Damaged Roses

S e v e n t e e n

Betty P.O.V

I was in shock, everyone was looking at Jughead and me. My heart was beating so fast that I thought it was going to leave my chest. I did the only thing that occurred to me at the time, running outside the house to go find Trev and finish things, Jughead was right, I couldn't go on like this. I didn't bother to close the door.

While I was running I couldn't get what Jughead had just said out of my mind. He had just said that he loved me, that he was in love with me. I couldn't believe it. As he was saying all those things I realized that I felt the same way about him.

That's why I had to end things with Trev, I didn't care about that stupid tape, I just wanted to be happy once and for all. When I wanted to realize I was in front of Trev's house. I took a deep breath a few times and knocked on the door.

''What the hell do you want'' Trev said opening the door. ''Do what you want with that stupid tape, I don't care anymore. Send it to the whole college if that's what you want but this-'' I said doing a little pause. ''-This is over and I don't want to see you ever closer to me again'' I pointed between the both of us.

I turned to get out of there when Trev grabbed my arm tightly. ''Aaah!! Let go of me, you hurt me!'' I exclamed in pain. He squeezed harder. ''Listen to me babygirl, this isn't over so watch your back'' Trev said letting me go and I started to walk away when Trev yelled to me ''and tell that  Jug-head boy to watch his back too''. I kept walking trying to ignore him but when I heard him mention Jughead's name I stopped dead in my tracks but I didn't say nothing and keep walking.

Jughead P.O.V

Betty didn't say nothing and ran from the apartment. ''DAMN!'' I yelled shutting the door. They all looked at me surprised and I went to my room, I didn't want to deal with anyone right now. 

A few minutes later Toni entered my room. ''Hey Jug, how are you? The rest just left but I wanted to check on you'' she said softly sitting down next to me. ''I don't know Toni, I don't know. I feel like I've just pushed her closer to him'' I ran my hand over my face and she hugged me. 

''Or maybe she just need some time to think. She has had a hard night and you have suddenly released that you love her'' Toni said. ''I'm an idiot, I shouldn't have let her go, again'' I sighed.

''Do you want me to stay?'' Toni asked. ''No, I just need sometime alone. But thanks Toni'' I shooked my head and gave her a smile. Toni accepted and I walked her to the door.

I was sitting on the stool in the kitchen when Betty entered in the apartment crying. ''Betts what happened'' I said standing up in front of her.  I looked at her arm and saw that she had a big bruise. ''Trev did this to you?'' I asked getting furious and Betty tried to pass to her room.

I grabbed her by the left wrist trying not to hurt her so she wouldn't leave. ''Betts answer to me, he did this to you?'' I was getting more furious by the moment. ''Let it be, okay? I'm fine'' Betty said looking away and trying to release her wrist from my hand.

''Of course I'm not going to let it pass Betty, talk to me-'' I said going from angry to sad ''-please'' I begged. ''I can't do this right now Jug'' She said and jerked her wrist away staying with her bandana in my hand. 

''What the fucking hell Betty!'' I said broken watching all the cuts in her wrist. And Betty locked herself in her room. I tried to open the door of her room ''please Betty open the door!'' tears sliding down my cheek.

I could hear her cry through the door and it broke my heart even more. She had no idea what Betty had been through or how long she had been hurting herself. That's why she always wore the bandana and all those bracelets.  ''I will not move from here. When you're ready to talk ... or not talk, we can just cuddle on the couch in silence, or right here on the floor, I'll be waiting for you right here'' I sighed sitting down leaning my back against her door and bringing her bandana close to my face while I closed my eyes tight trying not to cry anymore.

Betty P.O.V

I could tell in Jughead's voice that he was sad and worried. It hurt to see him like that, right now I was more worried about him than by myself. I smiled at his comment about cuddling on the couch. Jughead really cared about me, maybe it wasn't that bad to open up to him. 

I wiped the tears from my cheeks and opened the door. Jughead immediately got up from the ground and hugged me tight, I hugged him too. ''I want to tell you everything'' I whispered. ''You don't have to Betts'' Jughead whispered back. ''But I want to'' I replied.

We were both on the couch and I began to tell him everything that had happened with Trev. How he manipulated me to sleept with him convincing me that he loved me, how he recorded a tape and threatened to publish it if I approached again to my friends and how he used me for sex whenever he wanted. I also told him what had happened when I left the apartment before, that I went to his house and he threatened me. When I finished telling him everything I was crying inconsolably. Jughead brushed the tears from my face and hugged me tightly saying he was sorry I had to go through all of that and Jughead was blaming himself.

''It's not your fault Juggie'' I sighed. ''Yes, yes it is. You came home every night broken and drunk. I could have avoided it from day one and I never did anything. None of us did anything!'' Jughead said angry with himself and sad.

 ''Stop blaming yourself please'' I looked him in the eye and put my left hand on his cheek and he sighed putting his hand over mine and posed my arm on his lap. ''And what about this Betts? Why?'' Jughead looked down at my scars and covered them with my bandana so I wouldn't feel uncomfortable showing the cuts. I smiled at the gesture.

''It's my way of venting, it help me'' I said looking down while Jughead stroked my hand. ''That is not the solution, you know that right?'' Jughead said and I shrugged. ''How it started?'' Jughead asked sad.

I took a deep breath and told him all the story. ''It all started when I was 15 years old, my mother has always wanted me to be the perfect daughter. Always well dressed, perfect hair, good grades and always with a smile. I couldn't take it anymore so one day I did it to let off steam and since then I haven't stopped. The only people who knew about it were my father and Archie. My father has always been a great support to me until he died in a fire last year. Since then it only got worse. I always faked a smile so everyone thought my life was perfect. The only person I could be myself with is Arch. So when he was here I was shirtless in front of him because the week before I had cutted my stomach and was showing him my scars. And yes, Toni knows too but she discovered by mistake, that's why should stay over at nights. In time I ended up telling Cheryl and Veronica too. And since I told them I was a month without self-harm and then everything about Trev started and well, the rest you already know.''

''I'm so sorry Betts, you didn't diserve anything you've been through'' At this point Jughead was trying to hold back the tears. ''Don't Juggie, just... cuddle with me?'' I asked with a small smile. ''Come here'' Jughead said and he grabbed me tight and I closed my eyes as he kissed my head. 

After a while of silence ''Betts?'' Jughead said. ''Mmh?'' I mumbled sitting up to look at him. ''I just wanted to tell you that what I told you before you ran away is true, I love you and I'm so sorry for yelling at you and if you don't feel the same that's fine I just want you to know it's true. And if you want we can pretend that none of this has hap-'' Jughead was saying when I cut him off with a kiss.

''Juggie, I love you too, but clearly now i'm not ready to get into another relationship'' I said under my breath as our foreheads rested on each other and our lips almost touching. ''And I'll wait for you as long as it takes'' Jughead said without moving and kissed me.