JUGHEAD'S POV
I watch as Y/N walks alone to her next class. Reggie laughs and she keeps walking, ignoring the idiotic jock as best as she could.
"Hey Serpent Slut." I feel like punching him as Archie and I watch the scene unfold. She just keeps walking, brushing it off like any passing comment.
"Why didn't she say anything?" Archie sighs.
"Because she loves you, Jughead. And she's willing to take anything for you." I groan.
"No, she's not. I'm just one of her experiments." Archie stares at me like I'm crazy. He scoffs, rolling his eyes.
"I can't believe you don't see it! Why would she do that? She's the nicest person we know, Jug." Archie walks away, probably off to Chemistry. We have that together, but I don't feel like going to class right now. Cheryl soon approaches me as I walk through the abandoned hall.
"Aren't you meant to be in class, Cheryl?" She smirks.
"I could ask the same about you, Forsythe." I scowl back at her.
"Get to the point." She straightens up, glaring at me sharply.
"It's about Y/N." My jaw drops open slightly and she rolls her eyes.
"How-"
"She's my best friend. I know when there's trouble in paradise. When Jason died, the Blossoms weren't the only ones to take it hard. Y/N took it so badly, she barely left her room the whole summer. She told everyone she was visiting her grandparents in Texas, but she was actually grieving. She vowed to never open up again, but then she came back to school and remembered you, her best friend and her crush. When you asked her out five months ago, she was over the moon. She was finally happy again. She had fallen in love. Jughead, she saw you as this amazing guy and when you admitted to being broken, she wanted to help. You weren't one of her so-called projects you keep talking about. She cares for everyone because she has a kind soul, not so she can feel good about herself. When you came home last night, she was scared you were dead and that she'd lose you too. When you punched the wall, she thought you were going to hit her. Veronica called me last night and said Y/N had never been so scared in her life. She had a panic attack, Jughead. Talk to her please." Cheryl walks away, leaving me to think. I feel so ashamed. Y/N thinks I'm going to hit her. I mean, I don't blame her. I was such a huge dick last night. Tears uncontrollably fill my eyes and I walk out of the school, making my way towards the trailer park. Most of the Serpents are hanging around, sitting in their usual positions.
"Hey Jughead!" Joaquin yells out, drawing attention to me. I can feel my fists clenched in my jacket pockets as I keep my eyes to the ground.
"Yo Jughead." Toni walks up to you. "What's wrong? Someone bothering you?" I sigh and ran my hand through my hair. I had ditched the beanie ever since I joined the Serpents.
"It's my girlfriend." Toni looks at me puzzled.
"You mean Y/N? What happened?" She wraps his arm around my shoulder and guides me over to Fangs and Sweet Pea, who are both sitting on the bonnets of their cars.
"I did something really bad and I feel like I've lost her." Fangs pats the spot on the bonnet he was sitting on and I slide on next to him.
"What did you do?" Sweet Pea asks quietly as he frowns.
"I came back later than I said and Y/N was crying. She said she was worried about me and that I shouldn't be taking drugs and alcohol and I shouldn't be smoking. She said it had become a habit since I joined the gang and I got really pissed. We argued and she screams at me, saying she didn't want me to end up like Jason and I punched the wall behind her. I scared her, Cheryl told me Veronica had never seen Y/N so scared in her life. She had a panic attack and now she thinks I'm gonna hit her. I'd never hit her. I love her, I don't want to turn out like my dad." I feel the tears start to build up even more. Toni looks at me with pity.
"Jughead, The Serpents are the backup plan. Everyone here," Toni motions to the whole gang. "Has either lost their children, lost their partners, failed to graduate high school, is addicted to some sort of harmful substance or is an outcast student like us. Honestly, Forsythe, you don't belong here. You belong back at Riverdale High with your laptop, your girlfriend and that beanie you always used to wear. You can't give up on Y/N yet. Show her that she can trust you, apologise a million times, whatever it takes. You do it. You two have something special and you gonna lose that if you stay here. We're always gonna be here for you, Jughead. Now go get your girl." She pulls the jacket off of my back and I glance around the group. Everyone just nods at me and I know what I have to do.
Y/N's POV
I feel empty as I stare at my lunch. I had lost my appetite along with my happiness. I feel everyone's eyes on me. Betty wraps a comforting arm around my shoulder as Veronica and Archie's arguing continues.
"What do you mean he just left?" I hear Veronica bicker.
"I went to Chemistry after arguing with him and I haven't seen him since." Their fight finally stops when Jughead makes his way into the cafeteria unexpectedly. My eyes widen slightly at the sight. It was the old Juggy, his signature grey beanie sitting upon his head and laptop in hand. The only difference is his usual smile is replaced with a look of determination and sadness. I get up, biting my lip and I walk with my tray in hand towards the exit, my arms shaking in fear. I feel tears fill my eyes again as I try to leave, but Reggie stops me.
"Hey Serpent Slut, aren't you going to greet your boyfriend?" The whole cafeteria had gone silent as you refuse to look at him, your stomach churning and previous tears threatening to spill. "Answer me!" He yells at me, shoving me.
"Hey Reggie!" I can feel Jughead's tall frame towering in front of me. Reggie just chuckles, looking over at the rest of the football team, but they were all dead still. He turns to Jughead.
"Well if it isn't the Serpent master himself." I could literally feel Jughead's rage radiating off of him. "Your girlfriend and I were just having a chat, but she seems to have quietened down since last time. What have you done, beaten her?" That's when Jughead finally snaps. His arm swings and smacks Reggie right in the face. I gasp, watching as a startled Reggie falls stumbles back a few steps. The rest of the football team grab a hold of him, holding him back from hitting Jughead. Jughead grabs my hand, dragging me into the Blue and Gold office.
"I see you've got your old look back," I state, scanning over him as he closes the door. Jughead walks up to me, towering over me. His face seems blank. I bite my lip to refrain myself from being scared. Jughead bursts into tears, wrapping his arms around my middle and crying into my hair. I stand in shock for a few seconds before hugging him back. This is the first time I'd seen him cry since Jellybean and Gladys moved away.
"I'm so sorry, Y/N. I'm a horrible boyfriend." He sobs. "I love you so much and I'd NEVER EVER hit you. I've been such a dick and I know it's going to be hard to forgive me and that's okay. But I'm always going to protect you, I understand if you want to break up with me. I'm so angry with myself for scaring you, let alone causing you to panic." I softly pull him away from my shoulder and wipe his tears with my thumbs, scanning every inch of his face. He seems so helpless and heartbroken. My heart sink as I smile softly. I pull my crying boyfriend into a kiss, my hands still on his cheeks. Jughead grabs my waist, pulling me towards him slightly and making sure I wasn't letting go. I can still feel the tears rolling down his cheeks as he cries, maybe they're mine, it's hard to tell. We pull away after a while.
"I will forever and always love you, Forsythe Pendleton Jones the third. It's okay to make mistakes because we're human. Never leave me." I sniffled quietly and Jughead chuckles, wiping my tears.
"I will never ever leave you." He kisses my forehead and I hear clapping. I turn to see Kevin holding Juggy's old Polaroid camera and the rest of the sad breakfast club are smirking. "Way to ruin the moment, guys." I giggle.
"There's my charming and sarcastic Juggy." Jughead wraps his arm around me before guiding me out into the hall.
"Who's up for Pop's?"
Word count: 1568 words