Chapter Text
*One Year Later*
"Betty, pink looks gorgeous on you. Go with the pink."
"I just don't know-"
"As long as nobody else wears red, I'm fine."
Veronica rolls her eyes at her girlfriend and continues assuring Betty, "B, you said it yourself - pink is your color. It's also your favorite color. So wear your favorite colored dress on graduation night!"
Betty glanced at the dress she held out in front of her and sighed. "Fine. This will do."
"Besides, it's a dress Jughead will manage to take off," Cheryl grinned, raising her eyebrow.
Betty blushed. "Cheryl!"
"Go back to doing your makeup, babe," Veronica giggles.
Once changing into her dress, Betty asked, "So even after a year of living under the Lodge estate, your parents still don't know you guys are dating?"
"Nope," Cheryl says all the way from Veronica's vanity.
"We're telling them soon," Veronica said.
"V, you say that every single month."
"Okay, then we're telling them the last second we move into our college dorm rooms," Veronica smiled.
Betty replicated her friend's expression. "I'm just so happy we're all going to NYU together!"
"All except Kevin," Cheryl sighed. "Can someone tell him that going to community college just because your boyfriend goes there is absolute bullshit?"
"Hey, now, Kevin's told me he'd never really be happy at some grand university," Veronica stated. "Plus, he really loves Moose. They go great together."
"I don't think Midge thinks so," Cheryl snickered, and Betty forced herself to hold in her laughter.
"This really has been a great year," Veronica said, glancing at herself in the mirror. "Drama-free, chaotic-free, and best of all, psycho-mother-free!"
"So is your mom not coming to graduation?" Betty questioned Cheryl.
"Nope, but Jason's coming, which is a million times better," Cheryl squealed. "Did Polly tell you if they're bringing the twins?"
"They're bringing the twins!"
"Perfect! Our niece and nephew are absolutely the cutest," the red-head clapped her hands on excitement.
"Hey guys," Betty spoke up with the million thoughts in her mind. "I have something to confess."
"Don't tell me," Veronica gasped. "Your pregnant? B, you said you were being safe! Should I kick Jughead's ass?"
"What? No!" a mortified Betty yelps. "I'm not pregnant! Please don't kick Jughead's ass."
"Then what is it?" Cheryl persisted, now curious what the suddenly nervous Betty Cooper has to say.
"Last month, Jughead took me on a trip to New York City just for school purposes... well, we sort of made a pit-stop at Times Square..." Betty began, unsure as to how to reveal the information to her friends.
"And...?" Veronica pushed. "Come on, B, tell us. You can trust us."
"Jughead and I are engaged," Betty blurted out.
The two girls froze in their places, staring in disbelief at the blonde. Veronica shook her head and gasped, "You're... Jughead proposed to you?"
"And I said yes," Betty smiled. "I know it's a bit crazy seeing as we were still in high school and now we're about to go to college but V, believe me when I tell you that Jughead is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with."
"It is crazy, Betty, and I'm definitely not trying to talk about it," Veronica started, "but when are you going to find the time to do it?"
"Well, him and I were sort of thinking about this summer," Betty said. "Before we could plan, though, we have to tell our families."
"As much as I'm excited, do you really want to be a married woman throughout your college years?" Veronica laughed a bit. "Think about it! A classmate from Sociology asks if you could hang for a bit and you say, 'No, I'm sorry, I have to meet up with my husband!'"
"But I want that, V," Betty tells her. "It sounds unrealistic but it really is something that I want, to be devoted to someone incredibly special entirely without hesitation. I don't want to marry Jughead some other day in the future because that's when it'll be the right time. I want to marry him now, because I goddamn want to marry him now."
"Then I completely support you," Veronica breathed out. "So, who's going to be your-"
"I CALL BEING THE MAID OF HONOR!" Cheryl shouts, then clears her throat. "I'm sorry, I meant, if you could bestow me the privilege of being your maid of honor at your wedding, Miss Cooper, that would be lovely."
Veronica rolls her eyes and bursts out laughing along with Betty. Veronica then looks at both girls and announces, "I think it's time to go downstairs. Think the boys are ready?"
"I think they've been ready hours ago," Betty commented, following the two girls out of the room.
Meanwhile, Jughead and Kevin sat on the couch in the living room. The air was filled with silence until Kevin broke it, "Plans for the summer?"
"Betty and I are getting married," Jughead spoke casually. "You?"
"Nothing much," Kevin said, shrugging his shoulders. On the inside, though, he was screaming. "Am I invited?"
"Oh please," smiled Jughead. "You're my best man."
The two boys heard the clanging of heels coming from the grand staircase and rushed to the foyers to meet the ladies of the night. Jughead immediately took Betty in his arms and kissed her on the lips.
"Our night, our future," Betty breathed her, gazing into her fiancé's eyes.
"Much to look forward to," Jughead replied.
"Come on guys!" an impatient Alice Cooper bombards the gang. "Get your caps and gowns on, we're going to be late!"
"When they announce me, are they going to say my full name?" Jughead asked, looking worried.
"I'm afraid they are, Jug," Betty laughed, patting his back.
"And when we get married? Will I be announced as Forsythe when we wed?"
"You could be called whatever you like, Jughead. Hey, eventually I'll be called Mrs. Jones," Betty smiled.
"Let's get one picture before we leave, guys!" a frantic Hermione Lodge says, ignoring the death glare Alice was sending her. "Come on! Stand together! We'll take more after the ceremony!"
Betty stood close with friends and smiled brightly, preparing for what was to be one of the biggest nights of her life.
-
"I would like to introduce you to your Valedictorian, Elizabeth Cooper!" Principal Weatherbee announces into the microphone, earning multiple claps and cheers from the audience.
"Hello Class," Betty begins, clearing her throat nervously as she felt all eyes on her. "I could go on and on about how our memories will be left in Riverdale High forever, and how our journey as a family will never die out. But I'm not, because I'm not certain about that. What I am certain is that some of us will separate and unfortunately never see each other again, but others will stick with each other until the end. What I learned through my own personal journey is that life is too short to pretend to be someone who you're not. If you like cloud watching, go right ahead. If you like counting sheep to help you fall asleep every single night even though you're a grown adult, knock yourself out. Why? Because it's you. You're the person you are absolutely certain to be stuck with for the rest of your life, might as well be happy with you, huh? I am lucky to have a self-discovery of myself through some amazing people in my life. I am not a lawyer, I am a writer. I am not perfect, I am human. I am not some teenager rebelling against her overprotective parents, I am in love. If twenty years from now some of you decide that, hey, entrepreneuring isn't my thing, I want to be a singer, that's okay. Even if you're a bad singer, like a raccoon choking on a stick bad singer. Try it out. Fail at it. Fail at it again. Try harder. Success happens when we are completely content with the result and right now, I'm feeling pretty successful. Yes I'll miss this school, and I am thankful for everything I learned because of it, but now it's time to move on."
Everyone clapped, many cheered, some weeped, and Jughead Jones felt incredibly proud for the woman he is about to marry. When Betty sat back with the graduates, she caught sight of Archie Andrews who looked like he was tearing up. She remembered how he received a scholarship to Penn State just a few months ago, and even though they weren't on the greatest terms, she still felt happy for him.
When graduation was finally finished, the gang met up with their families.
"Betty, your speech was beautiful," Alice complimented her daughter, not mentioning the parts where she was thrown under the bus.
"We're so proud of you," Hal smiled.
Him and Alice were divorced, yes, but they often conversated for the sake of Betty's sanity. Although the divorce was messy, Betty refused to let it affect her relationship with Jughead as well as her views on marriage. It was ironic in a way; Jughead's family was put back together while hers fell apart, proving how predictable things aren't always so predictable.
FP gave Jughead a huge hug and shouted, "You made it son, you made it!"
Gladys, who had been crying, gave Jughead a kiss on the forehead. "I'm going to miss you so much when you go off to college, I swear."
Jellybean shrugged, fist-bumping her older brother. "I'll hold down the fort while you're gone, dude."
Jughead smiled softly. "Thanks, JB."
FP and Gladys weren't remarried, but they were getting there. They continue to talk through their problems and learn how to put their children first. Things have really been working out for the Jones' family this year, it really has.
Betty spotted Polly and Jason from the corner of her eye, watching as they both pushed identical strollers.
"Polls!" Betty shouted, running over to them.
"Betty! I'm so proud of you!" Polly pulled her little sister into a hug.
"Jay-Jay!" Cheryl greeted her brother, but seemed more excited about the twins.
"How was Jay and Ella?" Betty asked.
"They were asleep the entire time," Polly stated. "But trust me, Betty, I thought your speech was amazing."
Polly spotted Alice standing a few feet away, not bothering to acknowledge her existence. She had spoken quite often with Hal, but her relationship with her mother was still rocky. It was going to be rocky for a few more years, but the pair seemed okay with it. Betty wondered how they all would act at the wedding, assuming that they would come.
"Betty!" Jughead called his fiancé over, seeming to be eager.
"Yes?" Betty sauntered over to him.
"Everyone's going over to Pop's to celebrate, but I wanted some alone time with you," Jughead spoke. "Is that okay?"
"Of course it's okay, Juggie," Betty smiled.
They both walked together across the football field, where their graduation had taken place.
"It's so crazy how we started, looking back," Jughead sighed.
"What was the first thought that came to your mind when I first stepped into the principal's office to give you your tour?" Betty questioned.
"Well, my first thought was, 'Holy shit, she's so goddamn hot,' and then my second one was, 'damn, she's going to be the death of me'." He grabbed her hand. "You looked smart, and you didn't judge me, so I was instantly attached."
"I knew you were different, Jug," Betty said. "Wow, a year ago my life was completely different. I was a different person. I don't think old Betty would ever imagine how happy she'd be right now."
"Same with old Jughead," he agreed, nodding his head. "Little did I know, the cute and sweet blonde who looked nervous to wear my Serpent jacket would be engaged to me."
"It was a really comfortable jacket," Betty laughed.
"Listen, Betty, when I proposed to you, I didn't have a ring," Jughead said, chewing on the bottom of his lip.
"Yeah, and I told you it was okay. I don't need a ring," Betty assured him.
"I know you don't need a ring for it to be official, but we've got to have one thing traditional, right?" Jughead smiled, pulling out a burgundy colored box from his jacket.
Betty let her jaw drop. "Oh my God, Jug, you got a ring?"
"It's a family heirloom," Jughead informed her. "My mom gave it to me yesterday. I told her we're getting married. She completely supports it, by the way."
"She knows?" Betty turned her head and glanced at Gladys, who winked at her.
"She thinks we're perfect together," Jughead laughed. "She'll help Alice ease into this whole marriage thing, even though it won't be easy."
Jughead pulled the ring out of the box, and Betty thought it was beautiful. It was an old, classic diamond, but she aleady loved it. Jughead slid it onto her finger, and afterwards he quickly pulled her in for a kiss.
"What is it?" Jughead asked, concerned, when he caught Betty staring at her hands.
"My scars," she told him, "they're completely gone."
Betty was right. Where there used to be crescents squeezed into her palms was smooth skin. They were at soft as rose petals, and the thought made her feel at peace.
"All this time, and I hadn't noticed," Betty smiled, glancing up at Jughead. "My scars had been blossoming into flowers."