Touch (a Bughead story)

• 5 •

After school that day Betty had shown Jughead around the blue and gold, what she wrote about, everything.

He had been very excited and enthusiastic, he had told her how much better it was than the red and black at Southside High.

By the time she went home she was very happy with herself, she had been alone with Jughead for just over an hour and that had been a step in the right direction.

When she it home she had immediately gone to the basement to dance before she had dinner with her mom and Chic.

She had a great sleep that night, with no nightmares, she had guessed that after the long dance session she had worn herself out.

Either way she was happy the next day.

***

That was until lunchtime.

She had finished her last class before lunch and was on her way to her locker.

That's when she noticed it, there was a big group of people huddled around her locker.

She pushed through everyone only to be faced with a photos that made her feel sick.

There was a photo of her honey wrists with rope markings so deep that blood could be seen.

Another of the back of her head, a small patch of hair missing.

She remembered how that had happened, he had arrived back at the apartment drunk and pulled her hair out when she screamed.

And lastly, one of her many scars on her back in a long diagonal line.

She could feel her hot tears burning on her cheeks.

She immediately pulled off the photos before running away from the crowd that had been watching her.

She looked back as she ran around the corner.

Then she bumped into a wall.

A toned wall.

Oh wait that was a chest.

She looked up to see none other than Jughead Jones staring at her with concern spread over his features but she relaxed as she heard her best friend's voice approaching behind Jughead.

"Oh hey guys I was just walk-" she came to an abrupt stop as soon as she saw Betty.

"B?" She asked softly.

Betty practically launched herself at her and collapsed in her arms.

She was shaking.

Trembling with fear.

Her mind couldn't stop replaying memories.

She could feel it from a mile away.

She was about to have a panic attack.

"Chair..." she whimpered.

That was enough for Cheryl to understand and jump into action.

"What are you looking at you hooligans! Leave!" She shouted to everyone staring at the blonde in the hallways.

Then they were ushered into a classroom by Jughead, who politely waited outside despite the worry evident on his face.

Betty clenched her fists as she started to crumple to the floor.

"Betty, hey hey, I need you to listen to my voice." She heard Cheryl say but she was in her own world.

Her own nightmare.