Timing is Everything

Spiral Out of Control( Chapter 23 )

* Your POV as Jughead *

You must have slept passed dinner, the little that would have been, because when you wake up you see it's dark outside your window. You stretch your arms into a yawn and turn the other side of your face onto the pillow. After fluttering your eyelashes to wake up, you realize your headache has subsided. You must have really needed that sleep.

The high pitched ringing in your ears is still constant. Regardless, you decide to get up and walk over to your backpack to finish whatever homework and last minute studying you have. Jeez, if your teachers knew how dedicated you really were with their classes given your home life, they would be impressed.

Betty is the absolute best. She text you what work you missed. After finishing up the work, you decide the least you can do is call Betty. She knew this would happen and you can't help but feel a bit bad that you didn't let her talk with Mr.Woods, the gym teacher, sooner before things escalated with Reggie.

"Jug! I've been worried about you!" Betty answers her phone. "Did you get my texts about all the work you missed?" You can tell she is pacing in her bedroom based on the way she is breathing into the phone.

"Betty, I'm ok.... thank you. I was able to finish up all that work." you sit up straighter on your bed and play with the inhaler the nurse gave you. You can't help but wonder if you actually will ever need to use it.

"Juggie...." she breathes, "I'm worried about you."

"Don't be Betty. I'll be ok." you try to respond comfortingly, wishing you two were physically in the same room together so you can hug her.

"I don't mean about your injury per say.... I mean... about...everything...." she sighs, ".... No matter what you do....trouble always seems to find you. If it wasn't Reggie today, it would be something with the serpents the next day!"

You decide not to say anything you will regret so you remain silent.

Betty is pretty persistent when it comes to making a point so she continues, knowing you are still on the line. "Jughead. You need to promise me you will be careful. I mean it!" She raises her voice a bit, but you know it comes from a good place.

You finally speak up and grip the phone harder, "Betty, you know I was literally just minding my own business... Reggie started up with me." You can't help but roll your eyes at yourself for sounding so childish. But seriously, when things like this happen to you, you rarely ever start them.

"Oh Jughead...." Betty breathes into a weak laugh, " Just promise me. Ok?"

You nod your head even though she can't see you, but feel it will make your point come
across more through your voice. "Ok. I promise." You say lowly but confidently.

"Thank you." She says sweetly, "ok, well I'll see you tomorrow at school?"

You scrunch your nose at the thought of school and involuntarily hold your breath. "Unfortunately...." you playfully drag out the word.

"We'll try to get through it together. Maybe this time you won't go back home with any more injuries." She lightly teases you.

"Yeah, we'll see about that" you give it back to her with a chuckle.

"Alright Jug. Good night."

"Good night Betty."

              ——

You end the call on your phone and decide to venture outside your room. You think it's the least you can do; bring closure to your family who you assume have been wondering about you.