Evil Fake Girlfriend
Betty had betrayed Jughead's trust. She had kissed Archie, although she told her boyfriend that he was the only man for her. Archie and Betty sang "The Origin of Love" when they kissed passionately. After that, Betty had gone home. Earlier in the day, she had argued with Jughead, a really stupid argument, Jughead did not want to catch up on his homework, it was too much at the same time, but Betty was not of this opinion. He had to work, otherwise he couldn't go to Yale with his girlfriend. Betty was doing her homework, sitting at her desk. Jughead felt guilty. He got angry at her, talked to her badly and regretted it. Of course he liked her, he wanted to tell her that he was sorry, so he decided to go and apologize to her.
He went up to see her in her room and found her eyes riveted on her leaves. "Betty?" He started, "I wanted to apologize. I didn't want to talk to you like that earlier, I'm sorry." He felt bad, he could feel when Betty had a problem, he felt that she was sad.
"It doesn't matter, Jughead…" She turned to him and looked him in the eye. "I'm sorry too. I know it's hard to catch up on so much homework in such a short time. I should have helped you and not put pressure on you."
Jughead walked over to his girlfriend, without taking his eyes off her sweet lips. The latter captured them in a quick kiss. "I love you." he whispers.
Betty replied, "I love you too." She hesitated for a moment before telling him that, knowing that she had betrayed him.
"Well, excuse me, I have to go help my father cook. See you later baby." Jughead descended the stairs, entering the kitchen to help his father and Alice prepare the meal.
Once out of her sight, Betty let out a few tears. She felt so guilty, and she was. She couldn't forget that she had kissed Archie. The two wanted that kiss as much as the other, but Betty quickly realized by kissing him that Jughead was the man of his life, the only one in his eyes. She had to tell him, she couldn't lie to him.
Jughead was cooking when he received a message from Veronica.
She said "Jughead, I'm really sorry. Someone sent me these pictures of Archie and Betty… I can't believe they cheated on us! I'll be you, I won't forgive to Betty."
He was amazed by what he had just seen. Several photos of his girlfriend and his best friend kissing passionately. He could not believe his eyes. Earlier in the bunker, she promised him that he was the only man for her, but she betrayed him, she lied. After seeing these photos, he went upstairs to his girlfriend's room.
"Jug? I have to tell you something…" She was going to admit it, but Jughead didn't give her time to speak.
"I already know, Betty. I can't believe you cheated on me! I trusted you, you assured me you loved me, me and not Archie! Why did you do it? I really loved you." He was heartbroken, he had finally found his other half, the Ying to Yang, his soul mate.
Tears started to fall on the pretty blonde's cheeks. "Jug… I was going to tell you, I promise you, we just kissed, then I realized that I had made a mistake… I swear I felt nothing by kissing him, I love you." She was sobbing softly.
Jughead wanted to forgive her, but he couldn't. She and Archie had already kissed several times, Jughead wanted Betty to feel what he was feeling. He had an idea: to have a fake girlfriend to make her jealous and then forgive her. He knew he was going to break her heart, but his was already.
"Betty, no. It can't go on." He had to break up with her, it was a very difficult thing, but he had to do it.
"What do you mean by that?" She asked very worried.
"You can't keep lying to me, we're not going anywhere. We… We have to distance ourselves for a while."
"I do not understand…"
"I'm breaking up with you, Betty."
"Jughead, what? No, please, I love you, I don't want to lose you, I can't! Please don't do that, please, I promise I will never do it again, I love you, not Archie." She was crying all the tears from her body. She wanted one last chance, during that kiss with Archie, she hadn't felt the chemistry she feels when she kisses Jughead, he was the man of her life.
"You had to think about it before kissing Archie. You told me you no longer had feelings for him, why did you lie to me? I trusted you… I was wrong. I will sleep in Polly's old bedroom."
Polly's room was unoccupied, the two lovers slept together, needless to say. Jughead had therefore planned to sleep in the next room. It hurt her so much, he loved her, but he wanted her to feel what he felt. He left Betty's room then closed the door behind him, letting a tear run down his cheek.
"Jug! Please don't do this, Jug!" Betty was broken. What would become of her without Jughead? It was he who helped him to last four years. Betty did not have an easy life. Her sister was crazy, her brother was not her brother, her father was a serial killer… She also had a dark side, she had the MAOA CDH13 genes, the genes of serial killers. Jughead had managed to make her forget that she had this dark side, that she was like her father. But without him, his life has no meaning. She is lost, destabilized. She couldn't bear a break, she started throwing everything on her desk on the floor, she knocked on the walls, the door and cried all the tears from her body. It was the worst thing that could have happened to her.
Jughead felt his heart break when he heard his girlfriend, his ex-girlfriend, scream and throw everything she found on the ground.
Betty decided not to go down to eat, she wanted to be alone.
Jughead therefore went to bed in Polly's old room.
Betty left early in class, wanting to avoid the boy who had broken her heart. Once in high school, nobody wanted to talk to her. She was mad at Archie for the kiss, and Veronica was mad at her ex best friend for kissing her boyfriend. Only Kevin was left. The only person who supported her, no matter the situation. Kevin was a great Barchie shipper, he always thought they would end up together.
Once in the long corridors of Riverdale High, Jughead stopped in front of the locker of Ethel Muggs, when he saw her arriving, he took her to the office of Blue & Gold.
"What do you want, Jughead?" She asked him. She was surprised because Jughead paid no attention to her, Ethel was madly in love with our naughty boy from an early age.
"I would need a little service." He answered. "I would need that…You are my false girlfriend. In short, Betty kissed Archie, we split up, but that's just a plan. I need her to feel what I was feeling. So, are you interested?"
"Are you asking me to be your fake girlfriend to make Betty believe we're dating to make her jealous?"
"Yes, basically, that's it."
"Of course I accept! Shall we have to kiss?" Ethel was impatient, even though she knew it wasn't real, that it was just a plan to make her girlfriend jealous, but she did. Thanks to that, she could fulfill her dream of kissing Jughead Jones, her secret crush. So the two friends pretend to be a couple, so they go out in the corridors hand in hand, smiling. Classes would start in about an hour, giving them time to go to the common room. Jughead finds Betty and Kevin there, sitting on the couch.
Betty felt her fists clench when she saw her ex boyfriend with another girl. He forgot it so quickly? She thought. One day hardly since they were no longer in a relationship and that he had already replaced her? Seriously, with Ethel Muggs?
Jughead was sitting in front of his ex and best friend, purposely making the little couple under his nose.
"So, darling, how was your morning?" Jughead asked his fake girlfriend. Feel free to raise your voice over the word "darling."
"Very well my love, I was thinking of join the newspaper, what do you think?" She will exaggerate.
"I think it's a very good idea, you have a lot of talent, baby."
Betty couldn't take it anymore, she got up and went to cry, alone, in the Blue & Gold offices. Kevin, being her best friend, followed her. The pretty blonde was sitting on the desk.
"Betty? What happened?"
"Jughead saw a photo of Archie and me and he broke up… I can't believe he replaced me so quickly, Kev. He's a really asshole! I asked his forgiveness, I didn't had no intention of doing it again, I like him and not Archie, that was a mistake. I don't know what I'm going to do. I lost my two best friends and my boyfriend…" She couldn't hold back the tears anymore, they started to flow down her face. Kevin said nothing and came to take her in his arms, leaving them in a long embrace.
"I'm sorry for you, Betty, but know that whatever you do, I will always support you." He whispers. Kevin was a loyal friend, he had no plans to abandon Betty, much less now. They met in kindergarten and have never left since. The day was going well, except that Betty was overlooked by all of her friends except Kevin. In the evening, the two teenagers returned home and were left alone. FP and Alice were at the restaurant, a little romantic evening. Fortunately for Betty, it was the weekend, she no longer wanted to endure another day of class. Without Jughead, she was not as strong, on the contrary, she was vulnerable.
"Jug, can I talk to you?" She finally asked him, after a long moment of silence.
"What? What do you want? If that's to tell me you're sorry, it's too late. You cheated on me, and I'm with Ethel now, I love her."
Betty felt tears flow down his face for the umpteenth time today. "You really are an asshole… I see how much you loved me. It's been a fucking day since we went out and you're already going out with someone else?" He was heartbreaking to see her in this state, he knew it was hard, but he wanted revenge. Don't play with other people's feelings, Betty knew, but the urge to kiss Archie was too strong. Now she regrets it more than anything. She would like it moment never comes, but it's too late, she can't do anything. With these words, she went upstairs locked herself in her room and cried in silence.
A few hours later, Jughead knocked on her door.
"What do you want!?" She asked him dryly.
"Dinner is ready." He said to her. He still had feelings for her, the same as before. All his love for her had not changed.
"I don't care, I'm not hungry." Betty just wanted to stay in her room to fancy her fate. Crying in silence, not eating was a solution, she wanted to feel another pain than that related to the heart.
"Betty, you need to eat." He insisted. He didn't want her to fall into depression or get sick, he cared about her more than anyone.
"I said I was not hungry! Invite your new girlfriend to eat, a candlelit meal, what do you think?" She jokes while crying.
Jughead went downstairs to eat, alone. He hated the idea of making Betty suffer like this, but he had to. He was tired of being the victim, the one who is cheated. After his meal and his plate in the dishwasher, he went up to bed. He had plans with Ethel, he planned to invite her to spend the day tomorrow with him. He knew it would make Betty mad with rage.
Betty had great difficulty falling asleep without the love of her life. Jughead fell asleep with a tear in the corner of his eye. He missed his Betty already.
The next morning, Jughead invited Ethel to have breakfast. Alice and FP had decided to spend a week just two at sea. Betty got up around 8:00 am, going down the stairs, she found Ethel in the arms of the man she loves. She could no longer bear to see them together. Jughead was kissing Ethel's temple as he cooked breakfast.
Betty had already prepared, she was ready to leave this place. While trying to ignore them, she grabbed her jacket and opened the door.
"Betty? Where are you going?" Asked Jughead.
"It's not your business, we are no longer together, I remind you. I will be back tomorrow."
Jughead was worried. Back tomorrow? What did it mean? "Betty, I just want to know where you're going." He insists.
"I spend the night with Kevin. I need emotional support compared to you. Bye. Enjoy your new girlfriend. Oh, by the way, Ethel, Jughead is really addicted, I don't recommend being in the same room with him, he could touch you. Come on, Bye." She replies wickedly, slamming the door behind her. She was not going to spend the night with Kevin, she needed to be alone. She went to the woods, finding refuge in Dilton's bunker. Well, now it was their bunker. Once inside, she sits on the bed. The bed where she and Jughead spent many nights discovering each other's bodies. Lots of memories went back to her mind, she thought he loved her, she didn't think he would be able to forget her so quickly.
Jughead was stunned by what Betty had said to Ethel. He never thought she would be able to say something like that. She told him very clearly that he was addicted to sex. All he could say was that she was jealous and that she was mad at him.
"I think it works." Then said his false girlfriend. Ethel was very happy, even though she knew it was wrong.
Meanwhile, Betty lay in bed, remembering all the good time spent with Jughead in this bunker. It was terribly bad at heart, he missed her boyfriend. How would his life be without him? Empty, nonexistent, sad. All the words evoking a kind of depression. She spent the rest of the day and night in this sex bunker of death, as Jughead called him.
The next morning, Betty struggled to get up, then went home. During the night, she had dreamed of herself and Jughead. Of course, it was an erotic dream. Upon waking, a tear ran down her cheek. She put on her jacket, crossed the Fox Forest, then went home. She hesitated to go through Pop's, but ultimately forgot about that idea. The pretty blonde hadn't eaten for more than a day. Sure, she was hungry, but she couldn't swallow a bite. She was depressed, sad, lost. Seeing her boyfriend, her ex-boyfriend, in the arms of another girl was the worst thing that could have happened to her. Once outside the red door of her house, she entered, finding Jughead and his "new girlfriend" on the sofa. When Jughead saw her, he got up right away.
"Betty! Where the hell were you?" He asked her. The latter, having doubts, had called Kevin to verify that Betty was fine. So Kevin told her that Betty was not there. So he immediately worried about his girlfriend, well, ex-girlfriend.
Betty contented of her version "I was at Kevin's, I told you yesterday."
"No, you weren't there. I called Kevin and he said you weren't there, and he didn't know where you were. So, I ask you again, where were you?" He spoke with anger, but also with concern in his voice. Last night, he was really worried. He was afraid she would do something stupid, irreparable mistake.
"What can it do to you, Jughead!? I'm free to go where I want, you don't have to know where I'm going. You left me, I remind you, I have nothing more to do with you. Take care of your bitch." The blonde was angry. She started walking towards the stairs, but Jughead held her by the arm.
"Betty! Tell me where you were, please!" He insisted, wanting to know where she spent the night.
"In the bunker…" she said in a brittle voice. "Now let me go." She finished before going to lock herself in her room. In one sense, he was relieved that nothing had happened to her, but in another, he felt terribly guilty. He knew Betty, he could see that she was broken. His voice had changed, instead of his usual soft voice, it was replaced by a broken voice, almost inaudible. He heard sadness in that voice. Jughead returned to sit with Ethel.
"Jughead, don't you think we should stop? She's jealous, it worked, look at her, she's completely broken." Ethel wanted to stop. Surprising, right? At first, she just wanted to be able to kiss Jughead and behave like his girlfriend, but now that she saw Betty's condition, she wanted to give up everything.
"I don't know… let's wait a little longer. She cheated on me with my best friend, Ethel, when she promised me that I was the only man for her."
While the two young teenagers were talking to each other, Betty wrote in her diary. A diary she has had since elementary school.
"Sunday February 9.
Dear Diary,
I can not stand it anymore. It's way too hard. To see the man I love in the arms of another girl, moreover, in my house. It's too much. We haven't even been apart for a week, I can't believe he has already replaced me… I didn't mean it that way. I thought he was going to leave me and then come back to apologize for getting everything back in order. I made a mistake, I am aware of it. I kissed Archie Andrews, my love when we were kids. But now we have grown. I love Jughead more than anything in the world, and Archie loves Veronica. I don't know what it took us to kiss. I guess it was because we were both sad, we had just had an argument with Jughead and Veronica, and we were just looking for comfort. Archie and I have been neighbors and friends for years. But when I kissed her, I didn't feel anything. When I kiss Jughead, even a quick kiss, I feel things. I feel passion, love, a flame is lit between us, and all kinds of good feelings. He is the one I love, and I will always love him. I hope he can forgive me… I can't even imagine what he and Ethel did while I was away..."
Betty closed her diary, then spent the day in her room, alone. She cried. She had a sort of romantic depression.
Around 8p.m., Jughead knocked on the door of his room. Betty struggled to get out of her nice soft bed, then opened the door.
"What do you want?" She asked him, her eyes red and filled with tears.
"You haven't eaten anything this afternoon, come down, the meal is ready."
"I'm not hungry." She replied dryly.
Jughead was still very worried, he hadn't seen her eat for two days. "Betty, how long have you been eating? Two days?"
"I went to Pop's this morning, I ate a big meal, I'm not hungry now."
He must have had a hard time believing her, since all those years he had been in a relationship with her, he had learned to detect when she was lying.
"Betty–"
She didn't let him finish his sentence, then said, "Go, Jughead. You are no longer welcome in this room."
She was about to close her bedroom door, but Jughead was holding her with her foot. "Betty, wait. I worry about you."
She started to laugh. "Are you worried about me? That's funny. I don't believe you, Jughead Jones. If you were so worried about me, you wouldn't have left me." She went on, "I made a mistake, a fucking mistake! It happens to everyone to make mistakes! I just kissed Archie, a simple kiss, I told you I hadn't felt anything, but you… You left me! Now I want you to go! Go join your new girlfriend, worry for her, not for me. I want you to leave me alone… It's your fault if I'm in this state." Tears streamed down his face. She closed her door then turned the lock.
Jughead was stunned at his reaction. The worst part was that she was right. A mistake happens to everyone. After that, he would go back to Ethel and then eat, well, you could say he was having fun with the food. It's been more than fifteen minutes since he turned his fork on his plate. To tell the truth, it was surprising. Jughead Jones, the city's most greedy boy, wasn't hungry. His heart was torn. He hated seeing Betty so much, seeing her weeping, so vulnerable. The sentence she said to him, "It is your fault that I am in this state." resounded in his head. She was right, it was her fault.
The next day, Betty woke up on an empty stomach. She prepared quickly and then left for high school. The first hours of lessons went well. Finally, it depends on the meaning of the word "good" She stayed in her thoughts and let the hours go by. She was thinking of Jughead. He had changed places in class. Of course, he was with Ethel. At noon, she and Kevin made their way to the cafeteria table where Veronica, Cheryl and Toni were seated. There weren't any more tables available, either that was it, or it was the table of Ethel and Jughead, who were right behind them. Kevin then asked:
"Hey, can we sit with you?"
"Of course, Kev, but not her." Replied Veronica. Of course she didn't want to eat with Betty. She still kissed Archie, she betrayed the trust of her best friend.
Betty tried to tell her "Veronica, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to–"
The jay-haired girl cut her off, "What? Poke your tongue in my boyfriend's throat? You're really just a bitch, Betty. I can't believe you did this to me, and besides, you dare to come here, what did you believe? I was going to forgive you? So there you can still dream, honey."
Betty didn't answer, she just left, tears in her eyes. It was becoming a habit now. Kevin was following her, of course, he was not going to let her go. Betty was her best friend, she supported him when he make his coming out, and she was always there when he needed her. Even knowing what she had done, he didn't want to give up on her.
"Betty, wait!" He said to her. She turned to him.
Tears ran down the pretty blonde's face again.
"Thanks for being there, Kev, but I need to be alone." With these words, she went to lock herself in the girls' toilets. A few minutes later, someone entered.
"Betty?"
"What do you want, Cheryl?" She looked up at her cousin.
"If that's to tell me that I'm a bitch, I already know that."
Cheryl had followed Betty because she knew how she felt. She wanted to support her, even with what she had done.
"No, dear cousin, I'm not here to tell you that you are a bitch, because you are not." Cheryl knelt before Betty, holding her shoulders. "It happens to everyone to make mistakes, the world is not perfect, nobody is perfect. Understand Veronica, she is angry with you for kissing her boyfriend, it's normal, but know that you are not a bitch. Look, if you need help, I'm here, cousin."
Betty let out a slight smile, she didn't know that Cheryl was also… Nice? "Thank you very much, Cheryl. But you see, everyone hates me. Veronica doesn't want to talk to me anymore, Archie and I have stopped talking to each other, Jughead is flirting under my nose with his "new girlfriend" and… I only have Kevin and you. You can't know how hard it is to see your boyfriend with another girl, and what's more, in your house. I can't take it anymore, Cheryl, I want it to stop…" Her voice was – again – broken.
Cheryl stepped forward then hugged her cousin, tried to calm her tears. "Hush, calm down, it's going to be fine." She stroked her hair with one hand. "Betty… Above all, don't do anything stupid. This hobo is not worth it. After Jason's death, I too was alone. Nobody was talking to me, people were looking at me askance and… I wanted it to stop. I can never thank you enough for being there to save me, without you, I would not be there now. You prevented me from making the biggest mistake of my life, I tried to kill myself… I still miss Jay-Jay, but I have friends here, I have you, for nothing in the world I don't would like to start my act again. I don't want you to feel the same, know that I'm here, promise me not to make the same mistake as me, cousin." Cheryl knew what it felt like to be abandoned by everyone. She was afraid that Betty would want to do the same thing she did three years ago when she was on the frozen Sweetwater River. "Promise me, please." She insisted.
Betty didn't want to make any empty promises, she hijacked the subject and just said, "I have to go, I have an article to finish at Blue & Gold." She got up, then left.
"Betty!" Cheryl tried, but Betty didn't answer what she wanted to hear.
She couldn't promise her anything, that shadowy shadow inside her could make her do anything.
For his part, Jughead had witnessed this scene between Betty and Veronica. He had heard everything she had told him. So he felt sad for her, he wanted so much to get up and go and defend the girl he loves, but he couldn't. He finished his meal, then also went to Blue & Gold. He entered and found Betty there.
"What are you doing here?" She asked him.
"Ethel wrote an article and–"
"Ethel, of course. Are you kidding me? Do you think it doesn't hurt to see you in the arms of this bitch? Besides that, do you have to come taunt me with your new girlfriend? You know what, I don't care about this article, publish it if you want, I quit, I quit Blue & Gold! I'll leave it to you and Ethel." Tears ran down his cheeks for the umpteenth time that day.
Jughead remained frozen. Betty cared deeply for the high school newspaper, it was her pride, he couldn't believe she was giving up. "Betty, you've been running Blue & Gold for four years, you can't give up like that, it was your dream to run a newspaper."
Betty walked to the door, then addressed her a last sentence before leaving. "My dream was to spend my life with you…" Then she left. For her, seeing him with another girl was torture, the worst torture that can exist. They planned to go to Yale to finish their studies, and then join the FBI team, led by Charles; their half-brother. They had plans, plans for the future, but everything fell apart because of that stupid kiss. In the halls of the school, some people looked at her strangely. They must have heard their conversation with Veronica in the cafeteria. Betty came to tell Ms Bell that she was sick and that she was going home. She went directly to lock herself in her room. She sat down at her desk, then pulled out a pen and her diary. She wrote:
"Monday February 10.
Dear Diary,
This afternoon, I argued with Veronica. She called me a bitch. Finally, she is right. I'm a bitch. I cheated on my boyfriend, the best boyfriend in the world, for Archie Andrews, my boyfriend during our elementary school years. I know, I made a terrible mistake, and it changed everything. I lost two of my bests friends, and the man of my life, the one with whom I had to go to one of the most prestigious universities, the one with whom I wanted to spend my life. Unfortunately, I screwed it up. As usual. In the corridors, people look at me askance. I feel so lonely. I feel like the worst girlfriend in the world. I would love to go back in time, make Archie and I don't kiss, that we remain friends, but it's impossible. The evil is already done. I don't know what to do anymore, I'm lost. The only solution I have is… Disappear. After all, I would not miss anyone. It's the best solution, it's better for all of us. I have to go to Sweetwater River and I… have to end my life. I cannot bear to live in this way: ignored by everyone, alone, sad. Jughead is the only person who made me stay here, alive. I lived for him. But I ruined everything. Now it's too late, I lost it forever. I'm going to Sweetwater River at 3p.m. I'm just going to… let myself sink to the bottom of the water. I always wondered what was after death. I will finally be able to find out. So good bye. I want you to know that this diary belongs to Betty Cooper, the perfect girl next door. Well, not so perfect now. I cannot thank Jughead enough for all that he has brought me during these four years. I remember the first time I saw it. The first time we kissed in my room, this room, the first time we spent the night together, our first time. All these moments spent kissing, spending all our nights in the bunker, all these wonderful nights of love spent together. I will never forget them. Never. Farewell,
Love, Betty Cooper.
Betty had made her choice. She was going to kill herself. Living in a world like the present one was no longer possible. She pulled out the checkered sheets and tried to write letters. She began:
"Jughead
Thank you for all that you have brought me. For four years, you have filled me with happiness. But now it's over… I wanted you to know that I love you, and I will always love you. Do not forget me. Your Betty."
On another sheet, she wrote similar letters for Alice; his mother, Kevin and Cheryl. She even wrote one for Archie and Veronica.
She was looking at the time, it was 2:42p.m. She had to go. She left the letters on her desk, along with her diary, which she had left open. She looked one last time at her room, at her house, then left for the Sweetwater River.
For his part, Jughead was worried. Betty never missed class, under any circumstances. He decided to go see Ms Bell, the assistant librarian, then asked her:
"Ms Bell, do you know where Betty is? Betty Cooper."
The librarian replied, "Miss Cooper left a few hours ago, said that she was sick, that she was not feeling well, and then she went home."
Jughead thanked the old lady, then left to see Veronica.
"Ronnie, something is wrong, Betty went home, she said she was sick."
Veronica just laughed. "I don't really care about this bitch. She can die, I don't care. She betrayed me, she betrayed you, Jughead, she cheated on you with my boyfriend. She doesn't even deserve to live."
Jughead was stunned. To wish someone's death was a really horrible thing. He would never wish that, not even his sworn enemy. What he and Veronica didn't know was that time was running out, and that Betty was going to commit the irreparable. He then goes to see Cheryl, who was with Toni in the common room at Riverdale High.
He started "Cheryl, Ms Bell told me that Betty had come home because she was sick. I worry a lot, it's a long story, I'll explain to you later, but Ethel and I are not really in a relationship, it was to make her jealous, but now I'm afraid that she will do something stupid… I need your help, Cheryl."
That's right, he was afraid she would do something stupid, and he was right to worry. Cheryl nods, accompanied by Toni. They're now going to miss the end of class to go find the pretty blonde next door. They first went to her house. Jughead went straight up to his room, finding it empty.
"Jughead…" said the pink haired girl softly. She showed him the diary, then the letter where his name was written. He was reading quickly. Tears began to fill his eyes. He looked at the time, it was 2:54p.m. Six minutes. They had six fucking minutes left if they wanted to see their friend alive.
Without wasting time, Jughead took his motorcycle then drove towards Sweetwater River. Cheryl and Toni just warned the others. Jughead rolled until he saw the water. He stopped, not taking the time to put his motorcycle stand, he dropped it on the ground. He was running in the woods, without really knowing where he was going.
"Betty!?" He shouted. Nothing. No sign of her. His court was missing a beat when he heard a splash. Someone had dived. Without hesitation, he ran from where the noise came. All he found was water and its waves. Without thinking, he took a deep breath and then dove into the dark waters. Underwater, he saw almost nothing. After a short while, he felt something, a body. He grabbed it and then went up to the shore. He put it on the ground, then checked his pulse. He was no longer beating. His heart was no longer beating.
"Betty… Betty, no, please come back to me!" He started CPR on her. After a few seconds, he made her mouth to mouth. He continued for several minutes, it was only when her hopes were low that she opened her eyes and then spit out water.
"Betty! Betty, hey, hey, everything is fine, slowly." He said to her in a whisper. Betty lay on the floor, probably in shock. She took a deep breath, then said softly, in an almost inaudible voice: "J-Jug…"
"I'm here, Betty, gently". He leaned over her and then took her in his arms. "You scared me… I'm sorry, baby, so sorry, it's all my fault…" Tears ran down her cheeks.
Betty will tighten her grip on her ex boyfriend. "No, it's not your fault, it's mine. It's all my fault, because I kissed Archie…"
Jughead felt terribly guilty. If he had forgiven Betty and hadn't made this little plan with Ethel, none of this would have happened. He almost lost the most precious thing to him, his world.
"No, no, it's my fault, baby. I'm not with Ethel, we've never been in a relationship. It was just a plan to make you jealous, I didn't think you would go that far… I'm so sorry, I almost lost you, it's all my fault."
Betty didn't understand instantly. She had to get over her emotions to have – again – clear ideas. "So... you don't like Ethel?" She asks him.
"No, I love you. I love you, Betty, you and only you." The two lovers kissed for long seconds. They were interrupted by Cheryl, Toni, Archie and Veronica, who had just arrived. Jughead helped Betty sit down.
Cheryl ran to her cousin then took her in her arms, ignoring the fact that she was all wet. "Betty! I told you not to do that, what took you!? You scared us, cousin. I can't lose you, I… I love you."
Betty was speechless. Cheryl Blossom who says "I love you" to someone? She didn't think her cousin liked her that much. She was giving her her embrace.
It was Veronica's turn to jump on her neck. "B… Excuse me for everything I said to you, excuse me… Earlier, I told Jughead that I didn't care if you died, but I didn't mean it… I love, B, you're the best friend in the world, and I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. Veronica started to cry.
"It's nothing. I love you too, V. It's mine to be sorry, I shouldn't have kissed Archie, I regret it so much, if you knew."
Archie approaches the two girls and intervenes, "No, Betty, it's not your fault. It's me who kissed you, I shouldn't have. I betrayed Ronnie, and Jughead, at the same time. I regret. Veronica, I love you, and I'm sorry for what I did." The redhead apologizes to his girlfriend.
"Archiekins, I forgive you." Said Veronica. "So… are we friends again, B?" And you, Archie, can we give ourselves another chance?" The two nodded.
After this moving reunion, core four, now become core six, returned to the Cooper house. Veronica, Cheryl and Toni took Betty to the upstairs bathroom, helping her to clean up the water of Sweetwater River, while Jughead and Archie occupied the downstairs bathroom. The two boys had a conversation about this kiss with Betty. Jughead finally succeeds in forgiving his best friend, after a long discussion. Around 7p.m., everyone went home. Betty was resting in bed, needing rest, after this intense and emotional day. Jughead brought her a herbal tea, then lay down next to her. Since the accident at Sweetwater, he had taken great care with her. They – too – had discussed. Jughead told her about his plan with Ethel, and it all worked out. He and Betty are again in a relationship.
Betty was resting against her boyfriend's chest, wrapped in his arms.
Jughead finally asked her, "Betts? Promise me never to try to disappear again, okay? I love you, and I cannot live without you. I still tell myself that this is all my fault, because of my false relationship with Ethel. Because of that, I almost lost you tonight. What if I arrived a few minutes later? You wouldn't be there…"
Betty replied, while tightening her embrace around him. "I promise you, Juggie. Don't think about it anymore, you got there on time, and I'm fine. Everything is in order. Promise me never to leave me again."
"I promise you, my love."
The two lovers kissed passionately, they spent a long night of love in each other's arms.
In the end, everything was back to normal. Jughead had forgiven Archie, Veronica has reconciled with Betty, and our young teens are more united than ever.
THE END