Chapter 4: Maybe Not Tonight

Betty's POV

"Jason, what's wrong?" I asked concernedly, watching Jason turn his back on me and face the window. I could sense how tense he'd become after the encounter with the dark haired human. I wanted to embrace him and make him feel better, but I felt like I would only make things worse.

Jason Blossom was my boyfriend at that moment. I died before, and when I woke up, he was there. He saved me. He turned me into this... a vampire, an immortal being. I learned that he was my boyfriend before I became a vampire. I learned that we'd always love each other ever since we were little kids. So I'd always remind myself that I owe this man everything.

My life.

For he had saved me, he gave me an opportunity to live for as long as I want. It didn't matter if I have feelings or no feelings for him, because maybe I was just as lost as the others when they first turned into vampires. Maybe I was foreign to the feeling that I was supposed to feel for him. And all those maybes in my head? I wish I could tell him, but every time I questioned everything and then looked into his eyes, I'd get scared and I'd step back cowardly.

I shook my head and took a step forward to get closer to Jason. Then I began, "Jason, why are you mad? Do you know him? That human?"

I waited for an answer. It took him almost a minute to respond and face me with a much calmer expression then. "He just...we just...we used to go in the same school. We used to be friends," he clarified. "He's not someone we can trust anymore."

"Wait, used to be friends?" I asked, puzzled. "From what I've seen back there, it looked like...like..."

"Forget about what you've seen. I know better. He's not someone we can trust. Do you wanna know why?" He sounded annoyed. I shook my head, almost admitting defeat when I noticed him holding back his tears as best as he could. "...because he tried to steal you away from me, Betty," he lamented with a tear falling across his cheek, then he turned away from me, as if he was afraid I'd see his vulnerable side. "He tried to break us apart," he continued. "He told you lies about me, and y-you- you didn't want to believe him. You wanted to see me and confirm. You were crying when I saw you and t-then you crossed the road and...and there was a car heading towards you. I...I wasn't able to stop it, Betty. I'm sorry." Then he met my gaze, and I didn't hesitate anymore. I wrapped my arms around him, hoping it would make him feel better, to let him know how much I care about him.

"It's okay," I assured him. "I'm okay. Everything's okay now."

That night, Jason had hoped I'd make a final decision not to keep the dark haired man. He'd hoped I'd either get rid of the man or compel him to go back to his town and forget everything he'd seen in the woods.

But instead, my curiosity over this dark haired man grew even bigger every single day.

I had no idea why I didn't want to let him go, but I knew one thing. This boy is special. He could be someone I need. He could be someone that I've been waiting for. Someone who could give me the answers that I need.

And Jason doesn't need to know that I've made up my mind since that night; that I was gonna keep the dark haired man by my side, whether it was for my own advantage or his.

I couldn't sleep that night. I waited until morning to check on my prisoner. I made sure no one was following me, especially not Jason. I went down the hallway and into the lower ground cell where they kept the man locked up. I breathed out as I faced the door and mentally practiced what I was going to say once I'm inside. After a few seconds, I opened the door and saw him moping on the ground like a little puppy who'd run out of ideas to find his human - and I was his human.

He looked up at me and the apathy I'd seen in him a few seconds ago faded in a glimpse. In my eyes, he just looked... genuinely overjoyed. And it was somehow flattering.

"Am I dreaming again?" He croaked.

I hid a smile behind my poker face and shook my head no before closing the door behind me. "Can I touch you?" He asked again. "Or at least poke your forehead."

At that moment I thought, Wow he really has guts. Normally, my victims wouldn't even dare talk to me like we're friends after they'd found out what I am. They'd just beg and beg and cry and die.

"What's your name?" After a long awkward moment of just standing there at the door, which was a few meters away from him, I eventually managed to ask him.

It took him a while to answer, as if he couldn't I had asked. Perhaps, it was because I was supposed to know his name.

"...Jughead," he answered. "Jughead Jones."

I stared at him, unamused. Honestly. I was expecting something else. Maybe a fancy name like Jason's. Something like James, Aaron, Sean, Jacob, Edward, or you know something that doesn't mean stupid.

But that is his name. I had to ask him to repeat it for me and it was still Jughead Jones. I had to laugh. I literally almost cried and forgot who I was, what I was supposed to be. He stared at me in awe, and he smiled as I tried to keep myself from laughing.

After a few minutes of literally dying of laughter, I stopped and apologized. "I'm sorry, I just can't believe that's actually your name. It's no wonder you're stupid..."

"Well, yeah... me neither. My parents' creativity went a little over the top or maybe they just hated me a little too much," he joked.

Upon hearing that, my smile faded. I bet I also sounded uncontrollably sad. "Your parents? Your... mother and father?"

"...Yeah," he mumbled hesitatingly and for a moment I wished I still had my parents with me.

But "...Oh," was all I said.

And then he asked: "Do you at least...remember your parents?"

I was about to say no, because truthfully, I've had no memories of even my parents ever since I woke up from the dead.

Instead, I lied to him and myself. "Yeah, of course. In fact, I've already met them."

"You did?"

"Yeah."

"Didn't they ask you to come back home?"

"They did. I said no, that I... I already have a new home. It's obviously not with them." Wherever they are. "And I love it here more." Only because I think I don't belong anywhere but here with the Blossoms.

"You do?" He asked, his blue green eyes somehow search into my defenseless soul. He looked at me as if he knew I was lying.

I gulped, somewhat guilty. "Anyway," I began. "That's not why I came here. I'm hungry, so get up and follow me. I'll bring you to Toni and she'll tell you what to do." I told him before heading out, feeling uncomfortable with the sudden invasion of my feelings.

I waited for him in my room. I was just staring at an old photo of me and Jason from when we supposedly first started dating, back when I was still human. Jason and I were both smiling in the picture. We looked in love, but it wasn't convincing enough. I wasn't convincing enough in that picture, or at least I thought so.

"Breakfast is here, princess." I heard Jughead came in and talked, a little too enthusiastic than he should be, as he placed a bag of blood on the side of my table. "I offered two bags, but she said you're not a heavy drinker and I tried to believe her. In the end, I lost. Either way, if you need more, you are more welcome to bite me, my princess."

I didn't say anything. I just thought about the things Jason told me that other night, the things he said about Jughead. I just thought about whether to believe him or not. If it were true, then I thought about asking Jughead why he had to do what he had to do, to try and break Jason and I apart. I wanted to ask him if he knew the real meaning my smile in the picture. I thought maybe he would know better than I will ever will about myself.

I almost forgot he was still there standing beside me, looking at the same picture as I was. "Jason," he mumbled softly. "The perfect boy next door. Betty Cooper's Prince," he added. "Always been. Always will."

I looked at him intently, with so many questions in my mind like a puzzle so far from being solved. I wanted to ask him:

Have I always been in love with Jason?

Did he really come into the woods to find me?

Why did he do it?

Who was he to me before I became a vampire?

I was supposed to feel superior to him, to be more evil, manipulative, insensitive, and everything like The Blossoms. But the moment had me confused. The moment of being suddenly lost in his blue green eyes made me question the world I lived in again. It made me more cowardly, more soft, more so not Blossom, more... me. I could've easily compelled him, manipulated him in a way that Cheryl does to her boyfriends, killed him in the most brutal way like Jason does to his preys, but I didn't. I couldn't.

That day Jason visited me in my room while Jughead was still there, watching me drink his blood from the bag. Jason didn't even care to greet him or me, he just approached me and pulled me into his arms, and then he kissed me and I wanted it to be over so bad. I wondered how it would have felt it wasn't Jason kissing me. What if it was a complete stranger like Jughead?

Jughead was still there when it happened. I didn't see his face, but he must've felt bad. Before Jason finished, I saw him leaving. I saw his back facing me. I saw him drifting away and I saw myself trying to reach out to him, not knowing why. I just did. It was one of those moments when I do something unusual, something not even myself could fully comprehend.

That night I couldn't sleep. I didn't feel like going out or leaving my room to drink like I usually did. I was just staring at the ceiling, imagining Jughead's reaction when he'd seen me kiss Jason. I wondered if he supported it or not. I wondered if he was happy for us or not. I wondered if it hurt or not. I wondered if he wanted to get away from me or not. I wondered if I disgusted him or not. I wondered if I was thinking about him because I believed in Jason or because I used to care about him when I was still human. I wondered if he wanted to go back home or keep on being my blood bag. I wondered if he was telling the truth or if I simply wanted to believe what I wanted to be true.

By the time I heard Jason leaving the house to do stuff, I got up from my bed and stood in front of my door hesitatingly.

'Jason, the perfect boy next door. Betty Cooper's Prince. Always have and always will.' I remembered Jughead saying and I thought, "how about me? Who am I? Who do you think was I to Jason before I turned? Who was I to you?'

Even if I couldn't ask him everything that I need to know... I needed at least one of so many questions I've kept to be answered, without forcing him to spill it.

Upon deciding that one question wouldn't hurt, I went back to his cell... only to be met by an unpleasant sight. I found Jughead was laying almost lifeless on the ground. "J-Jughead?" I fretted. "Jughead, are you awake?" No answer. For a moment, I didn't know what to do. I thought he was dead because I couldn't hear him breathing and when I touched him he was unusually too warm, but I guess I was only being hysterical. I couldn't hear him because I was talking too fast, panting too loud, and moving too much. And I shouldn't be, I knew that. But I was.

"Betts," he said quietly, weakly.

"Jughead! Oh my God... you're awake," I exclaimed, feeling a little less anxious once he became conscious. "Are you okay? Are you hurt somewhere? What should I do? You're not dying are you? You're just a little sick, right? Is there anything that I can do, huh? H-h-how do you treat a sick human being?"

"Betty," he called my name again, this time with a smile.

"Don't look at me like that," I chided, swallowing down my sob. "Don't tell me that I should know what to do because I don't know what to do, Jughead. All I know is how to fucking kill so stop laughing like that when you know you're dying." I raised my voice so drastically, before becoming soft again once I heard him wince in pain and saw him clutch at his stomach. "Jug...Jug, what's wrong? Jug, hey, hey, look at me," I muttered as I cup his face to look at me, afraid I'd lose this stranger without even knowing his side. "I'll bring you back home and you're gonna be better, okay?" I tried to reassure him and myself as I made a promise that I'd return him to his home since I got scared of him dying alone by being used as a blood bag. I was about to leave to call for help when he grabbed my arm and stopped me...

"I-I'm h-hng-gry..." Jughead spluttered, his eyes closing exhaustedly as the smile on his face reappeared childishly. I froze, my mind processing the indistinct words he'd said.

Then he hugged me and his warmth made me feel so ... peaceful, as if it just took my anxiety away. "I'm okay..." he whispered. "Just... need.. h-hamb-urger, f-fries, coke..."

I widened my eyes.

"And Betty," he added softly.

To make it clear, what he said was: 'I'm hungry. I'm okay. I just need a hamburger, a fries, a Coke, and Betty.'

That night have been one of the most meaningful night I've had in so long. That night I felt something different, something I had never felt before I was turned. That night I almost decided to let him go for his own good. I left him in the woods and contemplated about calling his dad from his phone which I had kept since our first encounter. My plan was to get his food from Pop Tate's and make sure he eats and then I could compel him to forget about everything he had seen in the woods and go find his dad in town and go home like nothing happened. Or I could compel him to forget everything, leave him there, and have himself figure out how to get out.

I kinda followed the plan. Maybe not so. I went to Pop Tate's to get Jughead's food. I went back to the tree where I had asked him to wait for me, half-hoping he'd be gone out somewhere with his own family before I get to him. However, when I got there, he was still there, sleeping soundly instead of escaping from me or the rest of the Blossom vampires. Part of me was disappointed, yet the other part was, I was just really glad that he didn't run off. "I wouldn't trust me if I were him," I chuckled at myself as I walked towards him and woke him up. "Stole as much as I can so you can eat as many as you can," I told him before sliding down next to him.

"Thanks," he said gratefully, taking the bag of burgers in his arms.

"Don't be. If you're hungry, just let me know. I need your blood so I need you to be eating a lot."

He looked at his burger carefully before starting, "Hey Betty..."

"Just eat."

"No, I have to tell you first." He insisted, forcing me to look back at him. "Do you...do you really not remember me? Cheryl said you lost some of your memories after dying."

I bit my lower lip, thinking carefully of what to say that wouldn't seem suspicious. "It doesn't matter," I muttered somewhat incoherently. "I think I remember enough. The important ones at least..."

"Would you let me help you? Can I try to help you recall things before you were turned? You know maybe, there are some things, maybe people, who might've had a huge or even a small part in your life. Maybe you need it. Maybe you'll like it."

"No-" I tried to interrupt, yet he went on.

"Memories are like movies and Betty Cooper loves movies. You've always loved watching movies," he said as if to remind me.

"Jughead, Jason..." wouldn't like it. This. What you're saying. What I want to believe. "Jason and I..."

"...are in love with each other," he finished my sentence. "I think everyone knows that very well. But this isn't about your relationship with Jason, Betty. This is just about you. I don't want to break you guys up. If he's the one that you love, I'll respect that. I'll support you. But I know you were lying when you said you've met your parents, or even your sister." He talked too fast yet it was all so clear and my eyes widened in surprise when I heard I also have a sister. "I know you want to meet them. I know you want to remember them and I think you should stop avoiding that. There's no point in running away from your own family. It's not about being different and not belonging, it's about having a real family who can make you feel complete."

"You don't know anything about me, Jughead." I lowered my head, mentally denying everything he'd said.

But he's right. I do feel incomplete. I feel lost and disturbed. I feel like there's something missing in me. It's easy to think that I could admit that, but it's not at all easy to do.

It was like Jughead knew me more than anyone, more than Jason, or more than I did.

"If you just let me in," he whispered as he placed his cold hand on mine, squeezing it tighter, reassuringly.

I tried to avoid his gaze. I tried to listen to Jason's voice in my brain like I always did, but Jughead's melting gaze and silence were louder than those cowardly thoughts and I felt so helpless. It took me almost a minute, or perhaps more, to take my eyes off of him and breathe. "Okay," I said.

"Okay?"

"Let's give it a try. Slowly, bit by bit. You are in charge of helping me bring my memories back," I told him without looking. "But of course we have a curfew. You're only helping me when Jason's not around. I don't want him going crazy when I'm not home."

"Deal." I heard him laugh softly, and munch on his sandwich. I looked at him from the corner of my eyes, and I noticed how his skin had somehow brightened up with color from his cold pale look earlier that night. He looked genuinely contented. "You want some?" He then offered me a burger when he caught me staring.

I shook my head disgustingly.

"This used to be your favorite," he smiled.

Tempting, I thought.

"I'll try it then!" I decided and grabbed the burger from him before he could put it away.

"Wait, I don't think it's good for vamp-" but it was too late, I bit it. Swallowed it.

And it was disgusting.

"Well..." he laughed nervously. "Do you like it?"

I shot him a glare and I felt a tear falls down my cheek. "No not really," I mumbled. "Cheryl was right."

And then upon seeing my tears, he panicked.

"Oh shit. Spit it. Spit it out now!" He cried, taking the leftover burger back in his grip.

"It's okay, I'll throw it up later," I suggested.

"What if you get food poisoned?" He fretted.

"Well, it's already in my system."

"What?! Fuck. This is all my fault-"

"Jughead," I began, placing both hands on his shoulders to keep him from moving and panicking uselessly. "Chill," I continued. "I'm already dead, remember?"

"There's nothing to fret about. If ever, you should be happy if I die. There'll be no Betty feeding on you," I joked.

"...I don't want that."

I blinked, speechless for a moment. "People on their right mind would."

"Well, I'm not on my right mind. I don't want you to die. I don't want to... I just..."

"I won't. I'm a vampire, remember?" I smirked and was taken aback when he pulled me into his arms without warning.

"I've missed you," he sniffled, his voice less than a murmur. "I'm glad you're here..."

Part of me wished he was lying. The other part? I was just glad to know I truly wasn't alone because 'he's here.'

I had so many plans for him that day. I was going to set him free; until I decided that maybe, maybe not tonight.

He's different. Not only because he's human. It's because he's unique. He's kind and pure. He makes me feel great. All these feelings, energies I've never felt before. He makes me feel something indescribable and I like it because it's so new to me. It's so magical and real.

And I want to continue feeling this way. So maybe not tonight, no not tonight, I won't let him go.

A/N: sorry this was kind of late and boring T_T but hiii lol. Are you still reading this? Hehe. So I was going to make a Jughead POV to explain Archie and Cheryl's side but I've decided to have Betty's POV just to have alternate narrators by chapters. So yeah! Next chapter should be Jughead's POV, he'll talk about Archie and Cheryl and what happened after this chapter hehe