"It's nice to meet you too, school is just a bad environment to keep up, so how are you?"
"I've been better, I don't really know, with all the Jason's death, my sister, and …"
"And?" He felt the conversation going somewhere.
"Just. Nothing … it's complicated, and weird, it's just making me sick and embarrassed"
"Well a murder would make anybody sick and so would a missing relative. Why would you be embarrassed? Have you heard from Polly at all? "
"No this isn't about the murder or Polly" Betty was shaking her head, trying to change the topic.
"Well I can see it's preying on you, so you can talk to me. If you want to. I know this is the first time we've talked in a year or two, but it doesn't feel that long."
"It's about Archie" Betty couldn't stop it from spilling.
Jughead raised an eyebrow and smiled "Now that, I can definitely help with."
"Okay, but you have to promise you won't judge me or tell anyone else" said Betty giving in. He replied with an understanding look "I promise, No judgement. Plus there is no one who I could tell this anyway. So you can be at ease"
Why am I doing this? I feel so stupid. She still wasn't sure how much to share with the boy sitting across from her. "Betty, it's okay. Whatever it is that is making you feel this way"
She looked up to his eyes and smiled weakly. "Okay. Okay" then started "You know the new girl, Veronica Lodge" Jughead nodded. Damn this is hard. She was tapping the table with her fingers anxiously "Jughead, it's probably a very long story, and I honestly don't think you'd want to hear it"
"Why wouldn't I want to know about my two best friends and the ultra-rich new girl" his smile encouraged Betty "I'm in no hurry. Plus I'm already invested in this story"
"Okay, so on the last day of summer, Archie and I came to pops, I think we were also sitting in this booth, weird, anyway so I was about to tell him that we had been friends for a long time"
"You've known him pretty much all your life" He added.
"Yeah, so I… I don't usually talk about this to anyone except Kevin, but I guess now because of Cheryl's party people sort of know, urgghh and Veronica knows…" her sigh was long and her tapping became faster.
"That you like Archie" he seemed sure of what he said. His expression was calm and something which was familiar to the blonde girl.
"How do you know that?!" She seriously never thought it was that obvious.
"It's not like I haven't been both of your best friend since 3rd grade. I always thought you liked him, it's pretty visible"
"Really?" This was a bad idea, a really, really bad idea. Betty's internal monologue wouldn't shut up.
"Betty you don't have to be embarrassed, and besides if the awkwardness persists then we might take forever to get through this story, no offence. It is really, just me here. "
"Why are you so interested in this Jug? I'm suspicious"
"Betty…"
"I won't continue if you don't give me a reasonable answer, and if you do provide one I'll tell you my problem, without any breaks. No awkward"
Jughead's gaze lowered, he analysed the deal "Okay Betts, deal. Should we shake on it?" They did.
He continued "I for the past few weeks, months have not interacted a reasonable amount with any human being, I haven't been in touch with Archie, with you, and all my social interactions take place in the student lounge and corridors while I'm either being bullied by jocks or being bumped into by people for whom I am invisible. I spend my time writing, about all what Riverdale is experiencing."
Betty's expression changed.
"Wait I'm not done yet" he smiled, hiding his real emotions "and now you come here, and I didn't think I had missed you this much up until you walked in. And I really want to be able to offer comfort to somebody, to listen, when I haven't had anyone for some time, and especially you Betts, you deserve a lot more than you get. So much more"
"Juggie, I don't know what to say" She was almost speechless. She could not remember why they weren't friends.
"We had a deal, so I think this counts as a reasonable answer" his voice is quavering ever so slightly.
"Yeah, I mean yes, why didn't you try to talk to me before, I'm always at the Blue and Gold. You could've..." Even I could have. She thought.
"No, I couldn't have. We are here now. You know you shouldn't bottle up everything that you want to say. So onto your story, Archie and Veronica and Cheryl"