Goodbye, good life | Bughead

22: Betty

Homemade pizza it was. The dinner plan for Jughead and Betty. And wine. Two bottles. And just in case, Jughead bought one six-pack of beers.

Betty was nervous for two reasons. She'd have to talk finally her true story. But she was little anxious also about the fact that after last Sunday dance, it felt s bit like a date. Even though the purpose was to talk about not-so-lovely topic, because of the all the other things it could be a date if you think about it.

And because of those thoughts, she took very thurough shower after work, she did her make-up taking her time, she chose her clothes with a thought. She lighted candles, and last weekend she had hang christmas lights, so it looked so pretty in her apartment. It looked like a date night. Shit, it really looked.

"You still think pineapple is for pizza? I would prefer something more italian," Jughead huffed teasingly to Betty when they chopped the toppings for the pizza.

"It's a nice reference to all the saltiness. If we do one your choice and one mine and then we'll share and I'll show you that you are wrong. Still," she smirked and he chuckled. "We'll do that. But I show you, mine is better and you know nothing which tastes better I promise," Jughead pledged while Betty shaked her head smiling.

"Okay. I may have to say it. You can decide the toppings next time," she frowned looking at him, biting her lip. Big smile appeared to his face and it made her smile too. "There is next time?" he grinned and Betty shrugged. "If we handle the upcoming conversation well, of course we keep this relationship going," she smiled but it fainted soon when her thoughts wandered to the reason they were there.

"I'm not sure where to start this. Maybe the time before the voicemail? You remember I had those two guys I went out for a while?" Betty thought it really was the way how to tell it easily. Like how she acted with those two.

"I remember them," Jughead say little annoid, he remembered that Betty was back then frustrate so it can be good? But how they linked to his voicemail..

"I dated Jake for a month and Aron little longer. But. You are still the only person I have ever been intimate knowing their last name," she whispered it and she was embarreshed. She was so stupid. Jughead mouth dropped opened, he didn't understand at all what she was talking about. "What? Why?" he just asked.

"I didn't feel so close to them, so safe, I didn't trust them or me. I was insecure, still am. With you we started everything together, we learned everything together. But how did I know where they were, how good they were and if I'd suck. I don't wanna suck. I wanna be good. So thise things ended because I wasn't ready," Betty explained and looked down, she couldn't face Jughead. She knew his mind was racing, definitely.

Jughead sat there stroking the purring cat on his lap. He was quiet and tried to digest what he heard. He wasn't sure where this was heading, he was little afraid about it, knowing already that his voicemail wasn't nice one. He knew Betty hated when she failed and she wasn't the one who could laugh for her mistakes. She wanted to be the best, at least do well. So he understood the pressures she might had then.

"Those guys were assholes for not waiting when you were ready," Jughead stated because it was literally the only thing he could say, it was the only obvious thing.

"Or they weren't you. They weren't my friends. My best friend. Who I could trust. Who would know my feelings. My insecurities," Betty replied and felt the blush on her cheeks. She really didn't wanna tell him about these but she knew she had to. "I would never guessed you were that insecure. You weren't with me," he mumbled quietly realizing their bond really was very special back then.

"Your voicemail didn't help my feelings. The thought that I was bad at it," Betty said as she felt the tears coming. It hurt her still.

"Did I say you were bad? Oh my god, fuck, I didn't?" he stood up and sat next to Betty's, putting his hand on her tight to comfort her. He was so ashamed.