You found me | Bughead

04: The first night

Jughead:

I could not to pay attention to her and her presence. In one minute she seems already much better and I could feel her eyes checking me out. Not maybe in that way but in some way. And the in a next minute she tenses.

Betty stands up fast and leaves to the ladies room. She is definately not okay. I don't know is it me or Ronnie or something else. But she is tense. And edgy. And drunk. That is maybe a good thing right in this moment though. I have a bad feeling the drunken state helps her state, how would she be without the alcohol? I'm the one to talk, I know.

But she is also so fucking beautiful, that I'm in trouble. She still has that something. Which I always saw, way before she was mine. She is driving me crazy and I can feel it down there... Oh shit, this is gonna be a ride and I have a bad feeling I'm gonna be a mess, physically and emotionally.

I haven't think about her for years, not in proper way. Just seconds, little moments. I didn't let myself to do that. I knew I missed her and thinking of her, it wasn't clever. But those years we had then, memories, her body, things we used to do, and last, the shitty thing she did.. those things are coming back to me now like a storm.

Ronnie wakes me up from my thoughts. "What you are thinking?" Ehh. Not easy way to put it. And say something to Ronnie. "I just... I don't know what's gonna happen. We haven't talk in seven years. We just left here, left each others. I really don't know what to say, where to start," I ramble. But I surprise myself, like how I'm here opening up to Ronnie. Is it weird? To open up to anybody? Jughead Jones opens up to Veronica?

She looks at me seriously but in a kind way. Comforting way. "Yeah. But you will," she is sure about things, again.

"Is this whole group thing for you or somebody else?" I had to ask. Because it is Ronnie, it can be anything or for anyone. And Betty, well she may need this. I surely do, but Ronnie doesn't know that, or does she? She smiles to me. "First. For me. I've been really missing my friends. In college there was no time for making good, real friends. So I missed you guys. But now I think this is for Betty. Or for you? You guys are not alright. Neither of you." Yep. She is something. But I'm not gonna admit that. I haven't told anything about me and she thinks I'm a mess. Maybe I am, but let's not go there, not with her help, or her knowing. "I'm okay," I try to convince her. "Right," she looks at me and I think she doesn't believe me. I can't blame her for that.

And there she is. Betty. Coming back. Is she smiling? Really?

. . . . .

Betty:

I was for a while in ladies room. I just sat and thought about past and present and I have now my conclusion. I can do this, I do the act. I'm okay.

Jug and I can be friends. We can try. I know he is a good friend. I just hope he can be my friend. Is he still mad?

All I have now is that shitty life in Washington, so this is the best I can do now. I'm gonna try and have some friends in long long time. I'm afraid but let's try. I missed Vee. And Jug. Oh and Kevin! Smile on and here we go.

"Hi, I'm sorry. I just needed a minute," I say and sit on my chair. I take a big sip. "It's okay. I'm really sorry too, for this surprise. But it was a hell of a hard job getting this lady here, so I couldn't took any risks you bailing," Vee tells us. She was right. I would have bailed. "I get it," I say.

Jug nods. "I needed a pause from my writing and from Nyc. So it was a perfect timing. You are officially forgiven," Jug is okay with this too. That's a relief. "Thank you. I missed you guys so much! Let's do the toasts!" Vee laughs and is happy. I'm happy to see her happiness. And I feel myself weirdly good.

We raise our glasses and something odd happens. Me and Jug, we both do the toasts saying "back to basics!".
We all look at each other. Ronnie smiles and smirks. We said the same thing at the same time. Did we really? We all laugh and it feels so good. But what, is this happening? Was that weird?

. . . . .

Jughead:

I suddenly realize that we have been sitting here for hours. And somehow we were having fun. Surprisingly easy. Talking. It's helping that Ronnie is here. She the master of this poppet show.

We've talked about my life. University. The book. They have red it. It was about all of our lives so of course they think it was good and they loved it.

I have to admit. I missed even Ronnie. She was a fun girl. She is. She's working at Wall Street and still owns Pops. Reggie has a car shop, luxury cars only. Obviously. They've been together for years. Fun fact. We had been in the same concert once, we didn't knew that then but now we know. Maybe we'll see each others in Nyc after this. It would be odd to have some friends there though.

Betty has told us just the things I already knew. Nothing more. She kept asking Ronnie about the wedding and then she was talking about the weather. Like she was avoiding. Maybe she didn't want me to know about her personal life. I don't know. But I noticed that she kept looking at me once in a while. It was a good thing? I hope.

It's getting late and we stand up. We all are pretty drunk and Betty's balance could be better, her eyes are glassy. I've never seen her like this.

"Okay, we continue this tomorrow. I'm wasted and wanna sleep. And you too just arrived today so you must be exhausted," Ronnie leads us to the door.  "Yeap," I answer. I'm actually very tired.

Betty stumbles forward and hums. "Okay. I think I'm able to sleep, I'm wasted enough," Betty declears mostly to herself I think but then she goes silent. What that could mean? What did she say? Does she have some trouble with sleeping? "What?" I have to ask but all I get for an answer, is mumbling which sounds like "nothing". Betty was drunk. But what she just said, I'm little worried now..

Ronnie looks concerned, she has noticed something too. "Jughead, I wonder if you are still a gentleman? Would you escort Betty to her place? Please," she asks and she really wants me to say yes.

And yes I am a gentleman. I'm not gonna leave her alone like that. "Of course. Where?" I check from Ronnie, she smiles slightly. "Oh one little thing, next to yours," she says revieling her last surprise. Are you kidding? And once again, me and Betty, we do it at the same time "What?". We look up to each others but there is no laughter this time. "Yeah, I kind of have those three apartments next to each others. Easy for you to walk there then?" Ronnie talks like this is nothing.

But it is something. We are living almost together after seven years. Perfect way to slow things. Not. "Oh my god Ronnie, you are sailing in very dangerous waters," I say to her and thinking is she doing this for us, for our dead relationship.

Betty is in her own thoughts or somewhere else. "What?" she asks. I don't know how much she heard from our discussion. "I just get you to your place okay?" I say to Betty and put my hand on her shoulder. She moves a bit but not pushing me away. She hums again and I take it as a yes. "Night guys, I'm happy you are here," and Ronnie is about to leave. She hugs us and gives me the look. I think she meant that I have Betty now, I need to take care of her. And I'm gonna.

We walk and walk. Betty was and still is silent. Maybe sleepy and wasted. "Are you okay?" I look at her and I have to ask. "How many times you have to ask that? You and Vee? I'm okay. It's just alcohol and I'm tired. But I'm sobering up. I think," she raises her voice. She is pissed. She doesn't wanna tell. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry I asked. It is good to see you though. I missed you," I say quietly, and I really did. I didn't know I missed her this much.