One Simple Bet

Chapter six

Betty's POV

There he was, standing in front of me, in all his glory, and with a stupid smirk playing on his soft pink lips.

Our eyes kept on staring at each other as neither of us made an attempt to break eye contact. We were having a stare contest that I was determined to win. I didn't dare be the one to break eye contact first.

His forest green eyes were so beautiful, I could stare at them all day long. Of course, I would never admit that to him. It was as if a story was hidden behind them that didn't have the chance to be told yet. A secret mystery that no one had uncovered yet. A mystery that had me interested and, for some unknown reason, I wanted to be the one to uncover that very mystery. The mystery of Jughead Jones.

He was the first one to break eye contact as he looked away. Yes, I won. I silently thought to myself. I looked at him only to find that he was looking at the book I was reading– Romeo and Juliet.

"Nice book" he commented as he diverted his attention from the book to me. I mentally rolled my eyes at his comment.

"Thanks" I simply reply.

An awkward silence follows and I know that I'm not the one to break our silence. I don't even know why he's here. I doubt he goes to the library for fun.

"Not much of a talker, are you?" He questions even though I'm positive he already knows the answer to that question.

I don't reply to his question, but instead I fire back with my own question. "Why are you here?"

His reply is almost instant, like he had the answer prepared. "I just thought it would be fun to check out a new book." He replies and before I can say something he speaks up again, "That's what most people do in a library" He informs me, acting as if it was obvious, which annoyed me.

I wasn't in the mood for this.

"Cut the crap. I know you've never even stepped foot in the school's library before. Why are you really here? No lies this time" I command firmly.

"Fine, you got me" He says while putting both of his arms up in a surrender motion. "I came here to talk to you"

Finally, there it is. The real reason he came here. But why? Why did he want to talk to me? So many questions started swirling through my head.

"Why?" Is the only thing that I can seem to utter out.

He was silent for a moment, as if thinking of his reply.

After a few seconds he finally spoke, saving me from all the previous questions that were swirling around in my head but at the same time adding new ones. "I came to apologize for earlier today at your locker" He looked at me, but not straight into my eyes as if he was afraid of what I would see in them if he did.

I look at him dumbfounded. My jaw is probably lying on the floor for all I know. This was the last response I expected from him. Jughead Jones never apologizes. Never. And yet here he is, in front of me, apologizing.

"You might want to close your mouth. I wouldn't want you to catch flies."

I quickly closed my mouth, embarrassed that he saw me like that. I try to think of something to fore back at him but come up with nothing.

"Y-you're apologizing?" I stutter, still dumbfounded that he's apologizing to me. I mentally slap myself for stuttering.

"Yes?" He replies, his reply coming out more like a question, as if questioning it himself.

"Apology accepted" I declare, desperate to break the weird tension that's happening between us.

"Why aren't you in the cafeteria like the rest of the students?" He asks me, pretending he didn't know about the horrible cafeteria incident that happened to me a few years ago. I shudder at the thought of it.

"You know why" I look down at my book, not wanting to meet his eyes that are no doubt full of amusement at the thought of what happened and how I got embarrassed and made fun of by everyone.

"No, I don't" He replied, looking genuinely confused. And that made me confused.

"You really don't know?" I ask him, confused.

"No. Should I?" He seemed as confused as ever. Maybe he genuinely didn't know?

"Let's just say that my experience in the cafeteria isn't exactly great" I explained to him.

"What do you mean?"

"The only time I stepped foot in the cafeteria was in freshman year" I began. I glanced at him to see that he was closely paying attention to everything I was saying, genuinely interested in my story. "Once I entered the cafeteria that day everyone was making fun of me. I don't even know why" I continued. "They started calling me names, beginning with the popular people and ending with the whole school joining in on it" I tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to escape, the memory of being embarrassed and being made fun of in front of the whole school burned into my mind. "That's why" I ended my story.

He looked taken aback by what I just told him. His face changed into an expression I can't explain. It was like he felt pity but at the same time he looked kind of angry. Maybe I was just imagining it. He opened his mouth to say something but before he got the chance to say something I beat him to it. "I don't want your pity. I'm over it" I lied.

He didn't look convinced by my reply but nonetheless let it go. He seemed to fight himself on something but before I could ask something about it he spoke. "Do you want to go to a party with me tomorrow?"

I burst out laughing at his question. He looked shock and embarrassed that I was laughing at his simple invitation.

"I don't do parties. There's no reason for me to go anyways. No one would want me there" I manage to get out after sobering up from my laughing fit.

"I want you there. C'mon it'll be fun" He tries to convince me.

"I'm not going" I tell him again.

"Please?" He looks at me with puppy eyes and for some reason I can't say no to them. I don't know what got over me but I responded, and my response shocked both myself and him.

"Fine. I'll go" I don't know why I gave in but I did. It was like something told me to live a little and not stay inside studying my whole teenage years.

A smile broke out on his handsome face. "Okay, great. I'll send you the details later"

Before I could say anything else to protest he was already out of the library. I hope I don't regret this decision. I'm going to my first ever party tomorrow, with Jughead Jones, the boy that I'm supposed to hate.

What did I just get myself into?

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