Boys who are interested in someone usually go after them reverberates in his head from the moment Betty says it until the next day when he feels like he's selling his soul to Veronica Lodge. Jughead wasn't prepared for Betty to walk through the Twilight's door in a pretty dress, with her pretty hair around her shoulders, and her pretty eyes so sad. There's nothing he dislikes more than a sad Betty but he can't help her with getting over Archie. That's a job for her and her alone.
He doesn't know if Betty could be interested in him but he thinks not knowing is getting more unbearable by the day. The idea, the thought of her being capable of returning his feelings gives him an insidious feeling of hope sliding over all of his jagged edges, it's cautionary but it's taking root, making his world a little brighter. He thinks happiness is a risk you need to be willing to destroy yourself for and he can't think of a better reason for destruction than Betty Cooper.
Veronica has told him about her four step plan and as much as he hates to admit it, he doesn't think it's all that bad.
Step one is exposure. Betty is pretty well exposed to him already, but this plan calls for most of that time spent just the two of them. He wholeheartedly approves of this step.
Step two is flirting. He's learned from Veronica that not giving Betty any indication he's interested other than longing looks he throws her way when she's not looking doesn't really make himself an option to Betty. He does not have high hopes for this step so far.
Step three is a date. Jughead has been informed that he will be asking Betty to the Homecoming dance. This step scares him for two reasons: he has to face possible rejection and also go to a school dance. If Betty says yes, though, he thinks it'll be worth it.
Step four is what Veronica calls "Kissing the Girl." He's had this step in mind for longer than he's willing to admit. This step is getting him through the battlefield of the other three. If, that is, he can manage to do them all in the first place.
He's promised to meet Veronica before school and much to his surprise she had offered the use of Smithers, her trusted driver, to pick him up at his house. An offer he had declined, no one knew he was living in the projection booth at the Twilight and he wants to keep it that way. There might be a chance Betty saw some of his stuff there but the room was pretty dim when she was in there the other night so he thinks he's still safe. God help him if Betty figures it out, he's not ready for that level of intervention.
When he finds Veronica in the Blue and Gold office, his suggestion for privacy since no one but he and Betty are usually in it, she's waiting with coffee and what looks like a bag of donuts. He wants to eye them suspiciously but it's food and food almost never has evil intentions on its own.
"Good morning, Jughead," Veronica chirps at him.
"It's too early to be this enthusiastic, what exactly is in that coffee of yours?" he questions, trying to cover up a yawn. "But good morning as well if we're exchanging pleasantries."
"Here, these are for you," she tells him as she hands him the extra coffee and donuts. "I've also got one for you to give to Betty, but packaged separately, since I've seen you eat."
"Thanks," he says around the mouthful of donut he's already got in his mouth and then takes a drink of the coffee, trying not to choke on it when he discovers how hot it is.
"You do swallow your food before you talk to Betty, right?" she questions him with a look of revulsion.
"Of course, I save all my manners for Betty," he quips at her, raising an eyebrow. "Actually, I think I learned all my manners from her. The fear of Alice Cooper's wrath at any dinner table is more than enough motivation."
"Her mom's a piece of work, I assume?"
"That's putting it...very politely."
"I had wondered why I hadn't met her yet, it seems like Betty is keeping me out of her house," Veronica says to him, perching herself on one of the desks.
"She is, but it's not you, it's definitely Mrs. Cooper. To this day Archie and I can't figure out if Betty actually likes all that pink or if it's her mom," he mumbles to her around another bite of donut. "Mostly likely her mom, to be honest, Polly was a victim of the pastel parade as well."
"Ah yes, the mysterious Polly. Do you know where she is?"
"Nope. No one does, except maybe Betty's parents. Possibly Jason Blossom since he's also gone and they were dating."
"The intrigue of the small town is finally appearing," she responds, "So now, about this plan of mine, you need to be subtle. Can you do subtle or-"
"Or, and hear me out, I can just hang out with Betty and see where it goes," Jughead interrupts.
"You already hang out with Betty, all the time, so have you seen where it's going?" Veronica questions with a pointed look.
"Okay, fine, but in my defense, I've never tried to date her before. You know, because of her lifelong Archie love."
She sighs at him, "Jughead, I know you think she's always going to see nothing but Archie but as a woman take it from me, he's just a leftover childhood nostalgia she got comfortable maintaining."
"She told me something along those lines on Saturday but-"
"But nothing! I know you think she's never going to get over it but being rejected is a fantastic form of closure and that's all I think she really needed. Just give her a chance and furthermore, give yourself a chance. And also maybe give yourself a little credit and confidence, it can get you pretty far. You know her better than probably even Archie at this point."
"Look-I, I just-"
"You really hate that I'm right, don't you?"
"So much, you have no idea. It physically pains me," he huffs out, disgruntled.
"Let me help you, I just want Betty happy."
"We all want Betty happy. She's Betty."
"Don't get mad at me for this but I have to know, do you keep food under that hat or…?"
"Goodbye, Veronica."
"Fine, Jughead. I'll talk to you later. Please follow my rules, okay?" she tells him as she grabs her bag and starts to walk away. "Also don't forget to give Betty that donut, it's her favorite according to Archie."
"Sprinkles?"
"Nope, maple, but thank you for proving my point," she says with a wink and strolls out the door.
He glares at her back until he can't see her anymore before turning back to the desk to wait for Betty to show.
"Jug! Hey, Jug!" he hears Archie calling as he's making his way down the hall on his way to lunch.
"What's up, Arch?" Jughead asks when he catches up.
"Have you seen Betty? I haven't seen her since Ronnie's party and I want her opinion on this new song."
"I saw her this morning, in the Blue and Gold office. And we have classes together, so again, yeah, I've seen her," Jughead drolly remarks to him, grabbing a tray for his lunch. "Still on your music writing kick since the summer?"
He's pretty sure Betty is actively avoiding Archie but he doesn't think it's his place to explain it to him without Betty's consent. If she wants to talk to him, she'll make herself available. He knows she will eventually, it's incredibly hard to stay mad at Archie, it's like being angry with a big puppy for acting exactly like a big puppy would; never purposely hurtful but would feel horrible if it thought it did anything to upset you.
"Yeah, Val came over Sunday to help me with some stuff I've been stuck on and I think I've finally got it."
As they make their way outside after getting their lunches, they spot Veronica and Kevin at a table but no blonde ponytail among them. Archie looks disappointed and Jughead is disappointed but he understands the reason why.
"Have either of you seen Betty?" Archie asks Veronica and Kevin as he sits down.
"In class, Archiekins, but other than that, no," Veronica responds to him with a curious glance. "Why?"
"I wanted her opinion, and all of yours too, on this song I'm writing."
"So, Jughead, did you give Betty her treat this morning?" Veronica remarks with the innocent tone of someone who has no innocence to spare.
"I did. She politely thanks you for the thoughtful consideration for her breakfast needs."
"Wait, how come Betty gets treats and I'm over here not getting treats?" Kevin demands.
"You said and I quote, 'If I eat one more carb this week I am going to turn into actual dough and then no guy will ever touch me again' so I was thinking of your health, Kevin dear," she says with a scoff. "And I thought Betty deserved it."
"Did you get her the maple one I suggested?" Archie wants to know.
Kevin looks confused. "But her favorite is spr-"
"I did indeed, Archiekins. Thank you for the recommendation," Veronica interjects with an elbow to Kevin's side.
As Archie goes on about his 'musical process' he he feels his phone vibrating in his pocket. When he checks the screen he sees it's a text from Betty.
Has Archie made you listen to his song yet?
Jughead texts back quickly. No not yet, he's talking about it though
He gets a rapid reply and can't help but snort a laugh when he reads it. I had to hear it all day Sunday through my window and it sounded like what I assume getting punched in the face feels like
He asks her if she wants to meet after school and when she responds with a Sure he slips his phone back in his pocket.
"What was that?" Veronica questions with a pointed look.
"It was Betty, I need to see her later for something. And Archie, she said she could hear you playing your song on Sunday and she loved it," he tells Archie, hoping to spare Betty's ears as much as possible.
Archie's all smiles as he says, "Great, so you guys want to hear it now?"
Jughead stifles a groan and says, "Sure, Arch. Absolutely."
"So," Betty tells him in the Blue and Gold office after school, "how do you feel about doing a little sleuthing with me this weekend?"
"Sounds good. Have you gotten a lead on Polly?"
"Not yet, but that's what this weekend is for. I can't believe my parents won't tell me anything!" she exclaims, disgruntled. "Well, okay, I can, but unless she's joined a cult or a convent or something equally absurd I can't imagine why she hasn't at least called me no matter what my parents say. Or texted. Or email. I'll even take smoke signals!"
"Hey, it'll be okay. We'll find her first and then we'll face the dragon," Jughead soothes, reaching out and putting a hand on her shoulder for a moment. He figures he can break his no touching rule for a distraught Betty, especially when it seems to calm her down and it's above the elbows. Veronica has been very clear that casual touching between friends is not out of bounds but he thinks it could become out of bounds when the real problem is being able tostop touching her.
"The dragon?" Betty says with a laugh.
"Betts, your mom is terrifying," he tells her seriously, "I've seen her make Sheriff Keller flinch just by walking in the room. If we're going to piss her off we need our case to be airtight."
"You're probably right," she concedes.
"You didn't really say much this morning, do you feel any better after this weekend?"
"I'm fine."
"Great," he replies, "Now that you got the Cooper standard response out, do you want to tell me how you really are?"
"I'm really fine, Jug. Promise. If anything I'm more upset I have that stupid song of his stuck in my head."
"Oh Betty, I'm so sorry," Jughead murmurs as Betty checks her phone for the time.
"I need to meet Veronica for Vixen tryouts, apparently that's a thing that also happened at the party," she tells him, grabbing her bag and tugging the strap over her shoulder and heading for the door. "Wish me luck!"
"Good luck," he chokes out because despite everything he stands for he's still a guy and the idea of Betty in a cheerleading outfit is something he thought he was safe from after last year's tryout failure. He groans softly and can't decide if he suddenly hates his life or needs to thank Veronica.