Goodbye, good life | Bughead

17: Back in town

Week went by quickly and soon was the Friday and time to hop on train. Betty and Jughead left straight from work to the station. Betty had texted to Jb few times during the week and she had written the messages carefully in the notebook. No answer were received. Betty felt frustrated since she was more about the fast forward, like Jughead knew. So he calmed her down many times during that week, they had the plan how to go on.

"Hey! Who's watching Tempo? You don't have him with you?" Jughead asked Betty as they walked to their seats. "Vee. And my payment for her service is the night out next Friday. I should have asked Kevin..." Betty huffed rolling her eyes.

Jughead tensed a bit. "That's not bad, you'll get to drink and work on your routines," he tried to sound casual, but somehow the thought of Betty spending time with searching guys and meeting someone, it mattered now more than earlier on this fall.

"I don't know. I can live without those, you know. It's not necessary for me in any way. But, it's weird talking with you about this knowing what you are thinking," Betty rambled as Jughead chuckled. "I'm not thinking anything. And we are friends, we can talk," he suggested but Betty shooked her head. "We are friends with a history, it's different. So stop now," Betty said and turned her head looking out of the window. Her stomach felt like a brick, she felt sick. This was the wrong topic. It may look like very light and easy, but it could dig out something more. Like the reason why it all started..

Betty fell asleep as soon as the train moved. Jughead had to smile to that, Betty was just like that back in days. Always sleeping in moving vehichles, wheather it was a car, train or air plane. His bike was maybe the only ride where she didn't sleep. She was laughing there, but gribbing his waist tightly with the white knuckles. Why was he thinking this much of their history? The good things. It actually felt good to think about those days. Before the graduation.

Betty's head fell down on Jughead's shoulder and shivers went through his body. As he coughed from the surprise and the shivers, Betty woke up and looked at him. "I'm sorry. It's so hard to stay awake in these," she blushed when she realized she was leaning towards him. "It's okay. It made me think about all the times you have did that before. Back in days we literally didn't get out of Riverdale without you snoring in the car," Jughead laughed and Betty smacked his arm. "Hey!! I do not snore," Jughead frowned to that. "Well, you snuffle at least," he replied and Betty huffed.

Jughead asked from Betty the notebook so he could read all the texts Betty had sent. He heard about those already, but he wanted to read. He didn't wanna ask her phone, it would have felt like intruding.

Betty: Hi Jb. This crazy world brought your big brother back to me, into same office I mean. Is it crazy? I hope the world could do same for us? I miss u, my little star.

Betty: It's Betty again. It's raining so much in Nyc. Where is the snow? You remember when we walked back from Pops to Elm Street and it started to rain so badly, we were so wet there wasn't any dry spot in our clothes. Is it raining there?

Betty: Morning my little star. We are going back to Riverdale for the weekend with Jug. Your dad is there too. We are gonna miss u, I'm sure. I'm worried about u, please be safe.

"You realize she is on her twenties now, your little star?" Jughead joked to Betty. "I'm doing this on my way. And it includes the old nicknames. You should know," Betty glared and he shrugged. It could work, yeah.

"Are they gonna come and pick us from the station?" Jughead asked. Betty nodded. "I'm nervous," he mumbled and closed his eyes to relax a bit.

"There they are!!" Alice was shouting and she looked like a kid who was going to the circus for the first time ever. So excited to see them.

"Oh my god, take deep breaths. We are here for Jb, mostly. We can do this," Betty whispered to Jughead, who chuckled a little. "I'm here for your cake. And Jb," he smirked. "Well, let's hope she got the ingredients then," Betty said as they walked to their parents.

"So happy you are here!" Alice smiled while Fp was more reserved giving them a slight smile and nod at first. "Nice to see you son. And Betty. You both look good," Fp gave a guy hug to his son, they shaked their hands and Fp gave friendly slap to Jughead's shoulder. Alice put her hand on her daughter's shoulders and they walked to the car like that, Alice talking all the way about small things.

Ride to the house was quiet. Alice and Fp gave them time to digest. And Betty and Jughead needed that. For once, Alice figured something like that out. Betty visited her few times per year and Alice knew it wasn't easy for her daughter, even after all these years. And it was the case at this time too, maybe more than never before.

There was the Bijou, the place full of good memories, too many horror movies, laughter and way too many boxes of pop corn. The banks of the river where they used to walk by when they needed place to be just the two of them and talk. Yeah, there was that bunker too, but sometimes you need to walk while you talk. That edge of the river was perfect for that. No one knew it was their place. Only theirs.

It was raining now. Almost at the house.

Jughead thought of the day he walked Betty to her home. Just after their first kiss. That walk when he hold her hand for the first time. Then it was her sister who was missing. They had always had trouble. Always. But with her, there was a possibility that it's all gonna work out. "Wow. It's really a lot. The town. The memories. Haven't been here for a while," Jughead sighed.

"I was just thinking. Remember that day we were at the Bijou and you first ate way too much popcorn and then you started with your huge soda, but instead of your mouth it ended up right in your lap. I was trying to help but it was too much fun and I was on the floor laughing. And everyone yelled us to be quiet," Betty giggled. "Oh my god. Then we just ran out of there and kept running to the trailor laughing all the way," he continued chuckling. "I remember you cursing and nagging to me that I'm rude. I laughed but I'm not sure you did," Betty corrected. "I laughed. Inside. But I was the one in wet pants," Jughead raised his brow and Betty laughed. "Okay".

That evening Betty baked the cake and Jughead tried to help but it was more about stealing chocolate and eating dough. "You really make us wait 'til tomorrow?" Jughead pouted when Betty placed the plate in the fridge and Fp couldn't help but let a big laugh out there. "Tomorrow it'll taste right. We'll wait," Betty's rules were strict and no one touched the cake.

They ate the dinner Alice had prepared having little formal discussions, since it wasn't so easy to jump to the deep stuff. Be close again. They ended the night early, Betty and Jughead were quite tired for the travel. Betty had her old room, Jughead the guestroom. As he walked to his room, he took a peek to Betty's room and heavy cloud went down on his shoulders, brick in his stomach, it really felt like that.

"It's looking like it used to be," he stated to Betty who was clearing her make up in front of the mirrow. "Yeah. For some reason mom doesn't wanna pack these away," she shrugged and kept her face on the mirrow. "There is our picture," he cleared his throat. "We were so happy, look at us. And so young. I don't wanna put that away. We were cute," Betty smiled but her eyes were glassy.

"I need to go. Someday we need to start to talk. I can see that now in here. Even though it's a cute picture, your eyes are wet Betts. Someday. Good night Betty," he turned his back and left before Betty got to say a word.

After he left and door was closed, she felt the tears falling down on her cheeks. Yeah, she didn't realize the memories were pushing towards their face this badly in here. Something was gonna happen this weekend and it was not gonna be about Jb.