heartbeats ; bughead

30

Betty 

After Jughead was seized by the police, after I kissed him on the cheek, I felt confused. Suspicious, even.

Was Jughead really a murderer?  I refused to believe it. I know he wasn't a murderer. He was kind, and focused, and sensitive, and paid attention to every word I said, stuck to the words like honey. When he kissed me, he left me with a feeling of giddiness, of passion. 

But when he let go of my hand that day, I realized how much Polly was really suffering. How heartbroken she was. She used to call me every night, and every night, she would burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably into the phone. 

I always urged her to come home, because I wanted to see her one more time, but she always refused. She said she didn't want to face anyone in the town, because any of them could be the murderer.  

But Jughead wouldn't do that to me. We spent so much time together, and I didn't want to believe it. He wouldn't do that. I trusted him too much.

 So I waited outside the police station. I waited for him for about an hour, until he came out, looking slightly disheveled, but smiling. "Elizabeth Cooper, you actually waited?"

"Don't count on it, Forsythe Pendleton. The Third," He smiled sarcastically, and then rested his head on my shoulder, whining like a little kid. "Oh, come on, Jug. You're not a child, get off me. Also, what happened in that police station. And why are you so happy?" I gasped, and he cocked his head in confusion, brown eyes piercing into mine.

"Wait, did they get you high? Are you-are you high right--" Laughing, he put a finger to my lips, and it stung where he touched it.

"No, genius, it's a police station. Why would I get high?"

"Good point. But why are you so happy?" He turned a little red, and I poked him playfully.

"Well, it's because of two reasons. One, I was clear of all charges for the murder of Jason Blossom. So I'm not a suspect anymore." I put a hand on his shoulder, and he smiled at me genuinely, doe eyes meeting mine.

"Congratulations, Jug! That's-that's amazing."

"Yeah. Wait, I'm not finished. The second reason is because...well, you make me feel happy. So that's why."

"Jughead Jones, are you flirting with me?"

"You're flirting with me, Betty Cooper." I elbowed him, and he laughed. We got into the car again, without hesitation, rode all the way to Greendale without pause, and finally found the pizza place.

"Wow, it's beautiful, Jug."

"Just like me." I gave him a sideways glance, and he linked his elbow in mine, laughing heartily. I knew that this was happiest I'd seen him since that day I found him near Sweetwater River.

For the next hour, we ate and laughed and smiled at literally nothing. I was taken back to when we spent Christmas together, and how we never grew bored of one another's presence. It was invigorating, being with Jughead. But it got me thinking. Did I want this?

Or did I want something more? I was open to a relationship, but I had never been with someone like Jughead. What was it that made me so happy to be around him?

What made me so eager to kiss him, to run my hands through his hair? I only snapped out of my thoughts when I realized Jughead was in the middle of paying. I hastily reached for his wallet, saying, "No, Jug, don't pay. I'll pay. Or actually, we can split--"

He gave me his lopsided grin. "Okay, if you're so eager to pay, go ahead." I frowned.

"Your dick attitude is showing, Forsythe." He laughed, but his smile faltered when he realized I was serious, when I placed a fifty dollar bill on the counter.

"What can I say? The Coopers are loaded." He looked slightly hurt, genuinely hurt, but I didn't notice, and continued laughing about how broke he was. 

When we pushed open the door, I realized that I'd been gone for more than I'd promised my mother. I checked my phone, the bright screen blaring in the darkness. 8:49 P.M, it read. 

"Shit, it's already nine. Jughead, I gotta go." He grunted something under his breath. 

"Hey, are you okay? Jug?" I touched his forearm. He raised his eyebrow, looking slightly fazed.

"Betty, I just had a thought. Like a real thought." He started to tremble under my fingertips, and I was starting to worry.

"Talk to me. What's up?" He pressed his lips together.

"What if I go to jail? What if I have to face my dad? Tell him everything that happened? What if I'm accused to be a murderer? What if no one believes me that I'm innocent? What--"

"Hey, hey, enough. None of that is going to happen. I promise. Well, maybe you'd have to tell your father everything. But other than that, you're fine. I'm here for you. Remember that, Jug." And all Jughead Jones did at that moment was smile.

His trembling had stop, and he was holding my hand back. "Elizabeth Cooper, I'm falling fast for you. Like Alice. Down the rabbit hole." I laughed softly at that childish reference.

"I wanna be with you. It's the one thing I'm sure about, Betty." 

I bit my lip. "Jughead, I don't know. It's a little far." 

"Live a little in your life.  It's good for you." I punched him playfully on the chest, but his hand snaked around my waist in a protective way, not the other kind.

"Jughead?" I felt a burst of something in my stomach, something like firecrackers. He leaned closer, and I caught a whiff of that cedar smell I loved.

Right when I wanted to say something, I thought different, because the feeling was climbing to my throat, eating me away like acid, and I went on tiptoe.

Our lips brushed for the third time, but this time, it was I who pressed my lips to his. The kiss wasn't like last time, tiny and nonexistent. It wasn't lustful or emotional.

It was a explosive kiss, our lips fitting into the other perfectly, and my hands in his soft hair, his hands on my waist, just like I imagined. Like I wanted. But he pulled away so suddenly, and I thought I did something wrong.

But he was smiling, open mouthed and genuine. It wasn't like those kooky grins he gave. I felt overwhelmed. Then he murmured in the wide open parking lot, so only I could hear, so only I was the center of his gaze.

"Is that a yes?" I smiled wider, and kissed him again, smiling into the kiss. 

I had to pull away. 

I pulled away, and then we were only holding hands, gazing into each other's eyes. "I really gotta go, Jug. Call you later?"

His lopsided grin was back. "Got some Cooper ritual at the witching hour?" I laughed.

"No,  but we do have a kill list." He feigned surprise.

"Would've never guessed." I turned away, smiling. 

I guess I was going to have to get used to smiling when I was with Jughead Jones.

aww, that was adorable. you know, this chapter reminds me of imagine by ariana grande. you know her new song? I hate that song, but ya know. i'm so sorry for not writing for so long, but it's winter break so i'll update as much as possible. ahahahah THREE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS, i'm so excited. sadly, i can't do a christmas special for this book, but you know christmas is special for this story, because it's betty and jug's first real kiss. also, i'm really sorry, but i hate riverdale season three. don't go off on me. it's kinda all over the place. anyways, tell me in the comments what you think of this chapter (i have a feeling y'all will liike it). 5.6K ASDFGHJKL. anyways, see ya!

~mo