Shopping for Love [BUGHEAD]

Chapter 13

Betty's POV:

I woke to the soft glow of morning filtering through the curtains, casting a warm light across the room. Blinking sleepily, I stretched and sat up, expecting to find Jughead still asleep beside me. But the bed was empty, the sheets slightly rumpled where he had been lying.  Pushing back the covers, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and walked over to the window. I heard Jughead in the kitchen cooking something in the distance. As I looked out the window, I was trying to remember the itinerary my dad told us to try and do, but I couldn't remember much... 

The hike! I had completely forgotten my bear spray. Panic surged through me like an electric shock. Without it, going into the wilderness was risky, especially with the possibility of encountering bears.  I immediately sprinted across the cabin, my socks sliding on the smooth wooden floor, making me lose my balance. Before I could crash, I collided with Jughead's chest. He caught me instinctively, his arms wrapping around me to steady me.

"Whoa, Betty, what happened? Are you okay?" His voice was laced with concern, his hands gently stroking my back as I lifted my head to look at him, cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"I-I forgot my bear spray," I stammered out, feeling foolish. "It was sitting right on my table at home to pack, and I forgot it."

Jughead's expression softened with understanding. "It's okay, Betty. We don't have to go hiking if you're worried about it."

"But I wanted to hike," I admitted, feeling disappointed. "It wouldn't feel like a mountain weekend if we didn't go hiking. But I guess we can find other things to do."

Jughead nodded thoughtfully. "Let's figure something out. How about we go down to the lake? I heard there might be some good fishing spots."

A smile tugged at my lips. "Fishing sounds perfect. Let's do it."

We bundled up in warm layers, grabbing blankets and heading outside into the crisp morning air. The lake shimmered in the distance, its surface reflecting the clear blue sky above. Jughead disappeared into the cabin for a moment, returning with a fishing rod he found tucked away in the closet.

I settled on a blanket by the edge of the lake, wrapping myself up to keep warm while Jughead waded into the water, casting his line expertly. The quiet splashing of the water and the occasional call of a bird created a serene backdrop to our morning.

About half an hour into fishing, I spotted movement in the distance—a large, lumbering figure making its way through the trees. My heart skipped a beat as I realized it was a bear.

"Jughead," I whispered urgently, tapping his shoulder and pointing towards the bear. "Look, oh my gosh, it's a bear!"

Jughead turned to follow my gaze, his eyes widening slightly. "Stay calm, Betty," he said in a low voice, his hand gripping mine reassuringly. "We need to stay quiet and back away slowly." But my panic got the best of me. I clutched onto his bicep tightly, nearly jumping into his arms. "Jughead, Jughead, what do we do?" I whispered frantically.

The bear noticed us and began to approach at a steady pace. Jughead's eyes widened in alarm. "Run," he said urgently, his voice urgent. "Back to the cabin, now!"

We sprinted towards the cabin as fast as we could, adrenaline fueling our speed. The bear's heavy footsteps echoed behind us, its presence looming closer with each stride. Once inside the cabin, we slammed the door shut behind us, leaning against it breathlessly. I couldn't help but laugh nervously. "Well, this is a great start to the trip," I said sarcastically, trying to ease the tension.

Jughead glanced out the window, his brow furrowed with concern. "Is he still out there?" I asked anxiously.

He nodded slowly, his gaze fixed on the bear pacing just outside. There was a loud thud against the wall that shook the cabin, making us both jump.

I hurried into the bedroom, seeking refuge under the covers, feeling overwhelmed by fear. Jughead followed close behind, wrapping his arms around me protectively. "It's okay, Betty," he murmured softly. "The house is bear-proofed. We're safe in here."

I clung to him, finding solace in his embrace. Outside, the bear continued to pace, a reminder of the wilderness and dangers that surrounded us. But in that moment, with Jughead holding me close, I felt a sense of security that calmed my racing heart.

As we waited for the bear to lose interest and wander away, I couldn't help but be grateful for Jughead's presence. I clung to him, finding solace in his embrace. With Jughead holding me close, I felt a sense of security that calmed my racing heart. Eventually, the bear seemed to lose interest, disappearing back into the woods. I let out a shaky breath, feeling a wave of relief wash over me.

"Is it gone?" I whispered, peering cautiously out the window. Jughead nodded, his arms still wrapped protectively around me. "Yeah, looks like it's gone. I think we're safe now."

I folded against him, my legs suddenly feeling weak with relief. "Thank goodness," I murmured, burying my face in his chest. Despite the adrenaline rush and the fear, being in Jughead's arms felt comforting, like coming home after a long day. After a while longer, we cautiously ventured out of the bedroom, still keeping an eye on the window for any signs of the bear. Jughead insisted on checking the perimeter of the cabin to ensure it was secure, while I hovered near the door, feeling safer with him nearby. 

"The bear-proofing seems solid," Jughead confirmed upon his return. "We should be okay now."

I nodded, feeling a sense of relief flood through me. "Good. I guess we can try to salvage the rest of the day."

Jughead chuckled softly. "Yeah, maybe we should stick to indoor activities for now." 

We decided to watch a movie, Jughead let me pick so I chose "The Notebook", a classic. We laid down on the couch and shared a blanket. Somehow throughout the movie, I ended up lying in his arms and falling asleep.

I woke up a few hours after I had fallen asleep and noticed Jughead was still asleep. I didn't want to disturb him by getting pans out for dinner so I decided to call take out to be delivered. 

Once the doorbell rang, Jughead woke up, quickly scanning the room for me when he noticed I wasn't on the couch anymore. There was a clear sign of relief when he saw me headed for the door. 

"Oh, hey," he greeted, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he sat up on the couch.

"Hey," I replied with a small smile, opening the door to retrieve our dinner. The aroma of hot food filled the cabin as I brought in the take-out bags.

"What did you get?" Jughead asked, curiosity piqued as he joined me in the kitchen.

"I ordered some burgers and fries," I answered, unpacking the bags onto the counter. "Figured it would be easier than trying to cook after our... eventful morning."

Jughead chuckled softly, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Probably a good call."

We settled down at the small dining table, enjoying the comfort of the cabin and the warmth of the food. After dinner, we cleaned up together.  As we returned to the living area, Jughead suggested, "Want to finish that movie?"

I nodded, feeling a smile tug at my lips. "Yeah, let's do it. I need to know if Noah and Allie end up together." Even though I already knew... I had seen it countless times. 

We settled back onto the couch and Jughead let me snuggle against his side as we resumed "The Notebook," the soft glow of the TV casting flickering shadows across the room.

Somewhere during the movie, lulled by the warmth of Jughead beside me and the familiarity of the story, I drifted off to sleep again. It must have been a couple of hours later when I woke up, the movie having ended and the cabin now enveloped in a gentle silence.

Glancing over, I saw Jughead still asleep beside me, his features softened in the dim light. I got up and went to lie down in the bedroom but as I was getting up from the couch Jughead noticed my movement and held my hand as I got up. I looked back at him and he said "Wait for me" so I waited until he had gathered up the blanket on the couch and followed me into the bedroom. We fell quickly back to sleep while watching the snow fall softly outside. It was hard to believe that we were leaving so soon. If anything was going to happen between Jughead and I, it would happen tomorrow. I tried not to think as much about it so I wouldn't put any expectations on the rest of the trip. 

Word Count: 1479