He didn't know why he thought it was a good idea to climb up a 10 foot ladder that leaned precariously against the outside windowsill of Betty Cooper's window.
He didn't know why he felt the need to call her Juliet when she opened her window with a look of astonishment on her face.
He sure as hell didn't know why the little smile she had on made his heart beat harder, and his breathing more shallow.
He didn't know why he was standing in the middle of her pink floral bedroom, or why he felt the intense need to sneak into her room and comfort her like a rescuer.
He carefully stood in the center of the room trying not to touch anything that was hers, afraid that his dirty, secret life might tarnish the fragile beauty, his stare fixed on a certain blonde. Betty Cooper of all people was viciously pacing in her room, speaking at the speed of light about her parents being insane, her sister possibly being insane, and now she herself was questioning her sanity. Jughead offered obvious answers to help take her edge off. "All parents are insane","Maybe she is insane", "We all are insane" He meant the last one as a joke because saying everyone was insane really meant that no one was insane and let's face it, Alice Cooper was completely psychotic.
When she politely laughed and took a deep breath, he instinctively reached out to slow her down and make her think, she tended to hold everything in, and the fact that she was unraveling before him made Jughead very protective over the sweet girl. "We are not our Parents Betty." He said the words that he had repeated to himself a million times, words he wished he would never have to say to Betty Cooper.
"We are not our families."
It was just a wish, but right now he meant it as encouragement, the fact that the Cooper's could create such a kind, caring, selfless human being was beyond Jughead. Her breathing evened out, a calm repetition as his logical words permeated her brain. Betty focused intently on the boy's face while he was looking away, he was racking his brain on how to bring her more comfort. When Jughead looked up her bright blue eyes were staring into his own with such intensity everything he had planned on saying flew out the window. Nevertheless he attempted to push forward, his mouth felt unnaturally dry and swallowing did nothing to help.
"Als-"
His voice was lost before he could even get a word out, if he wasn't able to get one word out then there was no way he was going to convey to her that she was alright, she was pure and good and lovable.
"What?"
Her gaze searched his face in worry and even though Jughead wanted to calm her worry, the ball in his throat wouldn't move
"What?"
This one was a little more playful, a sort of 'spit it out you idiot' type of moment. In that split minute such a feeling hit the young writer that he had never felt before, strong feelings of admiration, loyalty, and hope for this beautiful girl in front of him. She was being so vulnerable and open with him and he just couldn't hold back how much she really did mean to him.
If she only knew.
If she only knew how long he had been watching her tear herself down for not being perfect, for how much he resented Archie for hurting her heart, if she only knew that he would do anything for her because she was one of the best friends he had. Jughead could do the only thing he could think of in his voiceless state. He grabbed her face and kissed her. Holy shit, he kissed Betty Cooper in the worst setting he could think of. This was most likely going to backfire, and she most likely didn't feel the same but she had to know that he was behind her %100, no matter what.
He pulled away, holding onto the feeling that kissing Betty Cooper produced inside of him, and finally letting go of all the feelings he had towards her in a big sigh. When he opened his eyes again Betty had a small smile on her face.
Oh.
Now he knew the answers to his earlier questions. He knew why he did it, he did it all for her.