He rang the bell. Mrs. Andrews opened it with a smile. "Come on in Jughead, Archie is in his room. Would you like some snacks ?"
Jug walked up with the plate in his hand. He never said no to good food and especially when it was made by his mom and the moms of his friends and of course, Betty. His hunger was dying away, at least he could feel that his appetite was somehow settling down but that didn't mean turning down good stuff. He took a deep breath, he was in front of Archie's door.
"Arch, it's me Jug, open up." Jug knocked again. He didn't want to call out too much, his parents were still at home. Archie's mother heard him knocking repeatedly "That's funny, he is not the type to fall asleep. He must be listening with those earphones again !" she said from below.
"Guess so, Mrs. Andrews..." His cell phone buzzed, Archie was calling him.
"Hello Arch ?"
"What do you want ?"
Jug brought his voice down, he had to be cool "Listen Arch, we need to talk. There has been a lot of misunderstandings today. I am right outside your room, will you please let me in ?"
Archie hung up. Jug thought he could hear Archie coming towards the door. The knob turned and Archie was standing with his jacket on. "Let's go out."
They walked in silence, the tension thick between them. "Arch..." Jug ventured.
"How could you ? Why did you do it ?" Archie stopped and turned to Jughead.
Jughead looked him in the eye, "Arch, we have been friends since kindergarten. We grew up together. Yes, I hated girls, I still do, but Betty..." Jug searched for words "Betty is special Arch, Betty is different. It wasn't love at first sight unlike you two. She is so fun to be with, so perfect. And that's why I care for her so much."
Archie couldn't believe he was hearing all this, his best friend, who hated girls like sin, cared for Betty !
"She loved you Arch, she really did, but she never got that back. Don't get me wrong. There were times when you really cared for her, but they were few and far in between, it was mostly Ron and Betty has fought with Ron all these years for you and she is tired Arch, she can't take it anymore."
"How can you say that ?" Archie almost screamed "All I did for her love, was that all for nothing ? You were there, when I used all the tricks in the book to please her and now you tell me that I neglected her ! " Archie stopped for breath "And you are telling me all this ? What do you know about girls and love ? First it was Debbie, then Joanna, then Sandy, what makes you think Betty will be the last and the only one." Archie was jabbing the names into Jug's chest with his finger.
"Could you share Betty or Ron with Reggie ?"
Arch froze. Reggie ? Even his name made him see red "Why bring Reggie into this ? He has screwed up my love life as it is and now you bring him in where he is not concerned ?"
"Why not ? If you couldn't bear to share the girls with Reggie, why should Ron and Betty share you ? They are humans too, the love of a man is something a woman wants exclusively for herself." Jug shot back.
Archie was dumbstruck. He never saw it that way. Yes, he could never stand a male rival in his affections for Ron and Betty. Jug was right, they had the same right. But why ? Why did Betty walk out on him ?
"So you made things easier for me and seduced Betty ?" Arch snickered.
Jug closed his eyes, two or three days before he would have laughed it off but he couldn't do that now. Pressing his eyes with his fingers, Jug looked at the pavement "Do I look handsome, Arch ?"
"What ?" Archie asked in surprise.
"Seriously Arch, do I look like someone a woman can fall in love with ? You look way better than me Arch. I couldn't seduce an eighty year old if I tried and we are talking about Betty here, one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful girl in Riverdale. Do you really think I can charm her with this face ?"
Despite all his anger, Archie felt a sudden pang of pity for his friend. He remembered all the times Ron and Reg made fun of Jug, sometimes he too joined them in pulling Jug's leg.
"It wasn't my face Arch, nor anything else which I did physically. All I ever did for Betty was to be at her side. When she cried alone for you with no one to turn to, I was the onlyone patient enough to hear her pain. And it isn't new. I started from the day Ron and Betty started fighting over you years ago. Yes, we hugged each other, there were the odd kisses but it was always as friends and yet..."
Jug found himself lost for words. It was simply not possible to say all this, it had to be felt.
"And yet, I am a man too Arch ! Yes, I am ugly and I avoid girls like the plague but Betty's trust, her friendship, all the secrets she confided in me toched my heart. I always knew she was beautiful and I loved her as a friend but my feelings for her kept growing stronger. I never could bring myself to tell her how I felt because I saw you both and didn't want to come between you two. It wasn't right. Despite all the things you called me today, I was, still am and will always be your best friend. I put your happiness before mine. When you hurt Betty so many times, I consoled her and tried to explain to you, try to make you understand. But did you ever listen Arch ? Even once ?"
Arch couldn't think of what to say, part of him felt overpowering shame and he wanted to tell Jug how sorry he was but part of him refused to budge. If he was so concerned, a voice told him, why did he do it behind your back ?
"You are thinking that I stole her when you were not looking, right ?"
Arch was taken aback. Did Jug know how to read minds "That's pretty much right." he curtly said.
"Then listen."
Jug told Archie everything that happened on Sunday. He didn't even leave out the kisses and the proposal. "What do you say Arch ? If you don't believe me, ask Betty. It's good that you two talk and settle things down."
"You speak of it as if it's some business deal instead of a relationship." Archie sneered "What are we supposed to settle, terms of separation ? Do you think I will ever be able to talk to Betty freely after this ? It will never be the same. Not only did I lose a girl who loved me, I will also lose a very good friend, and it's all because of you Jughead Jones, it's all beacause of you !"
"Arch, I know believe me. I also find it hard to talk to Debbie, Joanna, Sandy even Ethel after all that happened, but we have grown up Arch, things are changing. Yes there will be the awkward feelings but for how long ? After two years, we all will be off to college. Many of us will lose touch despite our best efforts. Isn't it better that we part as old friends instead of people who can't bear the sight of each other ?"
"If you have thought so far, what about you two ? What makes you so sure that you and Betty will be going to the same college ?" Archie retorted.
A lump formed in Jug's throat. Everything happened so fast, there was hardly any time to think out all the angles, Arch was right. Even if they made joint applications, the chances of their being selected in the same college were pretty slim, especially since Betty had her heart set on becoming a writer or journalist and Jug had to be sure that he was really ready for his new calling, a calling so strange for someone like Jug that he felt dizzy thinking about it.
Jug's shoulders fell down. Taking some deep breaths he looked back at Archie "You are right old pal, it's just..." He wanted some support now, someone who could care and here was his best friend grilling him on the pavement. " It's just that this is the first time I have loved someone with all my heart. Don't get me wrong Arch, if Betty breaks up with me it will really hit me very hard. I won't have any reason to live any longer." Forget Archie, even Jug was stunned that he was actually saying these things.
"All I can promise to Betty, to you and anyone who asks me that question is I will do my best. Betty is independent,if she feels that she has to move on again, then I can't hold her back. All I can do then is implore to her with my love but..." Jug kneeled down on the pavement, his head in his hands. This was too much, he would definitely go mad.
"Arch please." Jug was close to tears "Oh ! how I wish I could laugh this away but I can't. I love Betty with all my heart and she loves me too. She is not mine to give away. I know you are mad with both of us but please think of us as your friends. Arch, I have very few friends in school and in Riverdale. And if you give me up, I will lose half of my life. All the things we did together, all the joys, the sorrows, we faced it together. I always think of you as a brother first and a friend next. At least for the sake of that friendship, please ! Even after all this I still want to be your best friend, I want to joke with you, to hang with you like we always did. Tomorrow when we move ahead with life, I will always miss your company. There can't be a true Jughead Jones without an Archie Andrews and you know it's true for you too."
Archie felt strange. Suddenly girls, dates, romance, all this seemed to melt away. Who was he kidding ? Jug was right. Could he throw his friend away even for this ? If he was friends still with Jug and perhaps Betty, the gang would still be together. Yes, maybe as Archie didn't plan it but was he really serious when he thought of Betty and Ron doting over him all their lives ? That was ridiculous.
Jug felt a hand on his shoulder. "Get up." The voice wasn't kind, but it was a start. Archie looked into Jug's eyes. This was the friend since the dawn of his life, yes he took away his love, but were you faithful with that love ? And another voice said, so what ? He is a woman hater, why did he get interested all of a sudden ? And the first voice said, then is it worth sacrificing a friendship as this ?
"Things will never be the same Jug."
"That's what I was afraid of Arch, I really am." Jug put his hand on Archie's shoulder in turn.
"I will talk with Betty, I can guess what she is going to say, but I will try."
"Yes, she is a very good friend Arch, Despite anything which may happen, you can still count on her."
Archie turned towards his home "It's getting late, I have to go."
"It's not even 8, let's walk over to Pops for a quick bite." Jug said.
"No, some other time." Archie walked briskly away.
Jughead never felt more alone.