CHILDHOOD LOVERS: ARCHIE, BETTY, JUGHEAD

Chapter 23

When the boys got Betty home, Archie carried her to jugheads room and tucked her in, letting her get some sleep. "She sleeping?" Jughead asked from where he was making coffee. "Yeah" Archie sighed. "I'm really worried about her" he whispered and jughead turned around to look at his boyfriend. "I know babe, me too. But we'll get her through this" jughead said softly, taking Archie's hand. "It's just... i feel so helpless sometimes" Archie said, taking a seat at the table. "We got her away from her mom, we moved her in here and she's still sad jug" Archie stressed. "I love her and I hate watching her suffer". "Arch..." jug whispered. "I feel helpless too sometimes, but she's had years of trauma with Alice, that's not just something that we can fix In a couple of months, it's going to take time" jug told him. "But she's going to get better" he said and Archie nodded. "I know, I know that it's just hard" Archie sighed and jughead agreed. There was a creak behind them and then they heard bettys soft voice. "I'm sorry". They whipped around to see Betty standing there looking slightly distraught. "Im so sorry I didn't mean to make you both feel helpless" she apologise and Archie was up out of his seat, grabbing her hands and pulling her onto his lap. "No baby, we didn't mean to make you feel guilty" Archie explained. "We just love you" jughead added. "I just didn't realise how much this was effecting you guys" she whispered. "Of course it is baby, we love you but we just want you to feel happy and safe" Archie said. "You two make me feel safe and happy" she said with a small smile. "And, I think with therapy now I'll start to heal from other things" she said. "We're proud of you" jug smiled, reaching over and cupping her cheek. "I was also thinking, that maybe we could have a date day tomorrow?" She suggested. "Just us three doing something fun?". "I think that sounds like a great idea" Archie grinned and jughead nodded, agreeing. "Do you have any ideas about what you want to do?" Jughead asked and Betty shook her head. "I have no idea" she shrugged. "There's a carnival in Greendale?" Archie said and Betty jumped out of his lap, jumping up and down excitedly. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" She yelled. "I think we have an answer" jughead laughed looking over at their girlfriend. "Please can we go?" She asked looking at them with puppy dog eyes. "Of course" Archie said and Betty let out an excited squeal. "Yayyyy!". She pulled both of them up and pulled them in for a hug. "Thank you, I love you!" She smiled. "Love you too" they said.

The next day, the boys and a very excited Betty were in Archie's truck, on their way to Greendale to head to the carnival. "I can't wait!" Betty grinned, bouncing up and down in her seat. "Wow, I'm so glad we didn't cave in and let you stop and get a coffee this morning" jughead teased and Betty giggled, playfully slapping his arm. "Shut up I'm just excited, we haven't gone to the carnival since we were little" she said. "True, the last time was when we were like seven and Betts cried on the rollercoaster" Archie chuckled. "I did not!" Betty said affronted. "I think you did babe" jug smirked. "Whatever" Betty pouted, crossing her arms as jug kissed her head. When they pulled up at the carnival, Betty all but climbed over jughead to get out the truck. "Okay let's go!" She smiled and marched forward to the entrance. They stood in line to grab their tickets and as Betty went to pay, Archie gently grabbed her hand. "Let us" he smiled, handing some cash over. "But~" Betty went to protest but jug cut her off with a kiss. "Let us treat our girl" he said and Betty blushed. "Thank you" she said. "Okay, so what first?" Archie asked. 

After going on practically everything at the carnival, the three of them stopped to get some food. "I'll go and get us some food, why don't you two go and find a seat?" Jughead suggested and Betty and Archie nodded. "I've had a really fun time today" Betty said, as she grabbed Archie's hand and then went to find a bench to eat at. "I'm glad baby, me too" Archie grinned. "So, are you going on the big rollercoaster?" Archie asked, pointing at the big ride, the only one they hadn't been on yet. Betty looked at it with wide eyes. "Erm... I'm not sure" she said, trying to keep the nerves from her voice. "You don't have to betts" Archie chuckled. "I know but I kind of want to" she shrugged. "You can't eat on it" he winked and Betty giggled. Just then jughead returned with two trays of food, placing it in the middle of the table. "Thanks jug" Archie said. "Thank you juggie" Betty smiled, grabbing a hot dog. "So what did I miss?" Jug asked. "I was seeing if Betty wanted to go on the bigger rollercoaster" Archie explained and jug looked at their girlfriend. "And do you?" He said. "I'm not sure, maybe?" She said and jug nodded.

After they ate, Betty stood in the middle of Archie and jughead, holding their hands and looking up at the big ride. "You sure you want too?" Archie asked her again and Betty shakily nodded. "Yes" she said. "We're right here with you" jug smiled and Betty squeezed their hands before stepping into the que. within minutes they were being seating on the ride, Betty Once again in the middle of her boyfriends. "You okay betts?" Jughead asked and she nodded. "Will you both hold my hands?" She asked and they instantly grabbed hold of her hands "of course" Archie grinned. The ride took off and the boys laughed as Betty was screaming the whole time; when they stepped off, Betty was trying to fix her hair that had gotten messy. "So beautiful, how did you find it?" Jug smirked. "It was fine" Betty said, unconvincingly. "Oh really? Let's go again then" Archie teased and bettys eyes went wide. "No!" She yelled. "I mean No, no I'm okay" she corrected and both boys stared at her until she sighed. "Okay okay! I didn't like it" she told them and they both laughed. "But I went on it so that's good enough" she added and Archie swung an arm around her shoulders. "And we're very proud of you" he said, kissing her temple. "Is there anything else you want to do before we leave?" He asked and Betty pulled them towards a photo booth.

They left the carnival with three strips of photos from the phone booth and Betty had a hot chocolate in her hands. She took a sip and the cream went on her nose. "Cute" jug laughed and kissed it off. "Thank you for the best date day" she said lovingly as they all climbed into the truck again. "You're welcome" Archie said. "And thank you betts" jug smiled, as she snuggled into his side as Archie started to drive home. Half way through their journey home, Betty fell asleep and jughead was gently combing his fingers through her hair. "You're right you know" Archie whispered, making jug look over at him. "I think she's going to be okay".