Learning To Love You

Chapter 1

TW: Acts of abuse and minor mentions of attempted sexual abuse in the first few chapters⚠⚠

Thank you for your support so far, I know I'm writing about difficult subjects and I want to do it a respectfully as I can. FYI the chapters will get longer, I'm just getting into the actual story(:

"I'll give you a damn reason to scream!" the blonde-haired boy shouted, raising his fist to his girlfriend.

"Nathan stop!" she begged, a broken sob leaving her chapped lips. She ducked underneath his muscular body and ran outside, hearing his heavy footsteps behind her.

"You disgust me Betty" he spat with a monstrous glare, slamming the door. The girl stumbled down the brick layed pathway, sobbing as her shaking frame fell to the floor. She could barely breathe, clutching at her chest as she tried to get up.

After a while she pulled her body up and made her way to a bench, slumping into it with a long sigh. Nathan's temper was getting worse by the day, one minute he was cuddling her and the next he was slapping her around the cheek. Today was a new level, a level that terrified her right to her very core. She was now scared for her life, a life that didn't seem to be worth living.

Betty and Nathan were the couple everyone wanted to be at their age, a picturesque view of what love is supposed to be. Though it wasn't so pretty behind closed doors, kisses turned to bruises, hugs turned to punches. Nothing was perfect, in fact, it was so far from it.

At the start Betty felt like the luckiest girl alive, he was so kind and loving, protective and gentle. That protective nature soon turned sour, she was isolated and didn't dare to step out of line due to the consequences. Nathan was no longer the sweet golden boy, he was a monster disguised with a charming smile. Though people never try to see what's behind the smile, because that's too risky. It's better just to smile back and pretend everything is perfect.

---

"So B, tomorrow night I'm thinking movie at the drive-in. Then we go to mine for a sleepover, I need my girl time" Veronica grinned, linking her arm through her best friend's as they strolled through the crowded halls of Riverdale High. 

"I'd love that V" she smiled and nodded, relieved she had an excuse to avoid Nathan for the whole night.

"How are my two favourite ladies?" she heard from behind her, shoulders tensing up at the low voice. It was like the night before had never even happened and, of course, Betty played along. Veronica laughed shaking her head "Hi Nate, we're good"

"Yeah we're great" Betty smiled, barely kissing back when he pressed his lips against hers. He pinched her arm so she deepened the kiss like he wanted, feeling sick inside. 

"Alright lovebirds, keep your hands to yourselves" Veronica gushed over them. Betty fake laughed pulling away "You and Archie are worse V"

"Well tonight no boys, just us girls" Veronica agreed, hugging her tightly before rushing off to her red-headed boyfriend.

"What's happening tonight?" Nathan asked, fiddling with the edges of her sweater.

"Oh um, we're having a girl's night. Is that okay?" she asked weakly, biting her lip.

"Yeah the guys and I are hanging out anyway, though I would've liked to have some fun with you" he whispered, his hands resting on her hips.

"Nathan you know I'm not ready...I told you last time but you didn't...." she whispered, staring down at the floor. He acted like they were always intimate, even bragged about it to his friends. The truth didn't even reach close to that. He had tried so many times now, always leaving angrily after punishing her for not complying. Two nights ago Betty thought her innocence was finally going to be ripped from her, he was going to ignore her pleads and begs to stop. To let her keep the last part of her dignity to herself. The only thing that had saved her was her mother coming home, interrupting his plans. Thank god for Alice Cooper's timing. 

"It was a mistake, Betty, you should've made yourself more clear to me. You need to get over it" he chuckled shaking his head.

"Yeah...Yeah, I do" she whispered though she knew she never would. She was clear, he only stopped because they were no longer alone. He pressed a kiss to her cheek before walking away in the direction of his jock friends, too far away to hear the sigh of relief from his girlfriend. 

---

That night, the two best friends sat in their pyjamas opposite each other on Veronica's lilac silk sheets. "You're so lucky B, you two are so perfect together. I'm so happy we both found guys we adore" Veronica smiled, sipping her hot chocolate. Betty nodded with a weak smile, almost scoffing at the word lucky. This wasn't luck, it was agony. Veronica and Betty had been best friends since childhood. Their parents went to high school together so it became a given that the blonde and raven-haired girl would become so close. 

"Yeah, I'm a lucky girl. We both are" she agreed as she pulled her sleeves down to her hands, scared that the bruises would become visible. Betty loved her friend and felt like she could open up to her about anything; excluding Nathan's violent tendencies. No one would believe her, he was just so perfect that it was useless to even try. No one else would put up with her, love her the way he did, so long ago she had just decided within herself to come to terms with it. This was her fate. 

Jughead will come into this soon! 

What are we thinking of this so far?