Just This Once

15

My heart raced as I got to the hospital as fast as I could, trying to explain to Veronica why she had to drive so fast.

"Betty, I don't understand."

"He's not okay. I don't know what happened. It was probably my fault and I can't, Veronica!" I cried. She drove faster, getting us to the hospital in just a few minutes.

"Betty, he hasn't woken up yet, but they'll tell me when." Jughead's dad walked up to me, handing me a letter. I read it and cried to myself.

"This is my fault, isn't it? He must hate me now." FP looked down at me and tried to calm me down.

"Betty, it says so in the letter. He loves you. He's never loved anyone as much as you. And I know he'll wake up." I nodded and fell asleep, feeling like I was going to drown in my tears.

* * *

"Betty, wake up." I heard someone say. Veronica was tapping on my shoulder.

"What is it, V?"

"He's awake."

I jumped up and started walking to the room number FP had told me, but had second thoughts.

"What if he doesn't want me there?"

"Just go, Betty. He's in love with you." 

I walked into the room where I saw Jughead sitting up, talking to his dad.

"I'll give you two some time." FP stood up and walked past me, but I just stared at Jughead.

"What do you want, Betty? Was there a spelling mistake in my writing?" He asked dully. Normally, I would've joked around with him, but I stayed quiet. I couldn't believe that Jughead was lying on the hospital bed, and he had almost died because of me.

"Hey, Cooper. Are you going to say something?" I paused before answering his question. I was afraid I was going to start crying.

"Why, Jug?" I whispered.

"You read the letter, didn't you?" He didn't make eye contact with me. "Sorry I'm just a reminder that you have a bad life." He said miserably.

"Jug, no. I... Jug." I didn't know what I even wanted to say to him.

"You finally did it, Betty. You finally broke me. I guess you just hated me all along."

"Jughead, no!" I yelled. "I can't believe you would ever believe that! You fixed my whole life for me, I didn't use you! I... you were everything to me." I started to hyperventilate. "And then you... after everything that's happened. Why?"

I started to stumble, almost passing out from the stress and fear. Jughead looked worried.

"Betts, are you okay?!" He tried getting up but was too weak.

"Don't call me that. I'm fine." I said. I wanted to leave, but I sat down in a chair and tried to calm myself down. Jughead positioned himself differently so that he could look at me.

"Betts..."

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" I yelled. I felt like my heart was going to explode. I couldn't handle seeing him like that, and everything was flooding back. Everything I felt when I was with him. Love, hate, lust, fear, selfishness, happiness, adrenaline.

I was drowning in my own head. I didn't even notice Jughead struggle to stand up and walk towards me, wrapping his arms around me.

"Juggie, you were gone. I thought you were gone. You said you would live for me, Jug. That's what I need." I cried into his shoulder. He kneeled in front of me on the floor and let me balance myself on him, even though it tired him out.

"That's what I'm doing, Betty. I'm living right now. I'm here. I'm alive. Just for you. For no one else." He whispered into my hair. Somehow I heard his voice louder than my sobs and screams.

"Don't leave me, Juggie."

"But, that's just it, Betty. You left me first." I could feel myself screaming, but I couldn't tell if it was in my head or not.

"No, Jug. No. This isn't real. We're both okay. We're both alive. With just us. It's just us." I said frantically, taking my head off of his shoulder. I brought him back to his bed and started to walk out of the door, not knowing if I could be next to him for much longer.

"Betty. Stay." He said. I didn't know what to do. That's when he spoke again. "Don't go. Don't go, Betts." A tear fell down his cheek as his voice shook.

I walked towards the hospital bed and rested my head on him, hugging him as tight as I could just so that we could be closer.

"I love you, Jug."

"I love you more."