It's been a few days since the end of summer party and now they are just buying time before school starts. Jughead sits at the bar in The Wyrm. It's a hot summer day and he's trying to stay cool.
Betty is across the bar doing Yoga. Yes, yoga. She decided that she wanted to start a weekly biker yoga class. It helps her with her mental health and she enjoys showing these burly men how to do poses like, the cat, the chair and the corpse, makes her absolutely giddy. Jughead is still amazed that she was able to get them to learn yoga. Betty still tries to convince him to do it, but hasn't succeeded yet. She wants to make it mandatory, he tells her no, mainly because he doesn't want to do it.
Jughead does enjoy watching his men fall on their ass trying the pose's. What he enjoys even more is watching Betty do the poses, he's learned that she can bend in ways he never knew she could. Which makes him extremely happy.
Archie comes in and sits next to him." I see that it's yoga time." he said.
"Sure is." Jughead smirked.
"I still don't get it." Archie said, shaking his head.
"I know, but look, 8-ball is really enjoying himself." Jughead said.
"Yeah he is." Archie laughed. "So, I got info on the new teacher starting at Riverdale high this year." Archie said.
"Oh, there's a new teacher?" Jughead questioned.
"Yeah, didn't you read the memo from school for the upcoming year." Archie laughed.
"Yeah, nope." He said, smiling.
"Okay" he said. "Well, Duncan has been trailing a ghoulie that has been coming back to town the past few weeks, he's been meeting with this teacher." he adds.
"Ugh, Sweets just told me they had left town." He said.
"Well, the majority of them have. Only a select few have been seen in town. Meeting with who they call the candy man." Archie said.
"Candy man?" Jughead said, arching his brow.
"Yeah, that's what they call him," archie said.
"That reminds me of a movie that was on cable last week. It was called Candyman, about a spirit that came back and killed people if they said his name in the dark and shit, Betts wouldn't sleep that night." Jughead said.
"Never heard of it." Archie said.
"It's old, looked old anyway. I'm pretty sure it came out before we were born." he said. "Don't watch it with a woman, you won't get any sleep that night, because they are making you check every noise they hear." he said, shaking his head.
"She did not." Archie chuckled.
"Oh she did." he laughed.
"She did what?" Betty asked as she slid right into the empty seat next to Jughead.
"Nothing, talking about business." Jughead said.
"I'll catch you later, Jug. Bye Betty." Archie said as he got up and left the bar.
"Looking good, over there." he told her.
She grabbed a water from behind her. "You know, yoga isn't horrible, you may like it, if you give it a chance" she said as she took a sip of water.
He laughed. "Ain't going to happen, babe." he said.
She smirked as she hopped off the stool. "Don't be so sure about that, take it as challenge accepted." she said as she sashayed away.
He laughed. "You play dirty, cooper." he said.
She turned and looked at him. "I know." she giggled and walked off.
He just watches as she continues teaching the Serpents yoga.
~
A few hours later Jughead sits on the sofa flipping channels, trying to find something to watch. Betty comes out of the bedroom, she just got done taking a shower. When she starts dancing around the living room. Jughead laughed.
"I'm so excited, I just can't hide it." she sings. "Tomorrow is the first day of Senior year." she adds as she moves in front of Jughead now.
Betty has been working hard on preparing everything for them. The serpents will be over there tonight so she can go through everything she's done. Over the past few days, Jughead learned how organized of a person she really was. He was impressed.
He shakes his head and she comes and sits down on his lap. "May I help you?" he asked her.
"I'm hungry," she said in a pout.
"So?" he chuckled.
"Well, feed me" she grinned. He started to tickle her. She started to giggle. "That's not fair, you're bigger than me, you have me at a disadvantage." she said as she tried to squirm out of his grasp.
"That's the perks of being the king." he grinned as he stopped tickling her. She was flushed all over from all the movement and laughing.
"No, that's the perks of being bigger than me." she laughed as she got up off his lap and sat next to him. "Whatcha watching." she said.
"Shit." he said as he continued to look for something on. Betty see's a food commercial and groans which makes Jughead laugh. "Toni and Cheryl are bringing food when they come." he said as her mouth started to form into a smile.
"Oh, goody." she said as she took the remote from him.
"Hey, i was watc-"
"Watching absolutely nothing." She said, interrupting him.
He laughed at her as there was a knock on the door. He got up while glaring at Betty, if it had been anyone else there would be hell to pay. She giggles, knowing that she won. Jughead goes and opens the door and it's Toni and Cheryl. "Why are you knocking? You usually come and go as you please." he questioned.
Toni laughed. "I have no idea what you two are doing in here. I'm not trying to see shit, that may scare me," she smirked.
"That hasn't stopped you before," he said rolling his eyes.
"No, no it hasn't." she laughed. "Here" she said as she handed him bags of food.
"What's this?" he asked.
"Taco's from my uncle." she said as she sat down next to Betty.
Jughead takes the bags and puts them on the kitchen table. He starts to unload them while Cheryl gets some plates down. "Thank you." he said.
"Of course." she said as Archie, Sweets and Fangs soon arrived.
They all eat and chill around the living room. Betty put it on The office hoping it would please the masses, which it does. After a while she gets up and goes into the bedroom and brings out a box and sits it on the floor. Everyone is watching her now.
"What's that?" Toni asked.
"That is what Betts has been working on for the past week." Jughead said as she went over to the door and lit his cigarette. He knew what was coming was going to be epic and he was in perfect view of everyone's face.
"He is correct." she said as she pulled out different colored binders. The pink one she puts next to her. Jughead has a green one that she puts where he was sitting. She handed Cheryl a red one, next she gave Toni a purple one. She gave Archie a blue one. She handed Sweets an orange one and that leaves Yellow for fangs. They all look at her with confused looks on their faces, except Jughead who had already known and has come to terms with it.
"So tomorrow starts the first day of Senior year. These binders are full of everything you need. Your class schedules are at the front of the book. I also put in all of our schedules as well. It's good to know where everyone will be during the day. I put in extra curricular activities that you guys will need to graduate." She said as she turned to Sweets and Fangs, who both groaned at her. " You are big bad bikers, It won't hurt you, There's wrestling, you can try out for." she adds. Then she turns her attention to Toni. "You can help Cheryl out on The river vixens." she said. "Cheryl and Archie already have enough, so I didn't bother with them and Juggie can help me at The Blue and Gold," she said as a big smile crept on her face.
"What the actual fuck." Toni laughed.
"Be nice." Cheryl said.
"I am, I'm just surprised, This is well thought out and planned. This took time." she says.
"All I have is time." Betty said.
"You know you can be scary at times." Toni laughed.
"It's just me." she said, shrugging her shoulders as Jughead came behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a hug.
"That's who you are and you should never change." he said as he kissed her head.
"Betty?" Fangs said.
"Yeah." she said.
"Could I do choir instead?" Fangs asked.
"Oh, of course. I was just giving you examples, do whatever your heart desires." she smiled. "You just need one extra curricular to graduate. And we all will be getting our diploma." she adds. She turns around quickly and is now looking at Jughead.
"What?" he asked.
"You can not use the 'I'm a gang leader' for your cause. It won't work with me Juggie." she said.
The others laugh while Jughead stares at her. "Toni is right. You are scary." he said, finally laughing,
She smiles "Can we have ice cream now." she said.
"You just gave this long speech, told us what we needed to be doing. Then you ask if you can have food. Princess, you're something else." He said, picking her up and spinning her as she giggles. He pulls her in for a kiss.
"Good god, get a room." Toni laughed.
"My house. Get lost." he said back, not breaking the kiss for long.
"I think it's time to go." she laughed.
" I would," he smirked and sat Betty down. Betty just shakes her head.
They all said their goodbyes. Jughead then cleaned up the place, while Betty took a shower. Soon they will be ready for bed so they can start the first day of their last year of school.
~
The next morning came sooner than anyone expected. Jughead, who forgot that he hated getting up before noon and getting up at 6:30 is pushing his limits.
Jughead is lying in bed, trying to ignore what's going on around him. "Ugh, Stop" he said as Betty hit him with a pillow.
"Well, I've tried calling your name, shaking you and I even tried kissing you and none of that woke you up. So I had to resort to drastic measures." she said as she jumped up onto the bed. "Wake up, Juggie. It's the first day of school." she grinned.
"Why are you so happy about this?" he said as he took the pillow she had and covered his face with it. He knows he's being a little mean about this but he's tired and when he's tired he gets cranky.
"Because, this makes me feel like I have a sense of normalcy and my mind is focused on things I can control rather on things I can't," she said sighing.
Jughead sits up and pulls her in for a hug. "That makes sense. I'm sorry I got short with you." he said as he kissed her.
"It's okay Juggie, now get your happy ass out of bed and go and get ready. We need to be at the Wyrm at 7:30." she said.
"Okay" he said as he finally got out of bed. He went and took a quick shower. About 10 minutes later he walked out into the living room where Betty was waiting for him. They head to the Wyrm.
Once there they go in and Betty walks over to where Cheryl and Toni are at. He stares at them. They are wearing the same outfit but in different colors. Jughead laughed. "Seriously guys." he said. Betty laughed at his expression, that alone made dressing the same worth it.
"Sweets and I have dubbed them the Serpent Triplets. "Fangs said as he walked over and stood by Jughead.
"You got that right," he said as Archie came and stood by him. "Sup" he said to Archie.
"Bro, got more information about the teacher. His name is Mr Muller and he teaches Senior english." Archie said.
"Of course he does." Jughead said, rolling his eyes.
"Um. Are they dressed alike?" Archie said as he noticed the girls.
"Just go with it Arch." Jughead laughed.
Sweets was the last to arrive, with some breakfast, which put Jughead in a better mood. They eat and then head to high school.
~
That mood is put to the test once they get to school. They are being stared at by a group of students, which annoys Jughead, there is no reason for this. He glares back at them. They stop and turn around. "This is not how I wanted to start my day." he said.
"Calm down, babe." Betty said as they stopped at the front steps.
Jughead finishes up his cigarette when he sees Chuck walking towards them. "Hey Betty." Chuck said. "Looking my fine." he adds.
Jughead steps forward. "You have got to be kidding me." he yells. Chuck smirks and runs off. "I do not like that dude and he's going to end up pissing me off." he adds.
Betty grabs Jughead's arm."He's harmless, Babe, and an idiot none the less but harmless." Betty said.
"Betty's right. He's his own worst enemy." Archie laughed.
"Still going to kick his ass one day." Jughead said.
They start to walk and are stopped by Veronica now. "Hey, Juggie." Veronica said.
"Don't call me that, Veronica." He said. "What do you want?" he asked her as he's getting more annoyed with each passing minute. He's about to the point where he's going to turn around and go home. Fuck school.
"I was just saying Hey, I haven't seen you all summer." she said as she looked jughead up and down from head to toe. "Looking good." she said, winking.
"What the actual fuck." Betty yelled.
Veronica turns and smiles at Betty and walks off, Toni is laughing. "People of the north side have lost their damn minds." she said as she continued to laugh.
"Hey." Archie laughed.
"I didn't mean you." she said.
"Oh I know and I agree with you. He chuckled.
Chuck and Veronica are doing that on purpose, they know it bothers you." Cheryl said.
"They need to fuck off." Jughead said, rolling his eyes.
"The more you react the more they will do it." Cheryl said.
"Ugh, why am I here?" he said.
"Because it's mandated by law." Archie said.
The first bell of the day rang. "We gotta go to class now." Sweets said.
"I guess." Jughead said as they all walked into the school.
~
The first half of the school day went without any incident, It wasn't until English that all the fun had begun. Something that was a little odd and went unnoticed by all of them is they all had the same English class at the same time. It seemed rather intentional.
Jughead stands outside the door to the room, waiting for Betty. "Princess." he said as he pulled her in for a kiss. She giggles.
Toni shows up next. "Jones, I say we take the year off. These kids are dreadful, they won't stop staring at me. I'm close to snapping at one of these fuckers." she said.
"It will be fine." Jughead told her. She rolls her eyes at him.
"Oh, will it." she laughed, knowing he didn't mean what he had just said.
Cheryl laughed as she walked up to us. "I told you that they are doing this shit on purpose. Ignore it and don't let it bother you" she said.
"It's easy for you to say, when people actually like you." Toni said.
"Oh, they don't like me. They just tolerate me." she said.
"I guess." Jughead said.
The bell rang and they headed into class. The teacher stops them at the front of the class. "You need to take off your jackets please." He said looking directly at Jughead.
"Nope." Jughead said as he sat down at an empty desk.
"Excuse me? I said take it off." Mr Muller said.
"And I said no, it's not bothering you," Jughead said.
"What's your name?" he asked.
Jughead was already over it. "Jughead." he said.
"I don't see your name on my roster. So what's your last name?" he asked.
"Take off your jacket and tell him your name, Jug," Toni said. He turns and sees that the others have already taken their jackets off.
"My name is Jughead and I'm not taking off my jacket." he smirked. He knew this one would get him sent to the principal's office, something he was okay with.
"Go to Weatherbee's office now," he said pointing at the door.
"Fine with me." he said as he got up, walked up to Betty, leaned down and kissed her. "Bye princess." he adds
"There will be no public display of affection at Riverdale High, it is strictly forbidden." Mr Muller said.
"Whatever." Jughead said, rolling his eyes and walking out of the classroom.
"That sort of disrespect will not be tolerated in this classroom," Mr Muller said. "Can you please tell me his name? Miss Cooper." He said, smiling.
"If you know my name, shouldn't you know his?" Betty said to him as Toni moved and stood next to her.
"I know who Mr Jones is. That is not the point of this exercise." he laughed.
"Whatever." Betty said as she turned to go and sit at her desk. Then everything happened so quickly. Mr Muller touches Betty on the back, which makes her freeze. "Don't fucking touch me." she said as she started to have panic attacks. Her breathing is fast and heavy.
Toni moves directly in front of her and takes her hand. "Breathe Betty." Toni said.
Everyone in the classroom is watching the exchange between the Serpents and the teacher.
"Juggie" Betty managed to choke out.
"He's not here, Betty. Just us. We got you." Toni said. "Breathe with me Betty." she adds.
"Is she okay?" Mr Muller asked.
"This is your fault, she has PTSD, you asshole." Cheryl said.
"You're lucky we are in school." Sweet said angrily,
"Is that a threat?" Mr Muller asked,
"You would know if it was a threat." Archie said.
"You messed with the wrong Queen." Sweets said.
"Queen?" Mr Muller questioned.
"Don't act dumb with us, Mr Muller. You know exactly who she is, as well as Jughead. Just like we know exactly who you are." Sweets said.
Mr Muller smirked and went and sat down. There is nothing anyone can do about him right now.
"I'm going to take Betty to the restroom." Toni said as she walked with her outside. "Don't any of you tell Jones, do you hear me?" She said, looking over her shoulder.
They all know better, they need him to calm down before they tell him what happened.
~
Jughead is walking down the hall towards the principal's office. He could just walk right out of school and no one would know the difference. He doesn't though. He really doesn't want to deal with the aftermath from Betty. So, instead he waits outside the office for Mr Weatherbee. It didn't take long for Mr Wheatherbee to acknowledge him.
"Mr Jones, this should be interesting. Why are you here in my office today?" Mr Weatherbee asked.
Jughead shrugs his shoulders, He really wants to tell him it's because his new teacher Mr. Muller is a drug dealing asshole, but he refrains from it. "Well, I guess it was because I wouldn't tell Mr Muller my name. It's not my fault that he couldn't figure it out, It's not hard. I also wouldn't take off my jacket. It was cold, I shouldn't be forced to suffer like that. It's inhumane." he says.
"You and me both know, that's not how it went, Mr Jones." Mr Weatherbee said. Jughead rolled his eyes. "That's the attitude that gets you in trouble. Because of that you will be suspended for three days. I hope you take the time and think about what you did and come back with a better attitude. If you don't It's going to be a long year, Mr Jones." Mr Weatherbee said.
"I will." he said, smirking. Jughead got up and left. He sent a quick message to the others, letting them know what happened. He's hungry and he's going to head to Pop's now.
~
Jughead wait's outside of the school for Betty. He's had a productive day. He ate, slept, ate some more, slept some more and now he's ready for some human interaction. He sees them walk outside and he immediately senses something is wrong and runs to meet them. He sees panic in Betty's eyes. "What the hell happened?" he asked as he pulled her into him.
No one said anything. Betty just laid her head on his chest.
"Well?" he asked again, getting impatient with them.
"After you left, it came out that Mr Muller already knew who you were, he was just fucking with you. He then came up to Betty and scared her causing her to have a panic attack." Cheryl said.
"Why the hell didn't anyone tell me?" he asked as he started to walk back into the school. He was going to take care of him. No one touches what is his.
"Jones, wait." Toni said as Jughead turned around to look at her. "At the time we didn't know where you were and we weren't trying to make things any worse than they already were. We handled it." she adds.
"Nothing is handled." he yelled as he took Betty's hand and started to walk to his bike. He wanted to get out of there.
"Boss." Sweets said.
"What!" he yelled.
"We need to be smart about this, how we handle this teacher. I may have accidentally told him we knew who he was." Sweets said.
Jughead turns and glares at Sweet Pea. "He already knew who we were. He wanted to play games. He also acted concerned for Betty, which pissed him off, so I ran my mouth." Sweets said.
"Shit, okay. I understand." Jughead said as he seemed to calm down. He was grateful the others could take care of her when he couldn't.
"I have Archie and Fang's on watch detail tonight." Sweets said.
"That's good," Jughead said.
"Juggie." Betty said looking up at him.
"Yes, princess?" he said.
"I have your homework" she smiled
"Ugh, I'll pass." he said. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine. Just so you know. The look on Mr Muller's face was more shock than anything. He didn't know grabbing me would result in the panic attack." she said. "And no you will not pass, just because you got suspended doesn't mean you can fall behind." she said.
Toni is laughing. "The boss has spoken." she says. "We will catch you later." she adds as she heads off to where Cheryl is standing.
"Bye Toni, thank you for all of your help." Betty says.
"No problem, that's what family does." she smiles as she continues to walk away.
"I'm off too, Bye bye Betty." sweets said, smiling as he got on his bike and left.
"They know how to handle my attacks." she said.
Jughead smiled. Over the summer they all took a class about PTSD. They wanted to make sure they were all equipped to handle an episode when one would arise. They learned a lot about it too. More than you would've ever thought on your own. Triggers and how to respond was the biggest eye opener of all. They learned that Betty wasn't a victim but a survivor. They all vowed to always help her in her recovery no matter what it was.
"They love you and want to make sure you're safe and well taken care of." Jughead said. "Just like I love you and will protect you from asshole teachers who think they come to town and touch what's mine." he said.
Betty laughed. "You need to calm down, It's fine." she said.
"Never!" he laughed back. He picked her up and she giggled.
"Take me home, I'm tired," she said.
He nods. He is ready to get far away from this place. Before he burns it to the ground. Which he may still do, but he hasn't decided yet