Riverdale: What no one saw coming...

Chapter six

Together they walked into school like it was a normal Thursday. But it wasn't a normal Thursday, not this early in the day anyway. Walking into school together so close, Betty suspected that everyone would realise what was going on between them and rumours would instantly start circulating. The people in the hall would erupt into quiet gossip as they walked by. So understandably, nerves got the better of her. Her stomach grew full of a tingling sensation and her breath drew short. Not so much that Jughead or anyone else could notice it. But just enough that she was aware and extremely conscious of it.

Yet to her surprise , life in the hall of Riverdale high school carried on as normal. Students walked on, stood by their lockers and ignored anything and everything new in their path . Or perhaps it was because no one cared who she was having midnight make out sessions with or maybe it was because her and Jughead were already so close as colleagues , no one could make out any difference.

They headed on path towards the free period study room. That ironically , Betty had never seen anyone use to study. It was what her and Jugheads friends used as a place to meet up, its harder than you may think to get them all into place during school hours. Archie has football and music practice, Veronica has her occasional meetings with the Pussycats and Betty and Jughead are always bust writing the school newspaper. But now as she puts more thought into it , she realises that gives her more alone time with Jughead-something she would not want to miss out on. Her thoughts continued to spiral, all that alone time together meant that they could do more of what happened this morning in the dark booths of Pops and that was in public. She wondered what he would do with her if he knew no one was watching.

As they entered the study room , Archie and Veronica were already awaiting them on the old , battered, red couch that they fussed around almost each and everyday. As soon as  Veronica caught Betty's eyes , a sombre, sorrowful look washed over her face replacing the laughing , cheerful one that had previously resided.

"Awww Betty, how are you holding up? Any news about Polly?" Veronica questioned, concern bled through her eyes.

"Yeah, how are you holding up?" Archie followed.

Both Betty and Jughead stopped, and shared a look. She knew she could trust her two best friends with her newest secret concerning her missing pregnant sister. After all there were both with her in the search from the start, going on crazy wild searches in the middle of the night, pasting posters in the lampposts of every corner in Riverdale and just being there themselves. Supporting hr through one of the toughest times she's yet to experience. Jughead passes her a gentle glance, he wasn't going to say anything if she wasn't comfortable sharing, even if the secret was so dangerous. Releasing the secret leads to questions about what they were doing together in the middle of the night when Jughead was supposedly on the floor of Archie's bedroom while he slept on the bed above. This might just expose their relationship. Knowing he respected her privacy made her appreciate him even more and the way he stared at her intently suggested he gave her permission, if everyone was to find out what went on between them-he would be okay with it.

She glanced around the common room. It was empty. Good, she couldn't risk anyone else finding out about this. Especially not her parents or the Blossoms. She slipped onto the identical red couch opposite them as Jughead followed. She rubbed her hands together, battling her nerves and all negative thoughts circling her mind.

"What is it , Betty?" persisted Archie.

"Polly, she hiding I'm my attic and I don't know what to do !" Betty confessed , words spitting out of her mouth quicker than they were appearing in her mind.

"What? "They both exclaimed in unison.

"Yeah me and Betty found her last night injured and sleeping on an old mattress. It cant be good for her or the baby." Jughead explained.

"I am just so worried for her. She won't let me tell the police and definitely not  our parents, She's  growing weak and running out of prenatal vitamins. Last night I brought her some blankets and food and this morning I brought her breakfast. She just looked at it , depressed. Losing Jason hit her hard and I'm scared if someone doesn't look after her at all times, she wont look after herself or the baby."

The words poured out of her mouth like hot coffee. All the emotions welled up inside her , making her eyes water. Overwhelmed, she buried her face in her hands. Seeing her this way, pulled an ache in Jughead that he couldn't explain. It hurt him to see her this way. Once again he extended his arm around her , pulling her in tight and close . Like earlier today they were close, really close. He didn't care abut what the others might think. He didn't even care that he will soon need to provide an explanation to why he was with Betty in the middle of the night and to what he was doing with her now. But he didn't care, he just wanted to be here with her now, he hated seeing her this way-in pain. He wanted to take the stress, pain and hardship on his shoulders and put them on his own. But he can't. But what he can do is support her and be there for her whenever she needs him.

As Betty wiped her eyes , Veronica and Archie exchange a confused glance referring to  the affection Jughead had provided Betty. But they both knew now was not the time to ask questions. It was time to be there for their friends.

After a short silence, veronica finally let out a breath and spoke.

"Hey..." Betty looked up.

Veronica continued " There is so much going on right now and it may all seem hard but we can all get through it together." She gestures to the group of three they called their closest friends. "Now lets slay one dragon at a time, as for Polly she can come stay with me and my Mom. We have a spare bed and my mom works night shift so she can spend the days with her and I can spend the nights with her. We can keep it quiet move her in the night and arrange for a doctor to provide her weekly home visits until she's ready to speak with your parents."

"I cant ask you to do that..." Betty replied.

"Nonsense its happening , I will speak to my mom tonight and do the move today or tomorrow." Veronica smiled genuinely.

" I honestly cant thank you enough-" Betty was about to spill out a monologue about ho Veronica was like a sister to her and if she needed anything she always knew where to come when Kevin Keller entered and perched himself on the arm of the chair.

"Hey what are you all talking about?" he asked.

Betty felt Jughead go stiff and the rest of the group glanced around the room suspiciously.

"Just something that happened last night," Jughead admitted sharply. He was going to protect Betty , even if it meant shutting Kevin out.

"Yeh, I know so is the rest of the school." The four friend all made eye contact quick. How could he know? Was Polly caught? Does this mean Betty had failed Polly wishes? Betty felt her chest go tight . Jughead felt her body tense , saddening him knowing there was nothing he could do to relive her of this anxiety.

"Can you believe it ? They found new evidence this late into the investigation." Kevin continued.

"Wait what new evidence?" Archie asked  the question everyone had playing on their mind.

"No one knows they are keeping it hidden, all that's been released is that the evidence points to Jason's killer being a student at Riverdale high"

Betty and Jughead snapped their heads toward each other. The message playing through their eyes. They both knew what this meant, they had to revaluate their whole case against the Cooper family and move onto a new suspect. Well at least this meant , more time alone together. Something neither of them would deny.