The next day at school, I shattered the halls, looking for Betty, as if she was a lost puppy.
But it was an important reason. I had a question to ask her. A very important question in fact.
But she wasn't anywhere to be seen. I checked all of the usual spots, her locker, the student lounge. I even listened through the door of the girl's bathroom, just to make sure she wasn't in there, doing girl things.
But still, I found nothing. I had almost given up hope until I spotted Veronica over by Archie's locker. That when hope struck me again.
I slowly approached Veronica. Breaking up Archie and Veronica's conversation I butted in saying, "Hey Veronica, a word please?"
She turned her head to face mine. "Sure." I pulled her to the other side of the hallways. "What's up?"
"Do you happen to know where Betty is?" I asked her.
Veronica shook her head. "Not recently. But I briefly saw her outside this morning."
I gave Veronica the nose swipe, to signify I understood. And that's when I went outside to look for Betty.
And all along, there she was. Sitting alone at one of the empty lunch tables, her head drowning in a textbook.
In my head, it was the perfect time to ask.
I walked to the table and sat myself down across from Betty. A slight bump was made by my school bag hitting the table.
That is when Betty looked up. "Oh, hey Juggie."
"Hey," I reply. "I need to talk to you about something."
Betty took a deep breath. "If it was about last night, I'm sorry you had to see that. I don't know what I was thinking. I know it was wr-"
"It's not about last night." I cut her off. "I have different question."
"Oh." She answered, closing her book. "Continue."
"Are you free tonight?" I ask.
All of a sudden I see Betty's eyes widen, but for the wrong reasons. The way I asked that sounded like I was asking her out, but that isn't quite what I was planning.
I mean as much as a date with Betty Cooper would be amazing, it had nothing to do with my plan.
"Wait a minute," Betty said, pausing the thoughts rushing in my head. "Did you just, ask me out?"
I felt my cheeks burn a fiery red. "No, no. Not at all, it's for something else."
"Oh, okay." Betty answered. "Then what for?"
"You know how I writing a novel over Jason Blossom's death right?"
Betty nodded. "What about the novel?"
"Well," I say. "I need to interview some people for it, and I wanted to start by interviewing you."
Betty flashed her beautiful white teeth in a smile. "Okay, so where do you want to meet?"
"Is Pops okay?" I ask.
Betty nodded. "So what time are you picking me up?"
I gave Betty a sarcastic glare. I knew she was joking. However I wasn't really in the mood for her witty humor.
Betty began to chuckle. "I'm kidding Juggie."
Suddenly the big roar of the school bell came, scaring the two of us. I realized that school was about to begin.
"Meet me there around 7." Betty told me.
I gave her a quick nod, as I watched her run into the school.
That's when a rush of happiness hit me. Even though it was not a date, I was still excited. I mean any alone time with Betty satisfies me.
But it wasn't the fact I was going to be alone with Betty. It was the fact my plan was going to work. After last night, I needed answers. And this plan was going perfectly so far, I had no doubt in my mind it was going to end below the perfect plan.
However plans aren't cookie cutters, they don't cut out a perfect shape. Normally something won't go according to plan. Something was bound to go wrong.
And boy, did something go wrong.