Betty, Interrupted - Bughead

10

"Oh hi Betty" Cheryl sounded more annoyed than anything to see her "I hope you don't mind that Polly and the rest of our family haven't reached out. We've just been so busy you know?"

"She's not your family Cheryl." Betty felt like she could puke at even the suggestion that Polly had been sucked into the Blossom family.

"I beg to differ sweetheart." The tension in the air was thick, people in the hall were starting to gather at the obvious bitterness between the two. Jughead tried to keep a protective grip on Betty's arm but knew that if she really wanted to go, there was almost no way he could hold her back. She was a tornado when she was angry.

Archie tried to stop the two, stepping between them "Come on girls, is this really the time for this?"

"No better time than the present Archie, in fact I'd say this would be much overdue." Cheryl pushed past him and stood inches from Betty. "I really didn't even think you would be here today. You'll have to forgive Polly. She doesn't have the patience for baby Betty's breakdown." She laughed loudly and Betty felt herself slipping over the edge, barely aware of her nails digging into her palm.

Jughead knew they were seconds away from Betty losing it. "Cheryl, you better get the fuck out of here." he shouted, desperate to keep Betty out of harms way. Reggie shouted at him from the sidelines "What's wrong creep? Don't enjoy a little girl fight? Let them work it out."

Betty let out an unsteady exhale, unwilling to take her eyes off of Cheryl. Maybe she really would take Jugheads advice and move on. Find another victim to take her frustration out on instead of kicking Betty when she's down. Cheryl had noticed Betty's left hand and couldn't let that go unnoticed though.

"What's with the hand? Did you miss trying to copy mommy dearest?" In the moment before Betty's fist connected with Cheryl's face, she could almost note a look of regret, like Cheryl didn't even know why she said that. All Betty could focus on was that this girl had walked all over her like she was nothing.

How many times had Cheryl insulted her and made her feel worthless? It didn't mean anything until today, when Cheryl mentioned the one thing she shouldn't have. Jughead tried to hold her back but Betty pulled out of her sweater, breaking the zipper and crossing the distance between her and Cheryl in seconds. She shoved Cheryl into the lockers as hard as she could, enjoyed the thud and the dent that resonated through the hall, over the cheers of the guys in football jerseys, and the girls with hands covering the shocked expressions on their faces.

Cheryl didn't move off the floor and Betty knew she could walk away but something compelled her to fight harder, despite the sting in her hand. She could feel Archie and Jughead struggling to pull her off, she used every bit of strength she had pulling away from them. Over the noise of the crowd she heard Cheryl screaming "Get this psycho bitch off of me!"

She could feel Jughead's arms around her waist, pulling her off. She resisted the urge to lunge for Cheryl again, noting the blood on the floor. Before long Weatherbee's voice filled the hall "Betty Cooper! My office – NOW." 

It seemed the hall held a strange quiet as everyone watched Cheryl trying to pick herself up off the ground, blood dripping from her nose. Betty didn't look back as she walked to Weatherbee's office, not even to the two boys who had been on the receiving end of her punches more than a few times as kids.

The office was familiar. A place she was congratulated for another achievement usually. Never for this. Staring at her bruised and bloodied hands while Weatherbee ranted. She couldn't focus at all. Did any of this matter? Another person telling her she had fucked up, nothing like the rest of her family. Maybe the truth was that she was closer to them than she thought. Just as crazy, angry and bitter.

"Betty? Are you listening, young lady?" Weatherbee sighed and gave her a pitying look. "Take a break from school. Normally you would be suspended but this is the first incident we've ever had with you, and given the circumstances I think it is more appropriate."

She almost argued against it, unable to bare the hours unfilled at home with nothing to do but stare at the walls. Before she could say anything he was speaking again, "I called your father. He's on the way to pick you up."

The front steps were a welcome break from the tension of the hallways after she left the principals office. Aside from a few late comers who gave her some questioning glances, she felt wonderfully unnoticed by the world, drawing circles in the dirt with her sneakers. She checked her phone briefly as it went off again.

Juggy: Weatherbee wouldn't let me wait for you. See you at lunch Betts. Stay strong.

V: You and I are off the River Vixens? What the hell happened? Did you really hit Cheryl?

A car pulling up interrupted her thoughts. Her dad was unshaven and furious in the drivers seat. She didn't think she had ever dreaded being in the car with him so much. She noted the envelope in the backseat baring her mother's name and a stamp from the Riverdale Police Department. The dread was replaced with determination and she reached for the handle on the passenger seat, climbing inside.

"Elizabeth Cooper, what the hell were you thinking? I'm trying to organize your mothers funeral, by myself I might add, and you're getting into cat fights with the redheaded bimbo who convinced Polly to leave us." He was yelling but Betty felt drained as she responded.

"She didn't convince her of anything. Polly chose to leave us, Dad. Just like you chose to leave Mom and I.."

"What choice did I have Betty? Your mother was furious with me after.. Nevermind, it doesn't even matter."

An awkward silence hung over them until Betty started to notice they were headed in the opposite direction from her childhood home. "Dad, where the hell are you going? Home is the other way."

"I'm not going there and you shouldn't either. You're moving into the apartment with me." He scolded her.

"No, I'm not. I'm not leaving home - the place I've always lived - to stay in a bachelor pad with you!" Panic leaked into her voice and she realized she was on the verge of screaming at him.

"Goddamn it Betty, I am your father. You will do what I say." He was roaring at her again.

"No. I have had enough. You've never been there for me. Ever. If it wasn't for you, mom would still be here." Betty knew the moment it had slipped out of her mouth that she had said too much. As her father rolled to the car to a stop on the side of the road, he looked pale and speechless, shocked at his youngest daughter. She had never stood up for herself, never yelled back.

Betty seized her chance and reached over the seat, into the back and grabbed the envelope with her mother's name on it. She pushed her car door open and stumbled over the curb. She picked herself up and bolted in the opposite direction of the car, back towards home. She half expected her father to yell out or chase after her but after a tense five minutes of running she looked back to see the car and her father gone. Betty stood alone with the answer to so many questions in a large brown envelope.