Saving Her

Chapter 3. Plans and Parenting

In Principal Weatherbee's office; Jughead and FP were standing on either side of Betty who was sitting down, waiting for him to say something about the arising situation.

"What happens if you come off your medication?" the principal asked.

"Well, when I was younger and I forgot to take it one time, I had a seizure and I get depressed. I start crying out of nowhere, because my body feels not right. It puts me in distress."

With pursed lips, "Okay... I'll let Mrs. Burble know. I want you to talk to her---she's a professional in the field. I want you to tell her everything you told me; don't spare any gory details and then just see what she says," he wrote her a yellow slip so that she could leave during class.

"Thank you, Principal Weatherbee," she semi sniffled as she reached for the slip.

"My pleasure," he then kind of looked at Jughead and FP, sort of wondering why they were there since they never said anything. "Where are you returning to?" he asked.

"Just the news room, Jug and I," she assured as she stood up.

"Okay. Go ahead," he agreed, then looked at FP.

FP could tell he was to stay behind, but he made sure the kids were good to go. He then shut the door and he looked back at the man.

"Mr. Jones, I need to know; what are the reasons you're helping her?" the principal asked.

"Look, I know this is odd. If I'm honest, I didn't know this was going to happen," he assured. "Betty and her mother are having some... differences and Alice stopped her medication. It's kind of crazy and I really don't want to be in between it because I am victim of Alice's wrath. But this is my son's girlfriend and I know she's struggling."

"Is she staying at your house?"

"Temporarily," he nodded. "Alice knows she's staying there."

He nodded and he stood up to get to the front of his desk, leaning against the edge.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No, not with the arrangements and as long as she knows, then all is well. But..." he lingered.

"Oh..." he sighed.

"If what Betty has said about Alice is true; the stopping of therapy and medication, the part where she said her mother has weird and sick ideas, the fact that her mother and herself are going through The Black Hood drama... It is very well possible that Alice might be noted as unstable and she could get Betty taken away from her."

"The kid's almost eighteen," he shrugged. "She can make that decision on her own, right?"

"Well, yes, but if she isn't comfortable being there, it would be recommended by the authorities that she shouldn't be there. Unless she were to lie and explain how good a mother Alice is, then it would be wasted time. Let me ask you since, it's kind of been spreading around that you two are a couple, do you see anything unstable about her?"

Mouth slightly agape to start speaking, he stopped and he shook his head. "I really can't tell ya. I'm sorry... I mean, we sort of reconnected last year through some more personal information, but then she was hit with her husband being serial killer and she talks about the farm a bit, but it hasn't seemed obsessive..."

"Y'know, I've been hearing about this farm thing for a while. Any idea what it is?"

"It's some sort of youth group. As an alcoholic, it's kinda like A.A. I would guess. I can ask her and see what she says, but the ringleader; Edgar Evernever---he seems to get a lot of praise. She says he helps her a lot with getting through emotional barriers. I mean that's why we've been a little more transparent with our relationship, we just keep it quiet because... of the kids," saying it still being awkward.