Author's Note : Here's the next chapter! I am digging this story. I like exploring the dynamic with these characters! Guess who's about to meeeeetttt….
Disclaimer : Don't own em. Like em a lot.
Chapter Three Song Choice : "Powerful" by Major Lazer ft. Ellie Goulding & Tarrus Riley
Chapter Three
"Oh, my God, B!" Veronica laughed over her chocolate shake, "I have never seen anyone as terrified as you to cradle out of a lift!"
Betty could actually feel it as her cheeks turned bright red, "I'm not exactly little and petite like you, V."
Cheryl slapped a palm to the table in humored annoyance, "It's not like you're a heifer, woman!"
"I know-"
"Hey!" Archie interrupted, "My girl's got curves! Nothing wrong with that!"
"Not a damn thing!" Chuck concurred, his dark eyes trailing over Betty in a way that made her want to collapse in on herself like a scared turtle.
Cheryl wanted to slap both him and Archie across their faces when she saw the discomfort in Betty's expression.
As Archie spoke, he slid his hand a little higher up Betty's bare thigh to just under the hem of her skirt. Betty instinctively clamped her legs together and with as much discretion as she could, she dropped a hand to her lap to block his path. Archie cast her an irritated sideways look but Betty refused to acknowledge it. She didn't know why he always did this kind of thing when they were out with their friends. Sometimes it felt like he wanted them to see him; like he wanted to show off in some way. If he tried it when they were alone, she was able to have an actual conversation with him and explain that she just wasn't ready for that kind of physical intimacy. But when he did it in public, she couldn't say anything. She'd never make a scene like that. So it became a kind of silent battle; him always pushing and trying to advance and her on defense trying to subtly hold her ground.
"Okay, boys," Reggie announced sliding out of the booth, "let's roll. I gotta work with dad at the dealership tomorrow and he gets pissed when I drag ass."
Archie pressed a kiss to Betty's temple before sliding out of the booth as well. The entire crew followed suit, scooting and shuffling and shimmying their way out of the booth to pay their checks and head out. As they exited, Betty touched Veronica's elbow at the door.
"I'm gonna say goodbye to Kevin and…apologize for Cheryl. I'll be out in two seconds."
Veronica nodded and went to let the others know.
Betty approached the table where Joaquin and Kevin had their heads bent close together in conversation. Betty felt a little guilty interrupting.
"Hey, Kev," she said as softly as she could.
Kevin jumped, knocking over his soda in surprise.
"I'm so sorry!" Betty exclaimed as she grabbed at napkins along with Joaquin and Kevin to mop up the spill even as it dripped off the table into the floor. "I didn't mean to startle you! I just came over to let you know we were leaving and to say sorry for Cheryl being…well, Cheryl."
Kevin laughed, his good nature shining even as he wiped at the table, "I'm used to it by now, Betts."
"I know but-"
"You're leaving?" Joaquin interrupted, "All of you?"
He earned a confused look from both Kevin and Betty at the question.
"Uh, yeah." Betty said, she didn't notice the nearing rumble of motorcycle engines.
"You can't stick around a little longer?" Joaquin continued, craning his neck to peer around her as though looking for someone.
"No. Jason and Cheryl are waiting for me. The others are already gone." Betty explained gesturing toward the door right about the second it swung open.
As soon as he had received the text from Joaquin, Jughead had mounted up with Fangs and Sweet Pea in tow and headed for the Northside of Riverdale. But when he entered the cozy, retro diner and scanned the occupants, he didn't see the redheaded asshole from the Wyrm. What he did see was Joaquin nestled in a booth with his squeeze of the week and talking to a Northside cheerleader princess. Jughead crossed the diner to join them.
"Hey, Joaq," he said.
Betty moved to turn toward the unfamiliar voice but her foot slipped in the puddle of Kevin's spilled soda and both feet slipped out from under her.
With the very catlike reflexes that tended to be his saving grace in a brawl, Jughead reached out and caught the blonde by her waist and steadied her on her feet. Her hands caught hold of his biceps and then a pair of big green eyes swept up to meet his. Even after she had regained her balance, Jug didn't release her. Nor did she drop her hands. Jughead watched as her eyes traced over every aspect of his face. It was an assessment that he'd been on the receiving end of before. Under normal circumstances, he would have found her blatant admiration amusing…only he was a little busy doing some admiring of his own.
By God, she was fucking gorgeous.
"Easy there," he said, giving her a little half-smirk.
"Yeah," she gave a little laugh under her breath, "you know after ten plus years of mandatory dance lessons, you'd think I'd be more coordinated."
Jughead let his eyes trail with deliberate slowness over her body, from the top of her head to the tips of her shoes, lingering over the good parts before again meeting her eyes, "Oh, I don't know. I'd bet you do pretty well when it counts."
Betty felt her cheeks flush, her breathing became unsteady and an unfamiliar heat pooled in the pit of her stomach. He may have been the most beautiful male specimen she had ever laid eyes on. Ever. His hands were large and warm as they gave her waist a gentle, inviting squeeze…and Betty didn't feel the immediate need to squirm away. She could tell by the jacket that he was a serpent, like Joaquin. That made sense. They had come straight over to him and Kevin's booth. He looked gorgeous and dangerous and exciting and everything that Betty had always tried to avoid. But in that moment, staring into his piercing green eyes, she asked herself why she had ever wanted to avoid something that could feel like this.
The loud blaring of a car horn interrupted the moment and Betty tried to take a step back, but her leather-clad savior didn't release his grip on her.
"Ooookay," Betty said, her voice uneven, "Kev, I'll see you Monday. We'll…talk then. Joaquin, it was so nice to meet you. And…" she turned to the dark-haired stranger, "thanks for catching me."
His eyes burning, he replied, "Pleasure."
The way he had said the word 'pleasure' seemed to roll across Betty's skin in a far too intimate caress from someone whose name she didn't even know. He was breathtaking, though; carrying himself with the ease and confidence of a young god. He tightened his hold on her, pulling her hips snug against his own for the briefest second before releasing her. Betty moved to step around him, to put some much needed distance between his fantastic body and hers, but before she could stop herself, she turned and blurted, "Come in sometime when I'm working. I'll give you a milkshake on the house, you know, for saving me from falling on my face."
Feeling the tips of her ears heat up at the impromptu offer, she spun away from him and made a mad dash for the door. What had she been thinking to make an offer like that?
Easy. She was thinking she wanted to see those eyes again.
Jughead watched the blonde scamper to the door, throwing him a blushing look over her shoulder while chewing on the tip of her thumbnail. He'd gladly give her something to chew on a hell of a lot more fun than her thumb. Christ.
Once she was through the exit, he slid into Joaquin's booth without waiting for an invite and focused on his friend's date, thoughts of a different kind of tussle were running through his brain than what had been there earlier in the night.
"Okay, Keller," he said, "I don't usually go for Northsiders, but I'm gonna need her name and number-like-immediately."
"Betty?" Kevin sputtered, "No!"
Jughead arched a dark brow, "No?"
"No!" Kevin spat again, then noticed the four faces that were staring at him in incredulous disbelief. Apparently, one did not say 'no' to the Serpent Prince. "I mean, it's nothing personal. I just don't give out my friends' numbers without their permission."
Another rather sardonic look from the dark Adonis known as Jughead.
"It wouldn't do you any good anyway," Kevin added, "She and Archie have been together practically since birth."
"Say again," Sweet Pea chimed from over Jughead's shoulder where he was kneeling on the seat of the next booth over.
Jughead's eyes glittered with a dangerous interest as well, "Archie…Andrews?"
Kevin looked at the people surrounding him and tried to shake the feeling of dread and inevitability that had all of the sudden washed over him, "Uh, yeah, Archie Andrews. Why?"
"No reason," Jughead answered, ignoring the knowing look that he caught Fangs throwing at Sweet Pea. "You're probably right. If she has a boyfriend, waste of my time."
Kevin nodded but still didn't feel any better. Something about Jughead's tone of voice, the glint in his eye, the tilt of his smirk; all those things came together and told Kevin that this was far from over…and he worried that his sweet, somewhat naïve Betty had just slipped in a puddle of soda and unknowingly landed in a whole heap of trouble.
"Let's head out, boys," Jughead said, slapping a palm flat against the tabletop and standing, "You fellas have a good night. Joaq, we'll see you back at the Wyrm."
"See ya, boss," Joaquin said as Fangs, Sweet Pea and Jughead filed out, Sweet Pea slapping Jughead jovially on the back as they went.
"What was that?" Kevin asked.
"What?" Joaquin replied, widening his pretty eyes in mock innocence.
"That-that-that," why the hell couldn't he find the right word, "display! What just happened?"
"Nothing, Preppy," Joaquin said, trailing a finger down Kevin's jawline, "Don't worry about it."
Jughead lit up a cigarette as he crossed the parking lot toward his bike. Sweet Pea gave his shoulder blade another excited shove.
"So, blondie, huh?" Sweet Pea laughed.
Jughead smirked over his shoulder, "Best looking payback I ever saw."
"You're serious?" Fangs asked from where he trailed a few steps behind his friends.
"What am I always saying, Fangs?" Jughead schooled, "What is the most effective point of attack against these arrogant Northside pricks?"
Fangs shrugged his shoulders and looked away, so Sweet Pea bellowed out the answer as he strode up to the side of his motorcycle.
"Their motherfuckin' pride!"
"Exactly," Jughead said on a stream of smoke as he kicked a leg up to straddle his own bike. "Picture it, Fangs." Jughead's eyes narrowed he pointed a finger to his own temple, "Just take a second to picture it. How do you think that self-important philistine will feel when he learns that his perfect little Northside princess spread her legs for a piece of Southside trash?"
Fangs shook his head and crossed his arms over his broad chest, "But-I mean- doesn't that punish her, too? She hasn't done anything to us."
Jughead took another long drag of his cigarette as he shared a sideways grin with Sweet Pea before directing his full attention once again to his overly concerned companion. "Don't worry, Fangsy," he chuckled, "I'll make sure she doesn't have any complaints."
He flicked the still glowing butt away and kicked his bike to life as Fangs rolled his eyes.
"That's not what I meant," Fangs shouted over the roaring engine, "and you know it!"
Jughead shook his head and squinted at his friend as he strapped his helmet to his head, "I can't hear you!"
With that, he took off, Sweet Pea hot on his trail. Fangs had to rush to mount and start his bike if he so much as hoped to catch up to them. So that's what he did. For better or worse, if he agreed or not, Jug was his prince and where he led, Fangs would follow.
Author's Note : Uh-oh. Thoughts? Comments? Complaints? Questions?