Lost (in Your Emerald Eyes)

T W E N T Y - N I N E

Betty lay on the bed for a few moments, brain going over the basic facts of whatever had just happened. She didn't know what had happened and why her boyfriend had suddenly run out on her while they were ready to finally have sex. But she was insecure—and once the pain reached her heart, hurt—which made her take a bit more time before slowly sitting up, realizing what had happened.

She knew a panic attack when she saw one, and because the triggers were nowhere to be found, she just knew it had something to do with her. Either way, her feet quickly planted on the ground and carried her downstairs.

She pushed past the seniors that had now moved inside, frantically looking around to check if Jughead was still there when she noticed two girls in the kitchen, kissing, out of the sight of anyone else. Frowning and quickly debating in her head whether or not it was safe for Cheryl to know, she ran up to them, patting Toni's shoulder.

The girls jumped apart wide-eyed and stared at Betty. "Sorry," the blonde apologized in hurry, and just as Cheryl's eyes started growing wide, worried about her "cousin" now knowing about them, Betty continued. "Have you seen Jughead?"

"Oh," Toni said. "Yeah, he ran out the front door a few moments ago. Is everything okay?"

Betty didn't have the time to answer or even thank her as she was already running toward the door. Once outside, she made her way over to the vehicles where hers was parked as well and found Jughead's bike parked next to it.

Her brows knitted together and she huffed, frantically throwing her head back and forth until a certain beanie-wearing figure could be seen some feet away next to a huge tree. For a split second, Betty's mind tried to figure out where the beanie had suddenly come from, but then she realized his position: head in his hands, as close to his knees as possible, shoulders shaking. His hands were gripping the edge of his beanie, tugging it down to his ears in the attempt to cover his eyes and whole face with it.

Betty hurried over to him, but the last few steps she took slowly, his attention still on the ground under them as his lungs tried to function while he panted in panic.

"Jug," she said when she kneeled beside him, "breathe."

She wasn't sure if her voice was stern or soft, but it must have helped a bit because his mouth started doing the work, shoulders moving up and down in a steady rhythm.

"That's it," she whispered and offered him her hand which he gladly accepted, the stroke of her thumb on his palm calming him down a bit. Her other hand reached for his head and gently led it to her shoulder.

She didn't dare to run her hand through his hair in a state like that, though. It seemed as if the beanie was his comfort item or some sort, and instead, she pressed her lips on the hat, resting her cheek there, and started fingering the crown-shaped edge of it.

Jughead's breathing got calmer by second and in a few minutes, his body was rested against Betty's. They sat that way for a while until a few jocks walked out of the house, laughing together which was when the two rapidly scrambled to their feet and Jughead pulled Betty behind the tree they were leaning against.

Their arms went around each other, pressing against each other's body as they watched the boys walk away unsteadily. When they were out of the sight, Betty sighed and gently stepped out of his arms, looking up at him with worry.

"Are you okay, Jug?"

"I'm fine," he gruffly said. "But I need to go home."

"Why? What happened?" Her eyebrows furrowed, eyes wide while watching him. Jughead looked away uncomfortably, trying to think of some excuse.