Chapter 7

"We don't have to go if you don't feel up to it," Jughead reassured placing his hands on Betty's hips as she sat at the dressing table in her childhood bedroom.

"No Juggy, I want to go. Anyway we can't have the King and Queen missing Open Mic night!" she smiled in the mirror at him. Once a month the Serpents held an Open Mic Night. It was a simple way to get everyone together and have a laugh. Usually a couple of hopeful's came and mingled in hopes of being accepted into the Serpents. Although Betty was still shaken up from finding the heart in the fridge just that morning she knew that she had to stay strong and put on a brave face.

"Are you performing tonight?" Juggy asked slipping on his jacket over his plaid shirt.

"I don't think so, I'm not ready for that yet," she said sadly. Normally she loved performing but tonight she just didn't feel right. Jughead watched her from across the room as she strapped her feet into her boots. Tonight she was wearing blue jeans paired with a green logo shirt and black biker boots. He loved how she'd grown and adapted her style since leaving school a few weeks back. She'd started to leave behind the 'good girl' clothes and was stretching out towards biker girl. He would love her no matter what she wore, but he did approve of her new style.

"Are you staring at me Jones?" Betty asked sliding round on her stool.

"You're mine to stare at aren't you?" he questioned smiling at her. Betty couldn't help but laugh and smile at his playful words.

"Of course I'm yours, always have been and always will be," she smiled sweetly as she walked over to him, their arms wrapping round each other naturally as their lips touched.

"Come on then lets get going," Jughead smiled once they broke apart. Betty nodded and followed him out the door.

LATER THAT NIGHT

"Go get 'em Toni!" Betty shouted from her seat at the bar. They'd been at the bar a few hours now and she'd managed to fully relax and had begun enjoying herself. Toni winked back at her as she climbed up on stage. The cheers dyed down as she began to sing a beautiful version of 'Ain't no mountain high enough'

Half way through the song as Betty was swaying away on her stool, Fangs approached Jughead who was sat behind her. From the corner of her eye she watched as they whispered quietly, Jughead glancing subtly at the door of the bar. A few minutes later he stands up.

"I'm just going outside for some air baby," he said, the tone of his voice filled with anger, worry and concern.

"Okay," she smiled, pretending she hadn't noticed. Jughead kissed her on the cheek and walked through the bar. Following Fangs through the crowd he clenched his fists. Pushing through the door he looked around the car park. Instantly his eyes fell upon a group of smartly dressed guys stood around two black Jeep's.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" He bellowed across the dark gravelled parking lot. Running down the steps he marched across towards them with a group of Serpents following close behind him. Fangs managed to grab his arm before he was able to lay a hand on Joshua.

"Well is that anyway to talk to a visitor?" He smirked, tucking his hands into his pockets.

"You're not welcome here," Jughead spat viciously.

"I thought that since you all invaded our local haunt that it was only fair we come and see what this…ehum…fine establishment is like," He glanced around at the worn wooden building behind them.

"Get out of here before I make you leave."

"I don't think your little piece back there would be too happy about it," His faced was smug as his eyes wandered past Jughead and landed on something behind him. Spinning round Jughead's heart sunk as he saw Betty standing on the stairs resting one hand on the railings, her face a ghostly white.

"Betty go back inside," he shouted forcefully through the night air. She shook her head and made her way down the stairs, crunching across the gravel towards them.

"Betty go inside," Jughead growled taking a few steps towards her, positioning himself between her and Josh.

"Why is he here?" she sobbed angrily pushing him aside and stepping round him. The Serpents crowded round, making sure she couldn't get to Josh.

"I'm just trying to find out, now please go inside," he pleaded with her, grabbing her arm.

"Why are you here? Why do you keep coming back?" she shouted at Josh, shaking herself free of Jughead's grasp. "Leave us alone, don't you think you've ruined me enough?"

She pushed her way through the guys standing in her way, Jughead nodding at them to let her past, but they never moved too far from her side. Josh took a step towards her, he noticed the bodies behind her tensing as the space between them closed.

"Look at your little guard dogs protecting their queen," he jested laughing at them. "I'm here because I can be and theres nothing you can do about it." His face was evil and sadistic. Before Betty could control herself and before anyone could stop her she raised her hand and slapped him hard. Tears began streaming down her face as she raised her other hand and began hitting him over and over again.

"I hate you! You son of a bitch! Why did you come back? Why do you want to ruin me?" She screamed as she lashed out over and over, tears falling off her face as she clawed at his face. Jughead quickly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her backwards, feeling her body shake as she sobbed harder in his arms.

"You're lucky I'm not pressing charges you little bitch," Josh spat, wiping a small dribble of blood from his cheek.

"Get him out of here before I kill him," Jughead ordered as he held Betty close to him, his face a picture of anger and hatred. He bustled Betty back up the steps and sat her down on the bench on the porch. He watched from afar as his boys forced Josh and his groupies back into their cars, sending dust billowing into the air as they raced out of the car park. Jughead held Betty tight as she sobbed in his arms; his eyes followed the speeding cars down the road, wondering what he was going to do about them.