Shedding Our Skin {Jughead Jones}{Bughead}

Chapter Four

**At the end of the chapter, I've put an author's note basically talking about how my posting schedule is going to work, so be sure to check that out! :)

Hearing that question made my blood run cold, and a pit formed in my stomach.

"Well?" She growled.

"Mrs. Cooper." I whispered, "I called to ask if she got home safe last night."

She gasped.

"You haven't heard from her?" I asked, terrified.

"No." Her voice shook, "I honestly thought she was with you. I kept calling her and-"

"It went straight to voicemail?"

"Mhm." I could tell she was on the verge of tears. Honestly, I was too.

"I'm coming over Mrs. Cooper. We can talk more there." I said before I hung up.

I sat down at the kitchen table with Betty's mother and Polly. We were all trying to hold it together, which was becoming increasingly more difficult.

"She's not at Veronica's?" I asked.

"I called her, and she hasn't heard from her since yesterday either. They were supposed to go shopping today." Polly said quietly.

"What about Archie?" Her mother suggested gently, "Not that they would be doing anything, it's just that they were so close..."

"I've already called him." I told her.

"And you have no idea where she is? If she was with you past curfew, please, just tell me. I won't make her leave you! I-I won't even be upset! I just want her home." Alice Cooper begged.

"If I knew where she was." I told her in a low voice, "Do you think I would bother sitting here and acting like I don't? I have no idea where she's at and it's ripping me apart. Honestly, I wouldn't care if you got mad. You know Riverdale. Dealing with your wrath is entirely safer than hiding her somewhere because we broke a rule. I've actually been telling the truth, so perhaps you can set aside your mistrust for a moment and help me find your daughter?"

She looked down at the hands, which her folded neatly on the table.

"Has anyone asked Kevin if he's seen her?" Polly asked us.

"I called the sheriff." Mrs. Cooper said. "Nothing."

"She had plenty of friends at school," Polly said, "maybe one of them knows-"

"Ethel, Midge, even frickin' Reggie. I've called everyone, and they all promised they would let me know if they heard from her." I told them.

"Oh God," Polly gasped, "what if she's-"

She broke down sobbing. I jumped up and put one hand on her shoulder and the other over her hand.

"Don't get too worked up, Pol, it might not be good for the baby." I reminded her gently, "Why don't you get some rest."

I stood her up and helped her to her room, rubbing her back to try to keep her from sobbing so hard. Once she was calmed down and settled in her room, and entered the hallway.

And there it was. Her room.

I opened the door slowly. It was, as usual, clean. Everything was as it always was.

I laid down on her bed and curled into a ball. I must've looked strange. All black, in a sea of pinks and whites. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The room smelled like her.

I felt a few tears roll down my face, but it didn't feel like I was crying. I just couldn't believe I let her go so easily. As much as I never wanted to think about Polly's statement, it was completely possible. And it would be entirely my fault.

I looked up and saw a picture of us on her bedside table. She was standing in Pop Tate's, and I stood behind her with my arms around her shoulders and my head rested in the crook of her neck. I picked up the picture and ran my thumb over her smiling face.

"I'm going to find you..." I promised her.

I walked back down stairs to find our friends standing in her living room.

"Hey guys." I knew I sounded depressed, which didn't help anything, but I was simply beside myself.

Veronica stepped forward and threw her arms around my neck, "Oh Jug, we're going to find her, I know it!"

"Yeah, Jughead," Archie offered, " its Betty. She can handle herself out there."

I began to fight back tears.

"She shouldn't have to." I said, "I shouldn't have let her go so easily, I just didn't want to argue with her because she's pretty stubborn and I knew it would upset her-" I was rambling now, my voice cracking every couple of words.

"Hey man. We know, we probably would have done the same thing." Kevin said, "What's important is that we find her."

I nodded, already beginning to formulate a plan.

I don't know how, but we somehow managed to gather the better part of the entire town to help us look for her.

"Now," I said to the group, "most of you know Betty, so you know some of the obvious places to look. We've already checked out every house she would willingly go to, so don't worry so much about those! The last time she was seen, by me, she was wearing a pale pink cardigan, and white tank top, and jeans. Her hair was pulled up in a pony tail, and she was carrying a small clutch purse, which would presumably contain her student ID. If you find anything, and I do mean anything, please don't hesitate come find one of us!" I motioned to myself, Alice, Veronica, Archie, Kevin, and Polly.

Once everyone had dispersed, I decided to go to he South Side and look for her. She may have not made it passed the tracks.

I started shouting her name at the top of my lungs.

"Betty! It's me, Jughead, where are you?"

This went on for a long time, until people who knew my family began to ask about her. I have them basically the same speech I gave on the North Side. Everyone said they'd look, but you never know who you can trust.

It was getting dark, and no one had heard from her. I tried calling her cell a few more times, to no answer. I decided to head back and start setting up shifts for search parties. I did not intend on spending one moment not looking for her.

I was almost to the tracks when I truck drove up beside me. I looked at the ground in front of me and scowled, trying to send off the message that I was not to be messed with that night.

"Hey, Jug!" I glanced to the side. It was Donny, with another Serpent, "You ever find that girl of your's?"

"No." I said, "We're still looking for her. I'm not giving up, I know we'll find her. Probably on the other side of the tracks."

Donny and his friend looked at each other uneasily.

"I think you need to see this."

A/N: At long last, I've finally worked out how my posting schedule will work! In short, there really isn't a traditional "schedule". Right now, I have about five chapters drafted out, and I'm still writing. So, every time I finish drafting a chapter, I'm going to publish a new one. This way, I'll never have a situation where it's time for me to post, but I have nothing written! Because of this, I'll actually be posting pretty frequently so even if I go a day or two without writing, I'll still have material to post if need be! I hope you guys are enjoying the story, and please be sure to vote and comment!
Thanks!♥️
~A.M.