✔️| 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐎𝐑 𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐓 | 𝗯𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱

Chapter 26

Jughead's P.O.V.

"betty cooper?" a nurse called out.
i stood up and walked over to the nurse hoping for some sort of update.
"can i have your name please?" she asked.
"for the thousandth time, it's jughead jones." i replied slightly annoyed.
"you can go see her now, she is in room 22 resting." she told me.
i thanked her and walked down a hallway looking for room 22. when i reached it, i looked in the small window to see betty laying there watching tv. i slowly opened the door making her look over at the door.
"hey." i said quietly as i closed the door.
"hey." she replied smiling slightly.
i sat down in the chair next to her bed and held her hand.
"i'm sorry." i told her. "if i was out there with you, none of this—."
"don't blame yourself." she interrupted calmly. "you saved me, my life, us, this is not your fault."
she put her hand on my cheek and looked me in the eyes.
"you're a good person, jughead." she said.
i nodded even though i didn't believe her, i still thought it was my fault and i let the person i love the most get raped by her own father.
"everyone at the bar is worried sick." i chuckled.
"you can tell them i'm okay." she replied.
"are you cold?" i asked because i could see goose bumps on her arms.
"just a little." she replied.
i handed her the hoodie i had brought with that was mine and helped her put it on over the hospital gown.
"can you come lay down next to me?" she asked.
"yeah." i responded as she moved over a bit for me.
i laid next to her and she got as close to me as possible with her head on my shoulder.
"he told me to pretend he was you when he started kissing down my neck." she blurted out. "when he did it, it was sloppy and rough, but when you do it's sweet and sincere." she added sniffling a little.
"did he end up doing anything, like you know?" i asked unable to say the word 'rape'.
"he did, and i hated every second of it." she replied. "i want my dad to die and i want to be the one with his blood on my hands."
"i'm so sorry." i said against her soft hair.
"jughead, you need to stop blaming yourself for things other people did." she told me.
"but it is my fault, i failed you and it wasn't the first time." i whispered.
she sat up through all the pain to look me straight in the eyes and placed her hand on my cheek.
"you didn't fail me, jughead, you saved me for like, the third time. you're a good person, you're still the man i met at the bar." she said looking me directly in my eyes. "do you believe me?"
"yeah." i replied closing my eyes and shaking my head up and down.
she kissed me on the lips, but quickly backed away and turned her back on me.
"betty." i said softly placing my hand on her shoulder.
she didn't say anything, she just laid there still, not moving or looking at me.
"betts, it's jughead. can you face me, baby?" i asked rubbing her arm.
she turned back to face me with tears in her eyes.
"he ruined the one good thing in my life." she said as tears slid down her cheek. "i can't even kiss you without seeing him."
"i'm sorry. is there anything i can do to help?" i asked drawing circles with my finger on her shoulder.
"tell me everything is going to be okay, even though i know it's not true and not go anywhere." she responded with a forced smile and tears still in her eyes.
"everything is going to be fine and i'm not going anywhere." i told her.
i pushed some of her hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. i lingered my lips on her forehead, until a nurse walked in making me back away from her and look at the nurse.
"hi, miss cooper." the nurse said flipping through some papers on her clip board. "how are you feeling?"
"physically, okay. emotionally, not great." she replied looking up at the nurse.
"we looked back at your previous records and it mentioned going to therapy, is that still happening?" she asked writing on her clipboard.
"yes, i do group therapy as well with dr. grams." she responded.
the nurse asked some questions about what had happened before she came.
"based on the information i gathered today and based on your previous medical records, we think it might be good to spend some time in a facility where you can get proper treatment." she said handing her a couple brochures. "it's completely optional, but we need to know in about an hour."
she gave a friendly smile and walked out. i looked over at betty who was looking through the brochure.
"i think i might go." she said looking up at me.
"it'd be good for you." i replied looking back down at her.
"but if i go, you need to promise to call me everyday." she added.
"i promise." i replied chuckling lightly.
she fell asleep in my arms, while i stayed awake admiring every perfect part of her face. the same nurse as before came in, so i slipped myself out of her arms and we went outside the room.
"do you know if she decided?" she asked.
"yeah, she's going to go." i responded. "do you have something that lets me know where she will be staying?"
"yes, we have something specifically for concerned boyfriends and parents." she chuckled as she handed me a paper. "i figured you'd ask."
"thanks, i just need to be able to know she's okay." i told her and she nodded.
"she'll be in good hands, you can sign this then take her home whenever you are ready. make sure you keep an eye on her because she still has bruises and is healing." she said before waking away.
i walked back into the room to see betty was still sound asleep on the hospital bed. i chuckled and sat down in the chair next to her.