No one ever said that it would be this hard

Chapter 28

♾ Jughead ♾

I couldn't see clear. It was cold and my vision was more like a delayed picture movie then normal. Everything was in a blue shade but it could have also been because it was night. It was dark and the only light came from the moon. A half moon. I looked around, trying to figure out where I was. I was in a room, though I couldn't see anything but the outlines of the furniture.

I felt a grip on my throat, the hand was cold. My whole body froze but when I looked around, all I could see was Betty. I squeezed my eyes shut but her face was still there.

Something was touching me and I shot up, chest tightening. I was searching for my switchblade though I didn't have my jacket on. I must have lost it somewhere.

"Jug?" Flashes of the nightmare came back. Upon figuring out that Betty was here and not some danger of any kind, I tried to calm down. Though I couldn't calm down. My head wasn't listening.

Come on, it's Betty, Betts.

No threat, no danger.

Just Betty.

I took a deep breath and let my body relax.

Betty is no threat.

Relax.

"Betty" I took a long, shaky breath, trying to not sound like I just dreamed a total creepy dream "h-hey. What- What time is it?"

"Two, in the afternoon"

"Oh. What a-are you d...doing here?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you're okay. You have slept through the whole night and half of the day. I wanted to wake you up — and ask you if you wanted the pizza now" I nodded hesitantly.

"Yeah... Yeah... Uh sure. Just g-give me a minute to g...get up and s-shower" I said and she nodded. Betty got up and left the room.

Over the day, we spent most of our time apart, mentally at least, each on their laptop. I was writing, or at least tried to do so, and Betty was on her own laptop. Though I didn't even try to figure out what she was doing.

"What are you doing?" She called as I headed in the kitchen, looking through the cupboards.

"Seeing what we h...have left to eat. We need t-to go grocery shopping t...today or tomorrow" damn this stutter, I'm so tired of it.

"We could, if you want. I think, I still have some extra dollars left" Betty said, getting up from the couch as she got up. She got to her jacket and pulled out her wallet, looking through it and fishing out a couple of dollars "$40 for the rest of the month"

"I've worked with worse" alone. Yes. For two it would be different but even then I could work with it.

"Do you want me to come with you, or...?" She trailed off, giving me the choice to choose.

"Actually I would p-prefer to go alone"

"Okay, sure"

"Anything t...that you want?"

"Some fruits would be nice. Blueberries or so. And milk. We've run out of that. Uhm... and some chocolate"

"Got it. Any c-chocolate?"

"Something with red fruit in it, and preferably white. Or dark chocolate with salted caramel"

"Okay. I'll be back soon" I said, hesitating as I thought about hugging her though I thought against it. Getting out of my freeze, I grabbed my Sherpa jacket before leaving. I fiddled out my headphones before plugging them in to listen to music while I went to the supermarket.