Jughead adjusted his shoulder bag as he walked down the street. He hated Saturday nights and he was annoyed at being displaced. Pop's was normally bustling, even during the late hours, but Saturday nights were a whole other animal. It seemed that every group of friends and every couple wanted a booth at Pop's on Saturday night. Normally, Jughead would hang with Archie and Betty and their other friends, but this Saturday was different. Archie and Veronica were on a date and Betty was nowhere to be seen.
Jughead never minded sitting alone and observing, after all that's how he got most of the information for his novel. But he knew as soon as Reggie walked in and spotted him, that he wouldn't be left alone. There were no other free booths and Reggie could never resist an opportunity to bother Jughead. Not wanting any part of that, Jughead slipped out of the door while Reggie was distracted by greeting his other douche friends.
He didn't feel like going home yet, and besides, he did his best work outside of his bedroom. So he found himself heading towards his old treehouse. He didn't go up there often, but he knew there was still a lantern and a stash of food waiting for him.
Jughead climbed up into the tree house and fumbled around for the lantern. Finally finding it, he switched it on. Jughead shouted in surprise when the light illuminated a shape in the corner. Betty, who had been asleep, sat straight up and looked at him in shock.
"Jughead?" She blinked a few times, adjusting to the light.
"Wait, why do you look surprised to see me? This is my tree house!" Jughead protested, taking deep breaths to slow his beating heart.
"I'm sorry...I didn't know that you still came up here...I didn't know where else to go..." Betty shrugged hopelessly and Jughead noticed that her eyes were ringed in red. She was obviously upset about something and had been crying. Jughead pulled his bag off and moved to sit next to her.
"Is this about Archie and Veronica?" He guessed.
"What? Oh...the date. No, that's not what this is about, although that's why I didn't want to go to Pop's. I think I am finally over Archie, but things are still a little strained between us. I gave him and Ronnie my blessing, but...it's still a little weird. And I think it will be for a while." Betty sighed and lay her head on his shoulder. Jughead tensed at the contact at first, but slowly relaxed. If it were anyone other than Betty he would shift away.
"So, what is this about?" Jughead questioned
"My mom. We got into another huge fight, she still won't let me see Polly. My own mother is keeping me from my sister. I haven't seen her in months and I'm worried. Mother promises me that Polly is doing as well as can be expected, but I can't trust anything that comes out of her mouth." Betty sounded absolutely miserable and Jughead's heart broke for her.
"I'm sorry Betty." He leaned his head against hers, feeling her soft hair tickle his cheek.
"My mother has this way of turning everything around on me. One second we are fighting about me seeing Polly, the next she is listing all of the reasons I am a disappointment to her."
"You?" Jughead let out a snort "How could you ever be a disappointment?"
"Oh you know, I joined cheerleading, I am friends with Veronica and Archie, I invited Cheryl Blossom over to my house, I am too naive and too trusting, I don't focus enough on school and getting into a good college...the list goes on." She sniffled and Jughead could tell from the wetness on his shoulder that she was crying again.
"Betty..." He shifted, displacing her head, but he wanted to be able to look at her. He turned to face her, grimacing at the tears streaming down her cheeks and her pained expression. Her eyes were downcast as if she didn't want to look at him. He put his hand under her chin and brought her face up. "Betty look at me." She did and as soon as those big green eyes met his he felt something in his stomach flip flop. "Betty you are enough, and you should be enough for your mom. You are incredible and smart and the most caring person I know. I think she just pushes you so much because she wants you to be your best. It's her way of showing that she cares about you. I know it may not feel like it and it still sucks, but she does love you."
"I know she does Juggie, I just wish she could show it the way normal parents do. Just once I wish she could tell me that I made her proud" Betty was still looking at him with those intense, sad eyes, but her tears had stopped and Jughead was grateful for that.
"She'd be crazy if she wasn't proud of you" Jughead's hand that was on her chin had found its way to her cheek. He brushed off her tears and stroked her cheek with his thumb. Betty leaned against his hand.
"I guess I came to the right place to get cheered up," Betty said with a smile. Jughead smiled back and dropped his hand, but Betty grabbed it with both of hers. "Can we...I mean, would it be okay if we stayed here for a while? Like old times?" Jughead smiled at the memories of her, Archie, and himself camped out in the tree house for hours on end.
"I'm not going anywhere." He said squeezing her hands. Betty leaned forward suddenly and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. Jughead felt his face flush with the contact and was glad that it was so dark. He watched as she readjusted her position so that she was laying down on the edge of the pillow where she had been previously. She patted next to her and Jughead lay on his back next to her. They had fallen asleep next to each other in the tree house like this countless times before, but this time was different. Jughead was hyper aware of how close she was, of her knee touching his leg, her arm against his side.
"Juggie?" He turned his head to find her laying on her side, her face very close to his. "Thanks for being here" She whispered. Jughead reached up and caressed her cheek again, but this time he brought her closer to him as he leaned forward. Their lips ghosted across each other lightly. Jughead waited, wanting to make sure this was what she wanted. Betty responded by putting her hand on his waist and pulling him closer and pushing their lips together. The kiss was slow and sweet and everything Jughead had hoped it would be. When they finally pulled apart Betty rubbed her nose against his and then cuddled against his chest, her arm around him and their legs tangled together.
"Betty, I'm really glad we ran into each other," Jughead said with a smile. Betty chuckled and pulled him closer. Jughead felt warm and content and safe up in his tree house with Betty in his arms.
