Tear In My Heart [Bughead]

e i g h t ↛ b.c / j.j

"Oh fuck," I said quietly as I spotted the red-headed and raven-haired she devils chatting from afar.

"You've got that right," Veronica added, her eyes carefully set on the girls with disgust. Archie glanced at Veronica multiple times but looked away in a flash. Something's up with him and out of everyone, I know for certain. We've been friends for the longest time and over the years as my crush began to develop, I studied his facial expressions throughly.

The lunch table was oddly silent, all of us consumed in our own train of thoughts to bother speaking. Veronica shoved a forkful of salad into her mouth but kept her eye glued to the girls laughing hysterically at the other side of the room.

"Um, Ronnie," I tapped her shoulder gently, the sudden contact causing her to face my direction immediately with a puzzled look.

"Did you tell them about-"

She nodded her head yes, Jug biting into his burger observing the environment quietly. Cheryl beamed a smile with grimace written all over it as she passed our table to arrive to the vending machines. Veronica was prepared to stand up and confront her but I quickly grasped onto her shoulders and pulled her back into her seat. The last thing I wanted her to do was make a fool out of herself like I did recently. Cheryl's quite talented at making others feel like complete shit. It not only boosts her self esteem, but convinces her that she's more superior then everyone else. After Jason's death, her personality had taken a dark turn. To sum up, at some point, Jason was the center of attention. The girls wanted to date him, the guys strived to be like him. Cliché isn't it? During this time period, Cheryl was always hiding in his shadows. She struggled to obtain a title and was often viewed as the "disgrace" of the Blossom family. That immediately changed after the Sweet Water river incident. Now she's all that everyone ever talks about and I can't tell if it's in a good or bad way.

"Hey Veronica, must be nice to reunite with your sister...right?" Cheryl approached, her voice sarcastic and pitchy.

Once her eyes landed upon me as she said, "at least you're able to."

"Cheryl, just leave them alone," Jughead interjected, dropping his burger on the plate.

"Shut up you rat, this doesn't concern you. I get it, whenever you see trouble it just calls your name since...well, your father's a criminal and all," She shot back fiercely.

I tightened my fists, my nails engraved onto the palm of my hands. The red substance slowly ran down my wrists and dripped on my seat.

"Get. Out." I demanded, my voice deepening like never before as I took a couple steps closer to Cheryl until our noses were only inches apart. "Now."

She clenched her teeth and sashayed away, her hair deliberately slapping against my face. As I turn away, the whole cafeteria went silent and everyone stared at me as if I were some kind of maniac.

I slowly released the oxygen I didn't realize I held captive and sat right where I was before, dividing my ponytail into two and tugging onto it to tighten it well.

"Betty-," Veronica looked at me with worry-filled eyes.

"I'm fine, okay? Peachy keen," I forced my lips into a smile and proceeded to eat my lunch. The table grew even more silent afterwards.

From the corner of my eyes, Jug kept glancing at me causing me to pull the sleeves of my sweater higher.

Jughead POV

Trust me, out of everyone, I can smell anxiety and pain from a mile away. I'm not particularly comfortable with admitting that but it's the vague truth. The way that Betty exploded as soon as Cheryl remarked one of her many moronic insults at me makes me question... does she feel anything for me? I shook my head slowly at the thought. She's into Archie, the football player and musician. Why would anyone like a Southside serpent's son? She was only defending her friend. Are we friends? Of course we are why am I even doubting it. If there was a minimal possibility that she felt anything for me, I think Betty deserves so much better. Someone that could make her happy and buy her what she deserves - someone that has a home for her to visit for god sake. I tried the hardest I could not to stare for too long or glance at her as a whole, but it was impossible. Something's eating Betty up and it's not just Cheryl's comebacks. Whenever anyone stared at her, her first instant was to tug on the sleeves of her sweater. Is she cutting?

No, Betty wouldn't.

Or would she?

Why can't I just get her out of my head? A boy like me and a girl like her just can't be together without chaos.

*

I impatiently waited for last period to officially be over. As soon as we were all dismissed, I headed straight outside, waiting to spot the blonde hair I grew to know so well. When I did, she was accompanied by none other then Archie Andrews.

God dang it, Andrews.

"Heyy," I tagged along, extending the 'ey' to deliberately interrupt their conversation.

"Jughead, what's up?" She gave me her undivided attention.

"So, are we going to... talk?"

"Oh, right! Archie and I were heading to Pop's Diner... would you like to talk there?" She suggested, glancing at him a couple times.

Of course. When is she not with Archie. At this point, I think i've waited far too long to get the opportunity to speak to Betty. I'd just like to establish what we are.

"I'd prefer to speak to you privately," I answered honestly.

"That's going to have to wait then because Betty and I are going to Pops like she said," Archie responded bitterly, his arms folded against his chest. My teeth clenched vigorously as those words spilled out of his mouth. What hurt the most was the fact that Betty didn't even bother to say something in my defense. She simply remained quiet with sorry-filled eyes. Ouch.

"Got it," I waved goodbye with resentment evident in my voice and gave Betty one last stare before heading to a different direction.

What was I thinking?

✽

What do you guys think about Archie's response to Jughead? Will anyone speak about Betty's odd behavior at the cafeteria?

That's not the question you're asking, you guys are probably waiting for a damn Bughead kiss and to that I say:

Hehe.

Side note: Thank you all sooo much for the lovely comments it genuinely makes my day.

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