The Serpent and the Nerd

Chapter 19

"So betts? Do you need a photographer for the paper?" Toni asked Betty on Monday morning as Toni and Betty were waiting for the boys in the blue and gold. "I mean yeah, I'm the only one who works on the paper" Betty said. "Really?!" Toni asked, shocked and Betty nodded. "Well I'll be happy to help you out, I love photography" Toni smiled. "I'd love that!" Betty grinned and hugged Toni. "We can talk about it after school" Betty smiled. Just then the boys walked in. "Hey guys" Toni and Betty greeted. "Hey" the boys said. "Morning babe" Jug said and kissed Betty. "Good morning" Betty smiled. "We brought breakfast and coffee" Sweetpea smiled, holding up a pops bag. "And you have a hot chocolate betts because we know you don't like coffee this early" Jug laughed. "Thank you" Betty giggled. "So, What were you girls talking about?" Fangs asked. "Toni is joining the blue and gold! As the photographer!" Betty announced. "Really! That's great" fangs smiled. "Do you need members?" Jughead asked Betty. "Well it is just me" Betty giggled. "I'll join! You know I love writing" jug smiled, pulling her towards him. "Thanks jug" she smiled and pecked his lips. "Now let's eat before first bell" he said and handed her the pops bag.

During their free period, Betty pulled jughead out of the student lounge and into the hallway. "What's up babe?" He asked. "I..erm. I'm going to see the guidance counsellor" she said quietly, looking down at her feet. Jughead smiled and lifted her chin up so he could look at her. "This is going to be a good thing baby" he smiled and watched as she sighed. He held his arms open for her and she hugged him tight. "What if she thinks I'm crazy?" She whispered and jughead could feel how fast her heart was beating; how nervous she was. "She's not going to think you're crazy" Jug smiled. "Promise?" She said as she pulled back. "I promise" he said. "Will you walk with me to her office?" Betty asked and jug laced their fingers together. "Of course I will" he said. After the short walk to the guidance counsellors office, jughead pulled Betty back in for one for hug. "You've got this" he said, softly, kissing her lips. "I love you" he said and it brought a smile to her face. "I love you too" she said. She took a few deep breaths and knocked on the door...

"So Betty. Tell me about what brought you here today" Mrs Weiss, the guidance counsellor smiled. "Oh. Erm... my teachers have been trying to get me to speak to someone for quite a while now and recently my boyfriend, thinks I should too" Betty said. "Okay. Why don't we start with why they wanted you to come here? What happened?" She asked. "Erm... my sister committed suicide.. and I found her.." Betty started. "Then my parents went off the rails and my mom died and my dad left me" betty said, trying to keep the tears from falling. "I'm sorry" mrs Weiss said, sympathetically. "And you're bullied is that correct?" She asked and Betty frowned, confused. "How do you know that?" Betty asked. "I might be a teacher but I know what happens around the school" mrs Weiss said. "So how come you've never done anything about it?" Betty asked. "Sometimes its makes it worse when teachers are involved. You already had too much on your plate" she said and Betty scoffed. "I don't think this is going to work!" Betty said and grabbed her stuff, running out; ignoring mrs Weiss calling after her.

Betty didn't feel like going to class after that session so she made her way to the library, pulling out some work and doing her homework. She put her headphones on and played her music, drowning out the rest of the world. After about half an hour her phone buzzed on the table. She didn't notice that jughead had sent her a few messages:

Jug: how was it? <3
Jug: babe? Toni said you weren't in maths?<3
Jug: I'm worried about you, please text me<3

She Quickly replied:

Betty: sorry I didn't see your messages. I'm in the library <3

Betty went back to her work and no less than five minutes later, jughead was strolling through the library and sat down opposite her. "Hey baby" he smiled and she took her headphones out and smiled. "Hi". "How was it?" He asked and she sighed and leaned back in her seat. "I walked out" she sighed. "Why?" He asked. "She wasn't being helpful" she said and told jughead about everything. "I'm sorry baby, I really want that to go well for you" he said, tugging her onto his lap. "Me too" she sighed. Jughead knew she still needed to see someone professionally so he said "we'll find you someone outside of school betts, we're not giving up yet".