A Bughead story

Chapter 36

They found hair. And foot prints and I am mentally exhausted. They are in jail now. Who knows how long.  But I know once they get out I am their target. I'm terrified. I am escorted back to the hospital but a deputy. I ask for jugheads room and he's not in the icu anymore which is good. I open the door silently just in case he's asleep but when I open the door I see fp sitting in a chair. He's sitting next to jughead trying to calm him down it appears. I step up farther so they both see me and jughead looks instantly relieved. Jughead looks confused and so does fp. "How are you here?" Fp asked and I open my mouth but no words come out. How do I tell jughead what I've just found out? "Gladys did it. She ordered those people to hurt you." Is all I say. I will not worry him by telling him the entire plan of theirs. How she wanted the men to touch- assault me. Jughead opens his arms and I gladly walk over to him. I lay on his chest and he plays with my hair. I feel slightly embarrassed to do this in front of fp but not enough to stop. "The surgery went well?" I question although I'm sure I know the answer considering he's here. "As well as it could of. I missed you and I was scared as hell when I woke up and you weren't here." Jughead bravely admits. I didn't expect him to talk this much but I'm glad he is. "Me too jug. I just want to go home" I sigh and I want to cry but it seems selfish for me to cry based on the situation he is in. "You should." He says and I raise my head in confusion looking at him. "I mean- you have school" He says and I lay my head back down. "I'm not going to leave you here. I want to be with you" I simply say and I notice that fp isn't here anymore. I savor this moment with jughead. "Betty, your education is important. I'm not going to make it to senior year next year but I will not stand for you to be held back to." He says playing with my hair and his voice hard. "It's not more important than you and your health jug. Besides maybe we can catch you up." I try to stay positive but I know that it would be extremely difficult. "I'm dropping out." He says in almost a whisper. My jaw drops and my heart stops for a moment. Before thinking I say "what?" So confused. I sound almost disappointed. "I've missed to much, I'm not going to repeat a year and besides I can get my GED. I don't want to stress and try to cram everything in this year. Don't be mad please. Just try to understand." He speaks softly continuing to play with my hair. There is silence. I just try to re picture my whole life. Senior year, my boyfriend won't be there with me. "Betty? Out of anything I didn't expect silence I expected you to scream at me" he chuckles. "How could I scream at you? Your bed ridden. I just was thinking about how you wouldn't be there senior year. I don't want to go without you. Please think hard about it before you act." I say and he agrees although I think he's already made up his mind. "God I'm tired." I push my hair back from my forehead and close my eyes. "Then sleep." He says and rest his hands on my waist and back. I feel so completely exhausted from the lack of sleep and everything that has happened.

I wake up with the urge to go to the bathroom. I climb out of the bed and I feel Jugheads eyes on me then I tell him I'll be back. I walk to the bathroom and look around frequently to make sure I'm not being followed or watched by someone. My eyes are heavy and I plan on going back to sleep. I have to wait in a line for the bathroom and once it's finally my turn and I return from going I spot a man who looks familiar. "Are you on jughead jones case?" I ask and the man nods. "I'm his girlfriend Betty cooper, what's the next plan?" I ask him and he tells me they are unsure and will check back with me as soon as they know. I walk back to the hospital room and once I do I see a cop leaving the room.

Oh no. Did something happen? Did Gladys get out? We're they looking for me? Worry overwhelms me and once I pass through the crowds in the hall I walk into the room to see a bloodshot and watery eyed jughead. His lip is shaking. "What happened?" I ask making my way to the bed to comfort him from whatever just happened. "A- are you okay? He told me what my mom planed. For - for the men and what they would have done to you." He stuttered with his lips still quivering and fighting against his tears. I sit at the edge of the bed with water piling in my eyes. "I didn't want them to tell you. I'm fine jughead- you stoped them." I admit and he grabs my hand. "I brought you into the situation in the first place." I hear him mumble. I hate how self conscious he is. He always thinks everything is his fault. The more I think in the silence is that how scary it is to love someone. How attached and in synch you become to them.  They are sad, you're sad. They are hurt then your hurt as well. Something terrible happened then you have to deal with the aftermath and help them get through it.

"Betty, you know I'm right. And I hope you know, I'd be out beating their asses right now if I weren't bed ridden and they weren't dead. No one will ever hurt you like that." He says in a dominant manner. "They're all dead?" I ask. I thought one survived but maybe not. "Yea. Thanks to my mom." He says slowly.
"Why don't we put this behind us? It's already happened and I don't want to talk about it anymore." I suggest and he agrees. His hands tightly wrap around me and butterflies sweep my stomach. "What would you like to talk about?" The words roll off of his tongue perfectly. "Hmm... how you are going to get better and we will go back to normal." I say and he laughs. "Nothing is ever normal in Riverdale- or for us." He said.

We have decided to watch movies on the tv and about halfway through fp came in and watched with us complaining about the movie. The rest of the night is a blur and i daze off.