Slowly Giving Up ~Bughead~

Chapter 20

Jughead's POV: Betty was waiting anxiously all week. When we were working in The Blue & Gold office, she couldn't focus on writing. She'd be hitting delete, over and over again. Or she would be tapping her pen on a desk, nonstop. I understood why she was nervous. She would be meeting her sister again in only a few days.
Eventually, we figured out a plan. One night, we made sure her mom was asleep. Then, we crept down the stairs silently, being aware of how much trouble we'd be in if we were caught. Betty searched for her mothers check book, while I guarded the stairs. Betty found the book, and took several pictures.
The next day, we looked through all of them at lunch. Apparently they had Polly at a place called "Sisters of Quiet Mercy". It was a group home, and when Betty saw the website on my computer screen, she froze. A single tear fell down her cheek, and reached the bottom of her face. The tear had turned black, because of the makeup sat on her eye. I felt terrible. I know she said Polly isn't crazy, and I believe her. And I have to help her find this place.
That day at lunch, Archie and Veronica saw the black tear streaming down Betty's face. "Betty! What's wrong!" Said Veronica. "I'm fine." She said while wiping the evil looking tear away. "It's just... a story I read." She hurried out of her mouth. "Oh." Veronica whispered. At this time, I noticed Betty was sitting very close to me. Our sides were touching, and I could tell Archie noticed. "So, Betty, what's going on with you tonight?" Asked Veronica while smiling and raising her eyebrows. "Nothing. Reading, writing." She said. "Oh, come on. It's Friday, may I remind you." She teased. Betty playfully rolled her eyes, and the smile I loved came back. "What're you and Archie up to?" She asked. Oh no. I forgot to tell her. And now, she'll think I meant to hide it from her. Veronica gave Archie an awkward look, and spoke. "Betty...there's something we've been needing to tell you." She said while her eyes fell to the table. "What? Are you ok?" She asked worriedly. "I'm fine. But....we're not." She said. "What?" She asked. "We broke up, Betty." Said Archie. I could see some hope in Archie's eyes while he watched Betty take in what had just happened. "Oh...I'm so sorry..." she said. "It's not your fault." Said Veronica. When really, it was Archie's fault.
Tonight, we were planning on going to Sisters of Quiet Mercy group home. "Are you ready?" I asked Betty. "It's now or never." She said while looking up at me with a smile on her face. We took the bus there, and there weren't as many people as usual riding.
When we arrived, the place looked old, but new at the same time. "Hey, it's gonna be ok." I said, trying to comfort her. "It's just that I've been living my life, while she's been here. In this place." She said. "It's not your fault." I turned her to face me. "Now, let's go." I said. I took her shaking hand, and put it in mine.
We saw a woman at the front desk, and we silently approached her. "Hi." Said Betty. "Can I help you?" The woman said. "I'm here to visit my sister, Polly Cooper." She said. "Sign in here." She said while pushing paper to Betty's hand. Betty quickly scribbled her name, and handed the paper back to the woman. "And who is this?" She asked. Betty looked at me, and then said, "Can he please go, too?" She pushed the paper to me. After I signed, the woman led us to a garden. "Polly usually spends all of her time in the garden, during her free time." She said, and then walked away. We saw Polly standing there, and she was fiddling with a rose. "Polly?" Asked Betty. Polly turned around, and hugged Betty. "Betty, you found us!" Said Polly. "What?" Asked Betty while looking at me with a concerned look. Polly backed up, and we saw something that blew both of our minds. Polly was pregnant, with Jason's baby. At least I hope it was Jason's....
"You're pregnant!" Betty said while putting a hand on Polly's stomach. "Yep. So, what'd mom and Dad tell you?" Asked Polly. "Did they say I was on drugs?" She asked while laughing. "They told me you were sick, Polly." Said Betty. Polly looked at me, and raised both of her eyebrows. "Who's this, Betty?" She asked. "Jughead is his name." She answered back. Polly smiled at me, and looked back at Betty. "Betty?" She asked. "Yes?" She asked back. "What does Jason think happened to me?" She asked. There's only one reason why she would ask this. She didn't know Jason was dead. Betty looked at me, and it made me want to walk up to her and hug her forever. "He knows that it was our parents fault, right?" She asked. "That I'm here?" It was silent for a few seconds. "We can still escape!" Said Polly. "You just have to help me!" She started getting excited. "I still remember the directions to the car Jason packed up for us!" She said. While Polly was telling the directions, all I could pay attention to was Betty. She looked scared, and I couldn't do anything. "Polly! Stop!" Betty interrupted her and took both of her hands. "Something happened." She said. "What? Is Jason hurt?" Asked Polly. Betty was silent, and Polly got the message. "No..." she kept saying over and over again. She started crying, and Betty hugged her. I walked closer to Betty, and put my hand on her shoulder, letting her know that I was by her side. "Young lady, come with me." Said the woman from the front desk.
The woman took me and Betty to a room, leaving us there without another word. "Juggie...what if she is crazy?" She asked me. "What of all of that...was nonsense?" She asked. "Hey...she's not crazy. And we're going to prove it." I said. She hugged me, and I hugged back. And then, we heard the door open loudly. "Betty!" She said. "Mom, what are you doing here?" Asked Betty. "I pay the sisters good money. They notify me when Polly gets a visitor." She said. "Let's go. Both of you!" She said.
Out in the hallway, we were headed for the exit. That is, until Polly walked in front of us with her doctors. "Mom! Jason is dead? And you kept me in here!?" She started yelling. Betty started balling her eyes out when the doctors pulled Polly away, into her bedroom. I grabbed Betty, and guided her the whole way home. When we were in her moms car, I stayed right by her. And the whole time, there was silence. Nothing else.
And it was only the beginning.