✔︎ The Gang Leaders | Bughead

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧: 𝐌𝐲 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐌𝐞 𝐁𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮

Betty's POV

I wake up to the sun shining in my eyes. I shift around, uncomfortable. I look down slightly, my eyes still half closed, to see my bare skin. No wonder I'm cold, I think to myself. I close my eyes, it not clicking for a second, before I abruptly turn over and am met with the face of Jughead.

"Shit," I whisper. I hate him, why did I sleep with him? My hormones will be the death of me.

I silently try and get out of the bed, but before I can, I feel a heavy arm being draped over my waist. I gasp in surprise, before easing back down. I lay back down, trying not to wake up Jughead. Why the hell is he putting his arm on me? Does he think this meant something? We agreed, no strings attached, I think to myself.

I suddenly hear a light groaning behind me. His hands suddenly moved to grip my waist as he turns me around so that I'm facing him. I look at him, seeing him in all of his sleepy glory: his messy hair and soft features, his soft eyes that were dark and filled with lust not a day ago. He yawns before smiling at me. "Morning, betts."

I shift, uncomfortable. I try and take his hand off my waist but he just pulls me closer, our bare chests now touching. No matter how hard I try, I can never seem to stay mad at him. I hate him, and I hate Toni, but I think I'm to the point of forgiveness. What the fuck is wrong with my brain? I think to myself.

Third Person POV

He's just examining her: her messy hair and dark circles, her dimples that form whenever she slightly smirks, her green eyes shining in the sun, looking as if they have specks of gold in them.

To Jughead, she's perfect. She's perfect to him. But he lost his privilege to call her his own. He made a mistake that's he's been regretting everyday for the past three months.

He wishes he could call them opposites, but they are anything but opposites. They're both troubled 17-year-olds. Bad relationships with their parents, few friends, both being endlessly attracted to each other.

They're drawn to each other, almost like it's their destiny. Sure, their relationship has been bumpy, to say the least. But no matter how hard they try, they can't stay away. It's like after they stopped being so stubborn, they quickly and easily fell in love. Almost like they were in their own way of their soulmate the whole time. But something that these two kids will have to realize is that they are going to hurt each other more than anything, they're going to be the death of each other.

The two of them are constantly at war in their head, and then they have everything else going on, they break. They break and they take it out on one another. It's toxic.

They are at the same time the best and worst thing for each other.

"Why'd you fuck Toni," the blonde asks brokenly. She's truly hurt; she never thought he'd swing that low. Her best friend? Just the thought of it makes her shiver in shame.

He sighs, not even knowing the real reason himself. "It started when you were away. We were both so torn up over you. You really are the most important thing in our lives. We were spending all our time together, both lonely and missing you. One thing lead to another and—"

"I get it," she cuts him off, "but Toni? I mean, nothing against Toni! She's gorgeous, but... Toni? The bisexual who prefers women... slept with you?"

"Ouch," he winces before chuckling.

She suddenly leans into his chest, hiding her face in his neck. The ends of her hair suddenly becoming the most interesting thing in the world. She somehow snuggles closer to him, almost choking him. "My brain won't let me be mad at you," she admits.

"What?" he asks shocked. He thought it would take a lot more to win her back, yet she always seems to forgive him easily. Even if she fighting herself in her mind, she really does love him. A part of him feels guilty that she's like that. That will be the death of her: her love for others.

"I want to hate you, I think I hate you, for real this time, but I still can't seem to be mad at you," she sighs, trying to hold back the tears that are threatening to spill.

"You are something, Cooper," Jughead strokes her head, playing with her hair. Her steady breathing on his neck making him feel alive. "I might be the biggest asshole alive, but you will never understand how much I love you. I know I slept with your best friend, I know I've tried to do some terrible things to you, but I love you. I hate myself for it cause I keep hurting you, but I love you."

She looks up at him, her eyes so calm yet so frightened at the same time. She examines his face, looking for any sign of insincerity, finding none. "I loved you, Jones."

In four words, his heart broke.

His everything, the only thing that he has at the moment, the only thing keeping him going, just told him that she lost feelings for him.

He feels tears start to prick his eyes so he looks away from her. "I'm sorry," he repeats.

"I know," she sighs, "I loved you, Jones. You were my everything, but you broke me. After everything I've been through, especially recently, you were everything to me. Yet your the one who broke me the most. I'm not putting the entire blame onto you, I blame Toni as well, but she's... different, juggie."

He looks at her hurt. "What do you mean different?"

"She's been my best friend since birth, you tried to murder me, let us not forget," she chuckles, leaning back into his chest.

He starts rubbing her hair again, tears starting to roll down his cheek. He feels week, helpless, broken-hearted.

"We could've been something iconic," she whispers.

He chuckles. "Iconic," he sobs out, reminiscing of the days when she told him that. That's the days when he made the biggest mistake of his life.

"Iconic..." she whispers again.

"I know I'm a prick, love, but do you think that over time you could love me again?"

She's silent. She's done getting hurt. She always thought it was such bullshit: the saying, "if you really love something, you have to let it go." But not only does she need to let him go for him, she needs to let him go for herself.

So, she takes a deep breath in, and finally responds.

"No."

And just when he thought his heart couldn't break anymore.

"I need more than time, Jughead. I really loved you, I saw a future with you, but I have to let you go."

"That's selfish!" He yells, now sitting up straight. She follows his actions, sitting up straight, pulling the blankets up to cover her chest.

"Maybe," is all she said.

"Maybe? Maybe..." he sobs.

"I want to work on building our relationship back up, then we can see about love..."

A/N: this.... is my FAVORITE CHAPTER OMG. IM SO TALENTED!!!! this is like the first time I've ever liked my writing let me be proud of myself. I lovbvbbbeif dkskak you. Byye

With love, as always,
Ella