Drifters

3

Betty walks into the break room, the flashlight Jughead had given to her in hand;

—

" Betty" Jughead calls. She walks over to him from the break room. He's crouched down behind the counter cueing up the shining on his laptop, a mountain of blankets layered on the ground. Betty laughs a little.

" how's the popcorn coming?" He asks looking up at her, " I didn't hear much popping" he says.

" It was too dark, I couldn't find the popcorn" she says, " why do you have so many blankets here?" She says looking at the setup. He stills not knowing what to say

She can't find out

" it gets cold in here during the winter" he says handing her a flashlight. She looks at it before flicking it on and shining it in his face.

" this place has heat" she questions

Shit

" they um- turn it off during the winter, they can't afford it"

" uhh-huh" she says giving him a side ways glance while crossing her arms over her chest.

He sighs loudly, turning away from her, " just let it go Betts"

Betty frowns, her eyes filling with concern.

" you know my sister used to call me Betts" she says looking at the wall behind Jughead. He turns to face her.

" she got pregnant when she was 16, my parents sent her to this home; the sisters of Quiet Mercy. I found out months later and got her out-"

" you don't have to-"

" no, no it's ok, when I got her out she was already 8 months pregnant. A few weeks later she went into labor, my parents weren't home so I drove her, note that I didn't have my license. I could tell something was wrong on the way, she was screaming so loud. When we got there they took her into the delivery room as soon as we got there" she says, her eyes swelling with tears, Jughead slowly went from his crouched position to standing in front of her.

" a few hours later this doctor came out and told me that there where some...altercations, the baby was ok but Polly" her voice strains on her sisters name as she pulls her bottom lip in between her teeth Jughead takes a step towards her.

" I planed on staying home to help take care of him but my mom emailed my application. I came home one day to see her standing there with my bags packed and the acceptance letter in her hand. She knew I wanted to go to New Paltz, she told me she'd look after him and I left" she finished. A few tears that she couldn't hold in trickled down her face, she quickly wipes them away, she winces as she applies the pressure on her black eye. Jughead steps towards her, slowly wrapping his arms around her, making sure she was ok with the contact. Which she was. He wraps his arms around her, she lets out a shaky breath she didn't know she was holding as she felt his loving embrace. She never got this from chuck, never. She feels as if she'd been holding her breath ever since she met chuck and she finally let it go, relaxing for the first time since she met him.

" I'm sorry" he whispers in her hair. He snakes his arm around her back, bringing his hand to hold her shoulder, the other holding her close. She shakes her head

" no, no I'm sorry" she says backing away slowly, whipping her eyes. "I didn't mean to become this sob story-"

" no, no it's fine" he says rubbing her arm. She smiles timidly holding up the flash light,

"  still in the mood for popcorn?" She asks, shining the flashlight towards the break room.

" as long as you still wanna watch the shining" he says crouching back down to his laptop smiling.

—

"Popcorn...where are you popcorn?" She mumbles as she shines her light in each cabinet.

" ahh-ha!" She says as she opens the next cabinet to see a box of microwave popcorn. She grabs the box and puts it down. She goes to shut the cabinet but freezes when she sees something in the back. She reaches in feeling a fabric in between her fingers. She pulls the object and observes it. She holds a pillow, she looks at it.

" hey Betty did you find the popcorn-" his face drops as he walks into the break room.

" what- why is this here?" She asks

He walks over to her and grabs the pillow putting it back in the cabinet and slamming it shut.

" jug-"

" What! What do you want to hear Betty, we  barley know each other! God just-"

" you live here don't you?"