It was just another hangout. Three teens hanging out in a booth at Pop's, ordering food and chatting. No Veronica and no Kevin, just the original. All was the same, the same three kids that met up everyday just because they wanted to see each other and hang out. The only difference now was that one of these teens felt a little out of place, and this time it wasn't Jughead.
"What flavor milkshake are you guys getting? I'll just order to Pop right away." Jughead said, standing up from his booth while leaning his arm against it. He looked at me in an asking manner but then looked back at Betty. She smiled and started ordering. Jughead didn't need to know what she needed because everyone knew what she liked. Plain and innocent vanilla. Definitely a contrast to the normal one I always order: chocolate. I felt like he needed to ask her for the sake of asking her.
"Hmmm I'll have a vanilla." She answered, surprising everyone in the room. "What? And here I thought you would get something else for a change." Jughead joked, smirking then leaving for the counter. "Wait Juggie!" She yelled out, grabbing his jacket sleeve with force as he leaned back in response. Her face turned red but she put on her innocent face. "Um can we share a milkshake. I've always wanted to do it at least once in my life so..could you not order one?"
Jughead nodded and ran up to Pop Tate, who was busy wiping down tables from the customers who had just left. Ever since Veronica's mom had quit to work for my dad, Pop has had a hard time in terms of work and staff. He seems to trust Jughead at least, so he usually makes our food for us. Jughead is a surprisingly good cook.
I looked up at Betty as he planted both of her elbows on the table to position herself while she put her head on the top of her palms. "How's the song writing going?" She asked, lowering her voice so that Jughead couldn't hear us. Jughead got annoyed when I stay up late at night to write songs or practice them. It's a joke among us that he hates anything remotely musical in any sense because of me.
"Valerie's been a huge help in terms of inspiration for them, and the Pussycat's are giving me tips on stage performance. I've been mostly practicing on my own though. Poor Jughead, I mostly have to work during school hours or when he's gone." I chuckled a bit and Betty joined me. She lifted her head off of her hands and stared right at me sympathetically.
"You could always show me, you know I love your songs. You're so talented too, I bet one day you'll become a huge sensation and forget all about us!" She giggled and bit and smiled. "Thanks Betts, I knew I could always count on y-"
I was cut off by the sound of Jughead crashing into the booth with our milkshakes. He handed mine to me and put Betty's in the middle. "What were you talking about?" He asked, taking off his beanie and throwing it to the side. Betty giggled. "Nothing you'd like."
She grabbed the drink and snatched Jughead's beanie off the booth. She draped it over her long locks of golden hair, making it contrast the brightness to the darkness. I only assumed she was in a hurry to get dressed this morning. She turned around to Jughead and smiled.
Jughead coughed slightly before grabbing it from her head. "Don't do that. Ever. Again" He said sternly, bashfully putting it back on his head. I had never seen Jughead so vulnerable, well, at least when I'm around to watch.
Betty continued to laugh before sipping from her milkshake. Jughead looked playfully hurt. "I thought you said we're sharing it?" He asked. She grinned. "Of course we are. Do you want a sip?" She handed the drink to Jughead. He snatched it out of her hand and blushed slightly. "Aw Juggie, did you think I meant at the same time? Did you want to do that~" She giggled and took the drink away. It was a plot the whole time. He didn't seem to care as much though.
By the time we finished our drinks and chatted for a little while, aka me sitting there while they flirt in their own mysterious way, we headed back to Betty's house. She seemed rather disappointing that she would have to part, but her main worry was her mom or dad. "I hope my mom didn't find out I was gone. She would be extremely mad at me for being out this early in the day, especially with you guys." She said. It didn't exactly surprise us that her mom hated us. It was just part of her family that hates us. Me for being a ginger and hurting her, and Jughead for being the son of a Serpent.
Betty went back and forth between options to tell her mom what she'd been doing, sneaking out and all, when Jughead looked up at her open window and started climbing up, motioning upwards for Betty. Betty grinned. "Forsythe Jones, are you asking me to sneak into my own house, the exact way I snuck out of my house?"
He nodded and motioned up again. She brightened. "Fine, then let the sneaking commence!" She shouted, getting cringing from both me and Jughead. "Sorry" She whispered, climbing up the wall towards Jughead.
I watched both Jughead and Betty try to climb up to her window as Betty almost nearly trips and falls off the wall. Jughead seemed to have a little trouble climbing up, but it seemed he's taking it easier than she is. When they finally reach the window Betty climbs into the room and swipes the beanie off Jughead's head and sticks out her tongue before disappearing in her room. Jughead came back down and started walking back to our house.
"What happened to your beanie? Did Betty take it?" I asked, though I clearly saw it but had no idea of the details. Jughead shrugged and started walking faster. "Are you gonna be okay without it?"
Jughead stopped and smiled. "It's just a beanie. I'll be fine without it. Easily"
He nodded and ran all the way back to our house.