hungry | bughead

Cryptic Caramel

  Betty woke up underneath cotton sheets. The familiar walls filling her eyes. She sat up. She was in Jughead's house. Her head turned from side to side, Jughead wasn't there. The blonde could hear muttering coming from downstairs. She stood up and walked to the door, slowly opening it.

  Her head pulsed just as she was turning the knob. Everything that happened yesterday flowed back into her head. She groaned and walked out the door.

  The words downstairs grew louder, and turned into yells. Betty stopped in her tracks. What was going on? She heard little taps coming from behind her. Jellybean was behind her.

  "Betty! You awake!" The little  girl beamed at her, holding her arms up.

  Betty picked her up and giggled, "What are you doing up here?"

  Jellybean pouted, "Everyone fightin'. It's too loud!"

  The blonde bit her lip and carried Jellybean back into her room.

  "Play here for a little bit and I'll make the fighting go away ok?" Betty opened Jellybean's toy chest and the younger instantly began digging through her toys. The teen closed her bedroom door and started walking down the stairs.

  The yelling was nonstop, and Betty could only feel anxious. She could now see her parents. They were yelling. The further down she walked, the more she could see of the scene. Jughead's parents, Archie's parents, Veronica's parents. All sat around the Jones' dinner table.

  Jughead and Veronica were in the living room, but Archie seemed to be missing. Betty slowly made her way to the couch where Jughead sat. He noticed and ran up to her.

  He embraced her tightly and didn't want to let go, "Are you okay?"

  Betty wrapped her arms around him, feeling his radiating comfort and warmth, "I'm okay."

  Veronica pulled Jughead away and went to hug her best friend, "Goodness Betty! I am so sorry! I'm so happy you're okay! I don't understand how this could have happened . . ."

  Hearing the commotion, Betty's parents practically ran into the living room.

  "Betty! We were so worried! We were scared you weren't gonna wake up and-" her father stopped there, afraid he scared her, and he did scare all of the teens in front of him.

  The blonde teen's heart clenched. They thought she was going to die. They thought Archie killed her. They thought Archie was murderer. What would have happened if he got away with it? Betty couldn't imagine how insane and sadistic Archie was. Had he always been like that?

  Archie's parents walked into the room, both of them seeming to be teary eyed.

  The red headed woman wrapped her arms around Betty's shoulders, "I am so sorry. We had no idea he was . . . Like that . . ."

  Betty returned the embrace, and she could feel the older woman's tears staining her shirt.

  Veronica's father butted in, "There's no apologizing for him. He should be able to man up and come apologize!"

  Betty's father joined in,"Yes that's right! He should be on his knees begging for forgiveness! What he did was disgusting and stupid!"

  Jughead put his head down, "It's all my fault."

  Everyone's eyes went to him.

  "I-if I had never liked Betty this wouldn't have happened."

  Betty's mouth went agape as she stared at him, "No! What the hell are you talking about! None of this is your fault! If anything its my own fault. . ."

  "No Betty-" Veronica started.

  "Maybe if I hadn't broken up with Archie all this could have been prevented."

  Her mother started this time, "Don't you dare say that! He treated you like garbage! He didn't deserve you!"

  The redhead's parents held each other close, bowing their heads in shame, "We know how our son is. . . And we apologize."

  Veronica's dad interrupted again, "We don't want to hear it from you! We want to hear it from the boy! Where's the boy?!"

  "Enough!"

  Everyone turned again, this time to the door. It was Archie.

  "Listen, I know what I did was wrong, a-and I'm sorry. I'm sorry to all of you. Especially Betty."

  He turned towards her, and Jughead stepped in front of her.

  "Please let me apologize Jug, I-"

  The taller towered over him, his dark hair falling over the lids of his half closed eyes, "I think she's heard enough of your apologies. Anytime you did something stupid you just go out and say sorry and she forgave you! You want to try and kill her and apologize and-"

   "Juggie," Betty placed a hand on his shoulder, "Let him talk."

   Archie sped past Jughead and straight to Betty. He fiddled in his pockets and pulled out handfuls of caramel candies.

  "I brought you caramel. . . You always order caramel sundaes so I thought you'd like them."

  Betty smiled awkwardly, "Thanks," she took the sweets from him, but her father snatched them away before she could eat.

  "How do we know he didn't poison them!?"

  Archie's dad became furious, "For god's sake give her back the damn candies!"

  "Its fine dad," Archie mumbled.

  He breathed in a heavy breath, "Betty, I am so sorry.I know I was a terrible boyfriend, I know I left you alot and I wasn't there for you. I-I'm sorry I made you cry. I-I really messed up this time, and I understand if you can't forgive me. I-I straight up fucked up. I can see why you like Jughead so much and I'm sorry I tried to take you away from him, he is so much better for your than me. I'm sorry Bets, for everything."

  Betty smiled, "Thank you for apologizing. Now go home."

  He lowered his head and nodded, walking towards the door and his parents following. The room went silent once they left and the awkward air was uncomfortable.

  "Oh, would you look at that, the limousine is here! Let's go Veronica."

  The rich teen smiled at Betty before following her parents out. Betty's parents smiled too, "We'll see you at home sweetie," and they left.

  Jughead's parents looked around confused, "Uhm, we're gonna go out for a drive." They called down Jellybean and the three of them made their way out the house, nearly slamming the door behind them.

  Betty and Jughead stayed standing in the hall for a while. Everyone suddenly left in a flash and Betty didn't exactly know why. Jughead gripped her hand and pulled her out the door.

  "Let's go to Pop's. We need to talk."