The Perfect Girl Next Door

FaceTime Call

"I'm trying to be better, I really am. I get more sleep than I used too, and I try to think about happy things. It helps to know you are still here though." Betty looked up from her phone to say that, but Archie didn't look back, so she went back to Instagram. "Oh... Juggie posted."

Archie couldn't tell whether her voice quivered or if it was happy. He finished cooking the ramen, and put it into bowls. "Oh really?" He brought them over to the table for them to eat, and Betty got up from the couch. She walked over still hovering above her phone screen. She sat down at the table and continued to eat and she scrolled through Jughead's feed.

"Oh... he explained why he wasn't posting or messaging anyone... his phone was stolen. I guess he got it back." Betty said, slightly relieved. She looked over at a mirror, and saw how her makeup was still mostly intact, same with her hair. Just then, scaring them both, Betty's laptop rang. It was on the table, but she opened it anyways, revealing a Skype call from Jughead. She smiled, as she set it up and accepted.

"Hey Betty!" Jughead was probably also on his laptop, it was on another table, so they could see each other clearly. "You know I tried to call you, right?" Berry nodded and smiled.

"Hey bro," Archie said, off camera.

"Oh shoot, sorry Arch." Betty turned it so it was facing them both, and continued to smile more than she has in a while. Archie noticed this, but didn't say anything.

"Hey Archie. So what have I missed?" Betty didn't say anything, but Archie did.

"Just Fang's Birthday. We were just there. We had to leave early because Betty wasn't feeling too good though," Archie said, not looking at the screen.

    Jughead eyes shifted over to Betty, but she wouldn't look at him either, "You okay Betts?" Jughead looked concerned now, knowing her depression. She nodded, without saying anything. "Betty, are you okay?" Jughead asked again, worried.

    Betty looked up and smiled, "I am. Thank you. I think I just have a stomach bug." She are her food, and finished quickly.

    Jughead was also eating a sub sandwich from some fast food restaurant, "Oh so did I tell you guys I'm coming back in two days?" Betty practically fell out of her seat when he said that, thinking she would have more time for her scars to heal.

    Archie noted this, and responded for her, "That's amazing Jug! I don't think Betty wants to get you sick though. I'm having to... make her lunch and stuff, she's pretty sick." Off camera, Archie winked at her and Betty smiled back.

Huh looked at both of them, getting a little scared of how close they were. After all, their bedroom windows literally face one another. "What about Veronica? Is she still in New York?"

Archie knew Jughead was uncomfortable because he only brought up Veronica when he wanted something, or wanted to prove a point. "She is. I think she is coming back in... three weeks? She says that she's catching up with old friends."

Betty look at Archie's food, and then suddenly didn't feel good. She pulled her chair away from the table abruptly, and Jug's and Archie's eyes immediately fell onto her. She started to double over, and they both stood up. "Betty—" Archie said, following her off camera.

Jughead was now worried, "Betts? Archie? GUYS!?"

Betty ran over to the closest trash can, in the kitchen, she began to puke as Archie held her hair back. Jughead could hear this, and felt terrible. He had seen her sick before, and she had been miserable. "Betty?" He said, hoping for a response. As the puking sounds continued Archie walked into cameras view not looking at it and shut the call off. "Shit you guys..." Jughead said staring at the "Call ended" sign on his laptop.

    Archie went back over to Betty, and grabbed a napkin for her. He also grabbed her glass of water, and handed both to her. She sat on the floor leaning against the counters side, drinking the water slowly. "You probably picked it up at the hospital. Tons of sick people there." Archie said.

    Betty nodded, and after a while they both got up as she went to go brush her teeth. Archie looked at their phones on the counter, and saw dozens of text messages to both of them from Jughead. He was clearly worried about her. Archie saw a different text on Betty's phone, though. A text from her mother.

    Archie picked up the phone as he read the text message, 'Betty I'm getting on a plane right now, but Polly wants to stop at the Farm before coming home. We will be there for only a day, but once I am home I will...'  Archie looked at the text message from her look screen, and walked upstairs with her phone. "Hey Betty? Your mom texted you. Betty walked over to him and walked downstairs reading the message.

"Just like her to want to spend time with others and not her down daughter. Whatever. Jughead is coming back!" Betty said, smiling. "I did think I would have more time to... heal... but... Jughead still doesn't have to know."

They were both in the kitchen, Archie taking the trash bag filled of puke curb. Betty just cleaned their food up, and leaned against the counter. When Archie got back inside his phone rang from his dad. He picked it up going over to the sink to wash his hands. He put it in speaker, "Hey Dad. What's up?"

Betty stood next to him, and didn't look so good. "So Archie, Betty has an appointment in 30 minutes. I think in room 734. East wing. I got to go, sorry, bye." His dad hung up, as Archie looked over at Betty.

    "You okay?" Betty nodded, and walked upstairs to get ready. Archie looked as his phone, and saw a ton of messages from Reggie, Cheryl, Toni, and a few others. Reggie was normally on the kinder side these days, and Veronica was good friends with him. Reggie wanted to know if they could go to Pop's with Josie later today. Toni and Cheryl were just messaging to him about why Betty and him fled the party so quickly. Archie turned his phone off and sat down on the couch. His phone reminder went off for Betty's medicine though, so he delivered it to her with a glass of water.
-2:00 PM-
Betty and Archie arrived at the hospital, and walked in. After finding their waiting room, she signed in and sat down with him. Soon she was called up, "Elizabeth Cooper?" She walked up and Archie followed her.

    As he was crossing the door into her examination room, the doctor stopped him, "Sorry sir, only family or guardians allowed inside."

    Betty turned around and looked at the nurse, "Oh he is my guardian. It's a long story." They both walked inside, and Archie sat in the far corner, in an uncomfortable chair. Betty sat down in a hospital bed, and the nurse handed her a gown. "Is this really necessary? I can just roll up my sleeves!" The nurse nodded and Betty got up from the bed. The nurse left them alive, closing the blinds and the door for her to get changed. Betty went over and locked the door, looking around for a bathroom. "Shoot, Archie there uh... isn't a bathroom. Can you turn around?" Archie nodded, turned toward the wall, and just stood there.

     She turned away from him, and Betty began to strip down, leaving her in her socks, underwear, and bra. Betty turned towards him, and slowly pulled the gown on, softly walking towards him. She pulled her hair out from under it, and turned away again. "Archie? Can you tie it shut?" There were three strings going through it, acting like a zipper. Archie turned around and saw the gown on her almost bare back.

    "Oh... okay." He grabbed the first one, by her neck. His rough, callous, hands touched her neck, before moving down to the string. He slowly tied them, touching her back every few seconds. His hands moved down her back, never losing contact, and went to the string just below her bra strap. His fingers lingered out her bra, as Betty just stood there, trying to ignore his obvious flirty fingers. Archie then knelt behind her, and moved his hands down again, to her hips. She shivered as his fingers moved along her lacy pink underwear, moving down her bare thighs. He then grabbed the last string and tied the ends together. He stood up slowly, as Betty just walked to the bed.

    She didn't seem, aware. She didn't seem as if he had just done anything, she seemed as if she was devoid of emotions.