Betty Cooper knew she was 'trapped' by choice in a one-sided relationship since a long time.
He cared for her a lot, she knew that, but never in the way she would wanted him to care. He looked out for her, he protected her and supported her every single time she needed him too, but she knew she simply wasn't enough for him, even though he might not accept it.
She didn't know what exactly she was lacking, and she had spent a ridiculously amount of times over the years trying to figure what could possibly be that she didn't have, but she couldn't find anything.
She always tried her best to be the perfect girl and girlfriend for him.
She knew him completely, in and out. She was pretty enough, she has a bright future ahead of her, she was always there when he needed her to be, he knew she'll do anything for him and he knew she was going to be a perfect wife and mother. She was the perfect choice. The smart choice.
Still, no matter how 'perfect' she was, that never stopped him from seeking for intimacy in someone else's bed.
They were high school sweethearts, and since the very beginning of their relationship, he cheated, and continued to till the day.
And she stopped caring long ago.
At first she was furious, so furious she could feel her veins on fire and her heart clenching painfully in her chest. She screamed, she cried, she was so devastated. It was hard to believe she still wasn't enough after all those years of constant pining over her best friend, after all those years of watching him dating someone else, after all those years where she was 'just a friend, nothing else'.
They broke up the first times he cheated. She would stop talking to him and stop 'being there' and that was enough for him to come crying back and beg her for another chance. And she'll give it to him, of course, because she loved him and she definitely had no self-respect or dignity.
It was a constant loop. He would cheat, she would break up with him, and he would come begging for another chance a few days later.
She didn't expect it to become that repetitive, though. She didn't expect it to become an habit. At first it was once every few months, then once a month, then once every few weeks and so on. The 'Other Women' weren't really people she knew. They were from other schools, girls just visiting town, girls he found in bars, girls from there universities. Just anyone that was not in Betty's circle, really.
And that's when she realized that she simply wasn't enough. No matter how many times they would hook up, how many times she tried to look her 'sexiest', or how many times she followed him into nasty bars or parties just to show him she was not boring, that she was something, something he should be grateful to have, it just didn't matter.
So she just gave up. She pretended to be blind, deaf and completely oblivious. She stopped asking where he was, why did his roommate told her that he didn't came home last night, why wasn't he answering but was constantly on his phone when she was with him.
She stopped seeing the hickeys, and the feminine clothes she would casually find sometimes in his dorm. She would just ignore all the gossip that was constantly surrounding her, and the pity looks everyone gave her.
She would just ignore it all, and just go kiss him with a sweet smile in her face, asking how his day was, telling him she loved him or baking him something. Naïve girlfriend stuff.
She wondered why he didn't just break it up definitely once and for all, but she felt so lucky that he didn't. She loved him, she was gonna stay by his side until he finally realized that she was the one, she was gonna wait until he finally settled down with her. She decided that until that day came she was going to play oblivious and forgive him no matter what.
Until now.
It was a rainy Saturday, and the day was already difficult as it was. Classes started on Monday, and that meant that 'perfect' student Betty Cooper was freaking the hell out because it was her first semester in college. Behind were the days walking in the safe, familiar and predictable halls of Riverdale High. She was about to stand up against a new beast and if she didn't want her mother to go all sadistic on her she needed to maintain her perfect grades (funny huh? Isn't she supposed to be an adult now?).
She was running across and outside the campus all day. Buying things she still needed, writing every piece of information about her classes and extra-curriculars she was going to take, organizing her dorm as best as she could, buying groceries for the week since Veronica was going to be caught dead before doing groceries and a whole lot of activities she was doing in her desperate state. The cherry on top was that Archie and Veronica begged her to go to some themed-party tonight 'c'mon Betty, before classes start'. It was out of the campus since it was hosted by two frat houses from different Universities (apparently they rented some place). She really didn't want to go, but it was one of the few times that Archie actually begged for her to go to a party, so of course she said yes.
She hasn't seen her boyfriend all day, but she texted him that she was going to be busy all morning and probably all after-noon as well, so when she finally found a time to take a break, she went to one of the campus fast-food restaurants and she bought dinner for both of them.
She wanted nothing more than to eat junk food while watching a movie with her boyfriend right now, at least before Veronica dragged her inside their dorm to get ready for the damned party.
Huge was her surprise when she entered his dorm, to then open the unlocked door of his room to find him under the sheets with a well-known long red haired head.
Cheryl Blossom.
The food fell out of her hands, and it was only then when the two of them snapped their heads to look at her.
Archie looked at her with wide-panicked eyes and instantly got up covering his body with whatever he could find.
"Betty-" He started.
"What the hell" Betty shrieked with already teary eyes, looking at her boyfriend in complete disbelief.
"I can explain, Betty-" He tried again, stealing a glance at the red-headed girl that was trying hard to hide her devilish grin.
"With Cheryl, Archie? Seriously!?" Betty screamed in rage, feeling her face grow hot in anger as the tears started to run helplessly down her face.
"Betty, please" Archie pleaded, taking a step towards her making her instantly step back.
"No!" She screamed. "No, Archie." She said hissing at him. "I- I can't believe this" She half-whispered staring at her boyfriend in complete and utter disbelief. "I gave up so much for you Archie. I ignored everything, I forgave you everything!" She said. "But this" and she pointed to Cheryl. "This I won't" She said as she sobbed.
Archie made a move to grab her arm, but she quickly dodged him like he was going to burn her if he touched her.
"Don't touch me" she hissed, looking at him with green eyes so full of anger, hurt and disappointment that made Archie flinch. "I'm done, Archie." She said, voice cool as ice. "We're done" she added, turning on her heels and escaping out the door.
She didn't know how she got to her dorm so fast, she could hardly see with her eyes completely blurred by the tears. She remembered being intercepted by Reggie, Archie's roommate on her way out and by a few other people that tried to ask her if she was okay while she was walking towards her dorm without stopping.
Once she finally opened the door, she found Veronica's back facing her as she was arranging a lot of clothes on their small living room.
"Finally! I was about to call you because I wanted us to get ready soon-" She stopped in her tracks once she turned and saw the red-puffy face of her best friend. "Oh my god, B" Veronica said, and rushed to Betty's side closing the door quickly behind them. "What's wrong? What happened?" She asked in concern.
Betty hiccuped between sobs and just said an almost inaudible 'Archie'.
"What?" Veronica said frowning. "What did he do this time?"
"H-He cheated on me" Betty said, but she got no answer from Veronica.
Veronica, just as probably everyone else knew what was going on with Betty and Archie's relationship, so Betty knew that she wasn't surprised about what she said, and she probably didn't want to say anything because every single time that Veronica merely suggested that Betty deserved better, Betty will tell her to please shut up.
It's been a while since that happened because Betty simply decided to stay quiet about her boyfriend's adventures. It has actually been a while since Betty had come crying to Veronica telling her that Archie cheated on her.
"He cheated on me with the one girl that bullied and tortured me since I have memory" She added, to make things clear, and Veronica's jaw dropped.
"You're kidding me, right?" She asked in disbelief. Betty shook her head and felt hot tears running down her cheeks again. "Oh, Betty" She said and hugged her tightly. "I'm going to kill him I promise"
They stood like that for a few moments. Veronica hugging and rubbing Betty's back softly until she calmed down. And once she did, they pulled apart and Betty gave her a grateful smile.
"You know, we still should go to the party tonight" Veronica said, and Betty was about to scoff at her but Veronica quickly continued. "And before you say that I'm a selfish bitch— hear me out" She said, making Betty roll her eyes to then look at her expectantly. "I just think you need a distraction, B. Are you really gonna spend the last two days of freedom of the semester moping around because of Archie and Cheryl fucking Blossom? If you don't get a distraction you're gonna mess up your first days of classes and you know it" Veronica said.
Betty bit her bottom lip and looked at her unsure.
"Plus, you know how this is, Betty" Veronica continued. "You know that Archie's gonna come back, he always does" She assured. "But he know's you're here, devastated and crying your heart out waiting for him to come, so then he does in a few days." She said rolling her eyes. "Look, I don't know if you want him back this time or not, that's up to you and you know it, but don't you want to give him a little lesson this time? At least?"
"What kind of lesson?" Betty asked kind of sarcastically.
"Just— let him know the you're not dying and waiting for him to come, okay?" Veronica said exasperatedly. "If you for once do something you never did when this kind of thing happens, he's gonna be so confused that he's not going to do this in a longer while than most of the times" She said, and Betty flinched.
Not even Veronica could lie about 'this' not happening ever again. The most anyone could hope was 'this' not to happen in a while.
"Betty you're trapped in the same loop since forever" Veronica said, oblivious to Betty's thoughts. "Just for once do something that none of you is expecting, it'll change things, for sure" She added.
Betty sighed deeply.
"Look, you convinced me but… Archie's surely gonna go. I don't want to see him, at least not tonight" Betty said with sad eyes.
"Fine, I'll take care of it" Veronica said shrugging.
"How are you gonna take care of it?" Betty asked frowning in confusion, and Veronica smirked.
"Just watch and learn, B" She said and grabbed her phone from the coffee table to then scroll down her contacts list and place the phone on her ear. "Hey, Archibald" she says, making him know that she's angry. "Yeah, she's here, and yes, she told me. You're a fucking ass by the way" She answers, and Betty tries to hear the other line but can't. "She's fine" Veronica shrugs, and Betty's heart starts pumping in her ears. "Yes, I mean it. She's perfectly fine" Veronica insists and glances at Betty smirking. "Still, she doesn't want to see you today" Veronica says. "What does that means you say? It means that we're going to the party and you're not" She said and looked at her manicure. "Yes, she wants to go, she was the one that told me about it actually" She winked at Betty. "I don't give three fucks about it being one of the most important parties, Archibald. You're staying in your dorm. You're staying to think and meditate about what you've done." She said raising her voice. " I said I don't care! Is the least you can do for her, I mean Cheryl Blossom? Are you fucking serious?" She said now angered. "You're staying, Andrews. And if I see you there I swear you're gonna wish you'd never been born" She threatened. "Okay, glad we understand each other then. Goodbye!" And she hung up.
Betty was actually a bit shocked. She could've never talk to Archie that way, and even if she did she was pretty sure that he wouldn't care and would do whatever he want anyway.
She knew that there was 'something' between Veronica an Archie. She knew that Veronica -despite all- liked him, at least a little. Still, she fully respected their relationship and would never come between them. Betty couldn't really blame her for what her heart felt, she knew it wasn't something she could control. She knew that from experience.
And, if someone ever asked her to give the name of a person that could control Archie Andrews, she'll say Veronica Lodge, without even hesitating. It didn't matter if Betty was the girlfriend, she knew that in Archie's eyes, Veronica was different. She knew that from the very first moment Archie's eyes played on Veronica.
"Now, that's done" Veronica said snapping Betty out of her thoughts. "Next on the list: Getting ready" She said with a smirk. "We're gonna have SO much fun tonight!" Veronica squealed, making Betty chuckle for the first time in the night.
"Hey, so you say it was a themed, right?" Betty asked and Veronica just hmm-med in response while analyzing possible outfits for the night. "What's the theme about?" Betty asked curiously.
She didn't have much experiences with parties, normally she would just stayed home studying or doing something that pleased her mother.
"Handcuff party" Veronica said, while she tossed something for Betty to catch and she did.
Betty shook her head even more confused than before.
"What's a handcuff party?" She asked frowning.
"Oh, it basically consists in getting handcuffed at the entrance with the first person of different gender that's close to you. Inside you need to play some games to gain keys and try them until you find yours" Veronica explained.
"What if someone's gay?" Betty asked and Veronica snorted.
"They're not all 50 shades of Grey-games you kinky girl" Veronica said with a mocking smirk. "Sure, there're some hot-games, but there's beer-pong and stuff too. So, unless you're allergic of the opposite sex you're just gonna have fun drinking, that's kind of the point anyway, getting completely smashed. Still, if you're in a relationship they'll just gonna place you with him or her"
"Oh" Betty said in understanding. Getting smashed with the excuse of freeing yourself. Who was the nutshell that invented this party?. "So that means that I'm gonna be stuck with a boy, probably a complete stranger, and you too" She said, gazing at Veronica with a 'Is this really your definition of fun?' face.
"Aww, c'mon B! It's perfect for making new friends and I'll force my boy to be with you two, don't worry" She said and winked.
It took them two hours to get ready, and after Veronica finally approved both of their looks, they made their way to the party in Veronica's car.
Betty felt a little self conscious about her outfit, but not because it was too revealing, just because she'd never dressed this nice to anything, much less without Archie.
It was still hot and a bit humid from the previous rain, so Veronica chose for her some blue and flow short-shorts, and a white tank top that 'looks amazing with that sexy-ass tan, Betty' according to Veronica, and some blue flats matching because she really didn't want to get uncomfortable, much less handcuffed to a stranger.
Veronica being Veronica was with a stylish little black dress and with just her signature pearl necklace contrasting her black look. She looked a lot more produced than Betty, clearly hoping to get a hottie to be handcuffed with her tonight. Betty didn't really care that she wasn't that well dressed for the occasion, because in contrast to Veronica she was hoping to be handcuffed with the calmest and shyest boy there was.
Once they finally parked and got out of the car, Veronica nearly pushed Betty towards the entrance.
There was a large group of people waiting to get in 'If they were waiting in organized lines everyone could get in sooner'. Veronica began scurrying between people while dragging Betty by the arm, until she finally found a spot she liked just in the front.
Betty could see two people seating behind a small table with a small money-box collecting the money, two rented guards guarding the entrances of the house, a girl that was talking to a few couples while putting them handcuffs 'must be the one's in a relationship', and two other people: a guy and a girl, setting random couples. The girl was picking the guys, and the guy was picking the girls.
She suddenly felt completely terrified.
She watched in horror how they just grabbed a random guy/girl and set them with the other. Then, the already handcuffed couple walked to the table to pay to get in, and then walked past the guards.
When the 'choosing guy' walked dangerously near her, she almost turned to run for her life, but instead he grabbed Veronica's arm.
"Hey there, babe" The guy said, closing one of the ends of the metal handcuff in her left wrist, the girl appeared soon after and was dragging Reggie by his arm, locking him with Veronica.
Betty was kind of relieved for her, Veronica always talked about how hot Archie's roommate was so this won't be a problem, and Reggie seemed delighted.
She snapped out of her thoughts once she saw Veronica gasp and holding back a squeal, looking at her to then look past her.
Betty was stupid enough to get distracted that she barely registered when the 'choosing guy' closed the handcuff around her right wrist.
"There you go, have fun kiddos" He said, and walked away.
The cold-metal feeling around her wrist felt so surreal, that it was the first thing she looked at. Her hand, trapped.
And indeed, at the other end of the portable-prison was a large, masculine hand.
She gulped loudly, and let her eyes trail the stranger from his hand to intense grayish-blue eyes.
She nearly fainted.
He looked like a 90's heartthrob, James Dean vibes and all. He had jet black, messy but stylish hair. He was wearing a gray t-shirt under a worn, black leather jacket, dark jeans and combat boots.
He was probably the sexiest guy she's ever laid eyes on.
Don't get her wrong, she couldn't compare him with Archie, simply because they did not fit the same category. Archie was a pretty boy, a cute boy, someone that made you feel butterflies in your tummy. But this guy? This guy was hot, he was handsome, he was sexy. You didn't feel butterflies in your tummy, but you did feel your body on fire and your knees melting down.
The guy arched a brow, and smirked down at her.
"Hey there, blondie". He said with velvety, masculine voice while he threw his cigarette to the ground to then step on it.
Cigarettes always were a major turn off to her till now.
Before she could even made the awkward seal sound that was about to leave her mouth, she was yanked by Veronica (dragging a bit the poor boy).
"That's probably the sexiest guy here you bitch! You're so lucky!" She whispered/screamed in her ear, clearly being heard by the sexy stranger, that just let out a low chuckle while looking at both girls.
She was gonna kill Veronica.
"Have fun" Veronica finally said, winking at her to then walk towards the entrance with Reggie.
Still tomato red, she turned to the stranger again.
"Sorry about that" She said, looking at her feet while biting her lip. "I'm Betty, Betty Cooper" she said, placing her hand out for him to take it, but instead, he let a soft his in the back of it, making her flush crimson.
"Pleasure, Betty Cooper" He said, looking straight to her green eyes. "Jughead Jones, and please don't ask" He said with a teasing smirk, and she let out a giggle that even surprised her. He just smirked again. "C'mon, let me pay for our tickets" he said, gently grabbing her hand so the handcuff wouldn't drag her and hurt her.
"Oh, you don't have to!" Betty said quickly and still flushed, Jughead just side glanced her with a smirk.
"Yeah I know, but I want to" He said and took out his wallet from his jean pockets, to then pay for both of them.
Betty's heart started beating loudly in nervousness and anticipation.
"You look nervous" Jughead said half-chuckling.
"Yeah, well.. I don't really do this" She said, glancing at some people that were looking at her curiously and confused, probably thinking what the hell is Betty Cooper doing at a handcuff party, handcuffed to someone that's not Archie. "Like, ever"
Jughead let out another throaty chuckle.
"It's gonna be fine, Betts." He said, making her blush at the nickname. "I promise I'll make you have a great time" He added, gazing intensely into her eyes again.
All she could do was just nod.
"Ready to enter the belly of the beast?" He said, smirking down at her.
'No'. She thought.
She wasn't in the party yet, but somehow she could feel like she was just about to jump off a cliff.
And there was no going back from it.