Betty knew she messed up. She knew what she did was wrong, and yet part of her was confused. Much like Peter had said -- she needed to figure things out between herself and the boys in her life.
Betty went from having a long time crush on local redhead -- Archie Andrews, only to move to her past friend -- Peter Parker. That blossoming relationship was something Betty never expected. He was so kind and so sweet. He listened and didn't protest when Betty wanted to work with Jughead.
But as she spent more time with Jughead -- Betty saw something more than the social outcome showcased to the world. She saw him as a vulnerable person with so much locked up. Maybe Betty wanted to help him. Maybe she wanted more.
All she knew was when Betty found Polly, Peter wasn't there for her emotionally. Jughead was there.
Betty couldn't fault Peter. He didn't know and not to mention had his own stuff going on.
As Betty laid in bed the next morning. Her brain reliving everything -- the conversation. The confession he told her. The confession about his parents marriage problems. He didn't tell her because he felt his problems weren't nearly as bad as the stuff going on with her.
All Peter did was look after Betty. He didn't want to worry her. He wanted to comfort her. He wanted to make her feel better.
~RIVERDALE~
The next morning things started out as usual. Betty walked into the school and things seemed to have fallen back to how things were before the year started.
Betty walked the halls, noticing Veronica and Kevin waiting for the blonde by her locker. However, Betty couldn't help but move her eyes in the direction of Peter.
Peter was at his locker but had his earbuds in. He was ignoring everyone -- and that included Ned. As Betty continued to walk down the hallway, she noticed Ned come over to Peter but only for the leaner kid to shake his head -- which left Ned to walk off.
Betty reached her locker and it seems as if her friends noticed where her eyes were at the entire time.
"So he knows?" Veronica asks.
Betty nods, "He- we broke up." She said.
Kevin gasped, "What? No way! You two were my OTP." He says.
Betty sighs and opens her locker, "Can we just not talk about Peter and I right now." She frowns.
Veronica nods, "So uh- how is Polly?"
Across the hall, Peter shut his locker and then noticed her -- Betty Cooper. It took everything in him not to run over and just take everything back. He only wants to make her happy, but Peter can't do that as much as he'd want to. Because Betty had hurt him and he needs time.
So instead, Peter just shut his locker and then proceed to walk down the hallway. He felt eyes on him as he passed Betty Cooper's locker, he just didn't look back. He needed to figure things out.
~RIVERDALE~
In the lounge Cheryl was with Michelle and Liz, but when she saw gloomy Peter enter -- the red bombshell went over to hug him.
"What did she do?" Cheryl asks.
Peter pulled her back with a soft smile, "Nothing, Cheryl. We uh- just need to be friends first." He let out a sad laugh.
A sad laugh that everyone seemed to have bought but Michelle. Michelle was crossing her arms on her chest. She knew exactly what Peter was holding back. The boy told her after the break up. Hell, she was the one he called after he got home.
"I mean we hadn't been friends in years so uh- it wasn't natural." Peter said.
Cheryl, much like Michelle, didn't completely buy it instead decided to drop it. She didn't need to be bitchy at Betty at the moment. Seeing as Betty's sister -- who is pregnant with her future niece or nephew is staying at the Lodges and Cheryl isn't close to either girls.
Cheryl placed a hand on his face, "Alright."
Just then in came Betty and her friends -- though, Betty paused when she saw Peter. They locked eyes with each other. Both having sad looks given to each other.
"Uh- Cheryl, can you join us?" Betty asks.
Cheryl grabs Peter's arm, "Only if Petey joins." She smirks.
Michelle and Liz took this as a sign to leave, both girls heading out of the room to give Betty and her crew a chance to chat with Cheryl and now Peter.
Everyone took a seat in either the couch or the seats next to it. It wasn't surprising that Peter and Betty weren't sitting next to each other -- though it did look odd. Although, it seemed like things were back to how they always been for years, Peter silently sitting next to Cheryl.
"Polly's convinced herself that no one wants her baby." Betty said.
"Besides, of course, the child-snatching Blossom monsters," Kevin said, "No offense, Cheryl."
Cheryl kept her composer, "None taken."
Despite how Cheryl responded, Peter could feel how tensed she was. She did take offense to it. So Peter reached over and held onto her hand. Cheryl glanced at him and smiled softly.
Although, that did not go unnoticed by Betty. For whatever reason, it fueled Betty. All she wanted was to change things -- but now they were complicated. Mostly because she isn't sure how she feels about Jughead.
"So your mom and dad wand Polly but no the baby?" Jughead asks.
Betty nods.
"And the Blossoms want the baby but not Polly?" Jughead asks.
Both Cheryl and Betty nods.
"That's a true Gordian knot." Jughead said.
"It's an impossible situation." Betty said feeling hopeless.
Veronica then stepped in saying, "Betty, come on. An impossible situation is being invited to both the Vanity Flair Oscar party and Elton John's Oscar party on the same night. Which happened to me one year, I know." Veronica said.
Peter eyes Veronica. He went to the Vanity Flair Oscar party -- he was there with his dad. He remembers the flashes from press and paparazzi, he'd doubt Veronica had seen him there or even bothered to remember.
"This is merely an annoying situation." But luckily, I've been percolating on an idea, hellishy simple in its conception. What if my mom and I were to host a baby shower?" Veronica asks.
"Count me in," Cheryl says sounding excited.
"You want Polly to feel loved and supported, right?" Veronica asks.
"Yeah, but ideally by her own parents." Betty said still feeling down.
"Okay, so, baby steps, girl." Veronica started, "Get Polly and your parents in the same room in a public setting where they can't fight, and voila, let the healing begin."
Jughead had his arm wrapped on the top of the couch, if Betty would lean back it would appear that Jughead would have his arm wrapped around her.
"Am I expected to come to this thing?" Jughead asks.
Cheryl then says, "If Jughead comes for Betty, then Peter is coming for me."
Peter eyes Cheryl, "I am?"
Betty looks at Peter and was about to say something but Cheryl was not quite done yet.
"I mean, Petey, we've been friends for so long we're practically family." Cheryl said and wrapped onto his arm.
Peter turns to Betty, "That's uh- if Betty wants me there."
Betty sees him looking at her, "That's fine. It's okay."
"Okay, so what do you say, Betty? Baby shower?" Veronica asks.
Betty turns to Veronica and smiles.
"Alright," Betty smiles.
Just then in came Alice Cooper, she looked angry. She stopped and this gained the attention of the teens in the lounge.
"Mom?" Betty asks.
"Elizabeth Cooper," Alice points at her daughter.
It was rare to hear Betty being called anything but Betty but it just goes to show that everyone had basically forgotten that Betty isn't her real first name.
"I need you," She then points to Veronica, "And you too. Right now."
~RIVERDALE~
During lunch Peter sat with his friends -- but that was to be expected since the breakup. Ned and Michelle didn't seem to believe the story he told, and neither did Cheryl. However, neither the three teens wanted to push their overly sensitive friend.
"Cheryl," Peter turns to her, "You sure me coming to Polly's baby shower is smart?"
Cheryl turns to Peter, "I mean it should be if the break up wasn't as bad as you say." She said.
Peter rubbed the back of his neck, "It- It wasn't a big deal- I just- uh don't want to make things awkward. You know being a boy at a baby shower." He said.
Cheryl smiles, "And that's where you have Jughead and probably Archie to chat with." She says.
Peter mentally sighed. Jughead Jones. A guy he never considered being someone taking another guy's girlfriend -- but he shouldn't be fully angry at Jughead. He was with Betty at very emotional moments.
Peter rubbed his forehead -- mixed emotions were written all over the brunettes face. Michelle noticed this and frowns. Clearly, as many had suspected it wasn't what Peter was feeding them.
"Peter," Liz spoke, "You okay?"
Flash nods, "You feeling okay?"
Peter shakes his head, "Got a headache." He says.
Michelle nudges him, "Let's get you to the nurse." She said.
"Wha- No, I'm fine." Peter said.
Michelle shakes her head, "And risk the headache of 2014?" She asks.
Ned made a face, "Oh she has a point," He said, "You should go just in case."
Peter sighs, he caved and then gathered his stuff to follow Michelle. Everyone at the table told Peter to feel better. Peter slugged his backpack over his shoulder and began to follow Michelle.
Peter knew exactly what Michelle was referring to -- the headache of 2014. Apparently when Peter and company were in between classes -- they were hanging by Liz's and Cheryl's lockers, and then Peter just collapsed. He had complained most of the day that his head was bugging him and the lights weren't helping but no one expected it that bad. When he collapsed he was taken to the nurse and then his mom came to get him. However, none of his friends left him -- despite the staff telling them to go to class. None of them left; Jason, Cheryl, Liz, Flash, Ned, and Michelle, all waited until May arrived to take Peter home.
Peter felt eyes on him -- he was certain that Betty and her table was watching him walk off. He didn't turn around to prove him right. Instead he hung his head low.
When he stepped into the school with Liz, he paused noticing she stopped walking.
"Okay, spill." Michelle said, "What happened between you and Cooper?"
Peter looks at her, "I told you."
"Peter," Michelle said, "The truth. Please. Just me."
Peter sighs. He dropped his bag on the floor and made his way to sit down on the stairs near them. Michelle followed him over.
"I told her about my mom," Peter said, "It all started because I was honest with her."
Michelle looked at him confused, "What? What does that have to do with you breaking up?" She asks.
"Because if I kept it to myself then I would've have been honest- therefore, she wouldn't have been honest with me." He said.
Michelle frowns, "Peter," She said, "What did she do?"
Peter shakes his head, "I- I don't want you yelling at her. I just don't want that- please." He said.
Michelle wanted to bring a world of hurt to Betty Cooper -- but seeing Peter so sad, she knew she needed to give him what he wanted, despite wanting to slap the blonde for hurting him.
"I won't, Pete. I promise." She said.
Peter sighs and then looks at her, "She told me about how finding Polly had been emotional for her- how she had so much to deal with." He said.
Michelle nods.
"And I felt guilty for being there- but she- she uh assured me she was fine. Telling me that Jughead was there for her during the emotional time." He said.
Michelle looks away from Peter's gaze. Without even having to hear the rest -- Michelle knew where he was going. So Michelle wrapped one arm around Peter.
"And so when I told her about my mom- she told me- she told me that- she and Jughead kissed." Peter said.
Michelle pulled him in tighter, "I won't yell at her or slap her." She said, "Despite wanting to, Pete. I won't do it."
All Michelle did was hug him. She held onto her friend on the steps of their high school. Despite excepting him to -- Peter did not cry. Instead, he hugged her back and they both sat in silence.