Taken- A Bughead Fanific

Chapter 9: Blood, Sweat, and Tears

BETTY'S POV:

I woke to the raven-haired boy gently shaking my shoulders and screaming my name in anguish. I fluttered my eyes open to him being ripped off of me. I watched in a daze as the shadowed minions held him back. His muffled screams and Penny's hysterical laughter sounded like she was underwater.  It was a tranquil feeling, to be frank. A

I blinked, and when I opened my eyes somebody was holding me upright. The calm started deserting me. As I came to my senses, I heard Jughead yelling again.

"Stop! Stop!" he bellowed, trying to break free from the three guys holding him back.

I looked around and noticed my surroundings. I was in a cafeteria with no tables. Graffiti canvased the greasy walls. Was I in Southside High?

3rd PERSON POV:

In the grimy cafeteria stood Betty, Jughead, Archie, Penny, Malachai, Tallboy, and a few other men from the Serpents rival gang. Once everyone, including Jughead, calmed down and Betty was fully awake, Penny spoke.

"Jughead, I'm glad you decided to come," she said sweetly. He glared at her.

"Why?" He asked her in a tired, monotone voice, "Hiram has set you up nicely. I am no use to you. Betty Cooper is no use to you, so why?" He looked over at Betty but not meeting eye contact, afraid the guilt would overcome him then and there. He looked at her pale skin that had a green tint. Her left shoulder had turned to a dark violet with green around the edges. The deep cuts on her cheek were now infected and oozing. Her lips were almost the same color as her skin. Her dress was now at least three sizes too big. His eyes surveyed her legs, which looked like pencils. Bruises trailed down to her bare feet. They were covered in dirt and small cuts. His head broke into a million pieces. "Betty, oh my god. What do they do to you?" He asked her softly. Her lips stayed shut but quivered.

She brushed him off, "I don't have to answer your questions. We are moving on. With that being said..."

Malachai briskly walked over to him and punched him in the stomach. The two men crouched down with him, keeping Jughead's arms behind his back. Malachai did the same thing again. Jughead let out a forced grunt, keeping his head down.

"Stay down," Malachai ordered him, like a dog.

"I'll fucking kill you!" Betty belted out, fighting against the people restraining her.

The words made Malachai stop in his tracks. Jughead squeezed his eyes shut, knowing that his girlfriend couldn't take back those words.

Malachai leaned in to his ear, whispering through his soft, ink black curls that concealed it. "You can't stand up for yourself?" He started, "need your girlfriend to do it for you?" He watched as he saw Jughead clenched his jaw, doing everything in his power to hold everything in.

"At least I have a girl," Jughead mumbled, meeting Malachai's chaotic eyes that were daring him to go on. "I bet there're scared shitless of you."

Malachai chuckled in spite. Then, he turned around and smugly walked over to Betty in the opposite direction.

He quickly glanced at Jughead, Betty, Jughead, then Betty again. "You scared shitless of me?" He inquired, gesturing toward her. Betty leaned in as far as the men would let her.

"Go to hell" She blatantly stated. The perfect girl next door confidently studied his eyes and continued, "does that answer your question?"

Jughead sighed in vanquish. She was not helping the situation. "Hit me! Don't hit her, hit me! I'm the one you want, not her," he attempted to convince him.

Malachai was taken back, letting his mouth drop for a split second. His surprised expression turned into an angry one. He took a step back so he could jump into a passionate punch to her nose. A loud popping sound filled Jughead's ears as he sat limp. His mouth fell open and his face turned wet with salty tears. He wished with all of his heart that he could switch places with Betty.

"You pice of shit," Archie said in a condescending tone, practically jumping as an attempt to be released from the Goolies' grip. In turn, the red-headed boy was taken out of the Cafeteria and into a hallway.

Malachai stood smugly, waiting for what Betty was going to do next. She knew he broke her nose. The girl gathered herself and sneered, "Is that all you've got?" Blood gushed down her nose and trickled down her slim neck. A single tear left her eye.

"Betty, please," Jughead begged her not to go on. He couldn't stand to see her get hurt anymore.

"Oh no, baby! That was just the beginning!" He cheered. This caused the other people in the room, including Penny, to cheer with him.

She kept looking blankly at Malachai, masking her terror as she prepared for his next blow. He punched her in the gut, just like he did Jughead. She doubled over and gagged. There was no food to throw up, so she regurgitated as he added yet another shot to the middle of her spine. The girl next door wheezed as she collapsed to the floor. The men let her drop, no longer needing to be held back.

Jughead slumped over and wailed incoherent words as he watched her fall. "Betty," he called her name as he choked on his tears, "Betty, look at me, it's gonna be okay, I swear, I swear, I'm gonna fix this," he pressed his head to the floor to try and make eye contact with her. Her golden locks draped over her bloody face.

"It's not your fault, Juggie. I love-" she managed to get out before Malachai swing his leg into her side. The impact almost immediately knocked her out of consciousness. He did it again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Jughead painfully watched, begging and pleading at the top of his lungs. The most agonizing part was that he couldn't help her. He fought against the Goolies like he was fighting for her life. Jughead managed to free himself and push Malachai off of Betty and onto his feet. He leaned over Betty and put his hand on her face, brushing the blood stained hair away. He grazed his thumb over her cheek, his hands shaking. Her eyes stayed closed as he desperately called her name out once more.

Tallboy ran over to Jughead, ready to rip them apart. Penny raised her hand, gesturing for him to stop. He did the same to Malachai. Everyone watched in silence as Jughead lifted her head. He wept over her. Penny crouched down to their level.

"So, I take it that you will do what I say from now on..." she mumbled.

Jughead ignored her. He kept his undivided attention on Betty. "You can make it, Juliet. You have to stay awake. Stay awake for me, Betty, please," He sobbed into her hair.

Penny cleared her throat. "Did you hear me, Jones?"

"Yes, yes," he said, defeated.

Suddenly, he heard a gun shot.

"Get down!" He heard Archie warn. He hovered over Betty and closed his eyes. The loud boom made his ears ring. He heard several more. Jughead heard bodies falling to the floor. He stayed still over Betty, shaking. A large hand grabbed his shoulder. "We have to get out of here, grab Betty," Archie instructed.

And with that, Jughead picked Betty up and they ran out of the abandoned high school and into Archie's truck, leaving the gunshots.