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Pigtails	By : CeeCee Category: Comics > Archie & Co. Views: 11153 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own the Archies fandom. This is a work of fanfiction for entertainment only, and I'm not making money from it.

Chapter List
- 12
- 13
- 14
Repercussions
Summary: Choices have to be made. Bad behavior tips the scales.
Author’s Note: I’m SO sorry this has been sitting on my hard drive untouched for so long. Blame it on a new job that I hate, stress, indigestion, sewing commissions, laundry, and my kids that make my hair turn gray, not to mention an unhousebroken pup that manages to piddle on something if my back is turned for too long.
I usually like Jason Blossom as a character. Out of necessity for my plot… sorry, guys, spoiler… I’m going to make you like him a lot less, here. This is Beggie, I’m allowed.

Betty was so deep in thought while she dug through her locker and checked her text messages that she didn’t see the tall, dark figure looming over the edge of the metal door. A finger poked her insistently, and she jumped a mile.
“Geez! Jay! Don’t DO that!”
“Someone’s jumpy,” he commented, shrugging. A hint of a smile played with the corner of his mouth, but his green eyes were hard to read. Betty reached for his hand and squeezed it, but he tugged it loose and tucked it into his pocket.
“Okay. What’s up? What’re you doing right now, Jason?”
“Just checking on you. Just wanted to say hi.”
“Okay. Hi.” She closed the door and moved toward him, tilting her face up for a kiss, but he backed off. “What’s with you?”
“Nothing.”
“No kiss?”
“Pushy,” he remarked. Betty stared at him like he’d passed gas.
“No I’m not. That’s baloney. What’s on your mind?”
“Not much.”
“Something must be,” she fished. Betty felt slightly uneasy, and she closed her locker and tucked her math book under her arm. Jay pushed himself away from the adjacent door he’d been leaning on and followed her when she began to talk past him. “You said you were going to call me last night.”
“Guess I was busy.”
“Okay. That’s fine. I was just wondering when I’d hear from you.”
“Were you?”
“What?”
“Were you wondering when you’d hear from me?” His voice was mildly defensive, almost flustered, and Betty stopped and looked him in the eye. His smile was gone, and his posture was stiff.
“Yes. I was. I was home as soon as I got off yesterday. It wasn’t like I had practice for anything. I almost went to the library, but I was expecting to hear from you, Jay.”
“Hm. Okay.” He shrugged and nodded, and his manner was bland, but she had the eerie feeling he wasn’t satisfied with her reply. “You were home all night?”
“It was a school night!”
“Right, right.”
“Where were you?”
“Out for a little bit with Cedric, but I got home in time for dinner.” The sixth period bell sounded in the hall, and Betty began to hurry down the hall. She looked up at Jason in surprise when he caught her wrist.
“We’re not done talking.”
“That bell says we are. Don’t, Jason. Look, I don’t know why you’re mad at me-“
“Yes, you do.”
Yeahbuhwhat? Betty scowled at him outright. “Okay. Assuming I know why you’re mad at me, it’s still not worth making us both late. If you’d called me last night, we could have talked about it.”
“I don’t know if you would have given me the time. Lately you’re in high demand.”
“By who?” she challenged.
“I dunno. Seems like you give Reg a lot of your time, lately.”
“Says who? You mean when I would practice with him? And Jay, that was like, twice. I wasn’t even with Reggie yesterday.”
“Yesterday,” he said pointedly.
What the fuck? Betty was the one who shook off his grip, this time. “Enough,” she snapped.
“Enough?” he huffed, laughing at her. “Enough of what? I just want to talk about this, Betty.”
“No. You’re mad at me, and you’re accusing me of blowing you off for someone else.” His eyes iced over and his chin tilted itself at a stubborn angle.
“No. That sounds like you just said you were blowing me off. That wasn’t how I worded it.” Betty stiffened. This was coming from out of the blue, and she had no idea what to say to appease him. The feeling of being accused of… well, she really didn’t know what he was accusing her of, at this point… was completely foreign to her. Betty didn’t jerk anyone around, so why was he acting like she’d done that to him?
“I’m not digging this talk right now, Jason. Look, I have to get to class, you have to get to the class, and I don’t want to stand here guessing what I really did to make you pissed off at me. This isn’t constructive,” she told him, borrowing one of her mother’s favorite terms.
“Unconstructive? You running around on me and me calling you out on it is unconstructive?”
There it was. His calm façade gave way to the earliest flickers of real anger. Betty backed away from him, shaking her head.
“If you think I’ve been running around on you, Jason, then we can’t talk about this. You’ve already made up your mind.”
“Made up me… why the hell won’t you tell me anything to change my mind? You’re not giving me any reason not to doubt you right now!” Mr. Mr. Weatherbee breezed by and pointed at Jason with a warning look in his eye.
“Language, young man. And you’re late for the next period. Run along, Betty.”
“Yes, sir. On my way,” she assured him, and to her annoyance, Jason followed her to her door, and Betty thought to escape by entering the classroom, but Jason ducked briefly into the classroom, halfway inside the door. He watched for Mr. Weatherbee to round the corner, and Mr. Flutesnoot was occupied, writing equations on the chalkboard while the class chattered and took out their notebooks.
“Betty,” Jason growled under his breath. She turned on him and sighed in exasperation. She made a shooing motion with her hand.
“We’re done, here. You’re not happy with me, Jason, and I’m sorry, but we’re not going to do this here.” Her voice was an angry whisper, and her blue eyes flashed, piercing the green depths of his. His pupils dilated and she heard his deep exhale. He shrugged and glanced at Flutesnoot’s back for a moment, then gripped her shoulder – more gently, this time – and kissed her forehead. Her brows drew together, and his face softened for a moment.
“I’ll text you.” And like that, he was off. Betty was scowling all the way to her chair. Another pair of green eyes raked over her as she set down her books, and she felt a pencil bounce off her back. Betty turned and returned Cheryl’s glare.
“What were you and my brother just talking about?”
“Ask him. It’s none of your business, anyway, Cher. It’s between me and him.”
“My brother is my business, especially if you’re playing around with him, you trashy, townie freak.” Betty gave her a “come at me” neck jerk and huffed, rolling her eyes. “You think he’s not?”
“You cow,” Betty hissed. “It’s not like you’re protecting him, you just want to stir the pot and start trouble.”
“Won’t be any trouble if you stop playing around,” Cheryl hissed back. Her beauty was blunted by her glare and narrowed eyes, making the bridge of her nose crinkle.
“What the hell…? What’s with the two of you? I’m not ‘playing around.’ Take your meds.” Betty picked up the pencil Cheryl had thrown at her and put it in her purse, deciding to rob her of ammunition. Cheryl tsked in disgust.
“Trashy townie and a thief,” she emphasized. “It’s bad enough you’re dating my brother, but messing around with Reggie Mantle just… I don’t know. You’re a freak, and you have no taste. None.”
“Look who’s talking, Cher. You hate townies, but you’re all over Archie like bad cologne. That’s not conflictive, or anything.”
“Girls. Pay attention,” Mr. Flutesnoot warned them, craning his neck around from the blackboard, chalk hovering in mid-air. He turned back to the board once they both averted their eyes from him and pretended to stare at their notes. “All right. I have the cube root of negative three, times the cube of negative five…” He continued his rhythmic scribbling, lulling the class into a near coma with the faint squeak of the chalk and droning voice. Betty took half-hearted notes; she knew the material, but she wasn’t interested in it. She felt Cheryl’s eyes boring into the back of her head, and Betty thought she heard her hiss her name, but she ignored her, eventually growling “Shut UP!” under her breath.
The class dragged to its end, and Betty was glad she just had PE left to go, and thankfully neither Blossom sibling was in her class. She saw Jason in the hall and hurried past him, ignoring him, but he didn’t follow her this time. Cheryl was a different story. She practically galloped after her as fast as her Christian Loboutin’s would allow. “Cooper! Wait, Betty! You heard me!” Betty tsked in disgust.
“What’s your dysfunction? Leave me alone, already, Cheryl. I’m not in the mood.”
“I don’t care what kind of mood you’re in. I wanna know if you’re fooling around on Jason.”
“I already told him, and I’m telling you – although why, I don’t know – that I’m not fooling around on Jason. And news flash, Cheryl; if I didn’t like your brother anymore, I wouldn’t just start seeing someone on the side. That’s not me. I’d just tell him things aren’t working out.”
“Like you’d ever tell Jay that, anyway,” Cheryl snorted, pulling a face. “Please. You’re not good enough for him.”
“And that’s why he asked me out. God, poor guy must have been drugged or blind, who knew? I brainwashed him. I bamboozled him,” Betty realized aloud, throwing her arms out wide. “You found me out, Cheryl. I coerced your brother at gunpoint to ask me out.”
“Bamboozled… who even says that? Nice word, Grandma,” Cheryl told her, unimpressed, but Betty was satisfied that the redhead was trying not to laugh.
“Whatever. I don’t care how I sound, Cheryl. But listen to me, right now. I’m not seeing anyone else. If Jason feels that way, then that means he doesn’t trust me. If he doesn’t trust me, then you won’t have to worry about me even dating your brother.”
“I’m telling him you said that, you piece of trash.”
“Get bent.” Betty turned away from her, finished with the discussion. She headed to the girls’ locker room, putting up a “talk to the hand” sign when Cheryl called after her. Cheryl’s friend Lacey came up at the tail end of their argument and poked her.
“What was that all about?”
“I hate her. I fucking hate that girl.”
“Why? She’s usually pretty nice.”
“Lacey… ugh. You have no clue. Don’t even talk to me.”

*
Betty sweated out some of her aggression in aerobics class, almost wishing it were longer, but by the time she was finished, her tee was soaked in dark triangles, and she felt more relaxed. She made quick work of her shower and hurried back to her homeroom for the final announcements. Miss Grundy nodded at her as she took her seat and went through her notebooks.
“Kids, I just want to remind you of the yearbook orders. Money is due at the end of next week. Spring lacrosse signups start on Tuesday, so don’t forget the interscholastic permission slip. If you’re already eighteen, you can sign it yourself.”
“Yeah, baby!” Moose hooted smugly, evoking chuckles. Miss Grundy swatted his feet where they rested on top of his desk with the stack of papers she had in her hand.
“Off! Respect the furniture.”
“Sorry.” He wasn’t, if the gleam in his eye was any indication.
“Hey.” Betty looked to her left, where Jughead indolently unwrapped a piece of gum for himself; it was too late in the day for anyone to give him detention for it. “What’s up? You look pissed.”
“I’m just tired,” she offered.
“You don’t look tired. You look pissed.”
“I’m tired of people being stupid, then.”
“That, I believe. Gum?”
“Nah. I’m fine. You going to Pop’s?”
“Yup. Meet you there?”
“Yup. But I might have to put on a disguise.”
“Come again?” Jughead looked confused.
“Someone might think you’re my boyfriend.”
“Then they’d think wrong. Why? You’re going out with Blossom, I thought.”
“I thought so, too. He called me out today and said I’m cheating on him, which is news to me.” Jughead shook his head.
“Wow. And you’ve been seeing this guy HOW long? He doesn’t know you very well, does he?”
“Uh, no. Apparently not,” she said sourly.
“You had a crush on Archie for eight years straight. EIGHT YEARS. That’s devotion.”
“Don’t rub it in.”
“Yeah, but I’m just saying… when you like someone, Betty, you don’t just turn it on and off. You stick like glue.”
“Again, Juggie, not helping right now.” Betty was slightly embarrassed. Her eyes still followed Archie in and out of a room, but the crush had diluted itself a little once she was dating someone herself. That was to say nothing of Reggie, who was beginning to dominate her thoughts in a way that scared her. Petrified her.
“Yeah, yeah… sorry, Betty.”
“As if my day wasn’t fun enough already, then Cher got up in my grill.”
“She’s a friggin’ idiot. Why? What business does she have telling you anything?” Jughead felt nothing but disdain for the wealthy Pembroke girl, and it irked him that she’d stepped to Betty, of all people. Veronica, maybe; he could understand the pissing contest between those two, but Betty didn’t deserve the drama.
“She thinks her brother and everyone who he hangs out with is her business.”
“That’s a load of crap.”
“Exactly.”
“Not that I support you and Jason, either, mind you.” At that, Betty frowned at him and brandished her notebook, about to swat him.
“What’s up with that?”
“Sorry, Betty. Gotta be honest. I can’t stand that guy. I know you like him, but… no. Just, no. Uh-uh. You’re way out of his league, and he knows it. If he’s pointing the finger at you, telling you you’re the one messing around, it’s because he’s afraid you’re gonna dump him.”
“But that’s ridiculous. That makes no sense.”
“All things considered… Betty-“ Jughead was cut short by the final bell. The scrape of chairs and thud of feet drowned out what he’d been about to say. Betty filed out behind the crowd, but Jughead grabbed her elbow and looped his arm through her companionably. “Don’t run off yet, there, bud.”
“I’m only sticking around with you if you stop smack-talking my boyfriend.”
“I wasn’t smack-talking him. Not technically. I was being blunt. Friends can be blunt with each other.”
“Then be my friend and have a soda with me.”
“I am going to have a soda with you.”
“Good.”
“And while we’re drinking that soda, I’m going to school you on the ills of making bad choices. Blossom is a bad choice.”
“Eeerrrgggghhh…”
“You’re buying.”
*
They headed to the Chok’lit Shoppe and ordered root beer floats; Betty warned him she wasn’t springing for a burger, and Jughead hung his head in mock despair, but she didn’t buy it – literally. Betty checked her messages, but there was no call from Jay. She toyed with the discarded straw wrapper while Jughead dug into his float with a long-handled spoon.
“Finish that before I do.”
“Pig.”
“I mean it.” Betty took several long pulls off her straw, savoring the rich vanilla foam. “Are you supposed to be anywhere today?”
“I could be home. I don’t have any rehearsals. I don’t have any term papers, so I could just hang out at the library; I don’t have to cram. Or, I could call Ron and meet her at the mall, but I’m mostly broke until tomorrow.” Friday was cleaning day and allowance day in the Cooper household. Betty had a date with the weed wacker and laundry machine soon. “I thought if I didn’t have practice, Jay and I could hang out more, but he’s being weird.”
“It’s a control thing. He wants to bug you and take up your time when you don’t have time for him,” Jughead explained simply. “When you’re available, it’s too easy. He doesn’t have to work for it.”
“Why can’t he just appreciate that I’m making time for him now?”
“It’s a guy thing.”
“But you don’t do that.”
“I don’t have a girlfriend. It’s moot.”
“You could, if you’d pay Ethel some attention.”
“She’s not my type.”
“What is your type?” Betty asked pointedly. Jughead practically choked, barely horking soda through his nose.
“Geez… don’t do that!”
“Answer the question,” Betty pleaded innocently. “Everyone has a type.”
“It’s just not Ethel.”
“Why not Ethel?”
“She’s clingy. It’s creepy. Everywhere I go, she’s right by my elbow. At least she was until recently. I’m hoping she lost interest.”
“That’s a possibility. She’s been kinda… I dunno, chummy with Dilton lately.” Jughead’s brown eyes turned into saucers.
“No shit? Doiley? You’re frickin’ kidding me. He’s… short!”
“He’s cute,” she corrected him.
“But she’s a giant! They’re like Mutt and Jeff, or Tinkerbell and Peter Pan.”
“Don’t say that. Ethel likes him, from the look of it. They’re cute together.”
“If by cute you mean ‘freak show,’ then yes, they’re cute.” Betty gave him a shove.
“I’m happy for them. But quit changing the subject. When are you going to find somebody?”
“I’m picky. So sue me. Maybe I shouldn’t be, but c’mon, Betty. There’s some lame girls out there. Once in a while, I meet someone I think is kinda cute and cool, but then… it’s like the whole illusion evaporates as soon as they open their mouths.” Betty almost spit out her ice cream, and a drop of it dripped down chin as laughter exploded from her.
“That’s awful, Juggie.”
“It’s the truth. I dunno, Betty. It’s just… I haven’t found anyone who really reaches me. Well…” he shrugged. Betty saw an opening.
“Well, what? Is there anybody?”
“Don’t make it into something it isn’t, and whatever you do, for the love of all things holy, do NOT tell anyone. Anyone,” he admonished, making her pinkie swear. She linked pinkies with him and nodded.
“Promise. Who?”
“She’s musical. She has some nice meat on her bones. She’s decent, funny, smart, and-“
“Brigitte. I nailed it on ‘musical,’ didn’t I?”
“Right in one,” he sighed. “I like her, okay?”
“That’s more than okay. Brigitte is cute. She’s nice. She won’t give you the runaround, and I think she might actually like you back.”
“For real.” He looked doubtful. Betty was satisfied that she’d read things right and continued.
“I shit you not.”
“I don’t want to ask her out if it ends up that I’m wrong about her.”
“Do what you did with me. Meet her here. Be random about it. It doesn’t have to be a ‘date,’ date.”
“That’s the problem, Betty. It defeats the purpose if it isn’t a ‘date’ date. I like her.” He sighed. “I ‘like her’ like her.”
“Who knew?” Betty teased. “Seriously, though. She’s great.”
“She has some nice meat on her bones. I like that. Now that I think about it, Betty, that’s the Ethel problem. She’s too darn skinny. And clingy.”
“You’re a real ladies’ man, buddy.”
*
Reggie came home in a foul mood. Lacrosse tryouts went fine, but he was distracted. In the halls, Betty had ignored him again, but to his satisfaction, he’d noticed her arguing with Jason by her locker as he came out of his French class; that mean little thought was the only bright spot in an otherwise frustrating week.
Ever since the play wrapped, she’d been avoiding him, and it was driving him nuts. Reggie was weakening, flirting back with other girls who were interested in him, but it was halfhearted, and he didn’t ask any of them for numbers. A hot redhead named Josie offered some possibilities; she was a transfer student from Midvale, and she played a mean lead guitar. She occasionally joked around with him and hinted that she wouldn’t mind jamming with him sometime, but he wouldn’t commit to a day or place.
It frustrated him. Jason had been a thorn in his side, too, suspending conversations with his friends to glare after Reggie when he walked by, minding his business. He had a gym class with him, and during a game of flag football, Jason tackled him, which grew into a shoving match. Both of them ended up in detention that day, and Reggie was about ready to dunk the smug junior’s head into a toilet. Jason’s green eyes were hard, and their message was clear: Stay away from my girl.
To Reggie, it was Greek, and moot. He wanted Betty, and Reggie knew without a doubt that she wanted him, too. Kisses didn’t lie, and he could see through her excuses what she didn’t want to admit. He couldn’t get her off of his mind, and she owned a part of him that she didn’t know how to give back. Reggie entered the house and greeted his mother with a kiss on the cheek while she was washing dishes. She looked pleased with the affection, but she prodded him.
“You never kiss me hello unless you’ve had a bad day,” Vicky Mantle pointed out. “I made cookies.”
“I see that.” Reggie helped himself to three of them, shoving one halfway into his mouth while he rummaged in the fridge for the milk.
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing. My life just sucks.”
“Ah. It was that kind of day.” She ruffled his dark hair fondly and kissed his temple. “Girl trouble?”
“Ma! That was random.”
“Not that random. It happens.”
“I just got into it with this idiot at school a few days ago. That was why I had detention.”
“I’d wondered about that. Why were you fighting?” Reggie wolfed down another cookie and washed it down before he replied, with a gee-shucks shrug.
“I dunno. Well… it’s hard to explain.”
“Explain it. And please don’t get yourself suspended, Reggie.”
“There’s this girl.”
“Betty?” Reggie blushed and ducked his head. “She’s sweet! What happened? Did you have a tiff of some kind?”
“She’s dating this guy, and he’s lame. I saw him giving her a hard time the other day, and I told her from the beginning that I don’t like her dating him.”
“Which is moot, since she isn’t your girlfriend, if memory serves me correct.”
“Well, she could be,” Reggie bragged. His chin took on a stubborn tilt, and Vicky laughed, shaking her head.
“Son, son, son…let me explain.”
“Ah, boy,” Reggie sighed, leaning back into his chair and covering his ears. She swatted him with the dish towel.
“Pay attention. If she’s dating someone else, you have to back off. If she makes it clear that she likes you, then you step in, but not before. Otherwise, you’re just a third wheel, Reggie.”
“Tricycles have third wheels,” Reggie quipped.
“What girl wants to ride a tricycle?” Reggie made a face. “Don’t give her a hard time, Reggie. If she likes you, then she’ll come around.”
“I know she likes me, Mom. That’s just it. I look at her, and I see the way she acts when I talk to her. It’s all over her face, and she does this thing… I can’t explain it.”
“Do her eyes follow you in and out of a room?”
“Yeah!”
“Does she lean in close when you’re talking?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Does she groom her hair before she talks to you?” Reggie grinned. “Does she ask you how your day’s going before you ask her?”
“You know it!”
“Fix that,” she corrected him. “Be a gentleman, but Reggie, remember this. Don’t play dirty pool. Don’t try to steal Betty away from that other boy. A good relationship is never built on hurting someone else.”
“Someone needs to steal her away,” he grumbled. “He’s a tool.”
“Don’t be a bigger tool. Back off, son.”
“Mom…!”
“Behave.”
*
Betty finished the dinner dishes and retreated to her room, leaving her cell phone on the bedside table. It was frustratingly silent. She lay back on her bed, hair dangling off the side and her feet crossed and propped against the wall, and they were shod in her favorite rainbow toe socks. She re-read her copy of Goblet of Fire and made her way halfway through it once her homework was done.
She dozed off with the book splayed open across her chest, and Betty woke up with a start when her cell blared “Sexy and I Know It” at her. She rolled over and reached for it, flipping onto her back as she hit “Take Call.”
“Hey, Ron.” She wasn’t disappointed. She hadn’t talked to her bestie in a while.
“Hey, Bets. Where are you?”
“Home.”
“Good. I was hoping I’d catch you.”
“It’s a school night. Not many other places I’d be.”
“I got back from the matinee. I went with Midge and Nancy to see ‘Hugo’ in 3D. You missed out.”
“Sounds like it,” Betty murmured enviously. “I was broke.”
“Have Jason take you.”
“Me being broke doesn’t mean making my boyfriend pay for everything.”
“It should. That’s how it works in the real world.”
“Even with Archie?”
“I’m never broke,” Veronica said matter-of-factly, but Betty knew it struck a nerve. “You need to learn how to work these things to your advantage. Here’s the formula. Be a pretty girl. Find a boy with money. Be pretty and tell him how to spend his money. Then make him wonder when you’ll call. Keep him guessing.”
“Not having that problem right now. Jason’s pissed at me.”
“Good… sorry.”
“No, you’re not! Jerk!” Betty toyed with a loose thread on her quilt.
“Okay. I’m not. Why’s he mad at you, anyway? What did you do?”
“He thinks I like Reggie.”
“But you do like Reggie.”
Yeahbuhwhat? “Huh?”
“You heard me. Betty, it’s there in plain sight.”
“Not in my sight! Ron, you must be high.”
“Am not. I wouldn’t shit you, Elizabeth Cooper, when I tell you that it’s all over your face when you’re around him. He hangs on your every word, too, and he’s always quick to sit down next to you, no matter where you are. He used to be like that with me.” Ronnie was right; he did. Betty was secretly, meanly pleased.
She sighed. “I don’t know, Ron. What do I do? I like Jay, but he’s mad. I told Reggie that I couldn’t go out with him if I’m already dating someone.”
“Reggie asked you out? Betty, what happened? Why didn’t you say yes? I mean, Reggie has his moments. He’s stuck on himself a lot of the time, but it’s at least an act. He’s actually decent when you get to know him.”
“I know he’s decent.”
“I know, but that’s the difference between him and Jay. Jason Blossom is a dog. He’s not what you think he is.”
“He treats me fine.” Except today, Betty wanted to add.
“He won’t in the long run.”
“You’ve said that before,” Betty argued. “What have you got against Jason?”
“I know him. He’s always sweet at first.”
“At first?”
“Never mind.”
“No. Veronica, don’t say ‘never mind.’” Betty rolled onto her stomach and propped herself up, put out now. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”
“Jason’s from a different world than you. He’s used to getting his own way. His friends are like that, too. I don’t know where he got it from; his parents are actually pretty nice.” Percy and Priscilla occasionally consorted with Veronica’s parents and belonged to the same country club. “Just leave him alone. Tell him it’s not working out.”
“Veronica! What aren’t you telling me? You’re my best friend, and you’re hiding something from me. Not cool.”
“Betty…” Veronica was hedging on her end, struggling. Betty was getting upset, hating to be left in suspense.
“Did he say something? Did he do something?” Betty prodded. “Did he wear the wrong cologne?”
“Now that you mention it, yes,” Veronica quipped. Her voice tightened. “That’s not the only thing, Betty.”
“Ronnie… you’re my best friend, and I love you. But if you can’t come up with a good reason why I shouldn’t date Jay, then butt out.” A change came over Betty, a strange sense of what she could only call loyalty for Jason. There was something odd about Veronica insisting that she stop seeing Jason, and it bothered Betty, when her friend already had a solid hold on Archie, despite Betty’s past efforts. A tiny voice in the back of her mind nagged her, defending him.
It’s not up to her to decide. She has to either put up, or shut up. Why’s she dancing around it?
Veronica sat guiltily in her lush bedroom, biting her tongue and stroking her Siamese cat, Minari. She couldn’t tell her. There was no telling what Betty would think. “Betty…”
“I’m gonna go, Ron. I’m waiting on Jay to call.”
“Are you mad at me?”
“I’m not mad, but I don’t agree with what you’re telling me unless you want to back it up. Good night.” She hung up on Veronica’s indignant protest, but Betty felt guilty. Veronica was her bestie, and she owed her respect, but still…
Veronica couldn’t always have her own way. Betty often allowed her to influence where they went, what she wore, and some of the activities she participated in, but when it came to who she dated, why was that up to her, instead of Betty herself? “Control freak,” Betty muttered. Lodges were used to getting what they wanted, weren’t they? Betty decided to drown her sorrows in a hot bath. She gathered up her babydoll pajamas, bath foam and other goodies as she filled the tub, taking her book along with her. Betty piled her hair on top of her head, securing it with a scrunchie. Some wishful thinking on her part made her leave her cell on top of the toilet lid. Betty waited for the thick pile of bubbles to rise to mere centimeters below the edge of the tub before sinking into the water, letting out a sigh of pleasure. To heck with Jason, she decided; no sense in waiting with bated breath.
As though the universe was conspiring against her, as soon as she settled back and turned the first page, the phone buzzed. Betty growled. “It figures…” She set down the book and leaned out of the tub just far enough to barely scrap the edge of her phone with her fingertips, but she accidentally knocked it farther away. Betty stood and gingerly stepped out of the tub, shivering at the cool air against her damp skin; she settled back into the slowly evaporating suds and hit the answer screen flashing up at her, tsking at Jason’s caller ID.
“Hey.”
“Hey. Where are you? What’s that splashing sound?”
“Bath water.”
“You’re taking a bath?” A pause. “You’re naked?”
“One would assume.” Betty rolled her eyes.
“And I’m not over there, why?”
“Because I don’t want my dad to get life for murder one.” Betty huffed. “Besides, you’re mad at me, remember?”
“Bets…” She listened to his heavy exhaled breath and pictured him combing his fingers through the hair at his nape. “Look… I was a jerk.”
“Go on.”
“Argue with me?”
“No. This isn’t the time to argue. Continue,” she told him dryly as she ran her finger through the bubbles, blowing a puff of foam off the tip like it was the barrel of a gun.
“Betty… c’mon. You can’t blame me for being mad. I hate seeing you hanging out with Mantle.”
“What’s the big deal? It’s just Reggie. Jason, I’ve known him my whole life. Plenty of girls chase him, so why would I? I kinda know better by now.” It was true, for the most part, except that Betty didn’t want to admit to Jason, or herself, that it was a big deal. Reggie had a strong effect on her, and she was drawn to him.
“That kiss on stage looked like a big deal.”
“The key words being ‘on stage.’ Please, Jay,” Betty whined. “Really? You’re jealous of that?”
“That was some acting, then. You looked like you were really into it.”
“I guess I should be flattered, except for the part where you think I’m cheating on you.” And she wasn’t, Betty told herself, if she continued to tell Reggie no. If.
“You can take it as flattery if you want.” She heard a hint of a smile in his voice. “You looked hot. Would have looked hotter without Mantle getting in the way; I could’ve seen more of your face. Dang, Betty… seriously. You looked hot.”
“Goofy,” she accused him, but a pleased little smile wouldn’t leave her face. This was the Jason she enjoyed talking to, rather than the cold, insecure one she saw at school. The suds were shrinking, leaving the tops of her breasts exposed and drafty. Her nipples were hard, pink little pebbles, tingling as much from the cool air as they did from the direction of their chat. A funny little shiver ran through her belly. “It was just the costume.”
“That wasn’t just the costume. You looked like you were enjoying yourself up there, shaking those little hips…” His voice was husky, teasing her.
“Are you home?” she inquired, hoping to heaven that no one was listening to him. “Better yet, are you alone?”
“Of course I’m alone. Why? Want me to come over?”
“You can’t. It’s too late.”
“But do you want me to?” He wouldn’t let it go, and Betty sighed. “C’mon, Betty, tell me you want me there.”
“I wouldn’t mind seeing you. Would’ve been nice if you’d met me after school instead of attacking me, and then waiting til the last minute to call me.” That stopped his teasing effectively.
“You know why I was mad,” he accused.
“I just don’t appreciate why, and I don’t agree with it.”
“I’m sorry,” he offered. His voice sounded sincere, but Betty wasn’t sure she was buying it. “I’m sorry I was a pain in the ass, Betty. I like you, and I don’t wanna waste my time if you’ve got someone on the side.” Betty felt a sinking sensation and unease prickled over her skin.
“I guess, if you feel like you’re wasting your time, you should tell me.”
“I didn’t say that. But I guess I wouldn’t mind if it you did more to prove you really want me.”
“I’ll take out a poster on the city transit bus.”
“Quit it. I mean it, Bets. Show me you want me.”
“Jay…” Her voice was long-suffering and frustrated, and she had mixed feelings. “I like being with you, okay? I’m not here to play games with you. I hate it when anyone plays games with me, so why would I turn around and dish it out?”
“Beats me. So you won’t play games with me.”
“Never.”
“Then come over.”
“Not tonight,” Betty argued.
“No. Not tonight. Tomorrow. I’m having a get-together.”
“That’s cool.”
“It’s mostly my friends from Pembroke.” That put the kibosh on Betty’s enthusiasm. “We get together once in a while to watch movies and bullshit.”
“I bet.” It was the “bullshitting” that she worried about. Veronica had some strong opinions about the Pembroke crowd, and Betty wasn’t impressed with Jason’s best friend, Cedric. Cheryl’s friend Lacey wasn’t quite as bad, but she hadn’t made any friendly overtures so much as spared Betty from wisecracks and insults over her clothing and character.
“Come over tomorrow. I’ll pick you up.”
“I can drive,” Betty protested.
“I want you to come over early,” he complained. “C’mon. Let me come get you. It’ll be fun.”
“I wouldn’t mind just the two of us hanging out.” She didn’t want to come right out and say, I don’t want to hang out with your creepy friends. No point in offending him.
“We still can, but I want to see you tomorrow night, too. C’mon. We’ll pick out some good movies.” Betty felt her resolve weakening. He was being sweet, but the nuisance value of hanging out with his old crowd conflicted with the desire of spending time with him.
Betty considered it for a moment. It would be nice to spend some time with him without having to worry about going to a rehearsal, sports practice or booster club meeting. It was the weekend, so why not let her hair down? She missed little things like the scent of his cologne and the feel of his hair when she slid her fingers through it. He could kiss, too, but guiltily, she reminded herself, so could Reggie.
Reggie’s mouth left her helpless and weak-kneed. No single body part should have the ability to turn a woman’s brain into goo.
Her body betrayed her, and Betty suppressed a little groan. “I’m wearing you down, aren’t I?” Jason prodded. Betty shook off her haze.
“Huh?”
“Tell me you’ll come.”
“Jay…”
“Pretty please? I’ll be sweet. I promise. You’ll have a great time, Bets. I miss you.” Betty growled.
“Brat.”
“Whaddya say?”
“Oh…” she hesitated, then, “Fine.” Darn it. Why did she give in? How badly would she need to slap herself at the end of it all? She heard his smile before he even spoke, satisfied and smug.
“You’ve made me really happy, Bets.”
“Shut up.”
“Is the water still warm?” His voice was smooth and deep.
“Jay… seriously. Shut up.” Despite her annoyance, her nipples were still hard.
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