The Choice

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Betty heard herself say the words before her brain could catch up and stop them escaping her mouth. WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST DO?????? Oh GodOhGodOhGodOhGod!

Her father narrowed his eyes. "I knew it. God damn it, Elizabeth! How could you have been so irresponsible?"

"Wait, what does that mean? Jughead is who's father?" Polly gasped as she stepped off the staircase with the last step. "Oh my God, Betty, are you pregnant?"

"Daddy, listen to me, please. This is not Jughead's fault."

"Of all people, Betty! Jughead Jones!" Her mother groaned into her hands.

"Oh so it would be okay if I got knocked up by someone who met your standards?" Betty snapped.

Alice lifted her head, her eyes wide. "Are you trying to give me a stroke?"

"Daddy, Jughead and I will handle this. Please. Let me go to him and we'll all talk later but I'm begging, do not go after him now while you're so pissed. Please!"

"Oh you'll 'handle' it," Alice said using air quotes. "Bang up job so far, sweetie."

"Mom! You're not helping!"

Alice placed her hands on her hips. "I have no intention of helping, my dear. You're seventeen! I'm making up a very creative alibi for your father as we speak."

"Oh geez. Mom, really that isn't going to help anyone. Least of all dad!" Polly insisted.

"Thank you!" Betty said emphatically, before her face softened with genuine gratitude toward her sister.

Hal had always been the more level headed of her parents. Betty liked to think she took after him...okay, maybe not in the last five minutes...while Polly was a pure ball of emotion like their mother. Thankfully, that level headedness seem to return and her father stepped away from the door. Betty exhaled visibly and her mother grabbed her arm.

"You tell that Jones boy that we expect him home with you after school tomorrow or I will hunt him down myself and severely compromise his ability to have any more little accidents."

Betty stared at her, a steely coldness moving all through her body. "Mom, if you ever call my baby an accident again, I will never ever speak to you."

Alice's mouth fell open and she was struck silent as Betty turned and grabbed her jacket before moving past her father and out the door.

She rushed to Southside, knocking on Jughead's door frantically until he opened it, wide eyed worry on his face.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

Betty pushed past him, her heart roaring in her ears. "Oh God, Jughead. I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry for dragging you into this. I just...I didn't know what to say and it just came out and-"

"Whoa, Betty! Slow down. Breathe," Jughead insisted, cupping her face.

Betty groaned and let her forehead drop against his chin. "Oh God, please don't hate me."

He pulled back and lifted her face to his. "That's never gonna happen, okay? Ever. Now, come here. Sit down and tell me what's got you so freaked out." Jughead guided her to his couch and sat her down. "You told your parents what happened, right?"

Betty swallowed, squeezing her eyes tightly shut. "Not exactly." She rubbed her hands on her jeans and stared at him. "I started to tell them. I swear, Jughead. I was going to but I just couldn't get the words out, like they were physically stuck in my throat and then I saw Polly and Jughead... my sister is going to hate me if she finds out what Jason did-"