Bughead: ADDICTION

Chapter 31

Over the next few days, Bettys withdrawal symptoms were coming to an end, but she was snappy and irritable. One morning, she was having breakfast with Kevin and he started talking about his treatment plan. "And Reggie said I've earned my phone call privileges!" Kevin said, excitedly. Of course Betty would normally be happy for him, but because she was still snappy from withdrawal, she couldn't help but feel annoyed. "Isn't that great?" Kevin asked with a smile. "Fantastic" Betty deadpanned, rolling her eyes. "B?" Kevin asked confused. "It's fantastic! That you get your privileges" Betty started, her voice becoming louder. "Betty? What are you~" Kevin started but Betty cut him off. "You know I've just sat here and listened to you go on about your privileges and how amazing it is you get to see your family..." she said. "WELL GOOD FOR YOU! BECAUSE I DONT HAVE A FAMILY!" She yelled, before storming off, everyone staring at her and leaving Kevin wide eyed and confused.

Jughead had heard about Betty's little scene in the food hall from another counsellor, so decided to go to her room to see if she was okay. He knocked on her door but she didn't open it, instead just shouted "go away!". "Betts it's me" he said, and a few moments later she opened the door. "Hey" he smiled, as he walked in. "Come and sit with me baby" he said, sitting down on the bed and patting the space next to him. "Did Kevin Tell you to come?" She huffed, taking the seat next to him, their backs against the wall. "No, a counsellor told me" he said, truthfully. "Do you want to tell me what happened?" He asked. "Nothing happened" she snapped. "Betts, Kevin's your best friend, so what made you yell at him?" Jughead asked. Betty was quiet for a moment before sighing. "I don't know... I woke up in a bad mood, I didn't mean to take it out on him" she said. Jughead was proud of her, she was feeling resentment for her actions. "I'll apologise to him" she added. "That's good betts" jughead smiled. "Now, we still need to ask about what you said, about your family..." he told her, Betty's eyes went wide. "Jug..." she sighed. "Betts, I know you're hurting, you've been through a lot, just don't keep it all inside okay?" He said, softly. He knew Betty wasn't going to open up right away, so he put his arm around her and pulled her close, kissing her head. "Do you think Kevin hates me now?" Betty asked after a while of them sitting in silence. "Of course he won't" jughead told her, moving her so she was straddling his lap, facing him. "Kevin will understand, you should just talk to him" he said. Betty sighed and dropped her head to his chest. "Don't fall asleep on me" jughead laughed, rubbing his hands up her back. "I'm not" she mumbled, but let out a yawn. "Sure" jug chuckled. "We have a session first, then you can sleep" he reminded her.

Jughead stayed with her until her session, and then they both made their way to his office. Betty sat down in the chair, and jughead sat down at his desk, pulling out his file. "Okay betts, I know you don't want to talk about it, but I think you should open up a bit more about your family..." jughead suggested. "Jug.." Betty sighed. "I know you don't like to talk about it, but it's clearly something that's bothering you, and I don't want anything to halt your treatment plan" he added. "Fine" she agreed. "I'm just... I have all these mixed feelings about my real family" she started. "My dad murdered people, and I can't forgive him for that" she said. "And you don't have too" jughead said, softly. "But, then I have all these nice memories with him, he was my dad, but I can't look back at them without knowing the man he became" she sighed. Jughead didn't say anything, just let her continue. "And my mom, and Polly... they abandoned me" she said. "I know we all went through bad things, but I was the one he targeted and I was the one he almost killed! And they still abandoned me!" She said, her voice getting louder. Jughead sat there, trying to comprehend what he was hearing. He'd heard about tar black hood, of course he had, but hearing what he did to Betty, his Betty, made him feel sick. "Betts?" Jug said, gently. "All of them feelings are okay... you don't have to forgive your dad, But you are allowed to grieve the man that he was" he told her. "And as for your mom and sister" he started. "Maybe, you need closure, or to talk to them" he suggested but Betty's eyes went wide, and she frantically shook her head. "No! No no no" she repeated. "Hey, hey." He said, getting up and kneeling in front of her, taking her hands in his. "You don't have to see them, maybe you could write a letter?" He suggested. "I don't know juggie..." she whispered. "You don't have to send it." He said. "It might just give you a peace of mind to have all your feelings about them written down" he told her. Betty looked at him for a moment, before nodding. "Okay juggie, okay" she said.