Them [bughead]

~Her~

No. I don't. No. I don't. No. I don't. No. I don't. No. I don't.
The painful words Jughead had said to her a few hours earlier still pained her as they echoed through her mind. She had gotten off the bus that took her home and stood in front of the door to her home a few minutes before taking a deep breath and knocking on it. She didn't know it but her mom had been waiting for her to come. Had been cleaning the entire house twice for her only daughter to come home. She opened the door with a big smile.
"Elizabeth." She said and Betty looked at her. Even though her mom's face was covered with make-up and her hair was perfectly curled Betty could see the pain in her eyes. It didn't matter how much she smiled or how much make-up she had put on her face, her pain was still easy to see. That's what Betty thought at least. She knew her mom good enough to see that she was hurt.
"Mom." She whispered. Her mom noticed the bright red and swollen eyes that Betty had.
"What did he do?" Betty bit her lip in attempt not to start crying.
"He kicked me out." Betty whispered as her mom opened her arms and she entered them. She didn't see her mom mouthing the word thank you. Because she was thankful that Jughead did.
"Told you he was a piece of shit." She said and Betty nodded.
"I just don't understand. He told me he loved me and I trusted him and then he just...said he didn't. I just don't understand it." "
"He played you honey." Alice confidently replied. None of them knew just how much Jughead loved Betty. And Alice let Jughead's visit stay a secret. "It's time to move on." Betty looked at her, trying to decide if she was going to stay mad at her mom or just let it go. She was so tired of being mad and sad. But it was as if she had forgotten how it felt to be happy.
"Yeah." She whispered. She walked up to her room and unpacked her bag. Stopping and staring at the black t-shirt she took from Jughead. She needed something from him, and in the end he had so many of them. He wouldn't notice if one of them were gone. It didn't matter that it was still sunny outside, that when she looked at the clock it only showed 10:17, she still wanted to put his shirt on and lie down in her bed and fall asleep. She was exhausted and everything hurt. And she couldn't bear staying awake. She put his t-shirt on and climbed up on the window sill. Carefully rested her head against the cold glass window. Wondering what had changed Jughead's mind. Wondering if it was her fault, if she did anything. Wondering if he actually loved her like he once said he did.

"Betty! Food is ready!" She sighed and walked down the stairs.
"Was it good?" Betty nodded as she took another bite of the lasagne. Even though she didn't taste anything. She didn't care. "Betty..." Her mom said. Betty looked up at her.
"Yes mom." She said. Putting down her fork and focusing entirely on her mom.
"I'm sorry. For how I lied to the Andrews about Polly's death." Betty saw how her mother's lip shievered and stood up, walked around the table and hugged her tightly.
"It's okay mom. You were hurt and embarassed. I get it." She gave her mom a soft kiss on the head. "I'm glad you realized your mistake and fixed it." She mumbled.
"'Fixed it'? I still haven't told them if that is what you think. Do you have any idea how much it would ruin our reputation?" Alice stood up when the door bell cut the silence. Betty looked at her.
"What? You didn't fucking tell-" She yelled but stopped herself as the door opened. FP looked at Alice with wild eyes.
"Where is he?" He growled. Alice stared at him. And Betty felt paralyzed as she watched FP enter.
"Where is who?" Alice asked but FP didn't listen.
"Boy! I know you are here! Don't fucking joke around!" He pushed himself past Alice and Betty watched as he ran up the stairs. And she watched as Alice ran after him, stopping him in the middle of it.
"FP!" She said and grabbed his arm. He turned around. "Hey, look at me." And he did. She looked up at him and it was as if she calmed down. "What happened?" He glared at Betty and then softened up as he looked at Alice again.
"Jughead is gone, and the trailer is a mess. What if Malachai-" Alice shook her head.
"Ghoulies don't throw the first punch. They never do." Betty opened her mouth and looked at FP. "He's okay, I promise." FP shook his head.