The Festival - A Bughead Story

Part Three - The Bar

She was wearing a small pink dress, with a white corsage, no sleeves and a fluffy skirt that barely touched her knees. Her hair was pinned on her head and she had very few touches of makeup. Very girl next door, and very cute.

The exact opposite of her best friend Veronica, who was rocking a dark velvet gown that fell to the floor in silky waves, showing her black five inches heels, all enhanced by a dark and mystic makeup and perfectly curled black hair.

They manoeuvred through the already barely sober crowd, both girls holding the arm of a suited young man.

"Do you see Reggie?" Betty murmured to Jughead as they slightly ducked out of the way of one of Moose's uncle's arm.

"Not yet. Archie?"

"He's over there!" shouted their friend.

They were following the redhead and his dark haired companion when Betty was suddenly stopped by a pale-skinned arm.

"Well, if it isn't my very own daughter."

She felt Jughead immediately tense as they stopped right on their stride.

"Mom," she greeted through gritted teeth, "what do you want?"

"Is that a way to talk to you mother, young lady?"

Betty kept her mouth shut, knowing the answer she wanted to give to her mother wasn't the one she should be saying.

Betty's mother was always a very sneaky woman, and a very controlling mother. She wasn't a nice person, and she wasn't a nice mother.

"Excuse me, mom, but I am on my way."

"On your way to where?"

"To... erm..."

"We're going to the counter to get a glass of water, Mrs. Cooper." Betty could have kissed Jughead at that moment, as he saved her from a very bad and obvious lie.

Betty could have kissed Jughead for any reason, really, but the urge seemed to be even more intense at that moment.

"Water? Is that right, Betty?"

"Yes, mom. Can we go, now?"

"I guess..."

Alice Cooper hadn't even finish her sentence that Betty and Jughead were walking away, faster than ever before. They bumped into Archie and Veronica by the bar. They were talking with Reggie and Moose, who were both holding taped boxes.

"Are they stupid enough to run around with booze in their hands?" Jughead commented, leaving Betty's side to walk swiftly towards Reggie and Moose.

Betty tried to forget the abandoned feeling that filled her heart at that moment.

Before long, Jughead was pushing Reggie and Moose towards the backstairs, followed by Archie and Veronica. Betty was going to follow them when she heard her name spoken softly beside her.

"Yes?"

It was Dilton Doiley, the school nerd, and one of her closest friends.

"Where are you guys going?"

Betty kept her voice low. "Reggie stole us some booze. They're going upstairs to drink. I just want to get away from this toxic atmosphere."

"Can I come?"

"Go ahead."