asleep, ignoring the pain that threatened to consume you and dreaming of a familiar, beanie-clad boy.