In My Eyes (Jughead and Betty)

Betty: The First Day

Betty pov

I woke up two hours before I had to get ready for my first day as a sophomore. I didn't want to but I knew I had to go. The rest of the summer had gone by too fast. Most of it was me hiding in my room, occasionally going to Archie's to hang with him and Jughead. But in truth, I had barely seen anyone aside from my mom since my father's funeral. Jughead said he understood, but I knew he needed more from me. I planned to continue at school like normal and ignore any questions about Polly and Jason today. I would focus on my friends. I would avoid Cheryl. I wouldn't shut down. Only, that didn't happen. Quite the opposite actually.

I walked to school slowly. When I got through the front doors everyone that was in the lobby stared at me. With my head down, I headed to my locker. We got our locker numbers at the end of last year. I noticed everyone whispering.

Ignore it.

When I opened my locker Veronica ran up to me. "Betty! I haven't seen you in forever. How is everything?"

"I've been better but I'm okay." I said plainly. I knew I planned to hangout with friends like normal but I really wanted to see Jughead more than anyone else right now. I headed to the common room with Veronica. She was talking about her visit to see her dad and how he was coming home soon. I was happy for her but she was being way too chatty.

Archie and Jughead were sitting on the couch and when they saw us they stood up. Jughead walked to hug me. I squeezed back. "Hey baby." He whispered in my ear and I shivered.

"I missed you. I'm sorry I haven't seen you in almost three days." I whispered back. He kissed my forehead.

"Don't apologize. I bought you breakfast." He said in a normal talking volume.

"And not me?" Veronica said jokingly.

"Only for my girl, sorry." Jughead shrugged his shoulders. I smiled weakly. He called me his girl. Veronica rolled her eyes and though it had to be a playful act she did seem annoyed.

Jughead had his arm around my shoulders as I ate my bagel and drank my coffee. I couldn't help but notice Veronica watching Jughead who was watching me.

When the bell rang we all stood up. "What's your first class, B?" Archie asked.

"English room 113. You guys?"

Jughead smiled. "Me too."

"Same." Archie and Veronica harmonized.

"Well damn, awesome!" I tried to smile again but it was hard. Polly wasn't here. She couldn't smile at me in the halls. She couldn't sometimes skip lunch with her friends to sit with me and mine. We couldn't walk home together. I couldn't wake her up in the morning to have her throw a pillow at me. I felt the salty waterworks building and I blinked furiously.

"Betty..." Jughead looked at me. We arrived at the classroom door and Veronica and Archie went in. "If you need to skip that's okay."

"No no I'm fine. I was just thinking about ..."

"I know. Let's go in." As soon as I entered the room I spotted Cheryl. I squirmed inwardly. She sat in the back so Jughead and I sat in the front. I knew he didn't like the front so I appreciated it. Before she started class, my teacher, Ms. Baker stopped by my desk.

"If you need to leave at any point you may. I am very sorry for your loss Miss Cooper. Polly was a lovely girl." Ms. Baker told me.

"Thank you." I didn't understand why anyone would place me in the same class as Cheryl but I knew the teachers didn't pick that.

English class was okay. Jughead kept whispering jokes to me about some of our classmates. "Why is Sabrina such a teacher's pet? I swear she doesn't even understand half of what we talk about but yet Ms. Baker favors her."