Blackmailed by Betty (Jughead Jones III)

In a Lonely Place Part Two

This chapter is dedicated to my fav rn TYLAN_O_BROWSEY because your comments today had me laughing so hard. Thanks for all the love 😂❤ Now back to the scheduled program

************************************************************************************************************

Walking down the hall I trailed towards my locker, but stopped short when I saw my brother talking to Jughead. As I got closer I heard them talking about Dad and FP but nothing too specific. When I tried to step closer I tripped over a Vixen's foot and fell on top of Jughead. "Uh, hi guys." Pushing myself up I dusted off what must've been twenty years worth of mono from my shirt and held out a hand for Jughead. "Need some help?" He grabbed my hand and let me help him up before we stood there awkwardly.

"So how about that weather?" Archie asked with a laugh as he looked between the two of us.

"Seems like a cold front came through." Jughead said as he not so discreetly called me out. "But it seems like the weather will be heating up."

"Did you just call me hot? Don't think your girlfriend will like that too much." I said with a wink making Jughead blush and my brother groan. "Sorry, too much?"

"I can handle it as long as you don't stop talking to me again. I don't know how you managed to avoid your own brother for so long when you live in the same house." Jughead said as we started moving down the hall again.

"Well you see, Archie and I have this thing called twin telepathy and I know where he's gonna be at all times so I just wasn't there." When we reached a classroom Archie said his goodbye as Jughead and I walked further down the hall. "I am really sorry for avoiding you especially, I never meant for it to get that bad but Betty is doing the wrong thing."

"She was just doing what she thought was right at the time. I'm sure if you just apologi-"

"I know you weren't about to tell me to apologize Jughead! There's no way I'm saying sorry to the girl that stopped me from seeing the two people I care about most after I was raped! You are out of your mind Jones." I shook my head and stepped away from the crowned boy. "I thought we were moving past this but it's clear that things have changed. You're putting this so called relationship before a friendship that you've had your whole life."

"I'm not putting anyone before you Alex but you know how stubborn Betty can be so why not do this the easy way?" He took a step towards me to fill the newly created gap and put his hand on my shoulder. "Wouldn't it just be simple to move on from this and go back to the way things were?"

"Jug, apologizing to Betty means saying I lied about being abused on the fourth of July. It means giving up everything I've been raised to believe in and that isn't something I'm willing to do. You can try and get Betty to apologize but the fact is we both believe what we're doing is right whether or not we are and until she realizes how wrong she is we're no closer to fixing this."

Grabbing his hand I moved it off my shoulder and let go before turning around to see Betty and Veronica giggling at the end of the hall probably confirming my worst nightmare. As they separated I linked my arm through Ronnie's and lead her towards the student lounge. "So what did you find out?"

"Well they two of them are dating for sure and something is going on with her sister, Polly, but she's still missing from the asylum as far as we all know."

"Are you sure they're dating? Maybe they are just doing that stupid talking thing teenagers do lately?" I offered hopefully as Veronica avoided my eyes. "I knew I shouldn't have let her get to me. Now she has my brother and best friend wrapped around her manicured finger and there's not a thing I can do about it."

"Well I saw you talking to them before you met up with me. Did you hear anything from them?"

"Sadly, Jughead thinks I should apologize to her so we can get this all over with. He's treating me being blackmailed like it's yesterdays news."

"That boy needs a serious reality check and I would be more than happy to give it to him." She said with an angered look. Just the thought of Veronica Lodge lecturing Jughead brought a smile to my face. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Just imagining what that would actually look like is all."

"Well tonight we have a search party out for Polly, but maybe tomorrow the two of us can work out some way to fix this whole thing. Until then we both have free period and I have just seen a certain Mantle piece looking scared for his life. Care to scare?"

"Oh I was born ready."