Betty could barely keep still in class while a million thoughts were racing through her mind. It had been 3 days now since she last saw Jughead. She actually expected him to call or gloat about what had happened, but things had been pretty silent. She half expected him to have shared the news about how he defiled her in a school office.

*Flashback

The old Jughead would have never even tried to touch her in public like that, especially since he was always making sarcastic comments about couples who engage in PDA, "You ever notice that the couples who flaunt around their relationship in public or on social media are often the ones who don't end up being together very long?", while both of them sat across from each other at their usual booth in Pop Tate's, with their separate milkshakes

"Hmm.. I never really noticed that" Betty replied.

"I have a theory that those couples have already realized how unhappy they are, but they act happy because it feels even worse if people knew about it," Jughead contemplated.

"But then what about those couples who are genuinely happy and they just don't care what other people think?" Betty retorted.

"No one is ever genuinely happy," Jughead replied quietly

Betty bit her lip at his comment, "What exactly do you mean by that?"

Jughead looked out the window, seemingly so deep in his thoughts that Betty wondered if he forgot that she was still there, "I mean that every person is a little bit broken in a sense, and sometimes they find someone as broken as they are, and the loneliness ebbs away for a bit. But the cracks will always be there."

Betty didn't know what to reply to that so she just sat there in silence, confused at his words, wondering if he even noticed how her heart was crying out.

Betty frowned at the memory. Perhaps those were the premonitions but she never really gave it much thought. She thought they were happy. Or perhaps she didn't know him as well as she thought.

She looked at her reflection again in the mirror. She was wearing her dark denim jeans and a black corset top that looked almost similar to the lingerie she wore for Jughead a few weeks ago. This was the second time she stepped out of her comfort zone, setting aside the pastel materials in her wardrobe. Perhaps the black material mirrored her thoughts, and she felt more comfortable in them than her usual collared blouses.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when her phone buzzed with a text message from Veronica, "Hey B. What are your plans for tonight? Cheryl's inviting us for a sleepover."

Betty replied, Sorry V, I can't, I'm going out tonight.

V: Ooooh like on a date? Where?

B: The White Wyrm.

After a series of expletives from Veronica and several calls, Betty decided to just turn her phone off. She figured she'd just catch up with Veronica after, and if she doesn't, then at least one person knows where she planned to go that night

It wasn't exactly easy sneaking out of the house on a weekend, but luck seemed to be on Betty's side when Alice Cooper turned in early for the night, leaving Betty to tiptoe across their den and out the door, with her mom's car keys in hand.

Silently praying that the car's engine won't wake her mom up, Betty held her breath and only let it out once she had pulled out of their driveway.

It took her a good 20 minutes to drive through the surroundings of Southside, finally stopping at the dark secluded bar of the Southside Serpents. Her memory was better than she thought. She only heard of where this bar was located from the stories that Archie had told her when they first tried to confront the men who had beat up Moose a few months ago. She would never have even ventured this far, let alone this part of Southside.

She surveyed the surroundings, there were only two men deep in conversation loitering outside the bar. What the hell was she doing here. What if Jughead wasn't even there. What if he was with another girl when she walked in there.

That last thought hit her straight in the gut, a fire igniting inside her at the thought of Jughead even talking to another girl. I'm not even supposed to feel this way anymore right. We're not together anymore, Betty thought. But even that thought sounded hollow in her own mind.

With one last glance at the rearview mirror and a shake of her blonde waves, Betty stepped out of the car and walked towards the bar.

The two men talking outside looked at her questioningly but they made no move to stop her. With a last thought in her head, and steeling her resolve, Betty walked into the White Wyrm.

Although the bar was dimly lit and the cigarette smoke wafting through the air, Betty could see that the place was packed. She should have known better than to venture here during a weekend, but then again she figured that this was the best time to catch Jughead.

She sauntered towards the bar and plopped herself on one of the bar stools. Behind the bar, Betty could see a pretty bartender with purple colored streaks in her hair eyeing her with curiosity, "I guess it would be a rhetorical question to ask if you're from around here, so I won't. "

"I'm just looking for a friend."

The bartender arched her eyebrow, "This isn't exactly the best place to be looking for one."

"No, I meant that I'm looking for my friend Jughead Jones, you know him?," a pang of jealousy suddenly rising in Betty at the thought of Jughead with the pretty bartender.

The bartender smiled shyly, "Of course… Everyone here knows the Serpent Prince."

Betty frowned at the new title that Jughead had acquired. "He's more of a dick than a prince", she mumbled under her breath.

"I'm sorry, what did you say again?"

Betty smiled, "Nothing… can I get a Jack and Coke please?"

Unconvinced but not bothering to prod any further, she replied, "Sure. My name's Toni by the way."

Toni served Betty her drink and then went to the other side of the counter to greet a few friends who were calling for her.

Sipping her drink, Betty tried her best to be subtle as her eyes searched the crowded bar for the so-called prince with the crown on his head.

Betty was so caught up in her search that she didn't notice a tall handsome guy in a signature Serpent jacket take up the seat next to her at the bar, "Hi there, it's not every day that we get visitors from the North side, especially a gorgeous blonde"

Betty almost choked on her drink, "How did you-"

The guy leaned in towards her, "Come on, I know you North side folk think we're just a bunch of dumb serpents, but we know a rat when we see one"

Even with the dim lighting, Betty couldn't help but notice how devastatingly handsome this stranger was, almost the same dark good looks as Jughead. He was a little bit taller though, with a chiseled jaw, piercing dark brown eyes, and thick black hair that was unruly enough to look cool, they even had the same confident smirk. Do all Serpents have that look.

Betty noted that she may have been thinking too long about how attractive he was because he started to look at her with curiosity, "Umm…No, you got that all wrong, I'm not a rat," Betty protested.

His piercing brown eyes lingered on her, looking appreciatively at how her sheer top hugged her full curves. Betty licked her lips nervously, his eyes snapping at her little gesture in curiosity and something else…

"Prove it." He concluded.

"What? How?," Betty sputtered.

"Either you prove to me right now that you're not a rat, or I tell everyone in this bar that we have a unwanted guest."

Betty gulped, she wasn't ready to blow her cover just yet, there was still no Jughead in sight.

"I'm not a rat, I'm just a high school student looking for my friend. I'm Betty Cooper," Her words tumbling out in a rush

"Betty Cooper huh… I'm Sweet Pea," flashing his smirk again at her.

Sweet Pea then gestured to Toni, "Hey Toni, can you grab me a beer."

Toni placed the beer in front of him and looked at both of them questioningly, "Now Sweet Pea, be nice, you don't wanna go frightening off this one."

"She doesn't seem frightened to me." Sweet Pea said, directing his piercing look back to Betty

"Now that we got the introductions out of the way, what exactly are you doing here and who is this friend you're looking for?"

"I'm looking for Jughead Jones."

Sweet Pea raised an eyebrow at the mention of Jughead but before he could say anything, the enigmatic leader suddenly materialized from behind him.

"Betty?! What the hell are you doing here?" Jughead's furious look directed at the blonde.

"I was just –" Before Betty could finish her sentence, Jughead grabbed her hand, and pulled her away from the bar, away from a surprised Sweet Pea, practically dragging her out of the door despite her protests.

Jughead led her to a dark alleyway behind the bar, turning back towards her, Betty cowered at his furious gaze, "Do you have any fucking idea what could have happened to you tonight? You're in the fucking Southside of all places, what the hell were you thinking?"

"I don't know… I just… I thought…" Betty stammered.

"No Betty, you weren't even thinking! What the hell got into you," Jughead was pacing back and forth angrily, barely able to contain his anger.

Betty looked down nervously, "I'm sorry, it's stupid I know… I just… I wanted to see you," she finished quietly.

Jughead stopped his pacing, and sighed deeply, his back to her. At that moment, despite all the weeks of frustration, all Betty could think about was how much she missed him.

Without thinking, Betty walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, her cheeks pressing into the back of his leather jacket, taking in his scent, the feel of him in her arms. Jughead stiffened in surprise, his initial anger dissipating.

His shoulders slumped in defeat, "Betty… please… don't make this any harder than it should be."

Betty choked back a sob, "Juggie…"

Jughead slowly unclasped her hands from him, and turned back to look at her, a pained look in his eyes, "I can't be with you…"

Betty shook her head, forcing herself to hold back her tears. How the hell did this situation turn out this way. She was supposed to have the upper hand, but seeing him again, after all those weeks, only reminded her how much she still cared for him.

Betty looked up at him, tears pooling in her eyes, "Did it even cross your mind that maybe, just maybe, I still needed you?"

Jughead sighed again, "What the hell do you want from me Betts?"

"I just want you! All of you. I don't even fucking care if you're a Serpent! You'll always be just Jughead Jones to me.", her words breaking at the last sentence.

Jughead ran a hand through his hair, "It's not that simple Betts."

"It IS that simple. You're the only one making this more complicated than it has to be. I never asked for this to be easy. I was willing to go through anything, just to be with you," Betty finished.

"Did you really think I wanted it to be this way? A few months ago, we were doing fine. We went to the same school, ate in the same cafeteria, wrote for the same newspaper, hung out with the same group of friends, now I'm on the other side of town, with a bunch of strangers."

With a resigned exhale, "I didn't ask for this Betts. It just happened this way. "

Jughead went up to her, cupping her cheek, brushing the stray tear from her eyes, "I'm sorry. I can't give you what you want Betts."

Betty stepped back and wrenched away from his grasp, "You know… if you really want something, there's always a way. If you don't, there's always a reason. So whatever reason you're making up in your head, just to keep us from being together, then so be it. I never want to see you again."

With that, Betty turned on her heel and walked out of the alley, leaving Jughead behind.

If she had looked back, she would have seen the agonized look that crossed his face.

"Fuck this," she muttered under her breath.

*Author's Note*

To everyone who left a review - thank you so much! I'm still trying to get a hang of this system so I'm not sure how to reply directly but do know that it's much appreciated.

I never realized how a few encouraging words from others could make such an impact. No wonder people keep writing on here.

Once again, thank you. Will update soon