When I got home, I noticed my dad was hitting the bottle hard. He was blitzed already and I knew that wouldn't bode well for tomorrow. I took the car keys with me to my room and I spent all night thinking about this new information, wondering if Betty was doing the same once her mother was lulled to sleep.

It was becoming pretty obvious the reason Kathlyn never saw a day in court was because the murder was shoved under the rug. Blossom killed Blossom and probably paid off the Sheriff at the time to keep things quiet. While most of us would get a short stop and a quick drop for that, money could seemingly make any problem go away.

On top of that, out there somewhere was Betty's secret brother. From her reaction, I could tell she had no idea. It made me sympathetic. My sister may have been gone but at least I knew her. I decided to write her a letter in case things took a turn for the worst.

Dear JB (Jellybean) Jones

I haven't heard from you in a while. Long distances calls are expensive. I hope you're having a good time in Toledo. I miss you every single day. Things are going so well here. Firstly, Dad is still being, well, himself. Secondly, it's actually me getting in trouble. I'd tell you not to worry, but that wouldn't be very honest of me. I was getting into fights at school for being friends with Betty. You remember her, right? She taught me how to braid your hair when you were small. Anyways it escalated into attacks and then the Drivein burned down (sorry you have to hear about that like this, I know you loved it as much as I did) and now they found the body of a kid who had been set on fire. The Sheriff is pretty sure it's me who did it, but it's not. It doesn't matter if you believe me really because the jury will probably string me up anyways. I wish I could see you one last time, but it's too dangerous. Don't worry though, I'm not lonely. Betty and I have decided to go steady and I think I'm in love with her. She's the best thing here, like family. I'm also kind of a Serpent now I think but they're not as bad as people will lead you to believe.

Take care of yourself, JB

Love Big Brother Jughead X

I put it in an envelope and set it down next to my record player, finally drifting off to sleep. I was only a few hours in when I heard a sound. I was all on edge. Someone was opening my window and I inched towards the light switch. I turn it on and in tumbled Betty.

"Sorry, did I scare you? I just did not want to be in that house with all the drama floating around, plus I missed you." I pulled her into me and my heart beat slowed back down to a manageable level. I kissed the top of her head.

"You're always welcome here. I'll show you where the spare key is when this is all over." I was still pretty tired and from the looks of things, she was too. Alice had probably just gotten to sleep not that long ago. We crawled back into my tiny bed. It was a snug fit but this time we slept in it on purpose. Is this what domesticity feels like? For the first time in my life I actually dreamed of a future where I started my own family. This wasn't really something I had considered or been interested in before. I held her a little closer. It was too soon to say, but I'd like to think she would make a wonderful Mrs Jones some day and I'd work tirelessly to give her the wedding she probably always dreamed of.

Soon enough the sun started to shine through the blinds, alerting us that it was day time again. I washed some pots and made bacon, eggs, and toast for the three of us. Dad was awake and willing to eat but was otherwise not feeling well. He had been pretty good with the alcohol lately, so it was weird to see him with a hangover. I wasn't too jazzed about it, but I understood that he was coping with the stress of basically just having me for a son. Trouble seems to follow us Jones men around.

I felt around and noticed I still had the truck keys in my pocket. I was feeling a lot more anxious about walking around town, especially with Betty here with me and us looking for my arch nemesis, Chuck Clayton.

"Dad you're not in any condition to drive but I have places to be. I'm taking the truck, hope that's okay." He gave me a grunt which usually meant yes.

This was actually my very first time driving with someone other than my dad and the guy who gave me my license. I was excited and nervous. I only ever really got to drive when my dad was too drunk, which I guess was a lot more often than it should have been. I'm pretty sure that was the reason he paid for my test to get done in the first place.

We drove to the north end of town, near where Veronica and the other high class rich people lived. There was a country club up there with a golf course, tennis court, and a pool. It was crazy how much some money could get you when almost half the town was in poverty. I found it to be a bit disgusting, another reason why it took me so long to give a crap about Veronica, even though she had as much say in her family's finances as Betty and I did.

We passed Chuck Clayton in his car. Reggie and Moose were with him, laughing at something he said, when he saw me. It was like he was going red. He started tailgating the truck. He probably would have bashed into it if he wasn't driving a very expensive and very posh car. He rolled down his window and I rolled down mine.

"Hey loser, lets play a game. You either play chicken with us, or you are a chicken. You know, I think I like that. Chickens are dumb, weak animals that live in cages. Sounds just like you, doesn't it? Oh and then we kill them."

I was livid.

"I'm game, Chuckles, but you're going to lose! You're really starting to cheese me off and people don't like me when I get angry."

He growled at me. "People don't like you either way, dumbass!"

We lined his car and my truck up on a rarely used side street and he revved his engine. Mine was a piece of crap, so I didnt. That didn't matter though, I was relying on nerve and skill, not money. Maybe if I could scare him, he'd leave me the hell alone.

Moose stood on the sidelines with Reggie between the cars, counting down and I got Betty to sit on a bench nearby. She objected, of course, and tried to talk me out of playing but I had a point to prove and I wasn't about to put her in danger for it.

Three, two, one, go! The truck did me well, jumping from 0 to 50 mph at the drop of a hat. I kept going but the anxiety was mounting. I wanted to call his bluff but Betty was also sitting right outside, clutching the arm rest on the bench like her life depended on it. I was about to turn away when he clucked out.

"You're dead meat, 'Jug Head'! Nobody makes a fool out of me!" He slammed the door of his car and ran at me like a raging bull. Oh shit. He went to punch me but I could see it coming a mile away so I easily dodged it. He tried again and barely touched my face when I moved yet again. Finally, this time it was I who threw the punch, hitting the target and watching him stumble back.

"With the way you're acting, I'm starting to believe it was you that framed me for the murder of your friend Jason."

Moose and Reggie started to close in on me and they got a few hits in when a car honked their horn at us, making the jocks scatter.

I walked over to Betty, limping a bit, and I noticed blood trailing down her arm. I pulled out her hands and pried them open. Her mascara ran as she cried. She had little crescent marks from her nails on each palm, and it had leaked a lot of blood. She probably had as many wounds as I did even though she wasn't involved in the fight, it was just her anxious habit.

"I'm sorry Betty, I'm so sorry." I apologized like a mantra. I took the beanie off my head and used it to wipe off the blood. "I should never have put myself in danger like this just because I was angry. It was reckless and stupid and I'm sorry."

"He made me so angry and then I was so scared and anxious and sometimes this just happens. I feel a migraine coming on and all of a sudden there's blood on my hands. This isn't all your fault, you never asked to be picked on, I just can't control this." She looked down at her hands.

"I really really l-like you Betty Cooper, please don't hurt yourself." I choked into the crook of her neck. She froze when I said this. I did meant to say that I loved her but I was afraid it was too soon.

"I really really like you too, Jughead, and I'll try but I can't make any promises. Just don't scare me like that again, let's get you cleaned up." She pulled my face up to hers and we kissed, then looked over to the car that honked earlier.

It was a jet black town car and somebody was getting out of the back door. It was our resident rich girl, which I guess made sense since this was her side of town. She invited us to come visit for a while and treat our wounds. Hermione Lodge happened to be away so Smithers made us tea and coffee.

"I heard from Kevin that you two were taken in for questioning. How was that?" Did everything she say make me want to roll my eyes?

"Not gonna ask about what happened with Chuck? Well fine then. It wasn't pleasant if that's what you mean, and now I basically owe a life debt to Pop Tate. Betty here was fine though. It was a lot better this time with Mrs Andrews there to represent me."

"Now Veronica, it's our turn for a question. What exactly does your dad do for a living?"