*Trigger warning: Some sensitive stuff is up ahead, I don't want to give any spoilers away though, just know its geared at sexual assault.
Also as most of you know I started this story last year, I'm super excited to let you guys know that I have basically finished the first book, in what will hopefully be a series of three! I am starting to post on Wattpad so maybe i can even make a career out of writing. It will start at the beginning which you guys haven't gotten to read yet. It would mean everything to me if you guys could check it out on there and maybe give me a follow, votes, or comments. I love you guys and the support so much!*
*user name: chlorhiannon Story number:183605037-charmed*
Betty groaned, rolling over in the small bed, her limbs feeling so tight, and she knew she had slept too hard. She rubbed her thighs together, noting the dull ache between her legs, closing her eyes tightly against the pain. She reached her hand out, prying her eyes open when she didn't feel him next to her. She blinked trying to adjust to the light in the room coming from a small window that was covered with white plastic blinds.
"Hey sleeping beauty," He laughed lightly from the other side of the room. She pulled her arm under head, looking at him. Jughead had gotten completely dressed already and she scrunched her nose in confusion.
"Why are you awake?" She asked, her voice still thick with sleep. He buttoned his jeans, running his hand through his hair, taming it slightly, before making his way back to the bed and sitting on the edge.
"I'm gonna go get stuff to make for breakfast, and get you some Tylenol or something," He smiled his eyes roaming all over her face. "Have I told you how much I like waking up next to you?"
"Yeah I guess it's not so bad waking up to you either" She quipped smiling sleepily, rolling onto her back and stretching her arms over her head, letting out a squeak as she relaxed back into the pillow. He leaned over her kissing her softly.
"I'll be right back," he said against her lips before standing up and walking out of the room before Betty could even offer to go with him. She stared up at the image on his ceiling smiling to herself, loving that everything about him was so interesting to her, he was like a subject she never got tired of learning about. She heard his car outside rumble as it drove away and she rolled to the edge of the bed sitting up, running her hand through her hair and flipping it messily to the side. She looked around the room, eyeballing a bookshelf against one of the walls and standing up, making her way over to it as she examined the contents spanning from a vast collection of records to old beaten up books, most notably a large Stephen King collection, she found the Clockwork Orange book he had talked about. She pulled it off the shelf, flipping through the pages mindlessly, running her fingers along the paper that she knew his younger self had probably read a million times. Fangs had been right, he was complicated, but she could sense the goodness in him that he hid behind his walls. She got lost in the memory of the night before and how much she could feel it when he gave up on being in control of himself, but also the way he had pulled himself back so quickly, and immediately went to being caring and concerned. He was someone who obviously had so many layers, and she knew she was just barely on the surface. She smiled to herself despite knowing he was a fighter, he was also a lover, her lover. She placed the book back gently, running her hand along the shelf. She walked back to the bed, throwing herself on her stomach and grabbing her phone. She opened it, ignoring the text from her mom and Kevin, and opening up a search browser, quickly typing in Clockwork Orange, and clicking the first video that popped up, and watching the trailer for the film. She scrunched her nose in confusion snorting out a laugh at the oddness, he definitely had an original taste in music and films. She clicked through a few more videos, sighing as she waited for him to come back feeling oddly impatient.
After while she got back up, deciding he shouldn't be much longer she walked to the bathroom, searching around in the mirror that pulled open to a shallow cabinet. She grabbed the toothpaste she found, squeezing some on to her finger and haphhazardly brushing her teeth, cupping her hand under the sink and filling her mouth with water, swishing it around and spitting it into the sink. She wiped her mouth on towel, going back to the mirror and examining herself. She shrugged at her appearance, still feeling like oddly confident and good. She opened the bathroom door, intending to go back to his room, but as the door swung open, she let out a scream, her blood running cold as she stared into the barrel of a gun, a woman standing in the kitchen at the mouth of the hallway pointing it straight at her. It felt like time froze, Betty moved in slow motion reaching her hands up almost in surrender and cowering away, closing her eyes tightly. Time seemed to speed up, everything happening in almost a blur. Jughead burst through the front door. His eyes wide as he took in the situation.
"Put the fucking gun down, Ma," He bellowed, moving so fast Betty almost missed it when he pushed the woman's arm to the floor, and expertly disarmed her, the gun in his hand now he released the clip, and it hit the ground as he slammed the unloaded gun onto the counter. "What the fuck," He yelled glaring at the woman she now recognized as his mother.
"Juggiebaby," she looked at him, surprised, her eyes wide. Jug walked past her, ignoring her and beelining straight to Betty who was still completely frozen in the hallway, he grabbed her face forcing her to look up at him, she searched his face wildly still trying to grasp the situation.
"You okay?" He asked, leaning against her, she just nodded still not able to find her voice. He turned his head glaring at his mom, and finally turned to face her completely, his body still protectively between them. Betty looked up at Jughead and back to his mom, finally calming down a bit.
"What the hell are you doing?" Jughead snapped, walking slowly to her, his eyes filled with anger.
"I didn't know you'd be here," She explained, her eyes looking over his face, "Oh baby, no," She reached up her hand going to touch his bruised eye but he caught her hand mid air, holding onto her wrist. "I'm so sorry baby, so sorry..did he do this?" She rambled dramatically, her voice oddly frantic, grabbing his hand in both of hers.
"Are you coming down?" Jug snapped in an deadpan tone. Betty saw him watching his mom, his eyes impossibly numb and cold, and it sent a shiver down her spine at how easily he flipped off his emotions.
"No, no, I'm clean sweetie," She nodded at him proudly, but even Betty could tell it wasn't the truth. Betty studied the woman, she was tall, not as tall as Jug, but still had height, her dark hair seemed naturally curly as it messily framed her small face. She wore a loose fitting tank top that showed some her tattoos along her arms, as well as multiple scars scattered on her skin. She really couldn't see much of a resemblance to Jughead at all, except maybe their slim noses, that were sharply angled, and his freckle like moles, that she also seemed to have all over her, Betty had noticed them in the photos but somehow in person his moms looked more like sun damage as they spanned out over her bare shoulders.
"So that's just what we do now, shoot first and ask questions later?" He glared at her. His mom shook her head, staying silent. Betty knitted her eyes in confusion at his statement, as Jughead took a deep calculated breath, seeming to calm down a significant amount. "I'm sorry we scared you, but you cannot just go in guns blazing," He gave her a pointed look.
"I didn't know you brought snakeskins here now," his mom eyed him, and Betty flinched hearing her words.
"She isn't a snakeskin mom," He said shaking his head before turning to Betty, "This is Betty, she is… " He seemed to hesitate thinking carefully his eyes meeting Betty's across the hall. "She is my girlfriend," He finally said looking back to his mother, whose eyes were wide. Betty felt like her face probably mirrored his mothers in that moment, shock etched over her features. "Betts, this is my mom, Gladys Jones." He said her name sharply, looking back to Betty.
"Girlfriend?" His mom raised an eyebrow the same way he always did. "Well come here girlfriend, let me get a better look," Gladys said turning to Betty, who jumped slightly, her heart pounding in her chest. She went to take a step forward, freezing and looking down at herself, still in just panties and his shirt.
"Umm, I should put on clothes," she blurted out, blushing deeply, before rushing into Jughead's room. She grabbed her skirt off the floor, pulling it on quickly and tucking his shirt into it. Jug walked into the room shortly after her, eyeing her apologetically.
"I'm so sorry, Betts," he sighed, grabbing her and and searching face "I had no idea she was gonna show up, this is not how I imagined this going," He shook his head.
"Me either, I thought I would at least be dressed when I met your mom," She snorted out a laugh, as the situation actually hit her and the fear of being in any real danger melted away. Jughead watched her, letting out a small chuckle too but his eyes were filled with relief.
"It's okay, she isn't the judgmental type," He lifted her chin with his finger.
"Well I can't say the same for my mom, so let's make sure you have pants on when that time comes," She laughed.
"Or we can just never let that time come?" He smiled cheekily at her.
"If I'm your girlfriend, you have to meet my mom, Jug," She glared at him "Or did you just say that to… get her off your case?"
"I would never just say something like that," He grew serious, holding her eyes with his, "You are my girlfriend," She couldn't stop the smile that spread across her lips, her cheeks burning. "And I will have pants on, I promise," he smiled back pulling her face to his and kissing her. He grabbed her hand in his and led her out of the room, she followed timidly, her fingers interlocked with his and squeezing nervously.
"I was just about to make breakfast, you hungry?" Jug looked at his mom who was leaning on the kitchen counter smoking a cigarette.
"Maybe I should go," Betty squeaked "I can call Kevin to pick me up, so you guys can spend some time together." Jughead eyes Betty, a panicked look on his face as he tightened his hand around hers.
"No Sweetie, you stay," Gladys shivered, pulling her thin arms over her chest "I wanna get to know this little charmer who got my son to even utter the words girl and friend in the same sentence," She smirked playfully and Betty was starting to finally see more of a resemblance. Jug gave her an encouraging look, and Betty just nodded. Gladys followed her to couch and they sat down, while Jug went back out to the car to get his groceries, having left them when he had heard Betty's scream. He quickly made them eggs and pancakes, and put on a pot of coffee. As they all settled in to eat he handed his mom a coffee, and handed Betty a mug too, that she almost refused until she looked closer.
"I grabbed tea," Jughead shrugged "I know you don't drink coffee, but figured you might need caffeine," the thoughtfulness behind the gesture made Betty's heart skip, as he smiled warmly at her. "I don't know tea… but green seemed like a good color," He watched her, his face somewhat boyish in its shyness.
"That's perfect, thank you," She smiled lifting the warm mug to her lips and taking a sip, he sat next to her closely, not realizing the gravity of his actions to her as he dug into his plate, but she could feel Gladys watching him too.
"So… Betty, what did you do to my boy?" She laughed, starting to eat too.
"I have no idea," Betty shook her head, blushing.
"You guys know I can hear you right?" He raised his eyebrow, his mouth full of food.
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know your ears worked when you have food in front of you," Gladys quipped, and Betty could see where he got his dry sense of humor.
"Ha ha," Jug rolled his eyes, but kept on eating, he finished his plate impossibly fast setting it loudly on the table and leaned back on the couch taking a long sip of his coffee. They talked back and forth and Betty just observed quietly, realizing that Jughead was oddly patient with his mom, despite how he had handled her at the beginning of their encounter. She could sense his frustrations with the woman but she could also easily tell that he loved her, and it was oddly eye opening into his personality.
"So Castle did that to your face?" Gladys finally asked.
"Mom…" Jug warned, eyeing her carefully, his eyes instinctively moving to Betty. Gladys lifted her hands in mock surrender.
"Anyways Betty... you are obviously not a Serpent," Gladys addressed her, raising an eyebrow somewhat challengingly. Betty blinked, feeling oddly put on the spot, before she could respond his mom continued "No visible tattoos, no piercings, you don't seem to fit the bill," She licked her lips examining Betty carefully.
"Umm, No, I'm not," Betty nodded shyly.
"How did you end up with a Jones?" She asked sipping her coffee gently.
"We actually met at the Wyrm… Well kind of re-met" Betty started.
"We have known each other since we were kids," Jughead cut her off "Back when I was enrolled in the Northside," He nodded smiling tightly at Betty.
"A Northsider, hmm?" Gladys narrowed her eyes knowingly "You Jones boys are cut from the same cloth," She laughed, Betty knitted her eyes together, looking to Jughead for answers but his expression seemed just as confused. "Oh it's nothing, your father just had a taste for the finer things too," Gladys chidded cryptically. They finished their breakfast, and continued talking lightly mainly about club stuff, that Jughead tried to answer as shortly as possible.
"We should get going," Jughead gave Betty a pointed look, his exhaustion clear on his face.
"Sure," Betty smiled sweetly and stood up, heading to the room and collecting her things. Sliding on her shoes and changing back into her clothes, she left his shirt folded neatly on his bed and stepped out into the hallway.
"... So he knows?" She heard Gladys ask in a low voice.
"No, he doesn't. We are good, for now," Jughead answered in a clipped tone. Betty hated that she felt like she was eavesdropping again so she cleared her throat loudly. They both turned to her, and she walked over to them.
"Well it was nice to meet you Betty…" Gladys looked at her expectantly.
"Cooper," Betty answered her unspoken question.
"Betty Cooper," Gladys nodded, almost laughing, "Of course." Jughead shook his head in confusion at his mom, glaring at her slightly.
"Um nice to meet you too," She nodded, waving awkwardly. Jughead leaned over, kissing his mom on the cheek before, leading Betty outside with his hand protectively on the small of her back.
"Hey Cooper," Gladys called standing in the doorway to the trailer, as he led her to the passenger side, and opened the door for her, Betty looked up, meeting his moms stare "You break his heart, and I'll break your neck," She smiled somewhat playfully but the underlying threat was clear.
"Okay... the next time you ask me why I don't come around remember this moment," Jughead glared at her, pushing Betty into the car, and walking swiftly to the drivers side, Gladys opened her mouth to say something "Goodbye ma," Jug yelled over her sliding into the car and slamming the door.
"She won't really break your neck, she doesn't know how," He looked sideways at Betty as he threw the car into drive.
"Oh great, that's comforting," Betty rolled her eyes.
"So where to? I um… I have a brief at the clubhouse," He looked away, " But I can pick you up after, I'm not trying to get rid of you…"
"No it's okay, I still have that party, Let me text Vee. You can probably just take me there," She pulled out her phone, opening a message.
"So you're going to that party…" His voice had an edge that made her look up at him, his jaw was tight as he ground his teeth together.
"Yes," she answered carefully "But I have a boyfriend… remember? I'll be good," She smiled reaching her hand out and interlocking her fingers with his, he looked over at her smiling weakly.
"Okay, but it's not you I don't trust," he eyed her carefully, but seemed to drop it, "Where am I going?"
"The Pembrooke," Betty answered, texting Veronica and telling her she was on her way.
"Right, the Lodges," Jug rolled his eyes, and Betty watched him carefully wondering what his connection was to them. They drove in silence, Jughead getting oddly tense as they reached their destination. He pulled over to curb, parking the car.
"What's wrong?" Betty asked sensing his tension.
"I don't like having you out of my sight," He sighed honestly, looking over at her.
"I'll be fine, I'll keep my phone on me all night," She tried to reassuring him.
"Thank you," he said pointedly "And thank you for taking all of this on for me, I know you don't have to."
"Yes, I do," she smiled lightly, willing him to understand that she wasn't going anywhere. She pulled herself across the seat and grabbed his face pulling it to her and kissing him. They didn't even say goodbye, she just left it at that as she crawled out of the car, closing the door behind her and waving cheerily, before bounding up the steps of the building and walking inside. The door man asked for her name, but right before she answered, she saw Veronica standing in the lobby.
"She is with me, Smithers," Vee said to the man, walking confidently to Betty and linking their arms. "And in the same clothes as yesterday," she whispered to Betty, eyeing her suspiciously, as they walked to a large elevator.
"Well you did tell me I should have saved this outfit," Betty shrugged, her blush impossibly deep.
They spent the day talking and laughing, and Veronica asked a few prying questions about Jughead, to which Betty did her best to answer as lightly as possible, without going into too much detail, knowing Jug probably wouldn't like her giving away to much about him or their relationship, remembering how Fangs had called him insanely private. The day passed quickly, and Betty felt good just getting to be highschool girl with her friend, before she knew it Veronica was picking out an outfit for her, and doing her makeup to look party ready. She looked at herself in the mirror, wearing a tight dark blue dress that dipped a little too low on her cleavage, but every time she pulled it up, she ended up having to pull down the too short hem. Veronica handed her a pair of black pumps and Betty laughed.
"I'm not wearing those," She thrust them back at Vee, who refused to take them.
"You cannot wear converse with that dress Elizabeth, unless you want to severely anger the fashion gods," she looked at her flat black and white shoes, rolling her eyes.
"I think I'll take my chances of angering the gods over falling on my face," Betty laughed.
"Don't be ridiculous, it's a party, we will barely be walking, you aren't running a marathon," Veronica walked away still not taking the shoes back. Betty huffed in defeat, sitting on the edge of her large king sized bed and sliding her feet into the uncomfortable shoes. She stood up, trying to walk and shrugged, it wasn't the worst feeling in the world. Her makeup was a brown smokey eye, making her blue eyes pop, with a soft pink lipstick, and her hair was framed around her face, in big bedroom curls, she turned in the floor length mirror, smirking at herself, wish Jughead could see her, knowing it would knock him off his feet.
"You ready?" Vee asked her back dress fitting her like a glove, her red stilettos making her legs look impossibly long. Betty nodded, grabbing her phone and sliding it into the small black clutch that she was borrowing. They walked confidently out of the building where Kevin was waiting outside next to a long black limo.
"This seems like a bit of overkill," He hooked his thumb at the car eyeing veronica.
"It's the first party of the year, I'm just setting a standard," Veronica huffed over her shoulder, letting the driver open the door for them.
"I mean it is only a few blocks," Betty shrugged kind of taking Kevin's side.
"Would you like to walk?" She asked looking pointedly at Betty's shoes.
"This Limo look great!" Betty gave a fake grin making them all laugh as the piled in. They arrived at Thornhill, stepping out and walking into the large wrought Iron gates left open for partygoers. Betty looked around once they were inside taking it in, never really having been a big party person herself, but it wasn't the first time that Kevin had dragged her to one.
"Oh yeah, I'm upset. You never called me!" Kevin yelled over the loud music, as if he just remembered.
"And she showed up today wearing the same outfit," Veronica ratted her out.
"She did what?!" Kevin yelled his eyes wide, staring at Betty like she had two heads.
"Let's get drinks!" Betty smiled wide with her teeth, and turned from their judgmental stares looking around for anything she could use as a distraction. She walked wobbling slightly in her heels, but found a rhythm to successfully step to, finding an elaborate table, littered with bottles of alcohol, and a large black gothic looking caldron that was filled with a green liquid.
"Jungle juice," She heard a voice say from behind her, she turned to see a boy she didn't recognize, knitting her eyebrows together, "It's jungle juice, just a shit ton of alcohol thats masking itself as punch," He smiled pointing at the drink.
"Oh," She squeaked nervously, suddenly wondering where her friends were.
"I'm Nick," He said, pulling a cup from the table and filling it and handing it to her.
"I haven't seen you around," Betty ignored his introduction, not really sure what to do with it. She took the cup from him, wanting something to with her hands and took a sip.
"I'm from out of town," He shrugged pouring himself a cup as well.
"Betty!" Cheryl called walking over to them, "So glad you could make it, you look… not like you, but amazing" She smiled fakely.
"Always a pleasure Cheryl," Betty Sighed.
"I see you have met cousin Nicky,'" she leaned on the boy dramatically.
"Cousin Nicky…" She nodded smiling politely. "I guess I have."
"I'm sure you always look amazing," He leaned too close to her ear making her shiver uncomfortably, she gave him a light smile before ducking away from them looking around the room for her friends. She decided anywhere was better than there, so she made her way into the large backyard, the obviously freezing cold pool was filled with floating candles creating a dim glow. The patio was packed with people and she pushed her way through stepping down the two small steps into a more open area. She pulled her drink to her lips taking a bigger sip and making a face, finally tasting the large amount of alcohol. She spotted Kevin, rushing over to him and stopping short when she noticed who was next to him.
"I didn't know you would be here!" Kevin yelled happily, grabbing Joaquin and kissing him.
"Me either," Joaquin smiled raising both of his eyebrows. Betty eyed him as they noticed her standing there.
"But Jug doesn't do high school parties," Betty whispered loudly to him, knowingly.
"I have no idea what you are talking about," Joaquin smiled playfully.
"Am I always going to have a watchdog?" She asked putting her hand on her hip.
"Probably," Joaquin shrugged honestly.
"You don't have to lie, I know you are just obsessed with me," Kevin smirked leaning into his boyfriend. "I wanna dance!" Kevin yelled a drink already in his hand.
"That's all you," Joaquin looked pointedly at Betty, she sighed taking a long sip, as Kevin grabbed her hand and pulled her the dance floor that was placed over the grass. She glared at Joaquin, who just shrugged going to lean on the railing to the patio and lighting a cigarette. Betty danced with Kevin feeling the alcohol hit her, getting her impossibly drunk already, her vision blurred slightly, but she giggled with him as they moved with each other. After a few songs it started hitting her harder, and she suddenly felt so light headed she thought she might pass out, she took another sip of her drink, wincing at the taste.
"I need to go get water!" She yelled to Kevin over the music, who just nodded and kept dancing. Betty stumbled away pushing her way back inside, and decided she needed to find a bathroom first. The loud music was making her head spin and there were too many people. She pushed her way through until she found a door and just pushed her way inside, having no idea where she was.
"Oh my god," She slurred out when she focused more and saw her friend tangled up with a boy on the bed, "Veronica!" she squealed laughing, but stopped short when she realized the boy she was on top of was Archie. "Oh my god," She repeated in a much different tone.
"Betty…" Veronica called out but it faded as the sound left Betty's ears, she turned and rushed out of the room, breaking into a run, needing to get away, she heard them call her name again in a muffled sound ignoring it and just telling her feet to move forward. She found the large staircase and without thinking she ran up it, her breath coming short gasps as she walked down a hallway, tears pricking her eyes but she couldn't figure out why, she was so unexplainably emotional. She picked the first door, opening it and throwing herself inside. She closed the door and leaned against the wood, trying to catch her breath and clear her head, but it wasn't working. She looked around the room, seeing Bulldog trophies lined up on a shelf and an impeccably made but masculine bed, she was in a boys room, and she gasped loudly realizing it was Jason's room. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she spun around blinking to focus, not having heard the door even open, she finally placed Nick's face, letting out the breath she was holding feeling relieved that it wasn't Veronica or Archie.
"Hey you don't look so good," He said stepping closer to her.
"I…. I don't feel great," She sighed.
"I'll get you some water," He smiled kindly at her before leaving the room. Betty walked around the room, noticing that other than his trophies and the bed, the room was oddly bare, and too clean. She pulled open the closet, filling with confusion when it was completely empty. Nick returned handing her a cup filled with water and she took it quickly chugging it down.
"Better?" He asked and Betty nodded even though she didn't feel much better at all.
"Why is his room so… cleaned out already?" She slurred trying to shake her head to clear it.
"I guess they had to throw out all his clothes, before the cops searched anything, he was dealing some pretty heavy drugs, and you know the Blossom name couldn't have that," The boy rolled his eyes.
"Jason was a drug dealer?" Betty asked surprised, taking another long sip of water.
"Turns out he was working for some pretty shady people, they actually think maybe the guy who was running it had to do with his death. He is supposedly some drug lord in New York.. Mansion, or something," Betty's entire body went cold. Despite her drunken state, her mind became impossibly clear.
"Castle…" she whispered to herself, putting the pieces together. Her hand involuntarily reached up covering her mouth.
"Yeah! That guy," Nick shrugged, watching her. Betty took a step back, her body hitting the wall as her knees buckled, the odd haze returning. She closed her eyes, leaning heavily against the wall, her body going limp, like she couldn't move at all. She reached for her clutch, pulling out her phone, opening a message to Jughead. She tried to type out liar and hit send but her phone fell from her hands, she bent down to pick it up but fell forward.
"Looks like its hitting you hard," The boy said grabbing her before she fell, his voice disgustingly seductive.
"What?" Betty blinked her eyes open, wanting to tense up when she found him right in front of her as she righted herself. but she stayed limp like an over cooked noodle.
"Just relax, I've got you," he cooed leading her over to the bed. She followed him having no strength to do anything else. He gently laid her down, leaning over her.
"Stop," She said strongly, pushing on his chest. He persisted, and she turned to the side rolling off the bed and falling to her knees. Nick grabbed her elbow pulling her back up.
"Hey, it's okay, I'm just trying to help," He said his voice full of false concern.
"I need to go," Betty shook her head, forcing herself to a stand and pushing her legs forward, she finally made it to the door, pulling it open and flinching when Nicks hand slammed next to her head, pushing it closed. "Shit," Betty cursed, her head feeling like a brick as her legs buckled and she fell to the floor, blacking out.