The Dancer

~Chapter 11~

I stood there not knowing what to do trying to cover myself, and my bruises, but no matter what I did I had to face the truth.

They had seen me, they had seen me in the flesh, in pain, hurt, wounds and scars covering my body.

I was looking at the floor while they stared at me wide eyed, then I heard a bottle smash, my head shot up remembering the time my father was drunk and smashed the beer bottle over my head.

I flinched, I tried to hide it but it was visible that I was nervous, scared even, would they bully me more now?

"Uh...Betty why don't y-you go and get a hoodie you look like your freezing" I heard Toni awkwardly say trying to break the tension.

I wasn't cold, she knew that but it was a very thoughtful gesture.

I shuffled past them feeling their eyes following me, landing on my back.

Toni POV
The three guys stood wide eyed and confused.
Betty had gone to get a hoodie leaving me with the difficult conversation.

"What the fuck happened?" Sweet pea nearly shouted.

"Is she ok? Who hurt her?" Fangs joined in.

I looked up at Jughead thinking he had something to say but his eyes were still locked in place, where Betty had just gone.

"Well?" Sweet Pea continued.

"I-it's a long story and not my story to tell, and it's not your story to tell either no don't say a word about it at school" I said.

"Toni, you've gotta give us more than that, we are in the fucking southside serpents and I don't think I've ever seen anyone with that many wounds and scars" Fangs whisper yelled.

"No. You bullied her for years making her feel like shit 'Betty has the perfect life' 'yuck Betty Cooper' 'Go kill yourself' well guess what her life is pretty shit and you guys are part of the reason why, so why don't you have a long hard think about that huh? We live on the fucking southside of riverdale you would think out of everyone you would know not everything is perfect not even Betty Cooper, oh and while your at it don't speak to me until you have apologised and stopped bullying her now get out of my trailer!!" I raged, Sweet Pea and Fangs slowly leaving whispering 'sorry' as they left.

Jughead still stood there eyes on the door blocking him from seeing Betty, he finally turned around.

"I-I don't know what to say" he spoke softly.

"Even if you did have anything to say I wouldn't wanna hear it and I'm not the person you should be talking to" I said angrily.

"Now please leave I have a best friend who needs me right now" I said gesturing to the door.

He left unwilling and confused, everything he thought he knew about Betty Cooper was a lie, she wasn't even near perfect, maybe just maybe she was as fucked up as he was.

I was sitting on the bed head in my hands listening to Toni telling the boys to leave.

I was so screwed no one had seen all my scars and bruises apart from Toni what was I gonna do?

Toni came in and immediately gave me a hug, and told me "everything was gonna be ok" even though I knew it wouldn't it was still comforting.

It had been a week since Fangs, Sweet Pea and Jughead had found out, and both Fangs and Sweet Pea had come by and apologised for bullying me, explaining why they did it and how it was no excuse but they wanted to be friends if they could.

Of course I didn't forgive them completely but I'm giving them a chance to redeem themselves.

Jughead on the other hand, had come by everyday and asked Toni how I was, weirdly he hadn't spoken, or apologised to me yet, I think he's still confused and shocked but most of all doesn't know how to explain how sorry he is.

But that all changed when we went back to school on the Monday.

I sat at the blue and gold, working on an article when Jughead came in with a cactus.

He set it on my desk, and then sat down facing me.

"Look I don't even know how to put into words how sorry I am, I shouldn't have bullied you, I just- I don't know it always seemed like you had this perfect life- which you don't- and I was jealous, I wanted that truth be told. I know you have no reason to ever forgive me but I want to try, your Toni's best friend so you've gotta be an amazing person so if you'll let me, could we try to be friends...eventually?"

"Ok" I said nodding my head.

"Really just like that?" he asked surprised.

"Just like that." I repeated.

"Cool" he said getting up and starting to head to the door but suddenly he turned around.

"Come sit with us at lunch" he spoke softly.

"I couldn't it'd ruin your reputation" I answered.

"What's the point in a reputation, if you can't even recognise yourself in it? Come sit with us at lunch please"

"Ok sure" I said "Oh uh Jughead"

"Yeah?" He answered turning his head once more.

"You forgot your cactus" I laughed.

"Your cactus" he replied.

"You got me a cactus?" I sat laughing again.

"Is that not normal" he said scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

"No it's not" I said shaking me head with a chuckle.

"Well, I don't think either of us is normal so it's fitting" he replied.

"Whatever you say" I said once more before the raven haired boy left and descended down the hallway.
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971 words

Enjoy!
Sorry I've been gone a while but I'm back xx