Southside: A story of us

The Perfect Family

Jughead's POV

I sit with my back against the wall, Betts is sitting in my lap, head still laying on my chest. My hand runs up and down her arms, trying to soothe her. It took awhile, but I eventually calmed her down.

"How long have you been cutting?" I asked her.

She looked up at me and stayed silent.

"Betty, I am here for you. I won't judge." I say as I brought her hands up to my lips and I kissed them softly.

"Four years." She said,

"Oh, Betts". I sighed

Betty's POV

I really hate my life. It can't get any worse. Meeting Juggie changed my life. I haven't known him for long, but he is the nicest person I have ever met. He has been so sweet to me. He makes me feel safe. I feel like I can trust him, he has never given me any reason not to. I look up at his face. He looks so worried. "Four years" I finally told him.

"Oh, Betts" he sighed.

"I guess you know what happened, but not the how and why?" I say "Juggie, I trust you. I don't know what it is about you, but you  make me think there is more to life." I smiled softly. He's watching me intently, eyes unmoving. "My shitty life" I chuckled. He frowned at that.

"Betts" he said as he cupped my face.

"Let me talk please." I say. He nods and grabs a blanket and wraps it around us when I shiver. "Thanks" I said. He nods. He's just so caring, yet a bad-ass biker at the same time.

"Growing up Cooper we had all these expectations we needed to abide by. Perfect looks, perfect grades. We were supposed to be this perfect little family."  I sighed. "My father was just so controlling. If I got a B in school. That resulted in a punishment. If you are late, even a minute past curfew. That was a punishment. Anything not to his liking, a punishment." I said. Remembering all this was hard. Talking about it was even harder. "Everything was a punishment. The Cooper house was hell for me and my siblings. Polly and Charles." I smiled at their names. I loved them so much. I miss them so much. "After a while I learned the fine art of makeup cover up and we perfected lying." I laughed at the last part. " I was perfect at lying. It's kind of funny now that I think about it." I said. He still hasn't looked away.  He has, however, pulled me closer to him. "I hated my life, so much. I started to cut, it made me feel like I was in control of something. It also made me feel something. My life had made me numb." I said

"My god" he said. He started to wipe the tears off my face. I smile at him.

"Years of abuse, mental and physical. My mother covered everything up.  She never directly did anything to us, but she never helped us either." I started to tear up even more. "She was our mother it was her job to protect us." I yelled it this time. I started to breathe heavily.

"Betts. Look at me." I look at him." Breathe with me." he said. Which I do. I calmed down instantly. He grabs my hands again and kisses them. He is so gentle with me.

After a few minutes I'm ready to start talking again. "So, for years this went on. Then one day my sister came home pregnant. That was three months ago, That day will forever be cemented in my mind. Juggie, it was so horrible. The rage my dad had. I had never been so scared in my life." I frowned. I'm not sure I'm ready for what's next. I will go ahead and let him know. I've made it this far, let me finish it. "It all happened so fast, yet it seemed to last forever. My dad started to beat my sister first. My brother ran over there and he punched him and knocked him down.  My mother tried to do something and he started to beat on her next. I ran to my sister. She wasn't breathing. Charles got up and my father took a baseball bat that was next to the door and started to beat on him. I'm crying at this point. I look up and they are laying on the floor, in pools of blood. My father is looking at me, walking towards me. I turned to run away, but that didn't work. All I remember next is the pain I felt before it went black." I say as I start to shake.

Juggie is holding on to me as I cry again. "It's okay, you're safe with me." he said.

"I woke up in the hospital two weeks later, I was beaten black and blue. Found out my family was dead and my dad was in jail. The perfect family was perfectly broken." I sighed. "Then the state found my Aunt Penny. Then I moved down here." I said as I just laid with him.

Nothing is being said after. I soon fell asleep in his arms.

Jughead's Pov

I don't know what to say. What she told me, I just. No one should go through what she had to live through. She is so strong and she doesn't even know it. I just watch and hold her. She is so beautiful. She soon falls asleep. I leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I will always protect you" I whispered gently into her ear. I'm so exhausted, it's been a long day and I fell asleep shortly after.