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“Betty, wait up!”
Betty spun around, and a smile spread across her face as she caught sight of Jughead Jones jogging up to her.
“Juggie! What are you doing here?” She asked, happy but confused.
Jughead slowed his pace. “You’re… not happy to see me?” He asked the statement as a question.
“No no no, I’m always happy to see you. But you go to Southside High now… I wasn’t expecting you here.”
Betty and Jughead first met when they were both at their friend Archie’s house when they were 3. They instantly connected and had been inseparable since. They had been in the same class, at the same schools all their lives, until now. 2 weeks ago, Jughead’s dad, FP Jones, forced Jughead to move to Southside High, where the other Serpents went to school. Betty and Jughead were devastated, but still hung out as often as they could.
“I thought we could go to Pops, share a milkshake and burger like we we normally do.” Jughead replied, his usual smirk back in place.
“That would be great!” Betty chirped, giving Jughead a hug. “I hope you have your truck, because I am not getting on that death trap of a motorcycle you ride.”
“Yes, Betts, I have the truck.” Jughead chuckled, used to hearing her complaints.
“Then what are you waiting for, let’s go!”
*****
Jughead pulled up to the neon lit diner that he so often frequented. He jumped out of the truck, and jogged around to help Betty out of the vehicle. When he went to put an arm around her, he noticed she was shivering.
“Shit, Betts, you’re freezing!” He said in alarm.
“Th- this s-s-sing-glet-t-t t-top i-is real-ly th-th-in” Betty chattered.
'It also emphasizes a certain body part.' Jughead thought. He rolled his eyes at himself and reached into the truck to grab his Serpent jacket to give to her. This was no time to be fantasizing about his childhood crush.
He draped the leather jacket around Betty’s shoulders, and snickered. The material completely swamped her tiny frame. Almost immediately, she stopped shivering.
“Thanks Juggie.”
*****
'Friends, Betty, just friends'. Betty scolded herself as she and Jughead walked into Pops. It was clear that Jughead only thought of her as a friend, so why torture herself by imagining them as something more? She shook the thought from her head, and decided that for the rest of the night, she would think of Jughead as a friend.
“Our usual booth Betts?” Jughead called out.
“Uh, yeah, of course” Betty smiled. Jughead draped an arm over her shoulder and steered her to said booth. So much for that. Betty thought.
“Mini Cooper! Jones!” A voice called out.
Betty turned around reluctantly. “Reggie” she said flatly.
“Oh, am I interrupting a date? My bad” Reggie sniggered.
“Why would you think that Reginald?” Jughead asked in a bored tone.
“Well, you know how a Bulldog gives his girl his letterman jacket?” Betty and Jughead exchange a glance and nod.
“Well, your Serpent jacket is the equivalent!” Reggie finished triumphantly.
Jugheads heart was pounding. What should he do? He didn’t want to embarass Betty, and was about to deny the comment, when she stepped forward and started clapping sarcastically.
“Congratulations, Reginald. It’s shocking that you actually know something other than how to kick a football. How long did it take you to work it out?” Betty didn’t know what she was doing, and just hoped Jughead wouldn’t mind.
****
Jughead was so proud of Betty for standing up to Reggie. Sure, she was lying about being in a relationship and liking him, but she was becoming stronger.
“I mean, we’ve been dating for how long now?” Betty looked towards Jughead, and he could see a clear message in her emerald eyes; help.
“Three months now.” Jughead smirked and wound his arm around her waist.
“Now, if you’ll excuse us” Betty snarked, spinning around and taking Jughead with her.
“Holy shit Betts, you were amazing!” Jughead exclaimed, once they were at their booth.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have told him that we were dating, you probably don’t even want to hang out with me anymore, I don’t know what I was thinking, I just got carried away wishing that we were dating because if you didn’t realize, I kinda really like you. Like, like you, like you. Like, a lot. As in -”
Jughead cut off her rambling by pressing his lips to hers. He was just overwhelmed by a need to kiss her, after hearing her confess that she liked him. So he kissed her.
Kissing Betty was better than he imagined. Her lips were soft, and molded to his perfectly. She tasted like strawberries, and smelt like vanilla.
It wouldn’t matter if he died tonight. He was already in heaven.
*****
She was rambling. She knew it, and knew she had already said too much. But before she could backtrack, and redeem herself, Jughead kissed her.
His lips were slightly chapped, but fitted against hers almost like it was meant to be. He tasted like smoke and mint, an exquisite combination she would never forget.
Kissing Jughead exceeded anything she dreamt, but at the same time, wasn’t enough.
All too soon, he pulled back.
*****
Jughead looked down at Betty, and what he saw made him smile. Her brilliant green eyes were hidden by her lashes and her pink lips were parted. Her eyes opened slowly and met his. She smiled shyly and whispered to him.
“Hi”
“Hi” he whispered back, grinning at her.
They seperated, and slid into the booth.
They had a lot to talk about.