Detention - bughead story

A Dying Visit

Betty was freaking out! For once in her life, she didn't know what to do. Her instinct was to go straight to wherever the hell he was and get Jughead. But she knew she couldn't do that, he could kill him in a matter of minutes.

To breathe, became harder and Betty lost her breath in seconds, trying her hardest to inhale but her lungs kept deflating. Everything was failing her. She felt pain, but it wasn't even remotely similar to the agony Jug would be feeling. All. Because. Of. Her.

Betty's vision started to blur and breathing was becoming harder. Her head started spinning, and suddenly she was stumbling. She was gasping and gasping for air, trying to calm down her thoughts, but the only image that stayed implanted in her brain was the attachment of Jughead. She could feel her nails sink into her palms, trying to make herself feel some sort of release and control within herself. Some sense that she could control something.

Her mother came running into her bedroom as Betty slid down the wall, her panic filling up her lungs, forbidding her to breathe.

"Betty! Betty! Breathe. Please, Elizabeth, just breathe. In through your nose, out through your mouth," Alice tried to soothe her daughter as she now kneeled on the floor beside her, rubbing her back and comforting her.
It was Jughead's comfort Betty really needed, but at this point Betty knew any comfort would help. So she followed her mother's orders and did just so, and everything slowly started to calm, and her breathing came back to normal again.

"There you go," Alice encouraged, "that's it, baby. It's all over now."

Betty's lip quivered as she stifled her sobs.
She knew she had to be strong, weakness wasn't an option against Chic. He knew Jughead was her weakness, and that hurting him would hurt her more. That was his revenge.

"Mom... what was that? What just happened?" Betty queried. She'd never experienced anything like it in her life, anything close to a near death experience, that's what it felt like.

"You had a panic attack, honey. But don't worry. It'll be fine. You'll be okay," Alice told her.

"I... I thought I was going to die. I really tried, but I couldn't breathe. It was so scary, Mom," Betty let out, silent tears streaming down her face.

Alice soothed her daughter and comforted her, and then spoke up.
"Betty, do you know what caused this? Can you tell me?"

Betty looked at her mother, tears in her eyes, sorrow sparkling in them and then spoke,
"I'd rather just show you."

Betty opened the messages on her phone, and handed the device to Alice, who clamped her hand to her mouth and gasped, eyes watering as soon as she saw exactly what Betty saw.

"Oh, my God," she whispered.

"Betty," Alice turned to Betty, "Where is he? We need to find him, Betty. We need to call the police. Right now!"

"Now, I don't think that would be necessary, do you, Alice?"

Betty and Alice both shot their heads up at the familiar and stone cold voice. Chic was standing in the doorway of Betty's bedroom, looking down at them both.

Betty stood up, anger consuming her fear, taking its place.

"Where is he, Chic?! Where the hell is he?!" Betty screamed in his face.

"Jeez, Betty, no need to get all up close and personal," Chic laughed, "Lover boy is not dead... yet."

"What did you do to him? None of this was his fault! It was me you were after! Jughead had no part in this!" Betty shouted as she slowly fell apart at the regret and sympathy she felt.

"Yeah, that was the original plan, to go after you. Kill you. But... when I paid you a visit last week. Jughead... he really loves you. And you really love him. And then I realised... you would rather get yourself hurt, than let anything happen to him, and he would probably do the same for you. I wanted revenge, Betty. And I know, if I took him, it would be even worse pain for you than just killing you myself. He is your weakness. Look at you. Already slowly falling apart. You're making it so much easier for me, Betty. So when I kill him, with a slow and painful death, of course, you'll be completely broken, for the rest of your miserable god forsaken life! Just like I was! I don't want to give you the easy way out by killing you, Betty. I want to watch you suffer. Emotionally. In agony and grief, for the rest of your life," Chic said, very seriously, and then when Betty froze, her words getting caught in her throat, he smiled, a wicked and evil smile.

He then turned his attention to Alice Cooper.

"Oh, and I wouldn't call the cops, Mama C. We all know how that goes down, besides if you do, just a heads up, Jughead will be dead. And I always keep my word," Chic stated, before turning and exiting the house.

Betty just stood in the same position, staring at the now closed bedroom door, contemplating everything that had just happened, and everything that was wrong in her life at that moment. All of these urgent and extreme problems were building up on her, but she couldn't tell anyone else. Jughead could die.

And his blood would be on her hands.