Letters From Another (Bughead)

Chapter Thirty-One

Jughead POV

"Us? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!" I started getting louder, "BETTY YOU CAN'T JUST THREATEN TO TAKE MY DAUGHTER AWAY FROM ME."

"THEY'RE NOT YOUR KIDS JUGHEAD."

This is fucking bullshit. She can't just take my kid away from me.

"JULIET BARELY KNOWS WHO YOU ARE."

"I'M HER FATHER..."

She cut me off.

"BESIDES SHARING YOUR DNA, YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING THAT EVEN RESEMBLES BEING HER FATHER. YOU'VE NEVER TAKEN CARE OF HER, TRIED TO BOND WITH HER. YOU LEAVE HER HANGING CONSTANTLY AND I'M THE ONE WHO ENDS UP GATHERING ALL THE PIECES. HELL ARCHIE IS MORE OF A FATHER TO HER THAN YOU."

"IT ALWAYS COMES BACK TO ARCHIE, DOESN'T IT? MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE MARRIED HIM INSTEAD."

Her face was covered with a shocked expression.

It was like all of the energy she had left drained from her body.

"Jughead, don't say that."

Shit.

I knew I just fucked up again. I turned my head away from her trying to come up with something to say, but I was speechless.

It was like the world had run out of words, until I turned her way again.

"Betty stop." I said like I was talking someone off a ledge. It was like she was stuck in a trance. "BETTY, FOR GOD'S SAKE STOP."

I jumped forward and grabbed one of her hands.

As soon as I separated her nails from her palm she snapped back into reality.

She looked at me, then to her palms that were now covered in blood.

I just studied her features while she viewed her hands. That was until she burst into tears and starting falling to her knees.

I caught her right before she smashed onto the hard ground that made up the parking lot.

I just wrapped my arms around her while she cried into the middle of my chest. I just wanted to comfort her, even if it was for short moment.

Sitting like this reminded me of when were kids.

Whenever something really bad took place in our lives, all I wanted to do was hold her.

"It's going to be ok Betts." I said.

She then wrapped her arms around me and buried her face into my chest.

We just sat there in silence.

I wished it could last forever, but the sun was coming up and I could no longer play the role of a young me. A me that she could still be proud of. Someone who hadn't ruined their lives together.

This was all my fault. I'm the one that caused this.

I didn't want to let her go.

I fear letting her go now means I'm letting her go forever.

She started pushing away from me.

"I'm sorry Jug... I can't..."

I wiped away a tear from her cheek.

"I know..." I said. "Know I'll always be here for you, no matter how long it takes."

I kissed her forehead then helped her to her feet.

I noticed I had left her jacket on the ground.

I got some of the dirt off then handed it to her

She slowly took it from me then said, "Thanks.".

I just gave her a sad smile.

We started walking back in silence.

When we were nearing the front door I made sure to get there first so I could hold the door for her.

She walked in showing zero emotion.

I guess that meant our moment would never leave the parking lot. That she didn't want anyone else to know.

It would just be us who remembered.

She walked into the bathroom, I'm guessing to wash her hands.

I walked past Archie while retreating to my corner booth.

I felt isolated from the rest of the people in the diner. Hell, the rest of the world.

I took a sip of my coffee that was now cold.

My mind was stuck trying to put together what just happened, but I came up with nothing.

All I could do now was hope she would come back.

A/n I've successfully made myself sad.