Lost (in Your Emerald Eyes)

T W E N T Y - F I V E

I dont think the votes are in, but I was about to post about half an hour ago, and then the last part just came to me, and... yeah.

Anyway, I'm not gonna tell you what this is about, but READ THE WARNINGS in Foreword.

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"So, let me get this straight," the seventeen-year-old boy said, clearing his throat uncomfortably. "You, Betty Cooper, are dating Jughead Jones."

The couple shared a look after which the girl bit her lower lip, nodding slowly. Reggie shook his head a tad, watching the way his fingers were tapping against the counter. He didn't know what to think of this, but also acknowledged that it wasn't really his business.

When he looked back at the two at the other side of the counter, he could see that Jughead seemed calm and collected, not outing his emotions, while Betty on the stool next to him was shuffling around every second, only calming down when Jughead's hand gently rubbed her back.

They were both waiting for what he would say.

"I mean..." Reggie started, and suddenly both of their eyes slotted toward him. "It's not really my business, right?"

"It isn't," Jughead immediately said. "And neither is it anyone else's, so we'd appreciate if you didn't tell anyone."

Reggie's eyes turned toward Betty who still seemed a bit jittery, making him frown. "Can I talk with Betty alone for a moment?" he slowly asked and turned to look at Jughead.

The boy looked toward his girlfriend with a small frown, but she slightly nodded, so he sighed and kissed her cheek as he got up. "Sure, I'm gonna go for a smoke," he murmured and left the diner to go and stand by his bike in the parking lot.

Once the door closed behind him, Reggie's eyes grew wide as he stared at Betty. "He smokes?"

The girl only shrugged before sighing. "Look, Reg. I know this might be a surprise and—"

"Hell yeah."

She rolled her eyes. "And you might think he's a bad guy or something, but he's really not. I don't know what your parents have told you about Southsiders, but most of the things we know to be true are pure lies."

"Yeah, well, I've figured that, but... Betty, are you sure he's not using you? You're a nice girl, and definitely attractive, so like why are you crossing out the part where he could be a creep?"

The girl scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You don't know him, Reggie. He's seriously the sweetest guy I've ever met. He puts on this exterior for you and everyone else to see, but he's not like that with me." The boy still looked doubtful, so Betty reached for his hand with both of hers, placing them on top of his on the counter with a sigh. "Reg, please. You can't tell anyone."

"If he's a good guy, why doesn't he want to go public with you?"

"You don't understand," Betty mumbled.

"Then help me understand, Betty. What is it about this guy that Archie or even I don't have?"

"What?" she giggled. "Reg, you know he literally said he doesn't want to be with me. And I don't wanna be with him either, anymore. And you're just... You."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he said, eyes narrowed.

"That you're like a brother to me. As is Archie."

"Okay..." he slowly nodded. "Isn't he a player though?"

Betty rolled her eyes. "He had his motives that we've talked about and I'm aware of." Before Reggie could start speaking again, she quickly continued, "Going back to the latest topic, he wants to go public. And I want to, too. But it's not that easy."