My head was throbbing and I felt like someone dropped a tonne of bricks on me. I tried to talk but my voice came out coarse yet quiet.
"Betty, I need to talk to Betty." I willed my eyes open and saw my father yelling at a nurse. What happened? Oh yeah, I was beat down by Chuck. It's not exactly manly to fight someone half your size, Charlie.
He came in and grabbed me, pulling me right off the hospital bed. He muttered an apology and something along the lines of basic care since we couldn't afford a lengthy bill. I guess there wasn't a lot of medical coverage when your main job is being a gang leader.
"Dad, can you drop me off at Betty's? Or she might still be at Veronica's. How long was I out?"
He looked at me like I was an idiot. "It's Tuesday, Jug. I pulled the guy off you but you suffered a concussion and went into a coma. The police don't go to the south side of town so instead I talked to the principal. I did the best I could, but he only got a 2 day suspension so he'll be back the same as you tomorrow. I swear it's gross how playing a bit of sports can make you untouchable in this town." As opposed to all the work you did to earn that title, dad?
"Alright well can we go or not?" I was later told that frustration and a short tempter were likely side effects of the head trauma, but they didn't know a lot about it. He sighed and pulled his truck out of the parking spot.
"Well what's the street?"
I gave him the address and he froze for a second. He probably didn't even realize that I noticed, but I did.
"That's the rich part of town, Jug. A snake like me is liable to get stomped over there. I'll drive you because you're not in any condition and I know you're too stubborn like your mom to not find some way to go. All I'm saying is that this is a one time thing, don't expect this again any time soon, understand me?" I nodded.
We arrived and their doorman Smithers let me through as my dad took off faster than greased lightening. I rolled my eyes.
Veronica's mom worked part time as a secretary for Fred, Archie's dad, at Andrews Construction, but today she was off or at least left early.
"What are you doing here, Jughead? Shouldn't you be in school?" I guess my mind wasn't working right because I didn't even think to ask the time. At this moment, it was 2pm so there was a whole hour before school let up and a limousine would pick up Veronica.
"I'm sorry, I've been out of sorts, just got out of a coma but it's not that big of a deal. I just forgot time has passed and assumed Betty was still here. Of course she's probably at school with Veronica." She sent me a look of sympathy which really tickled my nose. I didn't need pity from anyone, especially not some rich upper crust lady.
"I can call and have her picked up by Smithers if you want. She's always welcome here, anyways. In the meantime, have a seat." If I wasn't so wary of Betty's family I probably would have refused her offer, but I am wary so I didn't. Besides that, I'm not one to turn down food.
At one point she joked that it was surprising I wasn't rich from the amount it must cost to feed a hollow leg boy like me. It was only because we were acquainted that she could say that since most people who didn't know me would assume this was a byproduct of not having eaten in a week. I guess I hadn't really eaten in a few days, technically. This whole thing would have been awkward if I wasn't so busy stuffing my face while she read a book. It was The French Lieutenant's Woman, which I assumed was just trashy literature targeted at women with a title like that. When we heard the girls near the door, she earmarked the corner of the page, which left me baffled. Why would anyone hurt a book page like that, especially when you were someone who could afford fancy bookmarks?
My agitations disappeared once the pair walked into the room with Archie trailing behind. Betty walked right up to me.
"Where have you been? I feel like I haven't slept in a week with that phone call being cut off and you not showing up for school." It melted my heart to think that someone noticed I was gone and actually worried about me. "You don't look so good." She then turned around to look at Archie who proceeded to pass me a bag.
"It's your homework. When Veronica heard you were here, I thought you might want it so you wouldn't be overwhelmed in class tomorrow." I appreciated the thought and the effort, and maybe I disliked Veronica a little less for her part, too. Maybe these people were my friends. I've spent more time with her lately than Kevin. My mind flashed back to seeing Kevin with Joaquin at the theater but I ignored it. Not important.
"This might seem a little rude, but I need to talk to Betty alone. She can decide what she wants you all to know afterwards, it's not up to me." Veronica shot us a thumbs up and I tried as hard as I could not to roll my eyes at her antics.
I made sure the door to the spare room we were in was locked before speaking.
"We need to talk."
"And you need to tell me why you weren't in school and why you hung up on me." She poked her finger at my chest.
"Right, right. Sorry, I'm not all here. I didn't hang up, I just ran out of money at the payphone. The reason I wasn't in school was because on Saturday night, Chuck came by to remind me that I'm poor and I may have said a few things that set him off. I guess I ended up with a concussion and fell into a very mild coma and ended up in the hospital. I couldn't afford to stay though. Medical expenses are ridiculous for a family like mine so we left as soon as I was able and all I could remember was wanting to talk to you and you being at Veronica's so that's why I ended up here. And before you get more worried, my dad drove me here."
"I wasn't even at Veronica's very long. My mom picked me up shortly after you called. Said our family needed to be together and to pray for Polly. I'm not supposed to tell anyone but Veronica already knows and I trust you. Polly's pregnant and they're going to ship her away to a convent until after she gives birth so nobody will know."
"And what about the baby?"
"We don't know. My mom doesn't want her to keep it and that kind of defeats the purpose of hiding the pregnancy, but Polly seems really happy so I'm not sure what we should do."
"Betty, it will be okay. We will do everything we have to do for Polly to keep her happy, alright? You just come from a dramatic family."
"And my grandma?" Her voice broke.
"Is not dead. We passed her in the car the other day and on our way home she was the reason I got out. It was just a suspicion but it turned out to be right. And she knew exactly who I was, too. Apparently she knew my grandfather, though she took off before she could give me any real information. She is definitely alive though, so your grandfather is probably as stable as they come on your mom's side of the family." She lightly punched me in the arm for my remark and I shot her a smirk.
"Alright, that's all I got."
"We should investigate this further." I nodded in agreement and we left the room.
"So are you two a thing now?" I assumed Veronica was teasing.
"Shush," Betty responded with a giggle. Archie just looked confused.
"V, leave Betty alone." She looked shocked at my use of nickname, but then sent me a smile. I guess it's official, I'm friends with the raven haired princess of the north end of town. It would be easier in our group this way anyways.
"If it's okay with you, Jughead and I have some things we would like to deal with. Thanks for bringing me here, Smithers." She shot the doorman a smile and we took off. It was a lot easier to work with just the two of us, but I didn't want to be the one to make the call.
"Take me to her please, Jughead." She gave me these big doe eyes that just about broke my heart.
"Betty, I don't know where she lives and she specifically asked me not to tell you about her. Your mom doesn't admit she's alive for a reason. We have to be more strategic about this, Betty." I put my hand on her face. "We just have to be smart, Betts."
"Alright, so now what?"
"How much do you know about the Southside Serpants?"
"Your dad is associated with them, right? And they're mostly from the Southside, especially since it's a part of the name... that's about all I know."
"Well, there's a bit more to it than that. My dad isn't just associated, he's the leader. It's not something I'm proud of but we could probably ask him how his dad knew your grandma. I probably wouldn't have said anything if it wasn't important. I still have a few hours before it's dark out and the movie is ready to start so let's go."
Being on the far end of town meant taking a bus back to the Southside and Betty let me lean on her for the twenty minute ride as I took a nap since I was still exhausted from earlier. She was the best thing in my messed up life by far.
She woke me up at our stop and I held her hand in terror as we edged closer to the man I had avoided introducing pure sweet Betty to all this time. I held out hope for my father, but I wasn't stupid.
"Dad I'm home, and I brought a friend. This is Betty Cooper." She smiled at him and waved. It seemed sincere from the look in her eye.
"Pleasure to officially meet you, Mr Jones." She looked excited to meet him and I had no clue why. Most people had a healthy fear for him.
"The pleasure is mine, I'm sure." He sent her his trademark smirk which would probably make her swoon if she was anywhere close to his age. She didn't seem uncomfortable, though, so at least there was that.
"Dad I asked you a few days back about Betty's mom, Alice, but is there anything you know about Kathlyn, her mom? Or maybe her ties to Grandpa Forsythe?"
"Woah there kid. This one goes deep. I really don't think it's my place to say anything."
"Please," Betty batted her eyelashes and pouted, causing my father to tumble down like a house of cards.
"Alright but you ain't heard it from me. Our paternal side of the family has had an interesting relationship with Betty's maternal side spanning back a few generations. I didn't mention it earlier because it didn't matter, but for a shortly lives period of time Hal and Alice had broken up and we had gotten together. The briefest of flings since he literally rescued her from poverty. You can't really compete with that when your life goals are to own a trailer on the bad side of the tracks. Anyways I don't know what gramps did for Kathlyn but it must have been pretty big, and she paid him back by hightailing it and going with Mr Smith. Worked for the best since Jug and I wouldn't be here if he didn't meet my mother and get married before the war. Yeah, the world could have been a whole lot different. I think he had a bunch of old letters around here somewhere if you think it'll help."
A/N: I just polished this last paragraph after watching the finale and I am dead. Jughead is literally the Southside prince and I feel a connection with that to this story because of it so it's weird haha. Go Jughead.