Slowly Bleeding Lies ~Bughead~

thirty

Jughead's POV: I would finally be gone. I'd be away from the pain, the beauty, and the mysteries of Riverdale. I'd learned that Riverdale was a special place. I'd never forget it, and it'd been great, at the least. But, everything must come to an end...right? I'd surely miss this place. It did have its flaws, it's mistakes, just like a human does. It had sad days, rainy days, and sunny days. It had familiar faces, and people walking around, not even taking in what was happening around them. It had people that made you ache, and smile at. It had the people you saw everyday. It had the people you saw once every week. It had the people you saw, but then disappeared. Riverdale had all of your pain, wrapped into one, all for you to see at once. But now, I wouldn't care for it anymore. None of it. I'd been through enough, and I'm done. But I have a feeling that Riverdale is hard to forget. Maybe even the impossible... to forget.
Betty's POV: Cheryl's idea was pretty stupid, I have to admit. But what other way...was possible? What other way would I use, and not have to embarrass myself? Maybe this is all stupid. Maybe I should just give up. No, I tried that once too many times.
Then again, I'd learned so much over the past years. I'd learned to follow your heart, and believe that you can. Believe that you can do anything, and do the impossible. Even if everyone didn't believe in you. So, I agreed to writing the stupid letter. He probably wouldn't even get it.
I pulled out he chair to my dad's old work desk, and saw the wood chipping off. I sat the blank piece of paper down on the part of the desk that wasn't tearing up, and grabbed my dad's favorite pen. I took a deep breath. I pressed the pen down against the paper. I began to write.
Dear, Juggie

You were the loner. The boy from the wrong side of the tracks, who never dealt with anyone's pathetic words that weren't worth your time. You were the boy who hated cliche books, but deep down, you were cliche, most of all. Me. I was the perfect girl next door, who hated being called that. I denied it, but it's true. I was. I was the girl who would secretly rather be reading than writing. I was the girl who made the worst decisions. But together, we were something else. Something way stronger than any of that. But now, it's all gone. Down the drain, up on the highest shelf. And here's why...
I remember the day we first met, the day we had the most fun, the day you gave me a free milkshake, the day you insulted Archie, the day Archie ignored me for the first time. I remember the day we started high school, had our first dance, and Archie had his first girlfriend. I remember when My feelings for Archie grew obviously strong. I remember when I confessed to him. I remember when he rejected me. I remember when you left us. I remember when I fell asleep in the cold grass. I remember when I found you in the treehouse. I remember when the Drive In shut down. I remember when you saved me...and I saved you. I remember our kiss. I remember our fights, our flaws, and our weaknesses. I remember more than you think. All of it. And now look at us. We are alone, separated because of them. Our flaws. My mom tells me flaws shouldn't matter. They shouldn't mean anything, because everyone has them. But your flaws do matter. They matter because your flaws are mine. Our flaws. They should matter. Because of you. You. You're the point of all of this madness, sadness, and the point of Riverdale. You're the point, and the reason. The reason I'm still here. You're the reason why we're not beside one another. The reason I weep. The reason I paint over everything I know. And everything I left behind. You.
There's one thing I forgot to mention. You're the reason a new person will be sent into the world. You're the reason I'll get to teach it. You're the reason it might never know it's father. You're the reason for sadness...Do you remember the day we went to find Polly? I noticed that you would look at me, and then look away. Maybe now that you'll be away, you won't have to bother looking at all.
I love you, Juggie. Goodbye. Farewell. See you soon.
I hope.

"Betty, are you done yet?" Asked Cheryl. "Yeah...I think I am done. Finally." I said. "I felt like I just lost a part of my life." I laughed lightly. "You just gave up a part of your life, yes." Said Cheryl. "At least this'll be a proper goodbye." She added. "What?" I was confused. "He's leaving Betty. This time, I think he actually wants to." She said. "I'm sorry." She gave me a pat on the head, and she shut the door quietly. I looked down at the letter. I grabbed an envelope, and slid it in. I sealed it up, and turned it on the blank side. "Juggie <3" I wrote in my neatest handwriting. I cleared my dad's desk off, and put his pen back. "I'll take it to him." I jumped, and V stood in the doorway. I smiled sweetly, and handed it to her. "Thanks, V." I said. "At least the end offers less pain." She tried. "It is hard. To give a relationship up so easily, so quickly." I said. "Maybe it wasn't as quick as you think." She said. "Maybe." I whispered. She turned to leave, but then reached for something in her pocket. "But the way, I found this on your front porch. It says it was made last year." She handed me a crumbled up piece of paper. "What is it?" I asked. "Open." She gestured. I unfolded it, and inside was a perfect drawing of me. A tear dropped to my eye on the paper, and it streamed down my drawn cheek. "Look on the back." Said Veronica, and she walked out. I flipped the paper over, and it said,

JUGHEAD JONES, 2016
TO: HER
I put the paper in my pocket, and went to my room.

Jughead's POV: As I packed the last of my stuff, my doorbell wrung. Probably another person I hate to say goodbye. I twisted the doorknob, and Veronica Lodge stood, wearing a leopard print mini skirt, and a fur jacket. As she took a step closer, her heels clicked against the stone. "Hey Jughead." She said sadly. "What're you doing here?" I asked. "Saying farewell. Wishing you some luck." She said. "Okay. Well.." I didn't know what to say. "And to give you this." She handed me a paper envelope. I turned it around. And saw Betty's handwriting. I took off my beanie, and muttered something to myself I didn't even understand. "Read it. I think you both deserve an explanation. Even if you don't have one yourself." She said. "Goodbye, Jughead." She said. Her heels clicked several times before she stopped again. "Don't forget about me, either, Jones." I smiled, and I got a last look at her face. I knew I'd never see her smiling face again. There was a little sadness, too. She smiled with her purple swiped lips one last time. Goodbye, Veronica. I said to myself. There was something about her, that I knew I'd miss.
Before I got into my car, I made sure I had everything. I got in anxiously, and started up the car. I went down the Main Street, past Veronica's building, and then past the Drive In. Past Archie's perfect little house. Past Betty's house. It sat there, looking more sad than ever. The house reminded me of the letter, that I reached into my pocket to grab. As I was almost to the exit of Riverdale, and slowed down my car and read the letter. She put her thoughts, and her memories into it. It was heartbreakingly, epically, and sadly the last bit of Betty Cooper. Of course, the memories wouldn't be gone. When I'd reached the last paragraph, I read slowly to take in my Betty's last words-
My car went to a screech on the road. I slammed the door. I left my stuff, my car, all of my things I cherished. I ran as fast as I could, down past Veronica's building, past the Drive In, past everything I loved. The thing I loved most, was in the house right in front of me. I stood there, out of breath. "BETTY." I yelled as loud as I could. It took a minute, but I saw her door slowly start to open. Out came Betty, her hair in her perfect loose curls, perfect pink sweater, and perfect pink lips.

And this would be the end of another story.
Except there's a thousand more endings ahead.
Maybe just the beginning of a new one.
Maybe.