Destined

Chapter Nineteen

{Jugheads POV}

   As I lay here, in the same bed I've slept in for countless years, all I do is gaze at the beauty that's in front of me. Her breathing soft and slow, her eyes twitching every so often as she dreams a dream she'll likely forget the moment those ocean eyes open. Her blonde hair, slightly curly as it spreads out across the pillow.

   Betty is the only girl to ever touch this bed, the only girl to ever lay beneath these covers with me. She's the only girl to ever wear one of my t shirts, the only girl to sit at my desk. She's the only girl that's ever been wrapped in my arms, minus the brief goodbye between my mother, little sister and I.

   As I lay here and watch her, my stomach churns in every direction. Today, Betty will do the dance. The dance I brought her here for in the first place.

   Why did I do that? Why did I bring her here for such a sexist dance that's meant for men's pleasure? Why am I so stupid!?

   But the other question that keeps going through my mind, why didn't my father let me stop her? Why was he so intent on her doing the dance?

   Laying here, I ponder on what to do. Do I let her go through with the dance? Do I tell her the reason I brought her here?

   "Stop staring" I hear her mumbled morning voice say, causing me to break away from my mind. As my eyes focus, I see her ocean blue eyes fluttering open to meet mine.

   "Happy Birthday, Juliet" I smile as I wrap my arm around her, pulling her close to me. She smiles, digging herself deeper into my chest.

   "Thank you, Jug" as I lay there, with her in my arms, I know what I have to do. "How long have you been staring at me?"

   "Always" I smiled, causing her to roll her eyes and chuckle. As she stretched, I couldn't help but notice her exposed stomach and legs. I can't help it, I'm a man!!

   "You're still staring!!" She exclaimed. I laughed. She jokingly punched my chest before pushing herself to her feet. My shirt barely covered her butt as she walked over to the window. I couldn't help but stare, she was astonishing. As I made my way towards her, I could see the tenseness in her body.

   "Are you okay?" I ask. The question seemed to startle her as she turned to me with wide eyes.

   "Yeah, yes!" She said quickly. I just looked at her, my eyebrows furrowed. "I'm just nervous! I'm not used to dancing in front of anyone, let alone a pull dance" she chuckled. My stomach dropped.

   "Betty...-"

   "I got the outfit yesterday..." She interrupted. My eyes widened. The outfit consists on lingerie. That's it. Thinking about seeing her in that made my heart jump in a way I couldn't exactly explain. But it was good.

   "You don't have to do this Betty, you can back out right now!" I stated, my hands engulfing her. She smiled, placing a small kiss on my lips.

   "I'm doing this, Jughead. I want to be apart of this, apart of you. I want this" she stated. Her eyes locked on mine, nothing resembling fear flowed through them.

   I want, more than anything for her to be apart of this. With me. But the way she's being forced to do it....

   "I want this" she repeated. All I could do was nod. I feared that if I spoke, I would reveal the worst. As if on queue, a knock on the door caused us to jump slightly. Veronica poked her head through, meeting our eyes.

   "Sorry to barge in... Jughead, FP wants you, and I need to take Betty to help get her ready." She stated. Ever since Sweetpea forced Cherry Top to leave, Veronica hasn't left his side. Which means she hasn't left the White Worm. Usually, people wouldn't be okay with this, I wouldn't be okay with this. She's a Northsider.

   But so is Betty.

   "I will see you for the party?" I asked. She smiled with a nod as she placed a kiss on my lips once more. As she went to pull away, I pulled her in once more. I needed her lips, her taste. I fear I won't have it much longer.

   As I walk down the stairs, leaving V and B in my room, my eyes meet my fathers.

   "What do you want?" I state once I reach him. He smelled of alcohol, his eyes bloodshot.

   "Can we talk in private?" He asks. I sigh, motioning for him to follow me to the basement.

   "Talk"

   "Is the girl doing the dance?" He asked. My blood boiled.

   "Not if I can help it"

   "Jughead, she has to do the dance. You can't let her back out" he practically ordered.

   "Excuse me?" I state, moving closer to him. "You have no place to tell me what to do. You are not the king anymore! I am!" I exclaimed. "Why are you so intent on her doing the dance?"

   "When I was becoming king... your mother was supposed to do this dance... I stopped it before she got her top of" he stated, his head held low.

"Okay, that explains you. But why Penny? What promise did you break?" I asked. My father has never been a very honest man, but I've always known when he was lying.

"Right before your mother came into the picture... Penny and I were together" he started. "Before I brought your mother here, I promise Penny that no matter what happened, she would be the Serpent Queen. And then-"

"You fell in love with mom" I interrupted. He only nodded, his eyes staying low. "So now what? Betty does the dance? What does Penny care?"

"That's the problem boy, I don't know what she's wanting. All I know is we can't let Betty back out" he said. I looked at him, just looking at him.

To my knowledge, Betty hasn't wanted to back out of the dance. I'm the one who wanted her to.

"You made the same mistake I did boy. You brought a Northsider here and you fell in love with her." He stated, beginning to walk towards the door. "You're the Serpent King now, you have everyone else to think about too. You just fucked yourself boy"

And with that, he was out of sight.

In less than three hours, Betty will be on that stage stripping in front of every Serpent. She will be open, exposed. The time she spends on that stage will change the girl I love forever.

And it's all my fault.

__________________

Hello!!!! I'm awful, I know!!!

But I have a surprise the next chapter!!

-Danii LeeAnn