"Are you ready?" Jughead turned to her with a grin
"Hell yes, let's get out of this town." Betty laughed. Not needing to be told twice, Jughead stepped on the gas. They pulled out onto the main road, passing Pop's.
"I have to admit, I am going to miss that place. I was always able to get into the writing zone at Pop's," Jughead smiled fondly as he glanced at the diner.
"We'll just have to find a diner that's open 24 hours in Boston." Betty reached over and brushed her hand down his cheek. Jughead caught her hand and intertwined their fingers.
"What are you going to miss?"
"I don't know," Betty said thoughtfully, "I mean I'll miss our friends, but they are all leaving for college as well, so most won't even be in Riverdale. I think I'll miss the familiarity of it. I know every sidewalk crack and every face in Riverdale, Boston is going to be a big, foreign city."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. But in a way, that's what makes Boston so exciting. A city full of new things for us to explore." Jughead squeezed his hand and she turned to give him a grin.
"Oh absolutely. And our first adventure should be finding jobs. We saved up enough for 3 months rent, but I have a feeling things are going to be more expensive in Boston, so we should have some spending money."
"Okay buzzkill," Jughead said laughing. Betty released their hands so she could bat him on the shoulder.
"Jerk. We were lucky to get an apartment for so cheap near Emerson College, I would just like to keep it."
"Well at least you have a backup plan if we lose it, I'll end up homeless...again" Jughead gave her his best smirk. Betty made a disapproving noise, but didn't comment on what he'd said.
"I can't believe my mom would only pay for housing if I dormed." Betty shook her head
"I can, she still doesn't think I'm good enough for you. She doesn't like the idea that we are going to the same college, let alone living together."
"We'll prove her wrong." Betty took his hand again, "And if we lose our apartment, you can sleep on my hard dorm floor."
"How generous," Jughead said laughing.
"Juggie?" Betty asked after a few moments of silence
"Yes?"
"What if I can't cut it as a big city journalist. What if what I did in Riverdale doesn't translate to Boston."
"Betts, that's why we go to college. To learn how to hack it in the world. No one expects you to be perfect right now. You are going to learn how to be the world's best journalist, and then you can take Boston by storm."
"And you are going to be the world's best novelist and photographer." Betty smiled.
"Darn right. Emerson College has some of the best Journalism and Communications programs, that's why we chose it remember? So we could get the best education offered." Jughead didn't say that he could care less about the quality of the college. The best thing about Emmerson College was that Betty would be there with him.
"And be together." Betty added putting a voice to Jughead's silent thoughts, her moment of self-doubt gone. "With you by my side, I feel like I can do anything."
"You can do anything. And we'll always be together, no matter what the world throws at us over the next four years." Jughead brought her hand to his lips and gave it a gentle kiss.
"And beyond that. We can handle anything together" Betty squeezed his hand, confident that they were leaving the trials of Riverdale behind them.
