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New post from @thearticle

@ilovejugheadd his music is not bland, you don’t know what you are talking about
@karensmitt what happened to Reggie
@thearticle replies Reggie will presume writing during the course of the week this article is written by none other than our very own, Archie Andrews
@jugh3ad This is a lie!
@fp3love i love jughead’s music

400 more replies to this post

I guess you could blame this whole mess on Archie Andrews, well everyone else on the internet did, so I guess it wouldn’t matter if you blamed him too. It started with the article.You could say Archie was slightly in-experienced when it came to reviewing musicians. (Well, he got top grades in music in high school, only Archie knows that that has nothing to do with his work, but in fact his teacher Miss Grundy) still, Mr Andrews ended up writing a review on an up and coming artist Jughead Jones.I guess you could say he was a little too harsh.

“Jughead Jones has absolutely No talent, I’m begging you guys to never even think on going to see his Sweetwater tour!”

Jughead wouldn’t have thought that he would care about one negative review. It’s not like he hadn’t had them before.Just a stupid review he reminded himself,casually brushing it off. The writer didn’t know what he was talking about he thought. Still a small voice was consistently there. Jughead had never felt good enough, coming from the wrong side of the tracks of a small town. He always labelled himself as the weirdo or outsider. It wasn’t true, until he pushed everyone away in his life. The truth is he didn’t try to make friends.

You could say he stopped caring when his parents split up when he was thirteen, where his mother took his younger sister and moved to Toledo to further her career, and to escape from her father.From then until now the only constant thing in Jugheads life was music. He used to sneak into Southside highs old music department. It had been closed for many years at the time, due to budgeting but there was still a broken piano, and a few scratched guitars with snapped strings.

That was the day he met his best friend Toni. She was his only friend for a while, until he gave in and let her introduce himself to the rest of the serpents. At first they gave him the hard shoulder as he showed no interest in following his fathers footsteps. Through Toni, Jughead also met Toni’s grandfather, who offered to teach him piano, which he fell in love with.

By the time Jughead was a senior he walked into his dads bar for the first time, with the intention of getting some help to fund the music department. However, he didn’t expect to come walking back out with scars,bruises and a leather jacket.

For a while Jughead forgot about his love for music. He grew closer with his father for the first time since his childhood. But jugheads trance of pleasing his father ended a year later when a small riot escalated to him close to death writhing in pain, lost in fox forest.

That was the awakening jughead needed. After his recovery. He grabbed his essentials, his guitar hidden in the old school and fled on the first bus to New York. Where he is now, five years later.

It was a dark time, the first six months he was battling the verge of homelessness on part time jobs and small gigs in sketchy bars. But one night everything turned around for him. He was walking back to a shared flat late at night.

“Hey, jughead? Is that really you” He spun around and behind him were two boys. One in a denim jacket and a worn pink Floyd band shirt. He has messy brown locks compared to the other man next to him with raven hair, circular spectacles and a black turtleneck

“Sorry, do I know you two?” He asks rubbing his hand against the back of his neck. The boy with brown hair shoves the other boy in front, which leads to a glare from the other stranger.

“I’m Nicholas, this is Harvey.” The boy behind him smiles then waves. “A few weeks ago we saw you perform at pops...” there is an awkward silence, the boy Nicholas turns to his friend behind him who just shrugs.

Nick sighs. “Getting straight the point. We are backing musicians, for a musical company called lodge industries. It has really helped us, and with your talent. We would really like to do a demo with you.” Jughead scans the boys for a moment. Is this a joke. Is this real?

“We’re not just like colleagues, we are all a massive musical family. I don’t know about your living arrangements, but Miss lodge owns a hotel turned apartment block called the five seasons in Manhattan, as it happens we have an extra room if you want to move in.I know this is a lot to process, but I’m so happy we walked into that bar tonight.” This was real, He couldn’t believe in the space of mere moments He had been offered his dream job, and somewhere to live.

Jughead could hardly speak. He could only just manage to get his words out. “Please tell miss lodge, I can’t wait to talk to her”

Looking back, it was only a mere accident which led to where he is now. Having 3 successful albums and 4 hit singles. Those years living with nick and Harvey were the best. Long nights in recording studios, spending the day in the apartment watching Netflix, not having a single care in the world.

The five seasons made him feel normal for once, connecting with everyone. Teenage jughead would have never expected himself to have such friends as Veronica, all business savvy and sassy,yet knows how to have a laugh. Cheryl, a makeup artist and Instagram model. The publicity brought in hundreds of fans and even his old friends from back home.

Two years ago Toni, and a few of the other serpents came up. Jughead moved out of the flat with Nick and Harvey, as Sweet pea and Fangs moved in, and he shared with Toni. Then a year later, jellybean arrived on the doorstep of the five seasons. After being kicked out at eighteen by her mother and traveled all around New York trying to find her lost brother. The siblings cried the whole night, never leaving each other’s embrace. Maybe the universe did look out for him after all. However it’s not like that now.

“Earth calling Jughead, hello?”

Jughead looks up to room of faces scanning him. Everyone is silent, like they were waiting for him to speak. Which Jughead realised...they were.

“I said, that you should ignore what the article said, come on jug. Sweetwater tour starts in two weeks” Jughead looked up as Veronica dumps the certain article in front of him in a loud huff.

“This was your idea Jughead,You are supposed to release six new songs on this tour, and in four months all we have is a scrapped song and half a chorus!” Veronica is now pacing the head of briefing room table. Clicking her heels against the floor boards. “Please someone back me up”

The woman shouts looking to everyone in the room, who are either ducking their heads or fiddling with their hands. Jughead can’t help but smirk at the outburst Veronica has caused. He looks over to cheryl, one of his closest friends. He noticed a small twitch appear on her lips.

“What are you laughing about cheryl, anything you would like to say?” Veronica says slamming her fists on the table shaking all the workers coffees.

“ Not a thing Cherie, but might I say we should just trap young Forsythe in the studio for 48 hours and not let him out till the jobs done?” The girl says while filing her perfectly manicured nails.

“This is not a joke blossom” she hisses as she makes her way round the table. “Anybody, please anything to add... Kevin” All eyes dart to the boy stood in the corner.

His face immediately goes red. He opens his mouth, but immediately closes it. “In my opinion, I feel like his performance gives the audience an impression of loneliness.” The preppy boy looks up to Jughead for a second. “I’m sorry Jughead, I know you have this weirdo outsider going on. But I think you can show this in another way.”

Everyone is caught between staring at Kevin and looking back at the reaction coming from Veronica. “What do you have in mind.” Jughead notices Kevin’s gulp from the other side of the room. “Bring a little lightness in the background. Contrasting the music. Dancers. Before you immediately shut it down, You could use the dancers for tour, also for music videos and-“

The room goes silent as the boy notices he’s been rambling. “Who do you have in mind mr Keller?” Veronica says settling back down into her chair at the head of the table. “I have the perfect candidates who will be more than willing on helping out.” The boy ends his speech with a long sincere smile.

Veronica nods her head, Jughead could see a smile playing on her lips. “So what do you say Jones, are you up for it?” Everyone in the room, par cheryl stares right back at the boy in the beanie. “Do I dare say otherwise, what kind of question is that Veronica?” He sniggers, leading to a short laugh from Cheryl. “Congratulations Jones, you’ve got yourself a dead end tour!”

“So what do you think?” Kevin says as he snaps back the laptop. Jughead was actually quite taken aback. He hadn’t shown a care in the art of dance for years until he saw her for the first time. He wasn’t blind, He knew there was three dancers on the screen.

But his eyes naturally followed the girl centre stage, with the flowing golden hair and green orbs puffy and wet with raw emotion. She was sending through waves of raw hurt and desire in her dance from across the screen. And he hadn’t even met her in person yet. Still something was holding him back. As much as he enjoyed the performance, he was certain he didn’t want them joining him on his tour. Dancers don’t really send out the message brooding and angsty which he is aiming for.

“ Kevin arrange a meeting immediately. I do believe the vixens will be a good addition to our family, what do you think Jughead?”

Jughead doesn’t look up, he’s captivated by the small girl on the screen. “Thank you Ronnie, she’s perfect” little did he know what he signed up too. His mind was preoccupied of all the things he could say to this beautiful girl.

“Excuse me, thank you” Betty shouts as she racing through the streets of Manhattan, what was she thinking? Through the years she had lived in this city. When was the train ever on time? She suddenly feels her feet give way as she trips into somebody.

“Watch it!” She hears someone shout. She turns around quickly and assesses the damage she had caused. There’s a man in a dress shirt and suspenders, and has a visible coffee stain down the front. She immediately tries to clean his shirt, with no effect without the stain unfortunately sinking in.

“I am deeply sorry, I can’t believe I did that, are you okay?” She looks up and the mans expression changes dramatically. She can feel him scanning her. She saw spark in his eye, wondering who she was.“Is something on my face?” She asks quickly panicking that she may have ruined her one chance at a new job just for being late. “What no-“ he adds quickly before being interrupted as Betty looks at her watch. “I’m not going to make it” she says having a final attempt of trying to get the stain out his shirt. “I am so sorry for being such an inconvenience but I need to go.” She picks up her bag and runs down the road. Not without shouting up the street. “I am so sorry!”

“Well well, you’re late” Betty storms into the open room and nearly trips over her own feet... again! She scans her eyes across the room, Noticing immediately Midge and Sabrina standing awkwardly. Sabrina is all red in the face, and midge is slowly shaking her head in warning. Then there’s Kevin who is beaming at her.Kevin is next to a redhead goddess who is looking betty up and down, much to Betty’s discomfort. At the back there are a few intimidating men and a small woman all clad in leather and a few other stragglers just taking notes, then my eyes close in on the voice. Miss lodge, as she said on the phone, is not what Betty expected. Dressed in all black apart from some pearls. “I’m so sorry”

“It’s fine sweetie,Jugheads not here yet” the redhead woman interrupts. “ that’s cheryl, she’s our stylist, it mentions in the contract that we need to know if your allergic to any products, we need to be able to see your face on stage if you agree.” Veronica says sliding a file over to betty, who quickly hands it over to Sabrina and who immediately starts paging through the notes.

“Because of past reasons, not necessary to mention, Sweetwater tour will be having no supporting acts, therefore if you agree we would love it if we could advertise that the vixens will be, in a way supporting for the tour.” Betty quickly gives a reassuring look over to the girls who just nod back at her in reply.

“With this sorted, any questions before we go through the first set of papers?” Betty opens her mouth but is interrupted by Midge. “ I have got a question, regarding the living arrangements, well...is this proposal real?” Betty looks from Midge to Veronica. “Yes we have got an apartment for you girls to share, you can live here as long as you are working for the company. You will all have separate rooms though but a joined living space, details will be included later on. Does that answer your question?”

Midge crosses her arms and sniggers which leads to a smile from Veronica. “Perfect before we get into the details-“ Veronica stops in mid sentence and stands up. “You’re late” Betty turns to where Veronica is looking, and there he is. The boy Betty ran into earlier. Coffee stains and all.

“Let’s just forget about it, I’m sorry for being an inconvenience.” The boy looks over recognising Betty and winks at her. Betty couldn’t help herself but blush. That even shocked herself. Betty never blushed. Never!

“It’s fine jug, do you care to join us. I’d like to introduce you to the vixens, the backing dancers we talked about.” Betty watches as Jughead’s face immediately drops. His smile wiped clean off his face. “V, I told you it’s just me and my music.” Betty looks away. “Forsythe!” Veronica warns, sending a glance over to the brooding boy. “I’m supposed to be a loner outsider, that’s the image we’ve been trying to show. I can’t have shrilly little dancers in the background, it makes no sense!”

“That’s enough Jughead, Apologise now!” Veronica shouts. Betty feels out of place, she looks up to see Sabrina twiddling with her fingers and midge glaring at the angsty boy in front of them. “I’ll tell you something-“ midge starts standing up equaling jugheads level. Betty and Sabrina trying to hold her back. “What midge is trying to say, is that if Jughead doesn’t feel like we’re right for the job we could just leave.”

The room is silent for a mere moment before the room suddenly bursts into an outbreak. “That’s not what I said!” Midge shouts pulling her arm out of Betty and Sabrina’s grip. ”Betty please don’t leave” Veronica pleads trying to grab her hand. Betty sighs and then turns around to face the rest of the room.“It’s okay, if Jughead doesn’t feel we are right for the job we’ll go.” Betty stands up, adjusting her ponytail. A habit she’s grown into from constant pressures growing up.She looks up to see Midge and Sabrina are beside her.

As the girls exit the room she can hear squabbling from inside but just as the door closes. “For once in your life shut up Jughead!” The group make their way down the hall, until they enter the entrance hall. They are about to leave when they hear a voice from behind them.

“Ignore my brother, he’s stupid, talented none of the less, but still stupid. I suggest you come tomorrow. There will be less people, that way Jughead won’t get that nervous and you can actually have a normal conversation .” Betty turns around to see a teenager layer out on the reception desk., texting on her phone.

“I have the impression that Jughead doesn’t appreciate what we do, I don’t want to be wasting his time.” Betty adds. She gestures for the other two girls to wait outside, before walking . “Believe me, jughead is not stranger to the art of dance, so don’t hold that against him.Getting to the point, I like you, because I think you and your girls will remind him the beauty of the art he forgot about.”

Betty raises an eyebrow. “How can you like me, you don’t even know me. You weren’t even there?” The girl laughs. “Cheryl told me everything.” She says waving her phone in Betty’s direction. Betty can’t help but smile. “What? do you think I stop everyone who walks out the door?” The sister says. Then starts to laugh at the expression on Betty’s face.”See you tommorow miss” the girl salutes then turns her attention back to her phone.

“What?” Sabrina asks, tightening up her red coat. Betty just grins at her. “Come on, what’s going on?” Midge says shoving her hands into her pockets beaming up at her best friend. Betty can’t help but laugh at the two girls which makes midge smile just a tad more.Which hasn’t happened in a while.“Tell us Betty!” Sabrina shouts tugging on her arm. Betty turns to face them.“ I’m just saying this won’t be the last time we’ll be speaking from Mr Jones, that’s all.” Betty whispers then pulls in her girls in each arm. “No way, this might be our big break, finally!” Midge says, pulling out of the embrace in disgust but ends up in a laughing fit.

Betty smiles in agreement. “Yes this might be it”

J: where are you?

V: sorry, change of plans

J: seriously, are you kidding me?

V: no, I’m punishing you. The way you behaved the other night was low, even for you

J:Veronica, I told you I was sorry

V:not good enough, anyways I think you need to apologise to her directly.

J:what do you mean?

V:have fun jughead

J:Veronica!!

V:toodles

...

That moment, the bell of the coffee shop rung. Jughead looked up and saw her right away. He stopped breathing. She looked so beautiful, in a natural way. She wore an oversized maroon jumper and dungarees. She had fresh paint stains down the front. Her hair was up in a messy bun falling apart. And she has circular spectacles which she keeps pushing against her small nose.

Jugheads’s heart halted at the sight of her, as she made her way towards him. “I’m so sorry I look like a mess, I just came back from an art class with the girls. Who I also apologise for not not being here-“

She rambles trying to tidy herself, jughead notices her fidgeting and reaches for her hand(which startles them both.) “You don’t need to apologise, I’m the one who needs to apologise. “ jughead says, he can feel her staring at him intently through her glasses. Jughead looks down to see he’s still holding her hand.he quickly removes it. “Jughead it’s fine,let’s just forget about it, I understand the image you have built up. I haven’t heard any of your music before, but I have been told by several people that you are talented.”

Jughead scoffs. “I don’t know what you’ve heard, but I for one know that the talented one is you!” Betty opens her mouth to shut him down, but jughead leans down and pulls a bottle of wine onto the table. “Wine? In a coffee shop” Betty asks raising an eyebrow. “No, apology wine, the way I acted the other day was wrong.” Jughead says going quiet at the end. “I already told you Juggie, let’s just forget it.”

Jughead looks up at her again. “Thanks Betts.” Betty smiles in response then she looks around the room before opening the wine. Jughead chuckles. God, this woman is something else. “What, you brought it!” Betty smirks pouring the wine into two of the empty coffee mugs. Jughead leans back in his chair, his eyes trailing the blonde before him.“If there was a hurricane, I would name it after you Betty cooper.”

Jughead blurts out. Betty looks up into his eyes. “That’s an odd thing to say.” Betty laughs, grinning from ear to ear. “Told you, I’m a weirdo.”

“Before I become tipsy, I need to ask you something jughead” Betty says leaning back into the sofa of the coffee shop. “Betty, you are already tipsy” jughead replies, before blurting out into uncontrollable laughter. “and whose fault is that Mr Jones?”

“Good point, proceed.” Jughead says sitting up to listen. “I need a demo, as soon as possible, If I need to start on the choreography for your tour.” Jughead looks at the girl, wide eyed. “You joined the team less than an hour ago, may I remind you I was under the influence of alcohol,and you are already on my case, Veronica will love you. “ Betty blushes, it was true she had only been hired less than an hour ago, and they were both past the stage of intoxicated, Betty did not want to create a wrong first impression. (Not to mention the start the two have already had at first impressions.

“Not everything is businesses around me MIss Cooper.” Jughead winks.Betty is shocked, he must be kidding. He can’t be flirting with her. It’s the alcohol talking. Jughead can see how shocked Betty is. “I’m joking, I’m not that kind of person.” Jughead laughs and he sees the girl relax a bit. Still...

She thought the reason she was hear was to persuade jughead for the Job. Betty looks to the watch on her arm and jumped, spilling the wine everywhere. “ no, no no... I am so sorry.” Betty says grabbing a nearby cloth cleaning the mess up. “You need to stop apologising.” Jughead says, taking the cloth out of her hand wiping the table clean.

“Thank you so much jughead, I should probably get going.” Betty replies standing to her feet. “Yeh, I’ll see you on Monday I guess.” Jughead says straightening out his shirt. “I need that demo as soon as possible, so you better start working on that new song of yours.” The laughter only stops once Betty is outside of the coffee shop.

From then on, jughead could not stop thinking about her. She was just like the poetry in his favourite book, she called to him. He suddenly had so much inspiration that he had to get down. He could spend days writing about the way she talked. Months writing about her smile and years describing her eyes. He got lost in her eyes so easily. Jughead hadn’t had a purpose to write, at least not since... It didn’t matter, nothing could make jughead feel more alive.

Maybe Veronica was right. Maybe Betty cooper was going to save the tour after all, and it hadn’t even begun yet.

Jughead had been so busy writing that he hadn’t seen much of Betty her first week. She was always down the hall. So at lunch he would always pass her and check through the door to see if she was okay. Sometimes he was close to getting caught, by the other girls. Sabrina was nice, he talked to her sometimes, she was dazed most of the time always talking to her cat. But never the less, a nice person.

Midge on the other hand, was different. Jughead had a feeling that midge hadn’t taken to him that well. He can always hear her whisper an insult or glare at him from across the lunch hall. She only looked happy when she was dancing. At least, that’s what Sabrina had told him. She also explained that Midge was never like this, but after a traumatic experience in high school. Midge turned. And jughead quotes ‘dead inside.’

Still, Jughead doesn’t know what to think of her. To the world she shows the persona of ‘exiting emo’ however jughead knows all about hiding feelings. So he can’t judge her. Jughead doubts that this girl will never open up to him though.

B: hey this is Betty, from work. I’m just asking about the demo

J: not there yet I’m sorry

Tuesday 4:15
B: hope you have had a good day, have you finished it?

J: sorry.

Wednesday 4:17
B: sorry to be a pain, but I need an idea, anything I can help with.

J: it’s okay Betty, I’m getting there I promise

Betty stopped texting him then, realising she might scare him away. She didn’t want to lose her job on the first week. It has been amazing so far. The girls were planning to move in at the weekend. They didn’t have much, but it would do, Betty had a bit saved since college, so they’ll make do with it. Especially if this tour goes well, like everyone is saying it will.

But now it was Thursday, she’s been here at the studio for four days now. Midge and Sabrina had gone off to to talk. They were social butterflies, much to Betty’s disadvantage in the past.

Betty preferred to stay, in read a good book, Or just sing. But that was her secret passion. No one had heard her sing, and she wanted to keep it that way.

But right now, Betty was bored, and that hadn’t happened since she was a baby. Always a ballet class, always a rehearsal, always a sound check. Betty can’t remember having time to herself.

She’s not exaggerating when she says she had stretched at least twenty times...okay maybe a tad. She’d gone through her old routines, even tried some improv of random songs on the radio, yet she was still bored.

Then Betty realised, she hadn’t seen the rest of the building. She knows the cafeteria is at the end of the hall. Suddenly her journalistic instincts kicked in. No harm can be done by being nosey right?

Betty creeps out the studio, shutting the door quietly. Next door betty sees two boys and one girl. The two boys she doesn’t recognise but one is on the drums and the other is on electric guitar. Then Betty notices Midge, she’s bopping her head to a song, which Betty automatically realises must be some rock anthem.

Betty has never appreciated rock like her friend does. Not that Midge hadn’t tried to change that. There had been countless nights where Betty has woken up to the sound of Pink Floyd blaring from the speakers in the small crappy apartment of theirs.

Betty chuckles before making her way down the hall. Then she sees Kevin’s room, she reminds herself to go in and check on him later. She then passes a makeup room and a few empty recording studios.

But at the other end of the hall. Betty finds Jugheads room. She walked straight into the room, and inside she sees a few recording machines then a one sided mirror. Betty sits in the chair. She can see Jughead with a guitar. It looks old, surely someone this successful could afford a new guitar. Then again...Jughead was different.

Betty realised, he was so entranced in his music that he hadn’t even noticed she had entered the room. Betty chuckled to herself. Perhaps she could get that demo for herself, if jughead hadn’t been cooperative. She pulled her phone out and pressed record.She went to turn on the sound so she could hear from inside the small room jughead was in.

Betty smiled. Jughead had no clue that she was listening to him. The first song was ending, however after the parts she heard. She was mesmerised, his voice was so soft which contrasted to the persona he got people to think. There she understood what the media was talking about.Suddenly the music stopped.

Betty ducked under the table. She didn’t move until she heard the guitar start again. She sat in the chair and watched as the boy strummed the strings which looked so naturally. Then he started singing again. His voice was so different to what she had heard before. She couldn’t process it but then the lyrics sunk in.

‘There was a hurricane, and I named it after you’

She had heard that before, he said those exact words to her. Betty was stunned.

‘I spilled his wine on the table, visions of a new begging’

Betty was shocked. He wrote the song based on her encounter with him. It was like the lyrics spoke directly to her. She spilled his wine. This song... was about her.

‘Just hold your arms around me,
this cruel world
Let’s just forget it’

Betty couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This wasn’t a coincidence, she was certain this song was about her.

‘Under the velvet sky,
I saw a spark in your eye’

He still hadn’t noticed she was there listening to his every word. He was distracted by the song itself.

‘Just like the poetry,
in my favourite book,
You called to me’

She thought he hated her, he labelled himself a loner. Yet here he is writing songs about someone he just met. Betty didn’t understand

‘Honey, you said it better
Than I, could ever say it
Just hold, your arms around me
This cruel world, let's just forget it’

As the song drew to a close, Betty closed the recording and left. She hadn’t expected that. She didn’t understand, why did this man do this if he hated her so much. Betty realised there was much more to Jughead Jones than meets the eye.

What was jughead doing? Writing songs about a girl, who will be in less than a week performing it. He considered scrapping it, but it was the closest thing he had come in the past few months. Jughead felt that the only thing that would sort his head out would be food.

As jughead headed out the hall, he got drawn to the music softly humming from the room down the hall. It was coming from Betty’s studio. What was the most surprising about it, was that it was his song. The one he was working on mere moments ago.

He peered into the window and saw Betty in leggings and a loose top moving to the music to the song. His song. She looked so elegant as she moved around the room. Jughead chuckled lightly. “I guess she got her demo after all” he mumbled to himself before continuing to watch her dance to the music.

He would never tell her. But Veronica was right. Maybe the Vixens would be a good addition to the team after all.

Betty Cooper was something else though. Seeing her dance to his song changed everything he had once thought about her.

Jughead instantly knew this tour would be one of a kind with her. And he bets he will never forget it.

Chapter Text

“What to do?” Jughead says, leaning against the door staring at the girl swaying to the music of his song. She looks up quickly. Eyes trailing from him back to her phone, then back to him, then the phone again. “Oh” She respond quickly lowering her worried head to the floor. “What to do, about you Betty Cooper”

Betty looked up,expecting to see the man glaring. But surprisingly sees a snigger drawing on his face. She half smiles, then looks away. She can feel his eyes burning into her.

Jughead chuckles at the idea of the strong willed cooper girl get bashful at getting caught. The idea of this girl is addicting to him. He had never felt this towards a girl before, not even the ones he was in a relationship with. He was caught up in her clothes, sewn into the stitches. Then again, there wasn’t many stitches in the clothes she wore while dancing.

She automatically tries to cover herself, they both want to speak. Both trapped in the moment, neither wanting to brake it. “Running round 5 o’clock, we’re thinking of leaving.” Betty looks up to see jughead in her face and midge where he was once stood. The air becomes tense. “Lodge wants to meet at bennys diner, to go over arrangements for the tour bus.” Jughead nods his head. The leaves the room. “See you later girls.”

“Boy, damn you cooper.” Midge says chuckling lightly as Betty grabs her things. “Were hardly friends midge” she adds hitting the girl over the head lightly and pulling her into a hug. “Even if you two are friends, you need a shower before you see Donnie Darko again.” Betty laughs softly.

——

A week later, the encounter hadn’t been mentioned. Betty didn’t understand. She stole his song. Her first thought was that she would get fired in the second. Any excuse for jughead to get away from her, but once again. He surprised her. Her thoughts circled until she got out the shower. That’s when she noticed her clothes were gone.

This was childish, it’s her first week in the new apartment. She grabs the nearest towel, opens the door. To a room full of people. “It’s party time people.” Kevin shouts. Betty scans the room. “You need to get ready, so I invited the girls.” Betty stares at him giving him her best ‘what the hell is going on’ face. “Firstly when you say girls, do you mean every single girl on this planet? And secondly I thought we were going to the diner again like last week?”

Everyone laughs, even Sabrina and midge. Then the small girl with pink hair walks up to the front. “No, Bennys diner is just a cover for this speakeasy Veronica owns called la bonne nuit.” Once the girl stops talking she turns to Sabrina and winks. Sabrina blushes, then quickly turns her attention to the cat in her arms.

“So, I’ve got my best girls and gays to give you a makeover, midge and Brina too.” Betty is astounded, before she can speak any further, she is being ushered away by Cheryl. She quickly follows the red head goddess. They are halfway down the corridor when cheryl stops. “Take it off” the girl demands. Betty looks down. She’s still just wearing a towel. “What?”

“Leave her alone blossom.” It’s him. Betty surprised herself when she could recognise his voice. She slowly turned around to face him. Once again he was staring at her directly. She was immediately attracted to his ocean eyes. She didn’t realise how close the two were till her wet hair dripped onto his shoes.

“That’s enough chit chat you two, see you at bennys snake boy” cheryl says grabbing Betty’s hands and whisking her away. Betty reaches for the corner looking at him, before mouthing the words help. She only stops smiling when she can’t hear his faint laughing anymore.

Betty sits in her chair, where she hasn’t moved for an hour. Betty gets the sense that it’s not good to test the wrath of cheryl blossom. “No... no, no. Definitely not.” Ten minutes ago. Cheryl dissapeared into a closet. She comes back out, not with a dress like Betty had thought, but three samples of materials.

“Green matches your eyes...” I look at her for a second. “But it’s ugly, next is the red, i think it would suit you.” She flicks her long hair so I hits Betty in the face. “But not as good as me,I guess the pink one will do.” Then she disappears again.

When she comes back, she is carrying two dresses. A short hot pink mini dress with more slits than fabric. Betty’s face screws up at the sight of it. She silently thought that cheryl should just stay in the makeup industry.

“I think this one is boring very bland I think that-“ Betty tuned out cheryl for a moment, the dress was something Alice cooper never would have let Betty wear. “Cheryl I could never be able to wear any of these dresses.” A tear starts to form in her eye. Cheryl let out a small smile. “Go try it on Betty, this is your moment.”

——

This one phrase was the reason Betty was walking through the doors of the all American diner, following the other girls lead. Seeing all of them dressed to the nines made her feel overwhelmed. She made her way through the secret passage into the speakeasy. As she made her way down the stairs. She could feel the eyes on her. But the only eyes she connected with was his.

Jughead had rarely been effected by women over the years. Sure he’s been with a few, but nothing substantial. He always thought love was just a defence mechanism for loneliness. He didn’t understand how someone’s feelings could change just by one glance, till he saw her at the top of the stairway that night.

She had her hair down in long blonde cascading waves. She wore a velvet dress which brought out her every curve, and left little to his imagination ( which he immediately regretted, thinking such horrible things) but she looked classy, elegant. Yet through all her makeup. He could see she was nervous.

He looked around and saw lots of men gaping at the blonde beauty before them. Before he was thinking jughead ran up the stairs and held out his arm. “Thought I’d help you out” he says she sends him her soft smile then grabs hold of his arm. “No beanie tonight then, kind of disappointed” jughead chuckled. He had always been ridiculed by that hat. Then again, the enigma who was Betty cooper brought it up.

“No ponytail I see, I can’t say I’m not disappointed” oh god what was he doing. Making a fool of himself, that is. She just smiled at him as they joined the others at the table.

Half an hour in, Betty still felt out of place. She could feel all the stares from men surrounding her, and see the looks from other girls. Betty immediately felt self conscious and starts to tug down on her dress. Jughead, mid in conversation turns towards her and gives her a single look. Are you okay? Betty smiles and then goes back to stirring her drink absentmindedly.

“Isn’t that right betty” the girl looks up, to see the whole table staring at her. “Sorry what did you say?” Midge just rolls her eyes. “I was just telling everyone how you joined the vixens” Betty’s eyes flashed. She felt a sudden rush of anger bolt right through her. “There was this viper we danced with called ginger” Betty’s fingers curled at the mention of her name.

“This girl literally forced Betty to sing for her audition” Betty cringed feeling everyone’s eyes on her. She was hoping they would all be drunk and won’t remember in the morning. Jughead turned to her. “You sing?” Betty buried her hands so no one could see. “Like a Nightingale, there’s nothing our dear Betty can’t do mr Jones” Kevin shouts over the crowd of people.

Jughead raised his eyebrows. “More drinks anyone?” Betty asks but before she can stand up she can feel cold on her leg she looks down and sees Jugheads hand there. He’s not looking at her, he’s looking straight at Sabrina who is giggling, and is definitely tipsy. She can feel his hand move. How dare he try to make a move on her when he can see she is this distressed. That’s when she realised jughead grabbed her bloodied hand and is rubbing smooth circles on her palm.

She had definitely misunderstood the mystery that is Jughead Jones. Midge let’s out an over dramatic sigh as everyone else tries to get her to finnish the story. “Basically this viper got so jealous she-“ Betty stood up interrupting midge.

“This is my story midge, I’ll carry on.” Betty took a deep breath. “She said and I quote.” Betty tries to stifle a tear. “Let me tell you girls, Betty’s singing voice... made her dancing look good”

The table goes silent. Betty looks and sees everyone looking down, All except jughead. He opens his mouth to say something, then closes it and slouches back into his seat. Without thinking betty rushes off to the bathroom. As she walks the last thing she hears is. “So can she sing or not?”

Betty didn’t imagine herself crying in the bathroom. This was the last place she wanted to be. She didnt want to be pitied. She came out for a fun time, And that’s what she was going to do.

Breathe Betty just, breathe. She told herself as she pushed open the bathroom door. “Do you want to talk?” A voice from next to her said the moment she steeped a foot back into the hustle of the bar. Of course it was him. “Not particularly at the moment.” Betty said, still not looking at him. Then she felt warmth on her arm. “Are you sure because I-“ Betty pulled her arm out of Jugheads touch. “I’m fine.” She replied in a harsher tone than she intended to. Betty turns to him and see his expression looks quite shocked. “I mean... I’m s-sorry”

Betty stumbles on her words then runs across the room. As far away from the man as possible. She slides into the nearest bar stools. What is she doing? She knew all he wanted to do was help. But she just couldn’t handle anyone at the moment.

“Bijou for this woman right here please.” Betty turns to the side to see a man looking her up and down. “No really that’s fine-“ Betty says turning towards the man. He smelled strongly of alcohol. “You looked like a bijou kind of girl.” The man says placing his hand on her thigh. Just like jughead did, but this time she could feel his hand raising higher up her leg.

Betty’s mouth opens, about to protest but she is interrupted. “You are wrong” Betty looks up and sees jughead standing there. She stands up immediately, shoving the guy off of her. Jughead comes up and puts an arm around her waist. Betty freezes. She has never been this close to him before, she can feel jughead tracing his fingers on her hip bone. Unlike the man in front of her. She felt safe under his touch.

“She would like south side, right babe.” On the word babe, jughead indicates the bar man who then pulls out a drink (which Betty believes is south side) and hands it over to jughead. “Thanks Cassidy ” he winks at the man in front of them. Then hands the drink to Betty. They turn to walk away from the bad. “Actually Cassidy, could you please kick this gentleman out of here under the courtesy of Veronica lodge.”

Jughead pulls her in tighter as they walk away. Betty squizes Jugheads side meaning thank you. He squeezes back in response. “Seriously you should try south side, it’s Jughead Jones aproved.” He said responded by a small chuckle by Betty as she takes a sip of her drink. They didn’t even realise they were still holding on to each other until they got to the table again. Luckily no one else seemed to notice.

——

Everyone seemed to forget about Betty’s incident earlier. They looked like they had had a few more drinks. “I don’t care what you say Veronica, I’m not riding some manky bus up and down the country, I mean at least my dear Betty here deserves better.” Kevin shouts. Triggering a series of laughter coming from the rest of the group.

“Oh Kevin, you beautiful compulsive piece of trash, only three people would fit on our tour bus.” Cheryl says stirring her drink around. “Oh yeh why are you on Jugheads bus bombshell? Maybe if we all hooked up with a certain raven haired princess we’d be all be settling with first class bus fairs.”

Cheryl spits out her drink and Veronica goes bright red. It was no secret the two had chemistry. They had been secretly dating for six months now. They thought they had kept in private, but apparently not. Most people would forget inthe morning anyway. At least that’s what the two lovers hoped.

“Fine if everyone else could hitch rides then that will be fine.” Veronica says trying desperately to change the subject. “Sabrina can come with me. I’m sure the serpents won’t mind” Toni says winking and brina who tries to hide her blush. “I’ll hitch a ride with the band” midge interrupts. “They have some songs they wanted to show me, right guys?” Midge asks, her gaze following to the boys sat at the back of the booth. “So it’s just you two then”

Veronica says. Kevin lazily puts his arm around Betty. “You know what I’ve always wanted to do?” Kevin turns to Betty. He reeks of alcohol. She tries to turn away from him, laughing helplessly. He waits for no answer before carrying on. “I wanted to go on a road trip across America, but moose said no.” Kevin says then goes on to impersonate his boyfriend which leads to everyone laughing again. “Go on keller.” Everyone shouts. “I want to rent a minivan. Would you go on ye’old road trip with your bestie Betty?”

Everyone laughs. “Sure, do it. Right now buy one.” Betty says, laughing along with everyone else. Kevin raises his eyebrow then pulls out his phone. Then jughead finally talks. “Betty, I don’t think this is the best idea.” He places an arm on her shoulder, but she shrugs it off. “Ooo, what about that one?” Kevin asks. Betty peers over his shoulder. “I like it, it’s very yellow.” She answers then starts giggling uncontrollably.

“Betty I’m sure we can think of a logical way for you to get there, you could always travel with me-“ jughead stops mid sentence. Betty silenced him by putting a finger on his lips. Jughead couldn’t process anything. The only thought in his mind was how soft her skin was. “Shhh Juggie” she whispers then grabs the phone out of Kevin’s hands. She looks up with a mischievous grin on her face. Looks between Kevin and jughead for a second. Clicks a button then puts the phone on the table, laughing uncontrollably.

Cheryl grabs the phone. “Oh my, cooper bought it” Cheryl says. Jughead snatches the phone out of her hands then scrolls through Kevin’s contacts. “Hey, sorry it’s late. I have your boyfriend here, and he is extremely intoxicated-“

“We bought a minivan!” Kevin shouts down the line. Jughead sighs. “We are at bennys, thanks for your time.” Jughead ends the call, then passes Kevin back his phone. Jughead examines the table. “Okay everybody it’s time to go home.”

Jughead stands up. “We’ll take Sabrina, Toni and midge.” Harvey says, climbing out of the booth. Cheryl and Veronica say goodbye then make their way up to call an Uber. All that’s left is Kevin and Betty. Jughead grabs Kevin pulling him up out of his seat who immediately runs over to moose. “Thank you jug” moose shouts over Kevin’s constant babbling, before leaving. All that’s left is him and Betty.

“Okay Betty, time to get up...Betty?” Jughead turns around to Betty already stood up cleaning the empty glasses off the table. “Sorry I thought you were drunk.” Jughead says taking the glasses out of Betty’s hands, and putting them on the sides of the empty bar. “I only had one drink remember.” Betty smiled softly. “I for one know what happens under the influence of drink”

Jughead was impressed. For he too knew how Betty felt. As a child living in a background of a flighty mother and an alcoholic dad. He agreed with her completely. “But the minivan? I thought?” Jughead asks as he and Betty make their way up the steps through the diner and out until the car park. “I just wanted some fun. This is an experience of a lifetime right. I wanted to try new things.” Betty says smiling brightly.

A gust of wind through silenced the two. Betty shivers grabbing Jugheads attention, before she can stop him, he slings his jacket around her. “It’s fine I...” jughead silences her mid sentence, placing his finger on her lips. Mocking what she did earlier. “Thank you” She mumbles when jughead releases his finger.

Betty pulls out her phone, and starts to dial a number. “What are you doing?” Jughead asks, peering over her shoulder. “Calling an Uber, I need to get back somehow.”

“I’ll take you back, I mean we are going to the same place after all. It would be no trouble.” Betty hesitates for a moment, jughead can see the clogs turning in her head. “If you say it’s no trouble, thank you jughead.” Jughead gives Betty a wide smile, then the pair make their way over the car park.

“Woah this is you car?” Betty asks running up and stroking the bonnet. Jughead chuckles. Betty circles the car expecting every detail much to Jugheads amusement. “I have only seen a Chevy bel air in this good condition around ten years ago. “Do you want to get in” jughead asks, Betty just jumps up and down and nods her head rapidly.

However, the moment the engine started rolling Betty fell asleep. She was curled up in herself, looking so effortlessly beautiful. Jughead got a bit distracted by looking at her. At the traffic lights he pulled out a blanket from the backseat and placed it over her sleeping body. “Good night bets” jughead whispered, finally before he carried on making his was down the road towards the lodge apartments.

When Betty woke up the following morning, the first thing she noticed was the music floating through the walls of the apartment. The second thing she noticed was that it was not her apartment. She sat up immediately, inspecting her surroundings. She didn’t have a hangover but she doesn’t remember sleeping with anyone.

She decides the best thing to do is get out of bed and find out for herself. That’s when she notices she was wearing a old Southside high jumper and some shirt shorts. What did she end up doing last night? The last thing she remembers is getting in a car with... oh.

As she opens the door, she follows the stair case into an open plan room. The room is bright, and open. There is minimal furniture. A pullout couch which looks like it has been recently used. She follows the room round to a kitchen, where she finds what she was looking for. Jughead sat on the countertop reading a book and stirring what looks like a cup of coffee. He’s humming along to a classical tune playing from a vintage radio which is upon a fireplace. Betty thought the room was typically jughead in a nutshell.

Jughead hadn’t noticed her yet. She hadn’t realised she had been humming along to the tune. She recognised it somewhere. “comptine d'un autre été” jughead says looking up at her over his book. “Amélie” Betty replies sliding into the seat next to him. Jughead tilts his head and smiles at her through a curl of his hair that had fallen out.

Jughead looked different here. Not so intense or broody. He looked innocent. This man was an enigma, half the time she thought he hated her. But here she was in, what she presumed was his clothes, in his apartment. “Did anything bad happen last night? Jughead puts his book down an raises his eyebrow.

“Not particularly, everyone left eventually, I was taking you home but you fell asleep in the car and I didn’t want to wake you. Your door was locked when I carried you in so I brought you back here.” Betty looked up shellshocked. He did all that for her. She was about to thank him when he interrupted her.

Jughead grins widely, then stands up to leave the room. Not before he turns around and says. “Also you and Kevin bought an old minivan to take on the tour”

“Kevin! This is your last chance.” Betty shouts down the line. She’s still at Jugheads, her and Kevin have been talking for an hour, by that time jughead had had a shower and was already on his second episode of friends. But half the time she could feel his eyes on her as she stalked the floors shouting to Kevin. “But Betty it’s beautiful, and we are leaving tomorrow. How are we supposed to get something else.” Betty huffed. “You know what fine...” Betty exhales hearing Kevin let out a little sequel. “We will have so much fun betty cooper. See you tomorrow.” Kevin shouts loud enough for jughead to hear it faintly. “Yes goodbye Kev”

Betty puts down her phone, then slumps onto the couch in a huff. She knew she was going to regret this. She looks up when she hears jughead laughing. She squints her eyes. “What are you looking at mr fancy bus passenger.” Jughead raises his eyebrows, then chuckles. “Why didn’t you back out if you didn’t want the minivan.” He stares right into her eyes.

“Well maybe... I wanted the minivan.” Betty says slowly dragging out each of the words. “You don’t say.” Jughead replies. Betty rolls her eyes then sticks her tongue out. There was an awkward silence. For once in her life Betty has nothing to say. It’s like whenever he is in the room she is incapable of talking.

“You would think by three o’clock in the afternoon I would leave.” Betty says, awkwardly tucking a loose curl behind her ear. “I didn’t mind, you are welcome anytime betty.” Jughead says, helping the girl pick up her things and leading her to the door.

“Anyway thank you for last night, and this morning.”
They both stand there motionless. They don’t shake hands because they are past that stage but jughead doesn’t know if to label Betty as a friend. Jughead has little to no friends and he doesn’t want to ruin anything with this girl. After all they will be on tour together.

“thanks Jugheads” Betty whispers tilting her head looking sincerely into her eyes. Jugheads about to open his mouth to speak when she closes the door. He leans against the frame. God why does he act so stupid when he is around her. He then hears a voice from the hallway. “I bought a minivan!” Jughead only stops laughing when he is back on the sofa resuming his episode of friends.

——
Beep beep.

“Get in loser, we’re going on tour!” Kevin shouts as he winds down the window of the old minivan. Betty chuckles as she runs towards the van carrying her bags. She trips over her own laces and nearly falls causing Kevin to laugh. Betty chucks the bags in the back of the truck, but before she gets to the door, Kevin locks it. “What are you wearing cooper?” Kevin whistles as Betty models for him laughing as poses. “Let me in Kev, we need to get going, everyone else has left.” Kevin finally unlocks the door and Betty slides in next to him. “You ready bets.” Kevin says revving the engine. “As I’ll ever be” Betty replies and they set off.

Half an hour later, Betty realised everything was silent except from the low rumble of the engine. She looked up to see that Kevin had pulled out her ear plugs. “Hey what was that for.” She says, slapping his hand gently as he pulls on her headphones. “Turn on the radio instead.” Kevin says.

“Out of all the years you have known me, when have I ever listened to the radio. There’s only overplayed pop songs. I would rather be listening to real music.” Kevin laughs at how serious Betty got. “Yes, But we need to hear if they play anything of jugs, he hasn’t been played for a year.” Surprisingly Betty barely protests and turns on the radio. Kevin smiles slightly, he for one knew Betty in and out. He came up with a little plan in his head.

“So you and jughead... getting close?” He says tapping the steering wheel lightly. “I wouldn’t say close. But he is very sweet. talks a lot though, can’t seem to shut him up.” Kevin laughs hysterically at that. “So are you telling me that mr weirdo jughead, won’t stop talking.” Kevin laughs.

“I don’t mean it like that, I just thought he would be, I don’t know... Moody and quiet I guess. But I don’t know him that well.” Kevin laughs again at this. “What’s so funny?” Betty asks. “Get my phone... call...cheryl” Kevin says laughing between breaks.

Betty takes his phone and dials the number, then puts it on loudspeaker. “Bombshell, I have some news for you.” Kevin says. “Pray tell” the girl replies through the speakerphone.

“My dearest Betty had just told me that jughead is sweet to her.” Betty can hear Cheryl’s venomous laugh from down the line. “Sweet, that’s hardly a word to describe him. Did you hear that Ronnie” Betty hears some shuffling from the other end of the line. “This weirdo brand you have been trying to create for Jones has failed. Betty here describes our boy as sweet.”

“I’m not trying to be rude, it’s just he has been really nice to me.” Betty hears more laughter. “Betty darling, it’s okay, it’s just most people that jughead meets well..” Veronica pauses. “Let’s just say he doesn’t like many people.”

— —

“Betty wake up” Kevin says shaking the girl awake. “What happened?” Betty says, unaware of her surroundings. “The van broke down.” Betty snaps up straight.

“What? we topped up on fuel a few hours ago.” Betty says shivering at the Chill of the hour. “Yeh it’s not that, it’s an old van, we should have gotten a newer one.” Betty sighs. “What do we do.” She says desperately trying to pull on her jacket. “We’re nearly at the bridge, we need to go through security to pass so we’ll be stopping for a break at the other side of the Sweetwater. We’re just going to have to trek up a few miles.” Betty’s eyes open in horror. “It’s the middle of the night kev! What if we get run over? What about the van?” Kevin shushes her. “Just get your bags we’ll have to hitch rides with the others once we arrive there.

“Look at my shoes, these are my dance shoes, I’m such an idiot, they are all covered in mud.” Betty says trying to haul her bag up the side of the road. “We’re nearly there look. There is traffic building up. Then we’ll just get a lift until the van is fixed. Come on”

From a distance a siren started blaring getting louder and louder by the moment. “Kev look.” Betty said and turned around to see a man get out a police car. “Did you know it is not safe for you to be walking along the side of the road at this hour, or at all for that matter.” The man says.

“Sorry our van broke down and it didn’t seem like far to get to the bridge.” Kevin tried to explain. The man walks closer to them. “Sorry let me rephrase, what is a beautiful thing like you doing out here in the cold. “Betty raises her eyebrows. “Really you are hitting on me I-“ Kevin interupts betty, by shoving her in the side. “What she means to say is that we are supposed to be meeting with our team at the other side of the bridge, and we can’t be late so we need to hurry to fix the van.”

Kevin says covering for Betty. “I can take you two up if you like, it’s not often that I see pretty girls like you off the side of the road.” He starts to laugh at his own joke giving Betty time to turn to Kevin to glare at him. Just as he calms down Betty fakes a laugh. “Let’s get going then, my names Dilton Doiley, what’s yours miss.” The policeman, dilton says as he grabs Betty’s waist trying to ‘help’ her through the mud. “Thank you officer Doiley, my names Betty.” The girl says through her teeth.

It hasn’t gone unnoticed that the man is gripping onto her waist, which may be seen as unprofessional. “That’s a beautiful name” the officer says as he opens the door of his car. “I’ve always hated it” Betty snarls and She hears Kevin choke back a laugh.

——

“ where are they?” jughead says pacing up the side of the bus, cigarette in hand. “Your girlfriend couldnt have gone far-“

“Shut it blossom, she’s not my girlfriend.” Jughead interupts turning to the girl leaning against the bus smoking a cigarette of her own. She watches with an amused expression spread across her face as jughead constantly checks his phone and paces up and down the car park.

“Can you standstill you are making me dizzy.” She shouts, which makes jughead glare. That’s when they both notice the flashing lights of a police car drawing ever closer to them, untill it stops infront of the bus. Outsteps kevin, Betty and someone else. Jughead freezes. This man is holding Betty’s waist.He sees him says somethings which makes her laugh. Jughead wasn’t jealous. He just felt a wave of protectiveness over Betty. He wasn’t jealous, he told himself.

But then he saw the man put his arm over the car trapping Betty him and the car. Jughead was about to storm forward when he felt a hand on his back, pulling him away. That didn’t stop him. He got out Cheryl’s grasp and marched towards the handsy officer. That was before a body was stood in his way. “Leave her be lover boy, she can handle this on her own.”

Jughead looks up and what he sees he didnt expect, from someone as small as Betty. “That does it”. She shouts. Then she slaps the police officer across the face. “You have no right to treat any girl like that.It doesn’t matter what authority you have or not. That doesn’t give you the right to touch me.”

The man seemed shocked at the girls outburst. “Thank you very much for your help officer doiley but...” Betty stalls on her words. “But goodbye.” She shouts and storms off over to a group of people watching, which he assumes is the vixens.

Jughead turns to see everyone’s reaction. They all looked just as shell shocked as he did. Except Kevin who started clapping, which made everyone join in and Cheryl who was giving one of her hidden smiles, before she carried on smoking.

Jughead watched as Veronica runs over to Betty grabs her hand and hauls her over to where Kevin, Cheryl and jughead we’re standing. “Okay guys let’s get through security, then we’ll make space for Betty and Kevin while their vans being fixed. Then we’ll be all set to arrive at oceandale at approximately 9 in the morning.” There was an applause that followed from Veronica’s speech. Jughead stillcouldn’t believe it, after crossing Sweetwater River, his tour would properly begin. Which is ironic afterall, knowing that that was where it all began.

——

“What do you mean I can’t go through?” Jughead looks up to see what’s was going on. “Sorry miss but your shoes are not allowed past this point.” Jughead sees Betty leaning over a counter talking to a man at a desk. “Sure they are little muddy, but believe me I have had a stressful night, you’ve got to let me through, I need these for my work. These are my best practice shoes.”

“Sir, by all means, can’t you let her through, well clean them up once we’re past.” Jughead found himself joining in on the conversation. “We have spare shoes you can swap with, but these need to be kept separate.” Jughead could see the rage build up inside the girl. She looked like she was going to explode. “Can we see what you guys have to offer that is the best fit?” Jughead interupts before Betty starts to tear the whole place down.

“This was just unnecessary, I can’t help the state of my shoes.” Betty says going through piles of ,mismatched shoes in the back room. “What style would you prefer?” Jughead says changing the subject. “It doesn’t look like we have a choice.” Betty says picking up a ainglsnshoe with half the toe missing.

“Do you mind Velcro?” Jughead asks, picking up a trainer which looks about the right size. Betty gives him an eyebrow of question. Which makes jughead laugh, Betty joins him for a second. “They’ll have to do then. “ Betty says placing them on her foot. “Well they won’t fall off.” Jughead says trying to lighten the mood. Betty shrugs her shoulders.“Yeah I guess.”

——

“Ahh Betty, glad I found you.” Veronica says grabbing Betty’s attention. “Kevin has found a ride with the serpent team. On the smaller tour bus. We may have space on the larger one. There is a sofa if needs be, but that’s just in case.”

“If I’m not a bother. Thank you so very much.” Betty says and veronica claps her hands in glee. “Great I’ll give you a tour.” Veronica leads Betty on to a bus. The first thing Betty notices is how spacious it actually is for a bus. She imagined it to be cramped.

”Betty” she hears, followed by a large bang. She turns her head to see jughead rubbing his head where is looks like he hit a shelf. Betty laughs at his stupidity and was surprised to see how the boy blushes in his face, Before taking another sip of his coffee, trying to hide his face

“Unfortunately the tour comes with the addition of this idiot, but you have already got to meet him before.” Veronica leads on to show the rest of the small rooms in the bus. “Me and cheryl will sleep at the other end, I’m sorry but I guess you will have to share with Jones.”

“What” Betty hears jughead choke on his drink. And she turns back to see Veronica smiling slightly. “Come on it’s just one night till the vans fixed. He’s not all bad” Veronica says. There was an awkward silence, no one knowing what to say.

“Well I’ll go, have fun you two, toodles.” Veronica says before making her way back to her compartment. “I’ll take the sofa, I really don’t want to intrude.” Betty says dropping her bags onto the sofa next to her. “Nonsense, I’ll not let you stay there.” Jughead picks up her bag and makes his way towards his room and drops the bag on his bed. Much to Betty’s protests. Jughead shields his body so she cannot reach to move her bag. He pushes her against the Door and out the room. He was much stronger than she was. She tried to move past but she couldn’t. She ended up her hands on his bare arms all the way over in the kitchen

That was when jughead realised how close the two of them were. She could feel his breath on her face, a smell of smoke and coffee granuals. He could feel her cold hands on his chest which she slowly moved off. His eyes searched hers, asking her what they were doing. All he knew, was in that moment he wanted so badly to kiss her... but he didn’t.

Their moment snaps. “I’ll take the sofa it’s fine.” Jughead says softly.“ Jughead it’s your tour...” He give her a look which silences her bed.”You don’t have to sleep on the sofa, the bed looks like it is made for more than one person and...” Betty stops for a second. She blushes slightly and smiles. “I trust you jughead, I know you are not like the police man from earlier.” Jughead couldn’t help but smile. A girl had never had this kind of effect on him before in his life. Not even the girls he had once thought he cared about.

“Fine, But you get ready first.” Betty nods. “There’s a bathroom down there. Anyway I might practice.” Jughead says. Betty follows the corridor and into the bathroom while Jughead grabs his guitar and sits down next to the table with a pen and coffee in hand. He finally let out a large breath he didn’t even know he was holding. He finally had some inspiration he had to get down.

He didn’t have much, but it was a start, he seemed to be a little stressed before he heard Betty sneak down the hall. She wore and old Bon Jodi band shirt, some black shorts and her hair was up in a bun. “Sorry I didn’t want to disturb you.” She whispered.

“It’s okay, I’ll get ready then come join you in there”. Betty nods then replies. “I’ll just be reading” Then heads into the room. Jughead takes his time getting ready. He’s still in shock that he almost kissed her. They were barely even friends and most importantly he’s her boss, he didn’t want to scare her away. When he had finished, he went back into the room and saw Betty lying fast asleep with her book open on her lap.

Jughead moved the book carefully, trying not to wake her. Then crawled under the covers with her. Jughead knew this wasn’t a good idea. He knew he was going to have to have a word with Veronica later in the morning.

——

The moment jughead woke up, he immediately knew something was different from when he opened his eyes, he saw that his head was laying on top of someone else’s. He looked down and there he saw, Betty tangled up between him. Her head was on his chest and he tried really hard to steady his breathing not wanting to wake her.

How did he even get into that situation? He’s her boss. He couldn’t think properly, He was too distracted by the sleeping girl in his wrapped up in his arms. Carefully he lifted himself out of bed, being extra quiet so he wouldn’t wake her from her slumber.

He walked over to the coffee machine. “Morning” a voice said. Jughead turned around quickly,nearly dropping his drink out of shock.He saw cheryl sitting on the countertop swirling her drink, smiling to herself. “So are you two together yet.” She asks. Jughead rolls his eyes.

“We’re just friends Blossom, I don’t like her like that.” Jughead says, taking a sip out of his coffee. “Damn you Jones” Cheryl shouts getting off the side and walking back to her compartment, that’s when she stops and turns around. “As we’re friends, maybe you’ll be kissing me later by the refrigerator.” Jughead glares at the laughing girl in front of him. “Cheryl... how do you even-“

“Even know what?” Jughead hears a small voice from behind him say. He turns around and sees Betty in an oversized jumper staring at him. Jughead gulps back the bile in his throat and Cheryl stifles a laugh. “Based on both of your reactions alone it can’t be good.” Cheryl watches the scene before her. Jughead blushing in the face by the thought alone that he had been caught. And the little blonde talking to cheryl but not once leaving eye contact with the boy in the beanie.

“Nothing Betty dearest, just jughead has no inspiration again. You see Mr Jones bases his songs off events in his life and people he meets. But jughead doesn’t like to get out much, so-“

“That’s enough blossom, I don’t think Betty wants to hear any of my sad life stories first thing in the morning.” Jughead interupts trying to save himself. “Am I missing something here?” Cheryl asks, knowing that she is getting on Jugheads last nerve. “No, now go away blossom.” Cheryl coyly waves at jughead, winks at Betty, then leaves chuckling to herself down the corridor.

Jughead knew it wasn’t a good idea to right a song about her, but it’s the only information his mind could transfer. He knows she knows that the song was about her. But not one of them mentions it. Betty interupts the silence. “So what is the plan for today. Mr Jones? “ She asks trying to make the situation less awkward. Especially after last night. She didn’t have a single nightmare, and when she woke up she felt like something was missing. She could still feel the presence of his arms on her skin.

“I’m not sure, VERONICA!” Jughead shouts down the bus, which makes Betty laugh. “Coming, coming, no need to shout. What is it jones” Veronica says gliding down the halls in a silk nightgown. She has rollers in and is already wearing heels. “What are we doing today?”

“You can do what you want, me and Cher are going down the beach I know a few people want to go into the town of ocean dale. Later on I’m going to have to see the venue. But this is your rest day. Everything is full speed tommorow.” Jughead sighs a sigh of relief.

“Thank You Veronica” jughead says. Before he turns to Betty. “Do you want to join me for a beach day?” Betty looks up to see the man clad in black, with a grin on his face. Which she returned. “I’d be happy to Mr Jones.”

“Perfect, also Betty dear, the van is being fixed and it will be ready for when we go to Greendale next, it’s only a few extra nights with jughead, if that’s all right. I don’t see the point in you sleeping in that thing when you could be in luxury.” Veronica says. “Thank you.” Betty replies, to Veronica walking back to her bedroom compartment at the front of the bus, but not before she turns to Jughead.

“Also Jughead, be a dear. Please write some more songs. See you later you two.” Jughead rolls his eyes, however he knew she was right. He still had nothing. “You okay” jughead looks up and his eyes fall right into Betty’s. “Yeah I’m fine.” Jughead replies. No jughead realises,didn’t had nothing. He finally had something worthwhile to write about. And damn Betty cooper was something.

——

Jughead left Betty to get ready and waited outside the bus smoking a cigarette, with Cheryl and Veronica. Veronica was in a black bathing suit with purple shorts, and was pacing outside on her phone. Cheryl was in a red bikini and had a black wrap around hershoulders, she also wore a large hat and sunglasses.

Then Betty walked out the trailer. She wore a white bikini and had light brown courdroy shorts on. She also wore a long white kamino and had a tan hat. Her hair cascaded in blonde waves and for once she had no makeup on, which jughead noted she didn’t need one bit.

The moment Betty walked out the door her eyes drew to jughead. He wore light brown khaki trousers. A white shirt which had half the buttons undone. (Okay maybe Betty was exaggerating.) he had suspenders on and for once he didn’t have his hat on, not like she’s hadn’t gotten used to it. His hair was a inky mess except for one clear cut that tumbled off his forehead. He was leant again the bus smoking a cigarette. Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice.

“Look you to match” Veronica exclaims. “I guess” jughead shrugs still not breaking eye contact with Betty. She could feel him looking her up and down. Cheryl huffs a sign of impatience, stamped her cigarette into the ground, muttered something Betty couldn’t hear properly (however she definitely heard the word pathetic and smitten) Betty took Cheryl’s cue and followed her down the pavement and through the town looking over the ocean.

“Well stay on this part of the beach, if you need us,call us, otherwise see you later.” Veronica says laying out a blanket in the sand sitting down next to cheryl on the beach. “Well go on walk, bye you two” jughead says, walking with Betty towards the ocean.

“I actually don’t know anything about you Jughead Jones. Only that you are talented, but modest. You are easy to talk to yet shove yourself under the label of ‘loner’” jughead was quite shocked at her honesty. His mouth opens wide is shock. “Am I really that transparent?” Betty laughs back at the boy next to her.

As they get closer to the waves. Jughead notices Betty’s body demeanour has changed, she tries to edge her way around the path of the water. “They won’t hurt you, you know” jughead says chuckling lightly. “Yeah I know”Betty replies, however the way she says it, contradicts the words that tumble out her mouth. “Have you never been to the beach before?” Jughead says. Betty smiles slightly. “First time... sorry”

He felt a twinge of guilt that she had to apologise to him. It was awkward for a moment as they walked along the beach. Suddenly jughead stops in his tracks. He takes off his shoes, rolls up the bottom of his trousers. The walks right into the wave. Untill half of his leg was under the water. “Come on then.” The girl awkwardly takes off her kamino and folds in gently right next to where jughead dumped his shoes. She slides out of her sandles, then just takes a minute assessing the water. Before putting one foot in.

“Its cold” that’s the first thing Betty notices. She feels the wave rushing back and forth against the bottom of her foot. The wet sand between her toes. She found it quite therapeutic. She elegantly placed her other foot in. Then waded across to jughead. “Do like it?” He asks grabbing hold of her waist pulling the two together so the don’t fall over. Jughead wondered if it was Normal behaviour to do this, but then dismissed the thought. “I love it jughead” the girl whispered holding tight to his shirt so she wouldn’t fall over. Still some reason Jugheads mind interpreted her words. As ‘I love you jughead’

——

“For every trip to the beach, going into small cafes are a must.” Jughead says scanning the menu of a small beachside cafe they found on their walk. The two were sat outside on a table and chairs made to look like old fishing crates. Betty turns to the waitress. A redhead girl with the name tag Ethel on her apron. “Can I have pancakes with honey please?” The girl says beaming up at jughead through the top of her menu.

The waitress notices the exchange in glances. “Ah first date, well have fun” Jugheads mouth drops and Betty fakes a laugh. “We’re just colleagues” jughead says, going red slightly. “We’re friends” Betty adds smiling softly back in Jugheads direction. “Sorry, I just thought... I...sir what would you like?”

“I’ll have the apple and cinnamon pancakes, if that’s okay” jughead says folding the menu and handing it to the waitress who smiles then leaves the table. The second the girl is out of sight, Betty turns back to the boy before her. “Tell me more about yourself, any girlfriends I should worry about storming into your room. Believe it or not I’m not one to fight. “Jughead laughs lightly at that.

“Believe me, whatever relationship I have had is long gone.” Jughead says,his smile deteriorating now. “Don’t say that, there’s still hope in her coming back, there always is.” Betty says, Helping Ethel unload the plates of pancakes onto the table. “Yeah I don’t think so, she cheated on me, stole some of my personal things and sold them as her own.”

Betty almost drops her fork. “I hate her” she says before stuffing a piece of pancake in her mouth looking around all angry. “It’s fine, I’m over it now.” Jughead says looking down. He didn’t specialise in what she stole, knowing he didn’t have the strength to reimagine the events again.

Betty could see how upset jughead was getting. He had stuffed all of his pancake and was now tapping his fork against the china of the plate. Betty desperately looked around the area to find something to distract him with. That’s when she she saw it.

“Play me something on guitar. “ Betty says running back over to the table and shoving the object into his hand. “What, where did you find this.”

“Borrowed it off someone-it doesn’t matter, play me one of your songs.” Jughead examined the guitar for a moment. Then started tuning it up. “Okay but I’m not playing in the café.” Jughead says standing up. Betty once again scans the area. “Look there’s an empty space.” She says pointing to an empty ledge of stairs next to the path leading to some beach houses. Jughead sat down, and Betty sat next to him.

“Umm this ones called lavender fields. It’s quite old but I have never released it.” Once jughead had started playing the little repetitive intro, Betty could see his shoulders relax slightly. She had only heard him sing a few times. But she could listen to this mans voice on repeat and never get tired of it.

And these lavender fields,
Are where I think of you.

Betty could feel herself being transported in the music.Everyone she saw walk past left with a smile on their face. His voice was hypnotising.

And it’s a sign,
that things aren’t rosey anymore,
Things aren’t rosey anymore.

Betty could hear his voice crack a few times but that’s what made it so real and raw. Cheryl was right. Jughead does write about what happens in his life. This girl had hurt jughead and this action moulded him into the person Betty sees today.

Lavender fields,
till the rain tells me to go home,
Oh these lavender fields,
Seem grey when I’m alone.

Jughead was so caught up in his song he didn’t see the single tear roll down Betty’s tender check. This song was about him calling out for help. Betty guesses that this song was written mid relationship, when jughead knew something was wrong.

Love me,
In that rosey,
Way once more

As the song drew to a close Betty noticed that he had drawn a small crowd. This didn’t phase Jughead. He carried on to the next song. Which was slower. The intro was still as beautiful. “This songs called sunglasses, I don’t think I’ve played it out loud before.” He smiles at her for a brief moment before turning his attention back to the guitar.

You're sitting there,In the bar,
With sunglasses on
while your indoors,
There must be something wrong,

Betty looks up and to see a crowd of different people all with the same expression on their face. Admiration. Betty’s notices jughead tapping his foot along with the song, which made Betty’s mouth slowly curl into a smile for some reason. Lately it seemed to be him in general that made her smile.

Are you crying,
And hiding your eyes from the boys around you,
More likely, You're checking out their thighs,
Yeah, Just look at you looking at them,
I'll just be here watching you,
You're wearing the shades I bought you,

Betty realised what this song was. This song was Jugheads breakup song.

Oh I've been thinking about these things lately,
Oh I think your acting shady,
Will you look me eyes this one time,

The song was getting gradually quicker, and more people came to crowd around the two on the steps.

But I'm no fool,
I can still see your eyes,
Through your sunglasses disguise,

As the song grew to a close, people started applauding. Betty looked up and saw jughead was crying. She wiped his eyes, for him then leant in to whisper in his ear. “Sing a new song now, base it on whatever comes to mind. You can do this Jughead. I believe in you.”

“I don’t know what this is, just whatever I come up with in the moment, bare with me please.” Jughead then starts playing the guitar tune which she heard last night when she was in the shower.

Boy, damn you
Boy, I love you
Boy, will you be
Kissing me later by the refrigerator

Once again Betty is left shell shocked, the first thing that he thinks of is their moment. And he encludes that in another song?

You told me you hate her but nobody made ya
What to do
Oooh
About you oooh

The song surprisingly flowed really well. Which just showed how much talent he has. It was a simple beat yet performed really well. It wasn’t just Betty who was enjoying it. Even more passers by stopped to listen to the song.

Around about 5 o'clock I'm thinking of leaving
But I'm stuck to you like honey
You can be sweet like cinnamon
I'm caught up in your clothes
Sewn into the stitches
I just can't let go
I'm stuck on you like velcro oooh
Oooh

Betty couldn’t help but laugh at that. The chorus of the song was about her shoes. Then he turned to her. Still carrying the beat.

“You sing a verse” he says.

“What?” Betty asks.

“Anything,just keep it to the beat, ” he adds turning to the audience who plead with the girl to sing.

“But I don’t know how-“ But she is interrupted.

“Sing something based on your life and how you feel” jughead says, “but I-“ Betty tries to say, before she is interrupted.

“5,6,7,8!”

Boy, grateful, you are just sayin' yeah
But you treat me like yesterday's paper
A Bacardi chaser
But when you're loving me later there ain't nothing greater

Everyone claps and Jughead just beams at the girl in front of him. “Good job so you can keep tempo.” Jughead says still playing the beat as he talks.

I just can't let go
I'm stuck on you like velcro oooh
Oooh

More people have moved to see what is happening. But Betty didn’t care, she was at the beach with her friend singing, and just having fun. Betty would never forget this.

Jughead missed his cue, because he was too busy staring at the girl laughing and clapping along with his own song. But then she jumped in. This time her voice was different not breathy and worried. The only word jughead could describe it was angelic.

And I just want to hold you oooh
Maybe tonight
Hug myself tight
And I just want to hold you oooh
Maybe tonight

‘Cos around about 5 o'clock I'm thinking of leaving
(I just want to hold you)

Jughead carried the chorus and watched as Betty performed an overlay.This girl was talented. Was there anything she couldn’t do?

But I'm stuck to you like honey
You can be sweet like cinnamon
I'm caught up in your clothes
(I just want to hold you)
Sewn into the stitches

I just can't let go
I'm stuck on you like velcro oooh
Oooh

As the song drew to close, the small crowd started clapping. And jughead turned and clapped towards Betty, who immediately blushed and went all shy again, unlike the confidence he saw in the solo she just sung.

Then in the crowd Veronica and cheryl stepped out. Both clapping and cheering. “Jughead Jones, where the hell did that come from.” Veronica says causing the couple to laugh. “We can make that performance ready. Veronica goes into full planning mode and walks ahead with jughead.

“Wow cooper you can really sing” Cheryl said walking with Betty back up towards the town where they had come from. “Thank you Cher.” Betty says. From that moment on cheryl knew she had misjudged Betty. At first she sided with jughead. She thought that the dancers wouldn’t help at all. But seeing the way jughead had been acting lately. She knew he had finally found his muse. Whether he was ready to accept that was a different matter.

The red head girl grinned to herself as she walked up the pavemean knowing that a storm was brewing. She didn’t know if this tour would either be a success or if it would blow up in their faves. And if a storm was coming,she knew Betty would need more than a pair of Velcro shoes to protect her from the outcome.