Burning - A Bughead Fanfiction

- chapter seven -

Just a quick note, I don't know much about anxiety and I don't mean to offend anyone who has it by the way I portray it. I'm sorry if it is inaccurate and offends you, but by no means is that my intention ♥

♥betty♥ 

I look up at the school as we stand in front of the steps. The excessive amount of people made my anxiety come up, closing my throat just slightly. My anxiety wasn't bad, it didn't happen too often.

"Betty?" Jughead worries, recognizing my tense structure as a mild anxiety attack, he was almost always there whenever I had one of these. 

"Hold my hand?" I ask shyly.

He smiles, intertwining his fingers into mine and gripping tightly. "You'll be okay."

I nod before we walk up the steps.

Once we walk in, I hand my coat to the volunteer worker by the front, taking the card that says the number that corresponds with my hanger. I stick the card into my purse so I don't loose it. 

My mild anxiety dies down, the intimidation leaving once I enter the gym. It was decorated beautifully, yellow fairy-lights on the walls, the theme was white and gold. I link my arm into Jughead's as we go to find an empty table. Instead, we find one where Archie and Veroncia already sit, Kevin as well.

"Hi guys!" Veronica cheers as we walk up. "You look amazing."

"Thanks." Both Jug and I respond.

"So, what's this news I hear about you two dating?" Kevin sneers.

Shit, I forgot to tell him.

"Uh- Can I talk to you, Kev?" I say. I smile at Jughead, placing a hand on his shoulder as if asking to go. He smiles back in response.

Kevin and I stand just a few feet from the table. "Care to explain?"

"Well, after I found out about Archie and Veronica, Jug was really there for me. Hell, he's always been there for me, I was.." I think to myself, coming to the realization as I speak the words aloud, "I was just always to blind to see the boy who was standing right in front of me."

That's when it hit me. I've liked Jughead for much longer than I thought. My judgement was clouded by the "crush" on Archie, if you could even call it that. Now that I recognize my feelings for Jughead, what I felt for Archie seems next to nothing. That wasn't a crush, that was a minor attraction. This, what I felt for Jug, was a deep, overwhelming feeling- a real crush. I was falling hard and fast, all of the feelings that were there for so long fulfilling my mind and body.

"Aw, well." Kevin says, taking me out of my thoughts, "You seem to really like him so I'll give you a pass. BUT, next time anything big happiness in your love life, I want to be first to know." 

I smile and nod. 

"Go get 'em, girl." he says looking behind me. I turn around to see what he's looking at, finding Jughead staring at me, two cups in hand. I turn back around to find Kevin was no longer there.

I smile at Jughead, walking slowly towards him. As cliche as it sounds, it felt like it was only the two of us in the gym, walking to him in slow motion.

I come back to reality as I now stand in front of him.

"Get a scolding?" he wonders, handing me a drink.

I giggle, "Surprisingly not." 

"Oh?" he says in an over-dramatic surprise.

I take a sip of my drink, my eyes not leaving his. Once I pull the cup away from my lips, I notice his eyes move to them for a mere moment. The glance makes me shutter, the need to kiss him coming over me.