Return to Riverdale {Bughead} [BettyCooper] Completed

Chapter 24

POV Betty Trigger Warning talk of abuse

I can't believe that this is happening! How did he know that we were here?! A million thoughts raced through my brain as everyone turned to look at me. I looked at Mac and Cheryl and they nodded. V leaned in and rubbed my back. I looked down and sighed with relief to see a new text from Polly in response to the one I had just sent her.

"At least Polly is safe" I said and showed V. She nodded and gave me a small smile. I quickly sent a text to Polly to stay where she was and to stay with friends at all times. I added that I would call her when I could.

"What do you mean the 'reason you left Riverdale'? You left because your Mom wanted a fresh start and got a new job" Jug asked and I nodded.

"Yeah that's true but the 'fresh start' thing was a more dire than we let on" I began and the rest of my friends looked confused.

"My Dad... The real reason my parents divorced is because my Dad wasn't who he seemed." I said and Jughead and FP looked at me sharply.

"What do you mean?" FP demanded and I sighed.

"Jug, you remember what my dad was like, right?" I asked and he nodded slowly.

"He was always all over you and Polly. You had to check in with him all the time. You told me that he made that wear all those dresses and insisted that you get perfect grades" Jughead explained to the others.

"Yeah but that was just the tip of the iceberg. He was completely controlling to all three of us, Mom too. He picked out all our clothes, he made all our schedules, he insisted that our house be perfect at all times, Mom had to make fancy dinners every night along with huge breakfasts every morning, we had to gets A's in every class, Mom had to be wonderful at her job. There wasn't one aspect of our lives that he didn't control or at least try to." I took a deep breath. This was going to be the hard part.

"If we didn't do what he wanted, he would hit us. He would make sure that all our bruises were covered but all three of us always had them. We were usually covered in them. He was never happy. Polly would get a B instead of an A. I would come home with my hair out of place. Mom would burn the rolls at dinner. There would be dust on the mantel. You get the point. He was always upset about something. Mom tried to shield Polly and I but she could only do so much. That's why you, Jug, and C and Archie were so important to me. When I was with the three of you, I was free for a while. You all made me feel safe and important." I paused and looked around. Sweet Pea, Mac and Toni looked angry. Kevin, Fangs and Cheryl had tears. V tried to look calm. Jughead and FP looked like they wanted to murder someone.

"What finally made my Mom leave him was the day that he demanded that I stopped being friends with you, Jughead." I turned to him and he looked shocked.

"He said that you were no good and that I couldn't be seen around you ever again. I just couldn't, Juggie. I couldn't shut you out like that" I started to cry and he put his arm around me.

"I was shocked. I had just come home and he had surprised me. Polly was out with her friends and Mom was still at work. I knew that I should just agree with him and then talk to my Mom later. That I should find a way to sneek around and see you but I just couldn't. It felt like you were the last thing I had that was mine, you know?" I shook my head and sighed.

POV Jughead

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This was because of me? Because she didn't want to ghost me? And then I did that exact thing to her for no real reason. I'm a dick.

"So I told him no. It was the first time that any of us had ever said that to him." she laughed, ruefully.

"Needless to say, it didn't go well. When my Mom and Polly got home, I was a mess. I ended up in the hospital with a few broken ribs and a broken arm. My Mom made the police report as I was getting my x rays." She continued and I frowned.

"I remember that! You said that you fell off your bike! That was long before you left" I interrupted and she nodded.

"Yeah. The police arrested my Dad that night. My Mom pressed charges and he ended up in jail for a bit. We thought that we would be ok. Mom filed for divorce while he was in prison and she got a restraining order for all of us. We did everything we could but it wasn't enough." She closed her eyes and took a shaky breath.

"They didn't even tell us that he was being released. Polly just came home one day and he was there. Luckily, she was able to run over to Archie's house. She called the police and Mom from there and the cops picked him up. Mom made Mr. Andrews swear to never say anything. He was the only one home at the time. Dad was charged with violating the restraining order but the police told us that he would only get a few months at most. He had screamed that he wasn't going to ever let us go." She shook her head again.

"He believed that this was all my fault and vowed that he was going to make me pay for what I did to our family. Mom took advantage of the few months to get a new job and move us. She hid us quite well and he never was able to find us. He would, however, somehow get my phone number. He would call and text me with threats all the time until we would change my number. At first, it happened every month but then it calmed to every year or so, I would have to have it changed. Things have been calm for a few years now though and when Mom got this job offer, we thought that it would be ok. We thought that we would be safe here again. We were wrong. I don't know how but he found us." she finished and I looked at her. She pulled up a picture message on her phone and showed us. It was a picture of Alice and Hermione tied to chairs. They looked terrified and I saw a bruise on Alice's cheek.

Dad stood up and paced the floor as I closed my eyes and rubbed my face.

"Why didn't she tell us?! We would have protected her, all of you! I would have protected all of you!" Dad demanded and Betty sighed.

"Dad told her long ago that if she ever told you, he would kill you. That's why she stopped talking to you and all her old friends. He said that he knew the Ghoulies and they would kill all the Serpents if she ever saw any of you again. She didn't want any of you to get hurt" Betty explained and Dad's eyes got wide in shock.

"Seriously? She didn't!" he yelled and Betty nodded.

"She only did it to protect you. " Betty added and Dad nodded.

"Well, now it's our turn to protect her" Dad vowed and looked at me. I nodded, looking in his eyes. This man wasn't going to hurt our girls ever again.

Yay! First update of the new year! I hope that you all had a great holiday season! Please don't forget to vote and I love reading all your comments! Thanks for reading and I hope that you are enjoying the book!