After a week of awkward distancing between Jughead and Archie, the group realized that something was completely off. Veronica and Betty already knew the issue on this situation, however everyone else was still in the dark on the matter.
Jughead obviously was not part of their group, however since lately he and Betty where spending more time together, everyone started to accept that they will see more of him than usual.
After the first article was published of the Blue and Gold, and his name was reported underneath, his fellow gang members looked at him differently. He kept his writings mostly to himself and for them to find out about his talent after reading the article, well, mostly they felt a bit betrayed that he hadn't told them before. The gang always shared their secrets and this was kept from them. Toni was the one to first approach Jughead on the matter.
"What is this?" She asked placing the article on the table where they were hanging at the south side bar. The rest of the gang was sitting at the table and looked at the piece of paper Toni just placed in front of their leader.
Jughead looked at the article then at Toni, "its the Blue and Gold" he said ignoring the fact that she was referring to his article.
Toni smiled sarcastically, "I know that it's the Blue and Gold," she said, "I am referring to the article dump head" she pointed at the article and stared at him this time letting him know that she wanted the truth.
"Yeah, about that." He started. Toni looked at him eyebrows raised waiting for his explanation.
"Fine, its been a while now that I've been into writing, Archie found out about it and thought that it would look good on the resume and told Betty about it" he said looking at his fellow friends, that were listening intently to his every word.
Toni was still not happy with his answer, "so, it was ok to tell Archie and Betty, but not us?" She asked a bit sad that this secret was kept from them.
Jughead rubbed his temple, "I told you Toni, Archie found out I did not tell him. And Betty knew through Archie."
"It would have been better if you just told us before, that you are into writing. Reading this article and seeing that it was written by you made me question how well do we actually know our leader?!" She asked, "and what's with you and Betty anyway? Do you actually think that she's over her crush on Archie?" She again asked looking at the black haired boy. "Jug, she's perfect we are not! And seeing that she had this crush on him for nearly all her life and suddenly she moved on to you... I don't want you to get your hopes up when you learn that you're the rebound until Archie decides to act on it!"
With that Jughead stood up now furious at what his friend was telling him, but more so he was furious because deep down he knew that there was some kind of truth in her statement. He knew it deep down that Betty could just be using this time with him as a healing process after the issue she had with Archie, and knowing that now Archie is starting to realize what he is missing it won't be too long until she goes back running into his best friends arms like she always wanted. Toni was right, he was her rebound, her safe place until things got better with Archie. He looked at her, fury in his eyes giving her a look that clearly sad, 'fuck off, mind your own business', which he couldn't put into words. He looked at the rest of his friends, willing them to say another word, when they all kept silent he stormed out of the bar and back to his trailer.
His father wasn't there, since he started working at POP's he's been coming in late. Truthfully for the past weeks that he started working there he never saw his father drunk again and started thinking that maybe this time it was true that he will be sobering up and getting his shit back together and maybe for once in his life he'll act as a father.
His took off his leather jacket and shirt and threw his beanie on the sofa. Pacing in his trailer he knew that he had to do something regarding his 'thing' with Betty. It was all too good to be true and yet the way she looked at him, her fingers touching his hair and the way her lips caressed his... he closed his eyes and groaned. This was going to be a rough night, he knew it.
On the other side of the tracks, Archie was trying his best to stop thinking about Betty, but couldn't resist the urge to just look through his window and see if she's up in her room.
Peeking in, he saw her, her beautiful figure in front of her dresser looking at her mirror as she brushed her hair. She didn't notice him, as she fumbled with her blouse and took it off, Archie gulped. There she was his best friend, the girl that only a few days ago he looked at as though she was just a sister. The girl that many knew that she was deeply into him for years, and he just was so blinded to even notice. Her beautifully curved breast were hidden in a lace pink bra and her hair was loose on her shoulder as she started applying some facial cream not a care in the world that he was watching her half naked from his window. Oh how much he wanted to get the ladder he lent Jughead a week ago and climb it and let her know that he wanted her! He suddenly thought of Jughead, his best friend who always treated him as a brother. He couldn't betray him like that, not now that he knows that he can have a chance with his dream girl. But still Betty was not Jugheads type, everyone told him that Jughead might only be a rebound until he decided he would make a move. And it wasn't fair on Jughead to be a rebound, he deserves better.
He was so confused, should he act on it? Or should he just let things as they were? Giving Jughead a small time to enjoy this moment with her until she went back to him?
Deep in his thoughts, he didn't notice that Betty moved from her dresser, she suddenly was out of his view. But from the mirror on her dresser he could still see a shadow of her figure, she was now getting out of her trousers and fumbling into her wardrobe. Her matching laced underwear made his manhood jerk. "For fucks sake Betty! You're going to drive me nuts" he swore all rational thoughts being thrown out of the window.
He had to talk to her, he had to let her know how he felt. It was now or never. He grabbed his phone and texted her, 'hey, can we talk?' He sent. He saw movement in her room.
'Yeah, what's wrong?' He received a moment later. Scribbling rapidly another text he sent her, 'can I come to your house?'
He looked through the windowand saw her reading his text she looked up and met his eyes, she was now wearing her pajamas making it easier for him to think through this. She nodded, giving him permission to grab his ladder and meet her up the window like they once did when they were still young.
He hurried for the ladder still unsure of what to say or how to put his feelings and thought into words. He placed the ladder against the side of the Coopers house just below her window, he took a deep breath, and he climbed up. She opened the window for him giving him access to her room. As soon as he climbed in, he turned to her seeing her big eyes looking at him questionably, her hair was down not how she usually wears it. Her pajamas blush satin still showing off some of her beautiful figure.
"What's wrong Arch?" She asked breaking the stare down he was giving her. She hugged her figure feeling like she was underdressed.
He cleared his throat trying to get back to reality, "Betty, I don't know how to say this," he said rubbing his head. He took a step closer to her, she didn't flinch, didn't move, "I know how things were these past few weeks between us," he started, she nodded. "And I'm sorry, if I made things awkward, we've known each other for so long I never truly believed we would end up with this awkwardness between us."
"It's okay Archie, we'll work things out," she reassured him giving him a small smile.
"That's not it," Archie said, he took another step closer, this time she looked at him eyes wide, "I have feelings for you too Betty, I know It may have took quite some time to realize how I truly feel. But Betty I can't think straight, I close my eyes and all I see is you." He admitted.
Her look was petrifying as if he told her that her dog died. "Archie, but now I have this thing with Jughead" she said.
"I know, but as you are admitting it's just a thing, it's not like you're actually dating. You're just fooling around with him. Everyone knows that you're using him as a rebound Betty. And I wanted to tell you this, I wanted to tell you how I feel so we can be better so that you can quit this thing with Jughead as he doesn't deserve to be fooled around!" He reached his hands forward in attempt to touch her. She flinched back, her anger starting to arise from what he just told her.
"How can you accuse me of using Jughead?" She asked angry at him. "The 'thing' we have between us is real Archie. I may have loved you all my life and wanted you like no other but it doesn't mean that Jughead is a rebound, and it doesn't make it any less real."
She heaved with anger and saw his eyes widen at what she just revealed cursing herself at her own outburst.
"You love me?" He asked and she saw a small smile creeping on his face.
"Loved you Archie, there's a difference." She corrected.
"Betty, you just admitted that you have loved me all your life, love doesn't vanish into thin air." He persisted.
"It doesn't matter now! Even though I still do have feelings for you, you chose your path. You said it yourself you have a crush on Veronica, why now? Why choose to want me now? Is it because I'm out of your reach now?"
"My crush on Veronica was just that a crush. What I am feeling for you is different. Seeing you with Jughead made me realize that I was hiding what I truly felt about you because I couldn't bare to lose our friendship. If things don't go the way we want to we may lose everything, I couldn't bare it. But seeing you so flirty with Jughead, ughh Betty it made me crazy" he sat on her bed putting his head in his hands and closing his eyes trying to get the thoughts of them together out of her head.
She sighed thinking that if only he noticed this a month ago then this would have been perfect, she would have grabbed his face and kissed those lips. His red hair cascaded down his face hiding his beautiful face from her view. She couldn't resist, thinking she might be having a fetish for hair and she reached for his hair, lacing her fingers through it and at that moment she noticed how different it felt from Jugheads. As soon as he felt her hands in his hair he grabbed her hands and took them in his kissing them, getting a deep sigh from her.
At that moment he knew that she was succumbing into him, and he felt victorious. He looked up at her and saw her eyes closed. He placed kisses up her arm getting groans from her, he stood up and reached her face, cupping her beautiful face in his hands she opened her eyes and met his.
"Be with me," he insisted. "Let's start again and explore further our relationship Betty, you want this as much as I do!"
She looked into his deep brown eyes and couldn't think straight. Her long time love was here holding her like she always dreamt and finally telling her that he wanted this too. She didn't have the strength to pull back and Archie started inching his face towards her, she could feel his breath on her lips, his nose touched hers. Suddenly they both heard a rustling noise, both flinching back and looked at the window. The noise came from the ladder.
She ran to her window and looked down, her heart sank. Jughead looked up at her from the ground his face full of hurt he shook his head and ran out of her sight.
"Oh shit!" She exclaimed. Archie came from behind her, he saw from a distance his best friend getting on his motorcycle and speeding off Into the darkness.
Betty started pacing her room and cursing frantically. He went to her grabbed her from her shoulders and stopped her frantic pacing, "hey, we'll talk to him tomorrow. I promise" he tried to calm her down.
"No arch, it's no use. We nearly kissed!" She said.He smiled not thinking at all that his best friend maybe hurt to the point that they might loose their friendship. When she saw him smile, her core refueled with anger.
"I can't believe it! You're smiling! Jughead just so us you idiot," she said. He stopped smiling, "I know, but he would still find out sooner or later that we.." he was cut off.
"There is no we Archie! What happened between us was just a moment of weakness. I may not be in a relationship with Jughead but I like what we have. And now, because of you I may have lost not only my first love but my chance to move on." She said with tears in her eyes. Her stomach started churning again.
"You haven't lost me Betty! You don't need a chance to move on. Please be with me." He pleaded, trying again to grab hold of her hand so he could pull her closer to him. However she pulled away from his hold, trying to put some space between them.
"No Archie, just leave me alone. I need time to think." She said. She wanted him out of her room as quick as possible, she felt suffocated and again started to feel the burning sensation up her throat knowing full well that she will not hold this for long.
"Please Betty," he once again pleaded, but she didn't budge and motioned him at the window wanting him out of there. He obliged and climbed out, down the ladder. He glanced up, one last time at her, she was looking at him from her window. He saw her closing her eyes as tears started streaming down. She closed her window and was out of sight.
He sighed frustrated and at the same time cursing for his friends bad timing. If he didn't come, now they would've have been cuddled up in an embrace and kissing each other. But Jughead had to ruin the moment, he thought.
School tomorrow was going to be a nightmare, he didn't know how to face both of them now. But he knew well, that Betty was still in love with him and that he still had a chance to make her believe once again that he is the one for her. He was not going to lose that chance. He was willing to fight for her, even if it meant hurting his other best friend in the process. Frankly so, he believed that what was happening between Betty and Jughead was only a fling, a rebound thing. So in his mind, he believed that he wasn't ruining anything on the contrary he was helping Jughead not to get his high hopes that he may have gotten the girl next door.