Crossroads
Disclaimer - The following story is a work of fiction. Archie Comic characters were created by John L. Goldwater and are copyright © by Archie Comic Publications, Inc. The characters' names are the exclusive trademarks of Archie Comic Publications, Inc.
Summary - How many roads must a man walk down before you can call him a man? Jughead x Betty
Chapter Two
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Of course Harry was happy we knew each other. I told him we went way back. I told him we used to be best friends, a whole bunch of us. We were inseparable, I told him. And then we graduated and never saw each other again.
We're in the shop, the six of us, Harry, Betty, Herb, Yuki, Anne and I. Anne's cleaning the counter top and I'm sweeping the dirt into a dustpan. She's cranky because she's hungover but still needs to get up earlier than usual to open shop. Harry and Betty sit side by side on bar stools. Herb is finding his centre, preparing himself for his morning yoga. Yuki's passed out on one of the tables. The sun is just coming up. We've been here all night. After all, Thursday has always been poker night. Everyone else left around four. But we're still here, cleaning up and getting ready for a new day.
I'd better be getting paid overtime for this.
I am also very hungry.
"I'm hungry," I announce suddenly and Betty smiles.
"When are you not hungry, Juggie?"
"Very rarely," I say.
"It's unfair that you can eat so much and still stay so damned skinny," says Harry grumpily.
"Just lucky, I guess."
"Hrrmph," grunts Harry.
"I'm hungry," I say again. "Who wants to accompany me to Cinabon?"
"HEY! What's wrong with my food, Jones?"
"Nothing, Anne, only I'm sick of it."
"Of all the nerve-!"
"SO," I repeat myself, "who wants to accompany me to Cinnabon?"
Harry stretches lazily. Everyone looks at each other hopefully. Finally Betty slides off her stool with a sigh.
"Fine, I'll go, lazybones."
Harry grins groggily and pats her bum as she walks by.
"I love you," he says.
She just smiles.
So that's how we ended up here, stuck in the rain, in a dingy second-hand book store. Perhaps an umbrella would have been a prudent purchase? Why don't I ever think of these things in advance?
Betty walks along the isles, browsing through the classics. Frankenstein. The phantom of the Opera. Alice in Wonderland. Watership Down. Every time she sees something she likes she stops beside it, smoothens her hair and smiles a secret smile – similar to the smile she used to reserve for when she and Archie shared a moment in Ron's presence – but not quite.
"I love this book!" she says suddenly, pulling it off the shelf and tossing it to me.
Alice in Wonderland.
"You remind me a lot of Alice, Bets."
She smiles questioningly. "Yeah?"
"Yeah, stuck in a rabbit hole with no way out."
I bite my tongue. I've learnt to be cautious with words. You don't use them unnecessarily; they're like nuclear bombs. Words can break you.
She stands there for a while, not agreeing nor disagreeing and taking in the downpour. Something has settled between us, though it is not uncomfortable. Somehow it feels like I'm in dangerous territory. Get out, says my gut. Too late, says my brain.
Betty and I were never really close. Sure, we hung out, but we never got involved in each other's lives. She chased Archie, and I chased the first bus out of Riverdale. It was none of my business what she did, though she did sicken me at a point. She was so pathetic, moping and pining over someone who obviously was using her at his convenience. Arch was a jerk like that. But he used to be my best friend. And back in high school, that used to mean something.
Anyway here I am, the idiot, changing two decades of routine with two sentences.
She turns to face me and the dim lights pick up the highlights in her hair, the shine of her lips, the blue bubblegum eyes.
"Yeah, you're right."
She flops down on the armchair in front of me and watches me thoughtfully. I offer her a cinnamon roll, but she declines. I remember she hates them. So I hand her a chocolate muffin instead and save the pastry for me. I guess we'll have to walk back to get more food. There's no way I can stop myself from finishing all this. I am secretly relieved that I have the highest metabolic rate this side of the universe.
"What's new?" she asks.
I shrug. "Nothing, really. Same 'ol."
"Have you heard from any of the gang?"
"Get a couple of emails from Dilton now and again…he's at Harvard-"
"We didn't expect anything less," she says with a smile.
"-but he took a year off to tour India."
She raises her eyebrows. "Really!?"
"Yeah, though if you want my opinion I don't think he'll get back to college."
"Gosh, I can just imagine – Swami Dilton!"
She laughs. It sounds like a dam breaking. Like she hasn't laughed - I mean really laughed - in a long time.
"And Archie?"
"No clue. Last I heard he was heading to L.A."
She frowns. "And how long ago was that?"
"About a year?"
Silence. She then slips off her shoes and crosses her legs beneath her.
"Ron's getting married next year."
"Yeah? Whom to?"
"Some guy…we don't really know him."
"Seriously?"
She nods. "Yup. She's pregnant too."
I'm blown away by this information. "No WAY!"
Betty laughs again. She then sits up and clasps my hands in hers. They're warm and she smells like chocolate. I don't think I've been this close to a woman since I last slept with one.
"Gosh, Jug, let's hang out sometime. I mean really hang out. We used to have so much fun together!"
My head is reeling. I feel like I'm back in high school, asking Debbie to the prom. Betty's still looking at me hopefully. She's wearing a pink bra. Her lips are just there, waiting to be kissed. I say what any guy in my position would say.
"Sure."
