What We Once Were

Five Years Ago...

18 year old Betty happily strode down the sidewalk. She had graduated from Riverdale High about a month ago and at the end of August she would be attending N.Y.U., for the first time in a long time, everything was working out perfectly in her favor. 

She was meeting Jughead by Sweetwater River, he sounded like he had something on his mind, and she did too. She hoped he would take the news the right way, what she had been hiding from him for a few days had been killing her. She hadn't even told her mother yet, considering what happened when her sister was in this position, Betty was terrified to tell Alice her shocking news. 

Betty crossed into the woods near the lake, she pulled out her phone and texted Jughead letting him know she was on her way. Betty loved to explore, but with everything that's happened in this town for the last three years, walking around in this dense woodland area, even in broad daylight made her ADHD anxieties on high alert. 

She emerged from the woods and spotted Jughead standing by the water. His back was to her but she could always pick him out in a crowd. His stoic black leather Serpent's jacket and his signature grey crown beanie he always wore stuck out easily, which was ironic because Jughead always liked blending in with the crowd. Betty always laughed at the thought, he was so practical, like her-he liked to bled in, but somehow they always seemed to find a way to stick out. 

Jughead turned around at the sound of her muffled giggles. She was always so happy, it made him feel the same way too. When he turned around and saw her wearing a baby pink knitted sweater and jeans, her blonde hair up in its signature high ponytail he felt guilty that he smiled at her, and at what he had to do. 

Betty jogged down to his side with that adorable smile on her face that made Jughead's insides twist, he hated to make that smile of hers go; hell if he could he wanted to always be the one to make her smile like that. But after today, if she ever smiled at him again, that would be a blessing in itself. 

"Hey Jug." Betty bit her lip nervously, she did this out of habit, in her mind it was in no way seductive. However to Jughead, it only made this moment that much harder. 

"Hey Betts." He hated that he used his nickname for her. Betty's cheeks flushed red and he couldn't fight the urge to kiss her one more time. 

The gap closed between them and Jughead tried to describe to himself what it felt like to kiss her. He didn't want to forget the feelings he left, or what her lavender scented perfume smelled like or how soft and smooth her hair was. 

Betty could sense that something was off with him, he always kissed her back, now this time, it seemed like he was saying goodbye. But that didn't make any sense, they'd see each other all summer and they'd both agreed to try long distance, because if anyone could do it, it would be them. 

"Juggie, are you okay?" Betty asked as she pulled away and looked into his longing, sad, blue eyes. 

He couldn't hide anything from her, but she couldn't do that to him either. They both knew each other better than anyone. 

"I'm alright, just thinking." 

Betty giggled again and nudged his shoulder. 

"I know you enough to know that when you start thinking, it never goes well." 

Jughead had to chuckle at the truth. The last time he got to thinking like this, they'd broken up. Back then he had no good reason, he should've known that Betty didn't need protecting, but that never stopped him from trying. But this time, she was going to be thousands of miles away from him, for a whole year when she would be surrounded by college boys who unlike him, were more worthy of her love and affection.