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It should be illegal to be up at this ungodly hour, Jughead thought. On a Saturday morning he would usually be sleeping and not out and about. But well, he didn't really want to miss that photo exhibit and to make it there with enough time he needed to get the first bus out to NYC. Coffee would be his salvation at this point, that would make this horrible situation a bit better but thanks to his Jones’ luck the small cafeteria at the station was closed so he was doomed to just stand there and wait coffeeless. This was not the way to start the day, he was cold, hungry, sleepy and in a bad mood overall. Finally the bus arrived and he was allowed to hop on. It would still take awhile to leave but at least it wasn’t as cold. Once seated, he took out his book and ipod from the messenger bag, headphones in pausing for a minute to watch the empty seat beside him and thinking that hopefully it would remain that way, pressed play on the device and got himself lost in the story.
Betty was in the kitchen waiting for Polly. They were going to NYC for the day, a trip they have been planning for a long time now. She didn’t even know how but had actually gotten tickets for the hottest Broadway show and couldn’t be more excited. Getting up earlier to get everything ready, pour coffee on a travel mug and a couple scones she had baked the previous night on a paper bag. She was ready to go but her sister was not coming downstairs and if Polly didn't hurry they would miss the bus. Yes, it was probably early and they would be able to catch another one later but Betty wanted to be in the city with time to spare. She went upstairs to see what was going on and couldn't be more disappointed in what she found. Polly was still in bed with fever, after a night out she may or not be hungover which at this point didn't really matter. Polly decided that Betty should go by herself. “Don’t be silly Betty, you got tickets to Hamilton”. But Betty was undecided still “I don't want to go by myself. And what am I supposed to do with your ticket?”. Her sister had a good point, it took Betty months (and probably all her savings) to get the tickets. She could go see the show and try to sell the other one or something. Her sister was not having any of this “I am sure you will figure it out” With no chance of winning this argument, she said goodbye to Polly and went downstairs, took her backpack, the coffee and hurried to the bus station. When she got on the bus there were a few available seats but nothing on the front rows where she usually liked to sit so she found the first one empty, put her bag on the overhead space and sat down. More relaxed now, after stressing about missing the bus she noticed the person next to her, a guy leaning on the window with a cute beanie on his head, headphones and completely lost in his book. He did not look friendly so she kept her eyes up front. She got more comfortable on her seat and took a sip of her coffee, then just leaned back and closed her eyes.
Jughead saw some movement at the corner of his eye and someone sat next to him, luck was definitely not on his side today. He didn't even glance sideways and just kept reading. Moments later, a delicious coffee aroma hit him and made him turn a little to look at the girl sitting beside him. Her eyes were closed while holding a travel mug between her hands. At that precise moment the bus started which took her by surprise making her almost drop the mug. He reacted quicker than the girl and reached out to hold it in place putting his hand above hers.
“Careful” Jughead said, looking directly into her eyes now wide open. Wow, he was not ready for how beautiful she was.
“Oh, thanks” she replied timidly, looking down into their hands over the mug. He immediately took his hand off, moving it to his head to take off his headphones and gingerly replied “I… uhm… sorry, just trying to save your coffee”.
She smiled playfully. Was she missing his warm hand over hers? No, don't be ridiculous Betty, you don't even know this guy. But he was really good looking now that she had a chance to take a proper look at him.
“Sorry, I just…” he tried to explain but she cut him off.
“Scone?” offered Betty and his face immediately brightened. He was not really into starting conversations with strangers but he would never turn down food.
“Yes. Thank you!” He replied probably too excited, food would usually get that reaction from him. The pastry looked delicious and the first bit confirmed it tasted even better than he imagined. “This is amazing, where did you get it from?” Jughead asked between bites. “I baked” Betty stated proudly.
“It may be the best thing I have ever eaten” And Jughead was not just saying it, this was truly one of the best things he had tasted in his life.
“You are only saying that because you are hungry” Betty said shyly, not being good at taking compliments.
“I promise you that I don’t take food lightly.” Was he trying to keep up the conversation with this girl? That was a first for him.
“I am glad you liked it….” Betty stopped there, realizing that she didn't even know the guy's name.
“Jughead” at the same time he extended his hand, she shook it while providing hers “Betty, nice to meet you.” That name was odd but she was not about to say anything to this cute guy however her face may have betrayed her because she couldn’t stop the small smile that appeared on her face. “Go ahead, you can laugh. But trust me that is better than the real thing”. Betty giggled but didn’t comment more on it. A silence fell between them and Jughead felt a bit strange, her eyes did not move from his and he was not used to interacting with people and never with such a beautiful girl like her. Betty broke the silence feeling a bit odd herself “I’ll leave you to your book. Sorry for interrupting”.
“Oh, no, not a problem” Good work Jones, five minutes and this girl doesn't want to talk to you any more. She was already moving a bit farther on her seat so he went back to his book, leaving the headphones off just in case. This was a four hours drive so he better keep it cool.
Since he went back to his book she figured it was best to keep to herself besides she didn't really know how to get the conversation going, she gave her full attention to the coffee and scone. She could see from the corner of her eye that Jughead had devoured his and she kicked herself for not bringing more that could have been an easy way to get him talking again. After a few minutes of just sitting there sipping coffee she started to feel sleepy, that was usually the case when traveling on a bus. She put her travel mug on the holder, got more comfortable (as much as possible on this damn seat) and closed her eyes. He was hoping she would say something but she didn't and he could not think of anything to keep the conversation going so reluctantly went back to the book. He was going over the same paragraph again and again, why was he so affected by this random girl next to him? Having this inner discussion distracted him from the book and also a bit from what was happening on the seat beside until he felt some weight on his right side. Turning slowly he saw Betty’s head leaning against his shoulder, she looked so relaxed that he decided not to wake her. He just moved slightly and thought he had woken her but she just stirred a bit and stayed there. If he was cold, the feeling went out immediately because the warmth on his arm was overwhelming to the point that he got sleepy too. His eyes were closing but he was resisting it, he wanted to enjoy this feeling a bit longer until he lost the battle and fell asleep. The bus came to a stop which woke Betty up. She did not open her eyes immediately trying to go back to sleep. She knew they weren’t in NYC yet, this was just a quick stop and she would gladly sleep for the rest of the ride. Feeling warm and comfortable was weird considering the bus was anything but that and then she noticed, her head resting on Jughead’s shoulder and he was sound asleep with his cheek resting on the top of her head. How on earth did she end up in this position? She should sit up right? But to be honest this was really comfortable so she decided to stay still. However, people getting on and off the bus and the noise that came with that end up waking him up and Betty had no option than to straighten up. “I am really sorry for using you as a pillow” she said sheepishly. He showed a trace of a smile on his still sleepy face “Hey, no worries. I usually can’t sleep on a bus so I should be thanking you”. Both move to their respective seats and sit straighter with the same thing in mind it wasn’t as comfortable.
Now, awake and feeling once again slightly awkward he noticed something else going on, he was hungry. Jughead turned toward Betty who was sipping coffee and said “I am gonna get something at the store, would you like anything? Considering I ate half your breakfast, I think I owe you”. A smile came across her face and he was proud that he was somehow responsible for that. “Don’t be silly. But if you insist, I’ll take a bottle of water” she replied. “Right away!” he said while moving across her seat and started walking toward the bus door. It felt good to stretch his legs so he walked around the small store looking at different things before deciding on a bagel, a cup of coffee, a bag of chips, skittles, a chocolate bar and a couple of water bottles. He paid and arranged a few items on his jacket and jeans pockets and the rest on his hands.
Betty stood up a bit after Jughead left his seat just to stretch. She was puzzled by this guy seated at her side. Besides the mysterious name that she figured was a nickname, he looked like a nice guy and she had just fallen asleep against him and in return he did just the same. The beanie on his head looked like a little crown but rather than make him look weird it was the exact opposite, if she was completely honest he looked even more handsome. She took a seat and saw that his book was laying on the floor, she immediately picked it up and started reading the reviews on the back. The author wasn't someone she had heard of and the same went for the title. A dead end to start a conversation, she thought. However, while looking at the book a piece of paper fell and she just picked it up and put it back since it felt like intruding. Still a quick peak wouldn’t hurt right? She pulled the paper out, it was a flyer for an exhibition in NYC and just when she was about to put it back Jughead was at her side “I’m back”. Betty almost threw the book and he just laughed at her reaction “I am so sorry, I wasn’t going over your stuff. The book was on the floor and then the flyer… I was just putting it back” She started rambling before he cut her off. “Betty, don’t worry. It is ok”. He nodded towards his seat and she understood immediately, standing up so he could sit.
Once both were seated he handed one of the bottles to Betty, who was looking embarrassed to say the least. “Seriously, Betty it is ok. I don't mind at all. That’s where I am going today, I have been waiting for this exhibition for a few months now. Where are you heading?” She was feeling a bit more relaxed now that he dismissed the intrusion completely. “I am going to catch a Broadway show. And probably some shopping or sightseeing before that. I was actually supposed to come with my sister but she wasn’t feeling well. I went over a lot of trouble to get the tickets so I came anyway.” He was looking intently at her while eating his bagel and drinking his coffee. That seemed to be the ice breaker because they started talking almost non-stop about everything and anything that came to mind. He shared a bit about photography and favorite books. She talked about some other Broadway shows and her writing. Then they moved over to favorite films and music. The conversation was effortless and both, in the back of their mind, were just in awe. This is not something that happens in real life, movies maybe, but you do not just hop on a bus and get seated beside the most amazing person you have ever met. Was love at first sight even real? Ok, that was probably an exaggeration but seriously was this the universe telling them something?
“I seriously can’t believe you have never listened to this album!?” Jughead said, shaking his head in disapproval. Betty looked at him, with the headphones on while listening to the songs he was playing on his iPod. It may not be Betty’s go-to genre but the song was good. “Sounds a bit sad but I like it.” Betty closed her eyes listening to the lyrics to ‘A lack of color’ with more attention. “Of course it is good, Betty, this is Death Cab for Cutie we are talking about”. He moves his eyes from the iPod to look at her face and is again surprised by how beautiful she is. He had this urge to put his hand on his check but got a hold of himself before making any move. You can’t just go and do that, don't be weird, he thought. The song ended and she opened her eyes looking directly at him “Thank you for sharing this”. She is talking in a lower tone, almost whispering and he for some reason responds in the same tone “I am glad you like it”. She is taking the headphones off and when she hands them to him, his hands brushed hers and they look into each other’s eyes for a few seconds then quickly and awkwardly both look the other way.
They went quiet after that, not really knowing what to say. Betty felt the blush in her face and didn’t really understand how this guy is making her feel this way. After a few moments, he is the one breaking the silence pointing that they are a few minutes from the bus station. They are a few miles from the terminal and that would be it, they will have to say goodbye. The problem is, she is not ready for that just yet. She really wants to get to know Jughead better and spend more time with him but it’s not like she would be upfront and just say something like ‘do you want to hang out today?’... What if he is meeting someone? Or not really looking for company? Or even worse, he was just being polite during this entire ride.
She is lost in her own thoughts and doesn't realize he asked a question until he puts his hand on her shoulder, that brings her back and even when he takes the hand off fairly quickly the feeling is there again and she is missing the warm immediately. “I was just asking if you decided what you doing before the play?” Jughead repeats, since she has a confused face and is clear that she was lost in thought. Betty throws caution to the wind, even if it is just for a few hours it would be fun to hang out and try to understand what the hell is going on with all these weird feelings she has been experiencing since meeting him that morning. “I don’t really have a plan, I was just thinking about getting something to eat”.
Jughead does not consider himself a people person but has to admit that the entire ride to NYC has been a great time and it has all to do with the company he had. He made this trip a million times and usually just sleeps, reads, or listens to music without even glancing at the person sitting beside him but it has been different with Betty since the moment he saw her. And confirms that watching her while she was listening to the songs he played for her on his phone, she closed her eyes and that gave him the opportunity to really look at her. Then they touched hands and he felt something that he hadn't felt before. He doesn't even know what that is but he wants, scratch that, needs to explore it. First he needs to figure out a way to spend more time with her before they get to the terminal and part ways. Her response makes him smile, this is the perfect opportunity “Well, I was planning on getting something to eat too, so if you don’t mind the company I know a great place not too far from here.”
He knows that the exhibition opens in a couple of hours so he takes Betty to a little dinner he usually visits. And to be honest, the exhibition could wait, he still couldn’t believe she had agreed to have lunch with him. They walked a few blocks to get to the place, it was nice out and after the bus she preferred to and he didn't have a problem with that. They fall into a comfortable silence, just commenting on a couple of dogs they came across and a mural that is painted on a wall across the street. He is a bit distracted, not able to stop thinking about how just a few hours ago he was complaining about a million things and now he was walking along the most beautiful girl who besides that, and most importantly, was really smart and funny.
They got to the diner and looked for a free table. “You have to try their milkshakes, they are amazing” he said animatedly while they took a seat on each side of a booth. They quickly order their food and jump back into the conversation they were having on the bus. Time goes fast when you are having fun and Jughead suddenly realizes that he has to get going if he wants to take his time to look at everything at the gallery. Still, he is having such a great time and is not sure he wants to go anymore... he could always come back next week.
Betty is having such a nice time. The walk was nice and Jughead was a bit distracted but once they were seated and eating he was back to the chatty person from the bus. She had known the guy for only a few hours but he seemed to be alright, he listened to her intently which was not always the case with other guys she had dated. Well this is not really a date don't be presumptuous, she thought to herself. At one point after they were done eating and she was finishing up a delicious milkshake, she noticed he started fidgeting. She genuinely thought both of them were having a good time but she may have misread the situation. He did have plans and since hers started until late that evening she may have extended the meal, a look at her watch could only confirm that. Jughead had mentioned the open hours of the exhibition and he was for sure looking for a way to get out of there. “Look at me just talking nonstop, I completely lost track of time. I am sure you are ready to go now. Let's just get the check so you can go”. She doesn’t give him a chance to say anything and signaled the waitress for the check, it's the least she can do. It was a nice time but it was clear he was ready to go even if she wasn't.
The waitress left the bill on the table and told them to come back soon. Betty was about to get it but he reached just in time to get it from her. She immediately protested but he was not about to let her pay, Jughead never had such a good time with anyone so he felt it was just fair for him to invite her. Yes, he was disappointed that their time together was coming to an end but well… she did ask for the check so maybe his time was out. He paid on their way out of the diner, helping Betty with her coat and a small backpack. He was not ready to say goodbye so he just stood there awkwardly outside the door while she was looking for something in the bag.
Life will sometimes present amazing opportunities and you have to be prepared to take the leap. With that in mind Betty was looking for a pen she knew she had somewhere. She did notice he was debating on what to say, his face betraying him even when she didn’t know him well enough it was clear, so she made up her mind to make it easier for them both. Finally she got the pen and a piece of paper and quickly scribbled something and turned to him. “I had a great time Jughead but I understand that you had plans and need to get going”. He was avoiding looking into her eyes, looking at his boots instead until her hand and a piece of paper came into view and he looked up. “Just in case you want to keep in touch” she was smiling but it was a guarded smile, like she was not sure this was the right thing to do. Jughead took the paper from her hand and checked, it had a phone number. He felt like a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders, she had taken the first step and he was not sure what to do now. “I would really like that.” He didn't know what else to say, he was terrible at this and was sure that he was just ruining everything. She stood there waiting for him and his first instinct was to give her a hug. She was surprised at first but hugged him back. They embraced for a few seconds more than it may be necessary and when they were apart he said “It was really nice to meet you, Betty”.
“You too. Goodbye for now then” There is a small smile on her face but did she sounded a bit disappointed or was this just his imagination? He needed to do something and quickly because she was already walking away. He is there in the middle of the sidewalk, Betty a few steps away when he shouts, probably too loud “Betty!”. She stops and turns around a bit confused, he takes two long strides and is at her side again. “Would you like to go to the gallery with me? I mean, if you want and if you have time… you don’t have to if you don’t feel like it… I know you have the play later, you know what? Forget about it, I…” He is spiraling and the brave feeling that allowed him to ask has completely evaporated until he feels her hand just lightly on his arm. “Jug, I would love to”.
Jughead was beside himself, he usually attended these things alone because none of his friends were into it and he had never been able to convince them to join in. They take the subway to the gallery, it is not peak hour so they find a couple of seats and he spends the entire trip talking about the artist, the photography and what this specific exhibit is about. The subway is loud and he needs to lean into Betty so she can hear him putting his arm slightly above her shoulders. Any other time he would be less confident but he gets lost on what he is saying to second guess what he is doing. Betty has never seen anyone that is so passionate about anything so she is truly enjoying the conversation and it does sound interesting so she is now excited for the exhibit as well. She also feels so comfortable, having him this close a subtle aftershave lotion scent and his breath in her ear while he is talking are doing things to her.
It takes a few stops and another short walk for them to get to the gallery. Once there, they start walking around looking and chatting about different things they noticed on each photo. At one point, Jughead gets into a conversation with another person at the gallery that was clearly eavesdropping on them and had some comments on a particular photo. Betty had no idea what they were talking about so she wandered, thinking how this is not at all what she was expecting of the day but in the best way possible. She would be lying if she denied that after the subway ride she was thinking about his arms around her and how his lips would feel on hers. It was ridiculous but at the same time she was sure that there was something between them and she felt the need to explore. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the guy approaching her until she felt a hand on her shoulder. “Hi, sorry” she flinched and moved a step away from him. Clearly not reading the sigs, he took a step to get close and started talking about how good the exhibition was. Betty being her mother’s daughter was looking for the polite way to get away from this guy, she liked her personal space thank you very much. It also wasn’t lost in her the fact that when it came to Jughead it had not bothered her in the least. This guy was still talking while Betty debated between interrupting him or just walking away when she felt a delicate touch in her back. “There you are” Jughead's voice relaxed her and it also made the random guy stop talking, took a look at Jughead with a bit of disdain and just walk away without saying anything else. “You okay?” Jughead had a concerned look on his face “Yeah, nothing to worry about” and she was not lying, the guy hadn’t done anything but it still moved Betty that he was concerned. “There are more photos on the second floor, would you like to check that or do you want to leave?” He still had his hand on her back and it took Betty a couple of seconds to reply. “No no, let’s go to the next floor” He grinned and they made their way there.
After a few hours they were leaving the gallery and made plans to have something to eat, the weather was not as nice as it had been earlier and there was a chance it would rain so the closer to the theater the better. They took the subway again which was more crowded than earlier and there weren't seats available. Jughead made sure to stand between her and the rest of the car. It wasn’t clear to Betty if this was a conscious protective move or not but it was getting her even more into him. Once they got seated at the restaurant and after ordering their food, they started talking about the photos and then moved into how this was a second meal in just a few hours which Jughead explained was actually how he functioned and he may have dragged Betty into the dark side now. At some point, Betty casually mentioned the fact that she had to do something about Polly’s ticket. “I was thinking, if you don’t have any plans for the evening would you like to join me? This is a great show, I can assure you that”. He stopped chewing and swallowed before answering “That would be awesome Betty. And before you say anything, I am paying for that ticket” he couldn’t hide his smile. “Oh don’t even worry about that” She was really happy that their time together kept prolonging. “So, tell me about the show” he said before taking another bite and Betty went on and gave him all the information he needed. “Of course I know about Hamilton!” Jughead said indignantly to which Betty only responded with giggles. They still had some time to kill and decided to get dessert and coffee. At some point it started raining and they didn't even notice.
An hour or so before the show, they decided that it was time to leave to get to the theater. It was until they walked out of the restaurant that they noticed it was still drizzling. Betty mentioned it was just a couple of blocks and they both agree walking was the fastest way. The thought that at this point he would probably go anywhere with her cross Jughead’s mind which was weird but he didn’t really care. Jughead can’t stop thinking how every major development today has come from Betty, she is the one that gave him her number before he got the courage to invite her to the gallery and she invited him to the show with her. She is so out of his league but he figures she is interested in him right? She has to be or she would have left already. They are walking side by side, both their hands almost touching each passing stride. He had imagined earlier today how it would feel to take her hand in his. He doesn’t give it too much thought into it because if he does he won’t do it. He reaches for her hand and takes it in his, a part of him expecting that she will pull it back but after a few moments she just adjusts it on his, he turns to her and the little smile on her face makes him happier than anything has before. They walk hand in hand the rest of the way and only let go when they get into the theater and the crowd doesn't allow them to walk side by side. He moves his hand to her lower back and guides her around. Once seated and just a few minutes before the show starts she has her hands on her lap and he reaches for it again, they stay like that for almost the entire show. He had heard about the play and he is having a great time because it is indeed amazing. But the truth is it has more to do with the girl by his side. He could be watching any other show and he would be as happy.
At the end of the show she was beaming, she had been waiting to watch this play for a long time and it was everything she expected and more. She then feels him softly squeezing her hand and turns to him, he is watching here intently “So? What do you think?” he asks but he already knows the answer because it is all over her face. “Jug, it was amazing!” And she goes into each and every detail, song and her favorite parts. Jughead nodded along but he may not be paying a lot of attention to what she is saying, he is lost in her smile and how beautiful she looks and he is also trying to avoid looking into her lips because he can’t stop thinking about how it would feel to kiss her. He can’t, he shouldn’t or should he? He is lost in thought and she catches him watching at her lips “Jug?” That brings him back immediately and he is blushing because he knows she caught him so he changes the topic to avoid any awkwardness “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
They walk out of the theater and it is pouring outside. This, of course, is not good news since they need to get back to the station soon or they’ll miss the last bus back to Riverdale. Betty is still over the moon because of the play so she is not that concerned and Jughead decides that if she is not he won’t be either. With the weather as it is they decide to get a cab which ends up being the worst idea. They are stuck in traffic without many options because it is still raining and time is running out. Reality sinks in and now Betty is worried, her beautiful smile has been replaced with a frown and Jughead won’t have it. “Hey…” he starts, not sure what he can do or say to get her back to the bright self. “It will be ok. If we miss the bus we will get a cab?”. Betty is looking out the window but at that she turns to him with a blank stare on her face. He doesn’t know what to expect or if he said the wrong thing but before he can say anything else she starts laughing. “Jug, don’t be ridiculous” She says and chuckles, her smile is back so he counts it as a victory. “Ok, yeah, this may not be my brightest idea” He laughs too because it is impossible not to do so while Betty is, she has the most contagious laugh. She is more relaxed after that, because there is not much they can do about the situation. They are on their way to the station, if they miss the bus then they will just need to figure something out. A nice silence falls between them, each lost in their thoughts. Jughead can’t believe the day they had from the moment she sat beside him to right now, with her sitting beside him. He reaches out and takes her hand in his, she gives him a smile and tenderly squeezes it. Betty is still a bit worried because her mother will not be happy about this whole situation but she feels Jughead hand on her and can’t deny that she is more happy than anything else. The whole day has been amazing and she still can’t believe how incredible it was that their paths crossed.
They got to the station a minute too late, the bus was gone and the next one to get them anywhere close to Riverdale is scheduled until next morning. This is not the best scenario but Betty had enough time on their way there to think about a solution and is not taking it as bad as Jughead thought she would be. “So… What do you want to do?”, he has no problem staying at the station since he had done that before but would never put her through that. “I mean, we don’t really have a lot of options. We need to find a hotel, I have an emergency credit card” She answers already pulling out her phone to start the search. He is a bit stunned “Sure. I can help you with that” and he mimics her. It takes them only a few minutes to find something that is not that far and expensive, Betty is checking through the window to decide if it is a good idea or not to walk in the rain when he says “You should get a car, it is quicker and safer” she turns to look at him and nods “You are right, we have walked enough today”. She keeps saying ‘we’ and he is not sure what to do with that, is she trying to say they both should go? He would never impose and he had spent more than he planned with the meals and the ticket so he does not have enough money for a room. Still, he needs to make sure she gets there safely so he may just tag along and then he would probably just get back to the station. “Jug, let’s go. The car is here” She breaks his line of thought and he just nods and starts walking by her side. Yes, he will get her to the hotel and then walk back here, he decided.
The car gets them there pretty quickly, the traffic has died down a bit and it is not raining anymore. Betty gets out of the car and starts walking to the hotel door with Jughead a few steps behind. Once inside, she makes her way to the desk which is empty as someone from the back says “I’ll be with you in a second”. Jughead is now at her side “So you are set right? I’ll get going but catch you tomorrow morning at the station?”. She is surprised and a bit taken aback. “What?” suddenly realizing that he may have somewhere to crash so she adds “Sure, are your friends far from here?” Really smooth Betty, she thinks but she wants to make sure he has somewhere to stay. Jughead is confused by that question and without thinking just goes with “Friends? I’ll be at the station, I can wait for you there” when he sees her concerned face he knows that was the wrong answer. “Oh no you are not staying at the station, Jug. What are you thinking?”
“Betty, it is fine. I have done that before.” He is a bit embarrassed about this but it is true.
“It’s cold and I am sure it is not safe.” she says firmly and Jughead has to accept an even more embarrassing fact “I don’t really have enough cash with me to pay for a room”. Now she gets it but still there is no way she will allow this. “We can share” she says without thinking much about it.
“Betty… I don’t know.” he hesitates and she feels her heart stop a bit “Oh…”. She is a hurt, he can see it in her face “No, no this isn’t about you. I just don't want to impose. Are you sure you are ok with that?” He corrects her immediately, he knows what she may be thinking and he doesn’t want her even imagining he wouldn’t want to stay with her.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I am ok with it. Stay.” And he can hear the sincerity in her voice. There was no way he was going to say no to her. At that moment a lady came from the back office “How can I help you?”
Betty’s manners kicked in and after saying “Hi, good night” she started asking for a room taking the card and her ID out. Jughead was just standing there since he would agree to pretty much anything she decided until the hotel lady said “I am sorry but we do not have any double rooms available at the moment”. Jughead froze and he noticed how Betty tried to hide it but still frowned a bit, he turned to her “Look Betty, don’t worry about…” But before he could finish the sentence she was already talking to the lady again “Ok, we will take one with the queen bed” and hand her cards to the lady. “Betty…” He tried again, this time she did turn. “You are not sleeping at the station” Jughead knew this was the final said just by how firmly she talked, “We will figure it out” she added.
A few minutes later, Betty got her card back, the room key and they were on their way to the 2nd floor on the elevator. The room had nothing special about it, just a regular hotel room with a desk, chair, an armchair, a tv and the one bed. Betty left her backpack on the desk and got into the bathroom to freshen up. Jughead without much to do went and sat on the armchair and turned the tv on. He was just surfing the channels, still not sure of what he was doing there when he heard the click of the door and Betty came out of the bathroom.
“So… anything good?” she nodded in the direction of the tv. “Not really” He replied unsure, they needed to address the elephant in the room. “I can take the armchair, it is really comfy” He continued. She was not buying it but she would let him be. To be honest she wasn’t sure about sharing the bed either. They had a great day together and she had already been thinking about how it would be incredible to see him again in Riverdale and probably have more dates like today. She was afraid this was going to ruin it. He had already given her some money to cover part of the room cost and the bed was big enough for both of them. “Jug, I think the bed is big enough and I am only taking this side.” Expressing what she was thinking out loud, still he had a concerned look on his face.
“I do not bite” She jokes trying to lighten the mood. He chuckled but still didn't look convinced “Are you sure? I don't want to make you uncomfortable”. Betty had noticed all these small details throughout the day, how he got a bit protective at the gallery and a gentleman in general. But him being so worried about her being uncomfortable with this situation made her like him even more. He was being so adorable right now and she was not going to let him sleep in a chair if there was a really comfortable bed he could rest on.
“Please?” Again, there was no way he would say no. And this was not about him not wanting to lay in a bed after the eventful day, a bed where she would be laying too, it was more about making sure he was not taking any advantage of the situation and that she was comfortable. He liked her, there was no denying that and he had already made up his mind to ask her out as soon as they got to Riverdale and he didn’t want anything ruining that. They had something good, he could feel it and he was almost sure she could too. He went into the bathroom without saying much more about the bed situation, claiming he was going to freshen up too.
Betty took off her jacket and a sweater and put both on the little closet, same with the shoes, pushed the pillow against the headboard and got into the bed. She took her phone and started texting with her mother so she didn’t worry about her whereabouts deciding that it was better to just leave Jughead out of the story. She was still texting when Jughead came out of the bathroom, he saw her jacket hanging in the closet and proceeded to do the same with his. He got to the opposite side of the bed and hesitated before sitting on the edge to take off his shoes. He then pushed the pillow as Betty had done and got himself as comfortable as he could, laying at the edge of the bed almost falling off. Betty noticed but didn’t say anything.
“Do you mind if I leave the tv on?” He asked with the remote in his hand already surfing again.
“Not at all.” Betty said, putting her phone down and getting a bit more comfortable. She was feeling tired and the low volume of the tv was lulling her to sleep. She put her pillow down, laid on her side and got the blankets up to her chin whispering “Good night, Jug”. From the corner of his eye he saw how she turned her back to him and a few minutes later he was sure she had fallen asleep. He kept the TV on for a while watching some reality show about home remodeling, he was not really paying a lot of attention. He started feeling tired and decided it was time to sleep, turned off the tv and laid on his back. It was not easy for him to fall asleep so he just lay there and after a few minutes he felt some movement on the bed, he thought Betty was just getting into a new position until he heard her low voice “Jug, are you asleep?” For a moment he felt guilty for waking her up.
“I thought you were already. Did I wake you?” She chuckled and he felt her move around. All the lights were off so it took a few moments for his eyes to adjust and noticed that she had turned to him so he did the same, they were now looking straight into each other's eyes. “You can’t sleep?” She was almost whispering but he was close enough to hear her.
“No, sleep doesn’t come easy for me.” Jughead offered, still looking into her eyes.
“You can turn the tv on if that helps” Betty followed up whispering.
“No, don’t worry. Why are you awake?” he was sure she was already fast asleep just a few minutes ago.
“I was just thinking” she said and he was eager to know so he immediately asked “About what?”
“How good this day was” They both smiled.
“The exhibition was amazing. Was it as good as you were hoping?” She asked after a few seconds of silence where both were just going over everything that had happened.
He didn’t respond immediately “It was... but that was not my favorite part of the day”
“Which was?” She could feel her heart going a hundred miles a second waiting for his answer.
“I think… I think the moment you sat beside me on the bus” he said timidly.
“I almost missed the bus waiting for my sister” Betty recalled while she blushed, not that Jughead could see that in the dark.
“I am glad you didn’t” Slowly he moved his hand and tenderly cupped her cheek. “Did you enjoy it? The day, I mean”
“It was everything” She had a big smile on her face and closed her eyes enjoying the warm feeling of his hand on her cheek.
He swallowed, was he really doing this? “I….” he struggled to complete the sentence, this was the first time he was opening up to someone so quickly but he wanted to take the chance with her “I really like you Betty”
She hadn’t stopped smiling but now showed the best smile he had seen on her face through the entire day. Mirroring him, she slowly moved her hand and tried to get his unruly hair down.
“Also…” He started but choked again. He moved a bit towards her, closing the space between them, their faces just a few inches away. His heart was racing and even in the dark he saw her beautiful green eyes and he felt their noses brushing. She closed her eyes and felt his lips lightly touching hers. There was no hurry, it was slow and caring. Both taking their time to savor the moment just enjoying each other. After a few minutes, they slowly separated just enough to see each other into their eyes, resting their forehead into each other’s. She was the first to break the silence “I really like you too, Jug”. He moved forward and kissed her again, this time a bit more urgently but still taking the time to savour it. Earlier that day he had imagined how her lips would feel in his but not even in his wildest dreams would it be this perfect. Her hands were on his hair and he put both his hands on his face, deepening the kiss a bit until they needed to get some air. They slowed down but still kissed lazily and then just a couple of pecks in the lips. Jughead was over the moon and let out a quick laugh “You have no idea how much I wanted to do that”. Betty was also in cloud nine, with her hand still going through his hair. “Me too. I am so glad we missed the bus”. The night went on with both of them talking and kissing until sleep took them.
Jughead woke up feeling happy for a change, he assumed it was early since there was not a lot of light coming in through the blinds. Betty was between his arms pressed to his chest and he just couldn’t believe it. This girl was everything and it was a real surprise that the universe had put her on his path. He hugged her a bit tightly and kissed the top of her head lightly. She stirred and moved back a bit looking at Jughead with sleepy eyes which he responded with a big smile and a whispered ‘good morning’, Betty closed her eyes again and burrowed into his chest.
“Do we need to get up already?” she mumbled.
“We probably need to get back to Riverdale right?” Not that he wanted to but he didn't want to cause her any troubles with her family.
She stretched and adjusted herself to look at him again throwing a ‘good morning’ and pecked him on the lips. He was surprised for a second still not convinced she was there with him but got out of his head immediately and took her face between her hands and kissed her more deeply.
After a few minutes, they were just laying there, Jughead stroking her hair and if they stayed like that Betty will for sure fall asleep again. “Can we get some breakfast before taking the bus?” she was feeling a little hungry already. Jughead stopped playing with her hair and was about to throw the sheet to get out of the bed but looked back to her and said “Anything you want” and kissed her forehead.
They left the hotel shortly after, made their way to the place Jughead had in mind where they bought coffee and a couple of breakfast sandwiches and then got on the bus and on their way back to Riverdale. The feeling of her hand in his was just amazing, they were not really talking just sat there in silence for a while but a silence that was not weird, they were both content to keep each other company. Jughead felt a lot more confident than the previous day and squeezed her hand a little to catch her attention. She turned to him and sitting a bit sideways so it was easier to keep looking at him “So, I was thinking…” he started but kept looking down at their intertwined hands, yes he was confident but this was still hard for him. She felt him getting nervous and squeezed his hand just like he did before “Jug?”. That made him raise his eyes and look at her directly, saw a little smile on her face which gave him the push he needed. “Would you like to go out with me? Like on a proper date?” He looked so vulnerable at that moment but at the same time his eyes had a twinkle. She leaned and kissed him but just in case that was not clear enough answer, she added “yes, definitely” and kissed him once more.
The trip back to Riverdale took a few hours, at some point Betty ended up once again leaning into Jughead, both of them much more comfortable this time. His arm over her shoulders and she kind of curled into his chest and both fell asleep. He woke up first, the bus was just passing the ‘The town with pep!’ sign so it was just a few minutes before they would get to the station. He stroked her hair and kissed her temple softly but she didn’t wake up. He didn’t want to disturbed her, she looked so peaceful, but he didn’t have any alternative “Baby, we are here”. Wow, Jughead thought, where did that come from? You need to take this slow or she will run. Fortunately she didn't hear him because she was apparently deeply asleep and hadn't even moved so he moved his arm so he could take one of her hands and squeeze “Betty?” he tried again a bit more loudly and just like that earlier that morning she stirred and complained that she didn't want to wake up. Jughead was a bit alarmed but it didn't seem like she had heard him so he moved on quickly from that, they picked their stuff and got down the bus.
He walked her back home and they kissed goodbye once they were at her door. “Text me once you are home ok” she said while she was waving goodbye, Jug walking backwards to have a last glimpse of her before turning around. They had exchanged phone numbers officially, he still had the piece of paper she gave her yesterday but her phone was saved as a contact on his phone and his was in hers. He is on his way home with a bright smile on his face, enjoying the sunny day and warm weather… what season was this even? He was thinking when he felt a buzz on his jacket, probably his father had figured out he did not come home last night, yeah right no chance of that he thought while he got the phone out and saw a text notification from Betty. He quickly unlocked the phone to check the message, he had just left her a few minutes ago... was something wrong? A thousand thoughts went over his mind on those few seconds before finally opening the message:
Betty: thank you for yesterday
Betty: can’t wait for the next date
Jughead's smile couldn't get any bigger, he had probably smiled more during the last 24hrs than his entire life. He quickly typed a response.
Jughead: Saturday right?
They had already agreed on next weekend, they were going to the movies and something to eat either before or after the movie. He added another message.
Jughead: It will be a long week
Betty took a few minutes to reply, the ellipses showing and then disappearing for a few moments, until finally the response came through.
Betty: we can always change plans baby x
It was a good thing that it was a hot sunny day out because Jughead blushed probably the entire way home while texting Betty, who apparently had no problem with his little slip up in the bus that she had most definitely heard.
Fin.