✔️| 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐎𝐑 𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐓 | 𝗯𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱

Chapter 5

WARNING: SELF HARM IS MENTIONED!

Betty's P.O.V.

i got dressed in a black skater skirt, a black crop top, black converse, and left my hair down.
once i got to the whyte wyrm, i went to jughead's office.
"hey, i decided i'm going back to the bar." i said as i walked in.
"what, why?" he asked.
"the bar here, you idiot, not kevin's." i replied.
"oh, okay. i can introduce you to toni." he responded.
"i can do it on my own, just check in, okay?" i told him.
"okay." he replied.
i headed down to the bar and talked to toni, thankfully, she gave me the job since i worked at kevin's bar before.
"how'd you meet jug?" she asked.
"at the bar i used to work at, but our friends also set us up on a double date." i replied. "what about you?" i added.
"we were friends in high school and never stopped being friends." she responded.
jughead came down the stairs to see how i was doing, he wanted to show me something and grabbed ahold of my hand, but i quickly took it away because he saw something he shouldn't have.

Jughead's P.O.V.

when i grabbed ahold of betty's hand, i saw cuts along side of her wrist. after i tried to hold her hand, she pulled away and crossed her arms so i couldn't see.
"betty, could you come with me for a second?" i asked.
"sure." she replied.
we both walked back up to my office, i stood leaning against my desk and she was against the door with her hands behind her back.
"please don't tell me i saw what i think i did." i said.
she didn't say anything, she just lightly shrugged.
"betty." i added.
"you weren't supposed to see it, jughead." she told me sounding broken.
she moved her hands to the sides of herself, but keeping the inside towards herself.
"but i did, so please talk to me." i replied.
she held out her hands so the inside was facing up and there was old scars and newly cut ones.
"when was the last time?" i asked getting closer to her.
"last night." she replied quietly.
"did something happen last night?" i asked.
"it's called depression, jughead, it's what you do when the world gets too much to handle instead of ending it." she responded.
"does veronica know?" i asked.
"no and you're not going to tell her." she replied.
"why didn't you tell me about it? or just talk to me?" i asked.
"i don't know, i didn't think you'd care." she said.
"of course i care. next time can you please just talk to me about it?" i asked.
"okay, fine, i will." she responded.
"promise?" i asked.
"promise." she replied.
i pulled her in to a hug and she hugged me back.
i am an awful person.
how did i not realize how broken she was?
or even bother to ask?

Betty's P.O.V.

after work i went home, and veronica wasn't home which is when i usually cut. i was in the bathroom over the sink spinning the blade in my finger crying a little. i heard my phone buzz and picked it up to see a call from jughead, so i answered it trying to sound like i wasn't crying.
"hey, jug." i choked out.
"hey, betty. are you alright?" he asked.
"yeah, yeah, i'm fine." i replied.
"is veronica with you?" he asked.
"um, no she's out with archie." i responded.
"betty—" he started but cut himself off.
"i have to go." i told him.
"betty, don't! just talk to me! please don't hang up!" he practically yelled.
"i'll see you tomorrow." i said.
"i'm coming over." i heard him say before i hung up.
i locked the door of the bathroom and looked in the mirror. i quickly took the blade and cut a few times on each wrist and screamed and cried in pain. from the loss of blood i fell to the ground bleeding on the floor. i heard the door bust open and jughead came in to the bathroom.
"i'm sorry, jughead." i said as i cried.
he fell to the ground to hold me in his arms.
"it's okay, it's okay." he told me as he rubbed my back and stroked my hair. "you're not going to like me for doing this, but we are going to the emergency room." he added.
i didn't say anything and he picked me up and put me in his car as he rushed over to the emergency room.
once we got there, he picked me up again and ran in to the room.
"someone help her!" he yelled.
a bunch of nurses ran to me and put me on a bed and pushed through a few doors.

Jughead's P.O.V.

i was sitting down impatiently waiting for someone to say something, until a nurse came to me.
"can you tell us how this happened?" she asked.
"i called her and told her not to, but by the time i got to her house she was already on the floor covered in blood. it's my fault, i could've stopped her." i told her.
"it's not your fault, sir. can you tell me your relationship with her please?" she asked.
"i'm her boyfriend." i responded.
"what's your and her name?" she asked.
"elizabeth cooper is hers, i'm jughead jones." i replied.
"okay, thank you." she said.
"wait, when can i see her?" i asked.
"soon, we will tell you when." she responded and walked away.
i sat back down and put my head in my hands still covered in her blood.

Betty's P.O.V.

i woke up in a hospital room with tubes connected to me and my wrists wrapped up, but still covered in my blood. i looked to both sides for jughead, but i didn't see him.
i feel awful, i've been so rude to jughead and he just saved my life.
a nurse walked in to see how i was doing and checking my tubes.
"i want to see jughead." i told her.
"not yet, miss cooper." she replied.
"no, i want to see him now. if it wasn't for him my heart would not be beating right now." i responded.
"okay, he will be in here shortly." she said.
she left the room leaving me by myself and a few minutes later, jughead walked in. he sat in a chair and pulled it up next to me. he held my hand and stroked it with his thumb looking at me.
"you saved my life." i said.
"no, i didn't i could've stopped you, i—." he started before i cut him off.
i put my hand on the side of his cheek.
"you didn't know, you saved me, if you didn't come when you did i would be dead." i interrupted. "i promised you and i broke it, i'm sorry." i added letting a few tears roll down my cheeks.
"it's okay, it's okay, just talk to me next time, okay?" he said then kissed my hand.
"okay." i replied.
he held my hand in both of his and held it in front of his mouth, until a nurse walked disrupting us.
"hi, miss cooper, can you tell me the last thing you remember before you woke up?" she asked.
"jughead carrying me in and yelling 'someone help her' then being rushed on to a bed." i replied.
just then veronica walked in shocked.
"you said you wouldn't tell her." i said to jughead.
"i know, i'm sorry, i told her when i was waiting to come in." he responded.
veronica came and sat in a chair next to jughead.
"why didn't you tell me, betty?" veronica asked.
"same reason i didn't tell jughead, i didn't think you guys would care." i replied.
"of course i care, betty, i'm your best friend i always will." she responded.
"i'll tell you guys next time and i won't break the promise again." i told them.
"i'm just glad you're okay." she replied.
"thank jughead, he's the one who saved me." i responded.
the nurse was standing there impatient.
"can we finish up these questions then you guys can talk?" she asked.
"sorry, go ahead." i replied.

Jughead's P.O.V.

after the emergency room, it was really late so i took betty to her house. i took her to her couch and covered her up and put the tv on. i kissed her forehead and was about to leave until she grabbed ahold of my hand.
"stay." she said.
i looked up at veronica and she nodded.
"stay with me." she said again.
i sat next to her and held her in my arms as we watched tv until we both fell asleep.