Return to Riverdale {Bughead} [BettyCooper] Completed

Chapter 8

POV Betty

I didn't like the way that Jughead was looking at me. He looked deep in thought and it made me nervous. He shook his head and then looked at me. I swear that all the anger and rage left his eyes and was replace with something else. Something that I used to see in his eyes when we were kids. I gasped. Was it possible? Suddenly, I felt a large hand on my shoulder and Jughead looked up at someone behind me. Immediately his eyes changed to anger but I knew that it wasn't directed at me for once. I turned and was met with Archie standing over me and Reggie behind him.

"Hey, Betty" Archie said, keeping his hand on my shoulder. I looked at V and she glared at him. All the conversation at our table stopped and everyone looked at us.

"Hi, Arch. What's up?" I asked, trying to keep the smile on my face even though I really didn't want him to touch me. I moved my shoulder in an attempt to get his hand off me but it didn't work.

"Reggie and I were wondering if you and Veronica wanted to go to the back to school dance with us this Friday?" Archie asked with a smile.

I glanced at V and she shook her head no. I quickly went through my list of excuses. If I said no, just flat out, Archie would view me as even more of a challenge. If I said that I wasn't going, V, C and Kevin would be upset. If I said that I already had a date, he would probably ask me for a name. I looked at V for help and could tell that she was going through the same list that I was.

"Sorry, pal, Sweet Pea and I already asked them and they agreed to go with us" Jug said suddenly. I looked over and him and he smiled and winked at me. Sweet Pea agreed immediately.

"Yep. That's just what we were talking about" Sweet Pea added. V looked at me and I thought. I really didn't want to go to the dance with Jughead either but at least I could make up some excuse at the last minute to avoid it. I nodded and V smiled. I could tell that she DID want to go with Sweet Pea.

"Yeah, Cheryl is going with me and Fangs and Kevin are going together too. It's a big group date" Toni offered and I grinned. At least we would all be together. Reggie glared at Sweet Pea and Archie looked at me for confirmation.

"Sorry, Arch. Jughead's right." I said trying to look regretful. Archie sighed.

"Well, how about Saturday night? Why don't you and I go to dinner? Reggie can't make it, he has something with his family but we could go, just the two of us. We need to catch up" he pressed. I looked at V and she shrugged blankly.

"Umm... Saturday?" I stalled but my brain had shorted out and I couldn't think of anything. Archie grinned and leaned in closer.

"Saturday should be good" I finally agreed. V cringed at me but Archie beamed. I glanced over at Jughead and he glared at the redheaded boy with rage.

"Great! Let me get your number and I'll text you later" he insisted. As I gave him my number I glanced around the table and read a multitude of expressions. Concern on V, C and Kevin, annoyed on Toni and Sweet Pea, amused on Fangs and Reggie and anger on Jughead.

"I'll talk to you later, Betts" Arch said and he and Reggie finally left the table. As soon as they were out of earshot, I groaned.

"Shit. This sucks" I complained.

"Then why did you say yes?" Sweet Pea demanded. I looked at him with confusion.

"I couldn't think of a good excuse" I snapped.

"You could have just fucking said no" Jug thundered.

I shook my head, "That would have just made it worse. He would never give up then."

"Do you really think that he's going to give up now?" Kevin asked and I shrugged.

"Maybe I'll just get sick this weekend..." I began.

"Is that what you're planning for the dance too? Don't even try it. We're going" Jughead snarled and I exchanged a look with V. Crap. There was no getting out of the dance now.

The rest of the day passed by quickly. That afternoon, Cheryl insisted that V and I try out for cheerleading. We were both on the dance squad in New York so we didn't fight her too much. V and I walked to our lockers and then to the locker room after our last class.

"There they are. Here's your gym clothes. We're meeting in the gym in ten" C told us as we walked in. V and I quickly changed and then followed the rest of the girls out to the gym. I was surprised to see so many people in the bleachers.

"Why are there so many people here?" I asked C as she walked over to us.

"You forget what a small town is like, cousin. This is hot entertainment." C smiled. V and I looked at each other with alarm which C saw.

"Don't worry. You two will do great." she reassured us but I still felt nervous. C and another cheerleader taught us a simple cheer and then let us practice for a few minutes. Then we all did the cheer on our own. I think that I did alright but V was perfect. I smiled at her as she sat back down.

"Ok. Now we would like to see a dance or cheer that you've prepared. You will have ten minutes to practice." C announced. V and I were ready for this, C had already told us that this would be part of the tryouts and V and I had decided to do a dance together that we had learned for the dance squad last year.

V and I ran through our routine a few times and decided that it was good. We then spent the rest of the time looking in the stands and pretending to stretch. I wasn't surprised to see Kevin waving at us or Archie and Reggie with a huge group of football players. I was startled to see Sweet Pea, Fangs, Toni and of course, Jughead there. Fangs was sitting nest to Kevin and I smiled at that.

"What are they doing here?" I asked V when I spotted them. I nodded in their direction and looked away. She glanced and I could tell that she was startled too.

"This doesn't seem like their scene, does it?" she replied as we stretched on the floor. I shook my head.

"It feels like I'm being stalked" I replied and V nodded.

"You aren't the only one" she added as she glanced at Sweet Pea.

"Just forget about them and lets concentrate on try outs" V decided and I nodded. We finished stretching and sat down as the first girl began her try out. We sat through all the other girls and finally it was our turn.

"Veronica and Betty" C called and we stood and wished each other good luck. We did our routine flawlessly and some people even clapped at the end.

V and I hugged and she whispered in my ear, "Want to shake up this little town?" I smiled and nodded.

"Just play along" she whispered and she leaned in and kissed me. I giggled internally and kissed her back. This was one of V's favorite games. Whenever she was annoyed by a guy or if a group was making a big deal out of our Mom's being together, V kissed me to piss them off. At this point, I think that I've kissed her more consistently than any guy I've ever been with.

There was silence when we parted and I smirked at V as she chuckled. I looked up to catch confusion in C's eyes which cleared when I winked at her. V and I sat down with our arms still around each other.

"Ok. The rest of the cheerleaders and I will discuss for ten and then we will announce our squad" C announced. She looked at V and I and winked back. That's when I relaxed and enjoyed chatting with V.

"So? Do you think that will get Jughead and Sweet Pea off our backs?" V asked and I shrugged. I looked up in the stands but couldn't see anyone since everyone had decided to stand up.

"I've got to pee" I whispered.

"Do you want me to go with you?" V asked but I shook my head.

"Just be quick" she added and I got up and hurried back to the locker rooms. After going to the bathroom and washing my hands, I hurried back out to the gym.

"That was quite a performance" someone said from a dark corner.