"It's my fault, you passed out. I brought you back home. Your parents were worried, I said that you passed out on the way, I wanted to see that everything was fine." Jug got up and replaced the story book.
"Jug what's the time ? Oh my God ! It's 5 pm ! We were at Riverside at 11 in the morning, don't tell me I was out for 6 hours !" Betty gasped.
Jughead smiled "Sadly Betts, yes that's how it is. Listen..." He sat on the bed and reached for Betty's hand but couldn't bring himself to touch her. Betty saw the pain in his face, she reached over and hugged him closely, her cheek resting on his shoulder. Jughead was taken aback, all the things he said, did she really ? But he told her that he wasn't worth it. He embraced Betty in turn and stroked her hair. "Juggie, everything that you said today, I will never forget it." Jughead stopped, her voice had a strange tone "Time and again boys have told me how perfect I am but not one of them ever looked at me with true love in their eyes. Archie ? Perhaps, but honestly Jug, the more I think of it, the more I believe that his heart belongs to Ron. She is my best friend and I can't bear this tug of war any more. She can have him."
This was serious. Jug pulled away and searched her face. What the hell was she saying ?
"You have always been there for me Juggie. I flirted with you but I never saw you as I saw Archie, maybe it was because he was everything for me. You were and always will be my best friend. But Juggie..." her hands went up to his face, she stroked his ears and cheeks. "I never knew you felt about me that way, I can't tell you how happy I am. Archie has told me many times that he loves me but I don't see that love every time he runs off after someone else. You are the first one who told me that selflessly. Juggie, I never thought that you looked bad. You are wonderful, people who can't see that are blind to the person that you are. They see you through their ideas of beauty." Betty moved closer to him and rested her head on his chest.
"Juggie, I know in my heart that you will be faithful to me. All the pain that is in your heart has steeled you, don't kill off your heart. I will always be with you, I don't care what others say." Betty looked at him, both of them had tears in their eyes. "Betty.."
She didn't let him finish. Their lips met. The first kiss was one of love, not passion. It was the first time he had kissed a girl. For her, it was the third after Archie and Reggie but in him she didn't find an urge to control. He wanted to be her partner, not master. They broke off, Betty's cheeks were flushed, her eyes were smiling. Jug never felt more alive than he did now. The second time he pulled her to him. -
They lay side by side, embracing each other in her bed. Her walls were covered with Archie and he looked down from her walls on his best friend and the girl who loved him and he should have loved. They were on her bed, the first guy in her bed despite the fact that all these years her heart belonged to Archie.
"Betty are you sure you want to do this ?" Jughead asked tucking away the stray strands and smoothing her hair.
"Juggie, we just kissed, you are the first man in my bed and I mean to keep it that way. Don't tell me you want to walk out on me now."
"I will never walk out on you Betts, but you know what this means. What will you say when Archie comes to you ? What will I say ? We will both lose a very dear friend. I don't care what the world does to me but I don't want you to be hurt. I don't want you to throw yourself away for me."
"How could you say that Juggie ? And who are you calling the world ? Ron and Reg ? Do you know how many times I have been humiliated by her ? I am not rich Juggie, I can't keep up with her tastes, I only try to be a good friend but I feel with every passing day that maybe it's not what she wants. Despite all her fights with Cheryl, they understand each other. They are both rich and their tastes for all the finer details are alike."
"Don't say that Betty, I don't want to cut you off from your friends just for me. Veronica is to you what Archie is to me, sure she is cold and insensitive at times but she loves you as a true friend."
"As true a friend a princess can be with her maid" Sorrow welled up in Betty's voice and she rested her head on Jughead's chest, his heart thumping against her. His heart was hers and hers, his.
Jughead stroked her hair, he didn't want things to go bad. He loved Betty but does loving someone mean cutting them off from their friends ? He couldn't live with that love, he wasn't sure that Betty could either.
Betty got up and looked at him. "You are right." She said.
"What do you mean ?" Although he didn't show it, Jug's heart was already tearing apart. Was this a fluke ? A kiss of pity ? Her heart belonged to Archie and perhaps all he said made her realise that she belonged to the redhead.
"Just beacuse we love each other doesn't mean the whole world must know it. They will find out gradually. I won't tell Archie off but I won't pursue him either. If he ever comes to me, I will excuse myself. If they see us together, so be it. I don't care. I have had enough of this drama. The same goes for Reggie and Adam."
They were standing up now, Jug was a good 3 inches taller than Betty but looking into her eyes, he felt her much greater than he could be. "Betty, I always thought this was corny but..."
Betty gasped, Jughead kneeled before her, her hands in his. "I can't buy you fancy presents, I am not good with words of love. For all the skills I may have with anything else, before you I am as simple as the child the day I first saw you. Elizabeth Ann Cooper, will you accept this misfit as your boyfriend ?"
Betty felt her heart bursting with love, no one, Archie or Reggie had been so truthful with her. She sniffed and said "Your friendship is my greatest present, your words and actions of care and support greater than all the fancy words of love I have heard. For me you are the most gifted and kind human being I know, and you have been true to me since the day we first met. Forsythe Pendleton Jones III, I will be your girlfriend and hope that one day I will be your bride." Jughead rose and took her in his arms. Their kiss was broken when Betty's Mom knocked on the door. They flew apart.
Betty lied down on the bed with the blanket over her, Jughead straightened his shirt and hair and opened the door.
"Forsythe, your mother just called. You should go home, you have been sitting here since noon. Oh Betty, honey ! How are you ?"
Mother and daughter hugged each other as Jughead looked on fondly, a smile on his lips. Alice Cooper rubbed Betty's back "How many times have I told her not to push herself but she never listens ! You are very lucky dear to have friends like Forsythe, he carried you to bed in his arms. I asked him repeatedly to eat something but he wouldn't budge from your side. He sat here all the time."
Betty gasped and looked at Jughead, he just shrugged his shoulders and smiled. Jughead who couldn't live without almost a continuous food intake carried her to bed and sat by her side all this time !
"Gladys told me of the wonderful breakfast you cooked at her place. Since Forsythe asked you to lunch it's only proper that he has dinner with us. What do you say Betty ?"
"I don't know mom, ask him !" She smiled shyly at Jughead. "I would love to Mrs. Cooper but only if I cook the dinner." grinned Jughead.
"Cook it ? Heavens what do you mean ?" Alice was amazed.
"It's only fair, Betty made breakfast for us today, I should return the favour and besides.." He smiled "Betty has tasted my cooking but you and Mr. Cooper have not."
Alice Cooper watched in wonder as the lanky teen moved across her kitchen with the grace of a ballet dancer. She had heard of his prowess with food from her daughter but now that she saw him set to work as a master chef, she couldn't help but wonder. Betty tried to help but she was in giggles from Jug's antics and it warmed her from inside that the man she loved would go so far to please her.
"I have never tasted anything better, young man, where did you learn this ?" Mr. Cooper asked in amazement. Jughead and Betty were both blushing. "Betty is a much better cook, Mr. Cooper. If I wasn't my mama's boy, I would say she is the best cook in the world." Betty went round eyed that he could say such a thing and that too before her parents. She gave him a light jab in the ribs. They broke into giggles. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper watched them amused.
"You know honey" Mrs. Cooper spoke to Betty. "When I married your dad, cooking was a woman's job but along came women's lib and men had to chip in and frankly I believe it is fair that both partners share responsibilities equally in a relationship."
"I agree dear" Mr. Cooper said "Although I am terrible in the kitchen, I help your mom in whatever little ways I can. Heaven knows she does a lot for us. But someone like Forsythe..." He turned to Jughead. "Someone like Forsythe is a dream for every woman which puzzles me as to why he is never interested in girls. He is kind, smart, hard working despite all the hard work he does in trying to act lazy..." Jughead and Betty were blushing and Jughead was scratching the back of his head.
"You are right dear. Betty, Forsythe, we are not judging you or your friends but I have seen my daughter dote on Archie ever since she was a baby. Archie is a nice boy but whenever Betty is sad, you are the one she turns to. For someone who hates girls, you have been a great friend and comfort to our daughter and we can never thank you enough for that. There are times when we felt that Betty's grades would slip because of Archie but your presence assured us. You are a better student than her and the fact that you are so good and kind with her, is I believe the reason that she is still sane."
"Awww Mom !" Betty's face had turned pink, Jughead couldn't swallow his food. Did her parents already know what passed between them ? His mom and Betty's were good friends and they would have put the day's events together. The meal passed quietly after that but although Betty's parents didn't say anything, they watched as Betty coaxed Jughead to eat and even at one point took his spoon from him and actually spoonfed him ! After the meal was done, Betty and Jughead started clearing the table but Alice Coooper stood before the sink. "Young man, Young lady, you two have done enough for today. It won't kill me to do the dishes for one night. Make yourselves comfortable with the TV or whatever you do with your computer. You both have had a hectic weekend as it is."
Jug and Betty sat down in the living room sofa. Jug wanted to hold her in his arms but had to keep himself because of her parents. It was so soon, so sudden. Jug held Betty's hand in his and just smiled. He couldn't think of anything to say. Betty neither. What do you say to someone with whom you have practically grown up and know inside out ? They giggled silently as they understood each other. For both of them it was a new beginning, but each felt stronger because each knew that their best friend was now their love. Jug happened to look at the time, it was 8:30. "Oh Betty, it's late I should be going."
"Yes, you should." Neither wanted the other to go but Jug just couldn't stay overnight at the drop of a hat, after all her parents were at home. They walked out of the front door hand in hand, Betty softly closed the door behind her and looked up at Jughead. The porch light was dim but it created a strange aura, almost making up for the moonlight which somehow manages to shine on all romantic moments. They embraced and stood like that for some time, Betty rested her cheek on Jug's chest. "Juggie, does all this mean that I will lose the funny boy who cheered me up so ?"
Jug kissed her hair "And I am afraid that I will lose the blue eyed angel who played with me."
Betty looked up at him again, no there was no lust. Even when their bodies were so close, when they were in her bed, Jug didn't take advantage of her, didn't force himself on her. It was now that Betty realized that more than anything else that the tall, lanky teen with the long thin nose whom the world saw as an outcast wanted her to be happy, even if it meant sacrificing his own dreams. What Jug's mother said rang in her ears, he had too few friends. It was not that Jug was cold and aloof, people didn't take easily to someone who didn't conform to the rules of society. Even Archie had told her that he became friends with Jug after an incident when Jug saved him from being beaten up by some bullies even if it meant getting beaten up himself. Her hands went round his neck and drew him down as she stood up on her toes.
It was a long kiss. When it broke, Betty was blushing "Kissing you standing up will be a good workout for me." Betty joked. "But if I bend that much, I will get backpain !" Jughead grinned. "How could you !" and Betty lightly punched him in his guts. Jug pinched her nose and before she could get back had jumped down the steps laughing. He turned round to Betty who was looking at him with her hands on her hips. Jug smiled "I will be waiting for you tomorrow."
"More often than not it's me who has to drag you out from your home." Betty said.
"Well, things have changed haven't they ?" Jug asked. Betty understood. Yes, a lot of things will remain the same but things will change too. Even though he had her love, Jug couldn't take her for granted. That was something which was rare and genuinely Jughead. Betty kept watching him as he walked away. Jug also looked back time and time again, walking backwards at one point so he could see her. Both of them kept smiling to themselves. The day which could have never happened did happen. Jughead Jones was head over heels in love with Betty Cooper, and she loved him back.
Betty went up to her bedroom quietly, her mother had set her bed right while they were down. She sat on her bed clutching the teddy bear Archie had given her looking at Archie looking at her from every corner of her room. Jug was right. It will be hard, for both of them. Despite all the pain Archie caused her, she loved him dearly as a friend and Jughead was Archie's true friend, never wavering when everyone else left his side. It was all so wrong and yet so right. She didn't realise when she fell asleep.
Mr and Mrs Jones watched silently as their son walked in, happy but a little lost too. Jug went up to his room and looked out his window at Betty's home. He only got up when the light went out in her room. The only pictures he did have of her was as part of the gang or with Hotdog or Jellybean. He didn't have even one solo picture of her. He smiled to himself, who could have thought Jughead Jones would be dying for a girl's picture ? But this wasn't a girl, this was Betty.
Alice Cooper turned to her husband in their bed, he was reading a novel. "Well what do you think ?"
"About what ?" Mr Cooper said his eyes not leaving the novel.
"About Betty and Forsythe ?"
Mr Cooper kept the novel aside and turned to look at his wife. "He is a very good boy, you know him better than me Alice. You are great friends with his mother. I always wished I had a son like him."
"Me too, despite all his strange ways I will never forget how kind he is and he is so good to our Betty. Honey, I think they are in love."
"Do you think our Betty will be able to forget Archie ? And don't forget that Forsythe is Archie's best friend. It will be hard for them both. I mean this is the first time, who knows what will happen in the days to come ?"
"You are right dear, it won't be easy but I know my Betty, she won't throw her heart around. It has gone out to someone who will truly love her and care for her. Today is not the first time, time and again, ever since they first met, Forsythe has always been at her side when she needed a true friend."
"So you think you can live with Forsythe Pendleton Jones III as a son in law ?" Mr. Cooper smiled.
"Dear, a man who can cook that well is the best son in law a mother can ask for !" Both of them laughed.
Gladys Jones came to bed after putting Jellybean to sleep. Mr. Jones was stretching himself and easing into the blankets. She turned to him and asked
"Well what do you think ?"
"Since when did you start asking my opinion ?" Mr. Jones turned to his wife.
"Don't be funny Mr. Jones, I am asking you about Betty and Forsythe."
Mr. Jones crossed his arms and said "The boy's in love. I never thought it would happen but it really did and she loves him back."
"Betty is such a sweet girl. I always knew that she would make a very lucky man, very happy. I never knew that it would be our own son." Tears welled up in her eyes.
"Dear don't forget that she loved Archie all these years. Even though you know better than me all the tears Betty has shed for Andrews junior."
"And I also know as well as you that our son is her closest friend and has done so much to make her happy. There are few things which can move him and one of them is seeing Betty cry, he can't bear that, ever since he was a child."
"I know dear...it's just" Mr. Jones shook his head. Mrs Jones touched his arm "What is it dear ? Tell me."
"This is Forsythe's first time. The first time he is really in love. What if it's just a crush ? What if he forgets all about it before the week is over ? Where would that leave Betty ? Would you be able to face her mother after that ?" Mr. Jones burst out.
"Dear, I never thought like that." Mrs. Jones said shaking her head. "Forsythe would never do a thing like that. Look how much Ethel pursued him but he never was interested in her. He must really love Betty."
"I know and I pray to God it is true. I always wanted a girl and I was so happy when Jellybean came into our lives. You know how much she loves Betty, like an elder sister. I would be the happiest man on Earth if our son is faithful to her but heaven forbid." Mr Jones was getting worked up "Heaven forbid if he leaves her crying, I swear dear that I will throw him out of our home."
"Honey, don't say such things. It won't be easy but we can try and make things easier for them can't we ? They are both so good at school and Betty is a very good influence on Forsythe."
Mr. Jones smiled "You really want to be Betty's mother in law don't you ?"
"Who wouldn't ? That would be the day my family is truly complete !" Tears ran down Mrs Jones cheeks, Mr. Jones was cursing himself for speaking so harshly. He was harsh at times with his son but he knew that he was the best a man could ask for in a son. Mrs. Jones feared that her son would be a loner all his life, but today both of them were very happy. Their son was blessed by a golden haired angel with blue eyes.