"Elizabeth are you home?" My mother called out, hanging her coat onto the coat rack. I groaned and realized I didn't have to make such a big deal of sneaking when they were clearly out somewhere, but the adventure was fun, though I did almost fall to my death. Or at least a really bad injury. I opened the door slightly and yelled out, "Yeah mom, I've been here all morning. Woke up only just recently." I carefully strolled over to one of my drawers and placed Jughead's beanie into one. Knowing my mom would come up to greet me anyway, I had taken precautions.

"I'll take this for today. Then maybe, just maybe, you'll get it tomorrow!"

I blushed at just the thought that I could've done something so bold in front of Jughead. We've taunted each other a lot but it still makes me nervous to make a move. I don't even know if stealing his hat was at any sort of flirting in his mindset though.

"That's good. Have you been researching as much as you could? I left those there for a reason!" She sang out, stomping up the stairs. I looked down at my bed with all the scattered leaflets of all the elite schools in the country and out of the country. I haven't told her yet, but I'm thinking of not going to college and staying in Riverdale. Though for now, I'll go along with her game.

"Yep. I think I'll choose Yale or some sort of Ivy League school, though I shouldn't aim that high." By now she had already made it into my room. She was spectating my room while looking at herself in the mirror. "Please Elizabeth, choose Harvard. It's ranked much higher."

I scoffed and piled all the leaflets onto my bedside drawer. She looked at me and made way over to my drawer. She picked up the Harvard leaflet and shoved it onto the bed. Of course, it was never my choice in the first place. I clenched my fists.

"Have you ever been to Yale mother, or at the very least, Harvard. Or even college?! From the looks of things you don't know how hard it is to get into any college, especially a school like Harvard. I need the grades, credits, and the money to actually go anywhere!" I yelled back at her, releasing my grip. Blood stained the inside of my palm.

She looked at me. "With all of your extracurricular activities, plus you're so called cheer leading, you shouldn't have any problem getting into a college or getting a scholarship. As for your grades, you've been a straight A student and have been taking AP classes since elementary school. I wouldn't exactly call that a problem."

"Well maybe I don't want to go to college. Maybe I want to stay in Riverdale and live a happy normal life with a loving family and loving friends. A normal family, a non-psychopathic family. A family like Poll-"

Mom walked right up to me and hit me on my cheek, making it turn beat red. "You will go to college. Do not compare yourself to that failure of a daughter, especially after getting pregnant with that Jason Blossom's baby. She better wish on his dead body that I don't find her and that baby." She whispered, accidentally kicking my bedside drawer, making all the drawers fly out. I was still touching my cheek from where she hit me when I saw what she found in her hand,

"What's this?" She whispered threateningly. I looked at it and realized what it was.

"Is this from that Jones boy I keep seeing you talking to near Archie's house? Please don't tell me you're dating him, let alone mingling with him in the same area. Did he influence your decision of not going to college?!" She yelled.

I snatched the beanie from her hand and defended it by stepping away. "Don't bring Jughead into this mom! This is your issue with Polly and Jason. Not with me and him!" I yelled back.

She rubbed her head. "First Archie now Jughead?" She gagged at the mention of his name. I swatted at her and she pushed me to the ground. "Elizabeth Cooper, if you dare defy me again, I'll make sure that you'll never see another person ever again, especially the Jones boy."

I nodded with tears streaking down my eyes as she silently strolled out the door and shut it with a slam. I let myself cry silently as the tears from my face stung the bruise that had now formed on my face.

I was stuck in that room for the rest of the day. It was only when my mom finally fell asleep was when I decided to sneak out again and meet with Jughead. I would probably get in trouble whenever I got back, but all I needed was to see his smiling face. A face that would help me and care for me until I stopped crying.

Climbing up to his window was risky considering Archie was in the room too. My plan was to easily slip through the main entrance of the house and hope that I could wake up Jughead without too much commotion. I felt pitiful for relying on him and bothering him with my problems, but we both always shared what was going on. He always understood.

Archie's house was an easy break in target, because of the classic key under the rug trick. His dad was so old fashioned it felt like a crime just to sneak in. Though, I guess they could fend themselves off if needed.

I slipped into the household and looked around, hoping not to break into anything and alarm everyone in the house. I walked over to the kitchen, which was pitch black, but I saw the faint silhouette of someone creeping in the darkness. My first instinct was Jughead, clearly by the fact that he was the one that I desperately needed to see, and my judgement clouded that.

When I first saw the black silhouette of the person come towards me, I instantly went up to them. The darkness was blinding my eyesight and the loudness of the rustling trees made it hard to even hear my own voice. It had started raining down so hard that I yelped a little when I heard lightning strike down near the house.

"I'm so glad you're here. I needed to see you so badly. My mind would've shut down if I couldn't contact you." I cried, running up to the figure and burying myself in his t-shirt. He hesitantly put his hand on my head and started rubbing my hair. "I-It's okay. Why me though?" He asked. His voice was somewhat drowned out by all the noise.

"You're the most important person in my life. You're the only one I know who I can trust to talk to." I looked up at his blacked out face and smiled slightly. Tears fell down my cheeks as I pulled him closer to my face. I forced him into a kiss which was both awkward and fast, but he eventually leaned into the kiss. He put his hand up to my face and stopped.

"Oh my god Betty, what happened?!" He asked, touching the swelling on my cheek gently. I grabbed his hand and put it gently across it so he wouldn't worry. "It was just a petty fight with my mom about college. She did mention about the fact I was hanging out with you, but I doubt it was all your fault. She blames you for most things in my life anyways."

"I'm so sorry Betty.. if there's anything I can do, please tell me. I-I'm always here for you, like you are for me." Whenever he stuttered I felt like giggling. It was cute to see him flustered, even if I couldn't exactly see him.

I smiled and kissed him again. His hair seemed shorter and more ragged than usual. Maybe I was just imagining things since we've never kissed that much since we've started dating. I think it's because we're nervous we'll mess up, but now there's less pressure. The amount of consoling he was giving in the kiss felt a little bit off, as if he was a totally different person.

"I-I love you Jughead, so much." I choked out. He stopped hugging me and pushed me away.

"Jughead?!"