Bughead: autograph

Chapter 128

Betty was in shock about what just happened, but was quick to snap out of it. First, she went to check on jughead who was pacing in their room when she walked in. "Are you okay?" Betty asked and jughead whipped around at the sound of her voice, his eyes going dark at the red mark forming on her cheek. "Did she hit you?!" He seethed and Betty meekly nodded. "Yes, but I'm okay babe" Betty said, cupping is cheeks and looking in his eyes. "I promise, I told her to leave and she was rude about your dad and you so I snapped a bit, but I'm okay" she said and jughead could hear the honesty in her voice. "Okay" he sighed, deflated. "Are you okay?" She asked again. "I don't know, I'm confused" he admitted and Betty nodded. "That's understandable" she agreed. "I need to get you some ice" he said, taking her hand and walking to the kitchen where he grabbed some an ice pack and gently placed it on her cheek. "Does it hurt?" He asked. "Not really" Betty shrugged. "God... I'm so sorry baby" jug said but Betty shook her head. "Do not apologise, this isn't on you" she said. "So much for our date day" jug laughed, humourlessly. "Don't worry about it juggie, some things are more important" she said, softly and kissed him softly. "I got your mothers number..." Betty started. "I don't know if you want to talk to her, but I thought I'd get it just in case" she said. Jughead just looked down at her for a moment before pulling her in for a hug. "I love you so much! I don't know what I'd do without you" he said into her hair. "I feel the same way, I love you too" Betty smiled, squeezing him back. After a few moments, they pulled away. "I think I should call my dad" jug said.

A few hours later and Betty and jughead were cuddled up on the couch. Jughead had phoned his dad and explained the situation, and FP had decided that he and jellybean were going to drive up to New York so they could all talk as a family and see Gladys. "They should be here for dinner" jug said, running his fingers through Betty's hair. "That's good, I will start on dinner after I set up the guest bedrooms" she said. "You dont have to do that babe" jug said, but Betty sat up and looked at him. "Juggie, you look after me all the time, you've helped me through some of the worst things that have happened to me, so now let me take care of you okay?" She said. "And your dad and jelly are my family too, and I want you all to be comfortable and happy" she smiled, and cupped his cheeks, before kissing him, trying to show him how much she loved him. "You're one of a kind Betty Jones" he said, a proper smile on his face for the first time since that morning. "as are you, my love" she smiled, and hopped off the couch to do all the tasks she needed to do before FP and jellybean got there.

That evening, after a lovely dinner prepared by Betty, they were all sat around the table talking about that days events. "So she just turned up? Out of the blue?" FP asked and jug nodded. "I can't believe she slapped you!" FP growled, looking over at Betty. "It's okay" Betty shrugged. "No it's not" jug said. "I do think we should talk to her though" jughead added and FP sighed but nodded. "Tomorrow?" He asked and jughead agreed. "Jellybean? How do you feel about it all?" Betty asked, gently, looking over at the girl who hadn't spoken at all. "I don't understand, she cheated on dad and left us and now she wants back in?!" The girl said, her anger building. "ITS BULLSHIT!" She screamed and banged her fists against the table. "Jellybean!" FP and jughead said, looking shocked at her outburst. Jellybean didn't say anything, just stood up and ran from the table to her guest room. "Let me go and talk to her" Betty said, softly, standing up and kissing jugs cheek before going after jellybean.

Betty found jellybean, curled up on the bed, crying into her pillow. "Can I come in?" Betty asked, leaning against the door. Jelly didn't say Anything but nodded, so Betty closed the door and sat down next to her on the bed. "Talk to me... what are you feeling?" Betty asked, and jelly sat up. "I feel angry" she sighed. "I know I was only young when she left but I was old enough to know that she'd gone, and I had to go through the rest of my life without my mom, while everyone else had one" she started. "She wasn't there to do my hair, or for my fist period, she wasn't there to give my advice on girl things.... or anything like that!" She exclaimed and Betty was quiet as she listened. "It sucked! But I got used to my life without her, and now she's back and no amount of sob story can make up for the fact she left" she sniffed. "I agree" Betty said, softly. "But, even though your mother wasn't there, you had an amazing dad and brother, you are so loved jelly" Betty said, seeing how sensitive jellybean was. "I know" jellybean agreed. "And I'm so happy that their in my life and now you, because you've all made me realise I don't need a mother figure in my life if I have people around me who love me" jellybean said, with a small smile. "That's right, and we do love you... so much" Betty said, pulling jellybean in for a hug. "I love you too" the younger girl said, pulling away from the hug. "I don't know how much you know about my mom..." Betty started. "But we don't have a good relationship, we never have. And that was hard for me as a kid, and then as I grew up it caused me some anxiety issues" Betty explained. "My mom was so hard on me and she was never satisfied and I spent my whole life trying to live up to her expectations but I never could, and then one day I cut all ties, because that's what was best for me, and I learned to be free and to live on my own terms" Betty said. "And then I met my friends who are my family and then jug and then you guys and now I'm surrounded by people who care about me and I care about them" betty added. "My point is, not everyone is up to being a mom, a parent, they don't express their love for you in the right way, but there's people out there who will love you and do love you... and they're the people who matter."