The Exception to the Rule

Part 12

"That's not something you hear too often after the first time"

"It was better than I had anticipated. It felt so natural. It wasn't awkward, it just felt right."

"Well, That's more than I can say for my first time."

"With Archie?" Betty inquiered

"Oh god no, we're not there yet. Archie is a bit too keen, so I'm pumping the breaks. No, my first time was at a party in New York last summer, with some random disposable. It was in fact awkward, fast and painful. But nevertheless, onwards and upwards" Veronica said with her head held high and a perfectly groomed eyebrow raised.

"That's a shame V"

"Oh, Don't be silly Betts, if we let every disappointing man get us down we'd never get anywhere,"

Betty smiled lightly and nodded. She felt lucky that her first time story didn't have a drop of disappointment in it.

"Archie tells me that Jughead has never had a girlfriend? And that he's never shown interest in girls? 'Avoided girls like the plague' were Archie's exact words, I belive. What do you think changed Jughead's mind?" Veronica asked. Betty furrowed her brow a moment not knowing the answer herself.

"Betts?"

"I, I don't really know what changed his mind..." She confessed.

"You should ask him" Veronica said as they pushed through the courtyard doors.

Betty nodded, making note of the question. Once outside the girls selected their favorite table, sitting in the crisp afternoon sun.

"I want him so much, Ronnie...like, it's really bad. We just had sex this morning and then we fooled around at lunch and still, he's all I'm thinking about" Betty blurted out quickly.

Veronica grinned wide, scrunching her nose up "I knew you were lying," She scolded shaking a manicured finger at Betty.

"Wanting like this is normal, Betty Dear. Some people call it the 'honeymoon phase' others call it 'infatuation' I like to call it 'New Love'. It's fresh and exciting, and for you it's with a life long friend. This is truly rare, Once in a lifetime. Ride that wave."

Betty shrugged coyly, not fully appreciating how special the bond between her and Jughead was until Ronnie pointed it out. But those naggy insecure demons kept pulling at her weaknesses. 'What had changed? Was she just something to pass time with? To experiment with? To get distracted with? Why now? Why her?'

Veronica must have seen the inquisative look on Betty's face "B, what's wrong? You went from glowing to sulking in a flash?"

"I don't know why he chose me." Betty sighed simply.

Veronica's face turned serious, red starting to flush her cheeks in defence of her friend. She shook her head in disbelief

"He chose you because you're amazing Betty Cooper. Of all the people in Riverdale, he chose to let you in. JUST you. Jughead chose you because he loves you"

"He's never said that"

"Can't you feel it?"

Betty pondered the thought a moment. She did know Jughead loved her. Every time they kissed she felt it with every morsel of her being. It poured out of him, unrestrained, directly into her. But the fact that Betty loved him back wasn't something she expected to happen so quickly.

"Do you love him?" Ronnie clarified. Betty nodded happily back to her. "That'a Girl"

~~~

Later at Pop's, Betty and Jughead occupied their favourite table, sitting close together on the same side of the booth, as usual. They'd just finished their meals when Betty turned her attention to Jughead and spoke up.