Where You Least Expect It

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, Archie Comics does. 
I'm just using them for my own twisted purposes bwahaha and all that.

Dedicated to: Anyone besides me who thinks the following is a good 
idea...meaning nobody I'm guessing.
********
Betty Cooper was staring into her mirror. She smiled happily to 
herself as she brushed her blonde hair. She had a date with Archie 
and nothing could ruin her good mood. She hummed to herself with a 
kind of dazed expression on her face. Absolutely nothing.

The phone rang, startling Betty out of her lovesick stupor. "Hello?"

"Hiya Bets!"

It was Archie. Betty's face lit up even more. "Archikins! I'm so 
glad you called. I was just getting ready for our date and...."

Archie interrupted. "Yeah about that date Betty...you see Veronica 
got these tickets and..."

Betty didn't hear the rest of what Archie was saying, her mind was 
screaming too loud. 

Archie finished up. "So you understand right?"

Betty was numb. "Sure...sure I understand Archie. Maybe...maybe 
another time."

Archie sounded relieved. "That's my girl! Thanks, bye." And he hung 
up the phone leaving Betty with nothing but a dial tone.

She slowly hung up the phone and then sank to the floor. She sat 
there for a few moments not blinking. Her emotions were running 
rampant inside her but she couldn't cry. She didn't want to cry, 
not this time.

She stood up. She didn't want to be alone though she wasn't sure 
where to go. Pop Tates was closed for the evening, and she couldn't 
spend time with her parents because they were out of town. She 
quickly dismissed Reggie. She didn't need him hitting on her right 
now. All her close female friends had plans for the evening...
including Veronica. If it didn't hurt so much she'd laugh at the 
irony of that. Betty grabbed her coat and headed for the only place 
left she could think of to go.
********

Jughead sat down on the couch with a bowl of popcorn. On the coffee 
table were a bowl of chips, a bowl of pretzels, a bowl of Cheeze 
Doodles, and a copy of "Mutant Beansprouts from the Fifth Dimension" 
It was looking to be a good night. 

He had just put the tape in the VCR when the doorbell rang. He 
blinked in confusion. Who could be bothering him on a Friday night? 
Everyone he knew was out wining and dining. He opened the door and 
was surprised to see a distraught looking Betty standing there. 
"Betty..."

That's as far as he got before Betty burst into tears and flung 
herself into his arms. He patted her back awkwardly and lead her to 
the couch.

She tried to compose herself and told Jughead what had happened. 
Jughead scowled. Archie was his best friend and he loved him like a 
brother, but sometimes he wanted to crack him over the head. Didn't 
he see how much he hurt Betty? Jughead shook his head and stood up 
to get Betty a drink of water.

After accepting and thanking him for the drink Betty sat quietly for 
a moment. Finally she looked at Jughead with tear stained cheeks. 
"Juggie...what's wrong with me?"

Jughead was shocked, but his shock quickly turned to anger. He 
grabbed Betty's shoulders and turned her to face him. "Nothing! 
There is nothing wrong with you! You're a beautiful,intelligent and 
kind woman and if Archie is too stupid to see that then it's his 
loss!"

Betty stared at him in wide eyed shock. "Juggie...I...I don't know 
what to say. I didn't know you thought that..do you really? Think 
I'm all those things, I mean."

Jughead released his grip on her and suddenly took an intense 
interest in the bowl of chips in front of him. He was at a loss. He 
always claimed to hate all women..but Betty was different. Betty 
wasn't like other girls. She wasn't coniving or manipulative...well 
for the most part. She was also not one to date as many guys as 
possible. Oh she dated but never anything serious. Her heart 
belonged to one man and unfortunately that man was Archie. He 
finally spoke but his voice sounded strained. "He doesn't deserve 
you."

Betty just looked at him. Normally she would've started defending 
Archie but tonight she wasn't up for it. He had done this to her too 
many times and she was fed up with it. She frowned. Jughead looked 
so miserable. What does he have to be miserable about? She smiled 
softly. It was so nice of him to say those things. She studied him. 
He was cute, in a way. Not overtly handsome but cute. She shook her 
head. What was she thinking this was Jughead! This was Archie's best 
friend. This was a man who hated all women. This was a man who 
thought romance was a joke. This was a man who just moments before 
had practically told her she was perfect.

Jughead looked up, a little concerned about the silence. He looked 
in surprise at Betty's smiling face. He was about to ask her what 
what up when she kissed him. His eyes widened for a moment but then 
he reached up to gently push her away. "Betty, you don't want this. 
You're upset about Archie and you're confused."

Betty shook her head. "No. No, Juggie, for once I'm not confused! 
You're right! Archie doesn't deserve me! He's done nothing but break 
my heart and he...he doesn't even care! I deserve a man who'll love 
me and only me." She looked into Jughead's eyes, tears welling up in 
her own, "Do you love me Juggie?"

"Yes." The answer was out before he could think. Before he could 
consider the consequences. He felt strangely horrified and relieved 
at the same time. He had just admitted something to Betty that he 
could barely admit to himself. His heart sank though as he realized 
something. "But...you don't love me."

"Why do you think that?"

"How could you? I'm not like them!"

"Oh Juggie! That's exactly the reason why I do love you. You'd never 
dump me for another woman and then expect me to come crawling back 
to you. You'd never have roaming eyes, checking out every pretty 
girl that walks in the room. You're too good for that. You're 
intelligent and clever and no matter what anybody says, you're more 
of a gentleman then any of those other guys!"

She loved him? Jughead reached over to touch her cheek. To see if 
she was real. When she didn't fade away or disappear in a puff of 
smoke, he pulled her to him. He just held her tightly and stroked 
her hair. He didn't want to let her go.

Betty sighed contently in Jughead's arms. How could she have been so 
blind? She had searched for happiness and love and it had been right 
there all along. Right in front of her and she had never noticed. 
But that didn't matter now. She could see now and the sight was 
wonderful.

The End.

Think I'm a complete psycho? Why thank you!

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