Jughead Jones

dad, writer, loner weirdo at heart

[therealthingisworse]

Pop’s | | @abettybug

@abettybug

When Jughead spontaneously decided to ask Betty and her daughter to join him and Theo at Pop's, he tried to keep his hopes down. Surely, she already had some sort of plan for their afternoon. Betty definitely looked like the sort of person who had her life together and her weekends planned. So when she agreed to his suggestion, probably heavily affected by her daughter's excitement about the idea, he was equally surprised and happy. And a little nervous, if he was being honest with himself. It was one thing to sit so close to her at the cinema where she wouldn't notice him constantly glancing at her or the way his cheeks grew uncharacteristically red whenever he thought she was looking at him. Outside of the cinema, the strange feeling he got whenever he was near her would be much harder to conceal. Pop's, the dinner Jughead and Theo like to frequent after every visit of the movies, is only a few minutes away from the cinema and the walk goes by fast as all of them chat about the movie. Every time Jughead writes a review for an animated movie, he likes to add some of Theo's own opinions on it, which is something that the readers who also have kids highly appreciate. After all, a five year old is probably a better judge of movies like that anyway.

The moment they walked in, Theo sprinted towards their usual booth, calling Maddie to sit next to him. "I guess we're sitting next to each other again." Jughead gave Betty a sheepish smile before sliding into the booth opposite his son who was already studying the menu. While he could read most letters now, Jughead knew he was just pretending the read the items because much like his dad, Theo wanted to order the same thing every time. "I'm sorry, maybe I should've warned you, but they have nothing healthy here," Jughead said with a sudden realization, hoping Betty wasn't one of those moms who only fed their children organic vegetables and judged those who weren't doing the same. Though Betty didn't seem like the judgmental type, he had a strange need to show himself in the best light in front of her.

"Can I have a hamburger, fries and a chocolate milkshake, please?" Theo interrupted Jughead's train of thoughts, punctuating his usual order with a wide grin.

"I swear I feed him vegetables at home," Jughead said quickly, cursing himself as he felt his face heat up for what seemed like no reason. Or at least, that's what he told himself.

[therealthingisworse]

Movies | | @abettybug

[therealthingisworse]

abettybug‌: 

Betty couldn’t keep her eyes off of Jughead, even when the lights dim and the movie starts the play. He looked handsome in the light glow of the movie screen. But she was pretty sure he would look handsome in any light and at any angle.

Their children cuddled in close in the seats in front of them, whispering during some parts of the movies that couldn’t hold their attention spans. Whatever plot was going on wasn’t much importance to her. If she remembered half of it by the end of the day she’d be lucky. Instead, her eyes kept flittering over to him.

But then there was crying. People around her started to cry and Betty felt her instincts kick in, tears welling in her eyes. It was a horrible problem. Whenever people started to cry, she was right along with them, sobbing like a newborn baby. She tried to wipe them off on her sleeve, hoping Jughead wouldn’t catch sight of her doing just as he had predicted.

Jughead was glad he had already seen the movie, because if he had to write his review after just this experience, he could hardly be able to tell who the main character was. He really was trying to pay attention to the screen, but every time Betty shifted even slightly and every time he realized how close to him she was, she was all he could think about for the next ten minutes. At one point he thought he caught her looking at him, but quickly dismissed the thought. It was dark and she was probably just checking on the kids. He could try to make up excuses for why he cared but what would be the point if lying to himself? He liked her. He barely knew her and yet he was attracted to her more than he has been to anyone in years.

Lost deep in his thoughts he completely missed that it was time for the sad part of the movie until he heard gentle sobs coming from the seat next to him. "I gave you the tissues for a reason, Betty," he whispered with a small smile. He didn't want to rub it in or make her feel embarrassed, but he felt a little proud that he was able to read her correctly and predict that she was going to end up in tears over the movie. Then again, so was half of the theater, so maybe he wasn't that good. Before he could overthink it and back out, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder in a comforting gesture.

With Betty so close to him, the rest of the movie became even more of a blur and before he knew it, the end credits started rolling and the lights came back on. Everyone slowly started getting up from their seats and Jughead knew he had to act now. "Theo and I like to go get some food after the movies," he blurted out suddenly before the nerves could get to him and he would change his mind. "Would you and Maddie maybe like to join us? There is this diner not far from here that we like to go to and... I think the kids would like it," he finished a little lamely, hoping it wouldn't come off as if he was using his son to spend more time with Betty.

[therealthingisworse]

Movies | | @abettybug

[therealthingisworse]

abettybug:

“Being a grown up wouldn’t be so bad. You get to make your own bed time!” Maddie explained. She didn’t like to upset her friend, so she zipped her lips. “I promise I won’t use your name ever again. Sometimes when Mommy calls me Madeline Rose I know I’m gonna get a time out so I don’t like that either. It’s why I like Maddie Rose, because my middle name is too pretty to forget it!” As the light dims, she gasped, grabbing the arm of Theo’s jacket. “It’s gonna start soon!”

Betty laughed. “It certainly does, doesn’t it? I hope it’s a long time before we have to deal with bills and taxes. I just want her to be small and love me. I spent a long time just trying to get her you know?” She stops as the movie screen stretches and the lights dim. “Oh.”

Lowering her voice, she takes the tissues from him, grateful. “Thanks Jug. I definitely am, but I hope that won’t bother you too much.” He’s too sweet for his own good. She could definitely get attached to a man like him. Sweet. Caring. Gentle. And with very good taste in movies. Despite her mind telling her no, Betty moved closer so the popcorn was sitting on both their laps, her knee brushing against his.

Theo thought about Maddie's reasoning for a moment and nodded. "I think being a grown up would be nice." He grinned, taking a handful of his popcorn and shoving it in his mouth. "My dad has a really funny name but I'm only allowed to use it in emergencies," he mumbled and excitedly wiggled in his seat as the lights dimmed and the screen came on.

Jughead nodded at her words. Even though he didn't know how it felt to actually want a child until one was literally left for him to take care of, he understood that sort of love now. "From what I've seen, you're an amazing mom. I'm sure she'll love you even when she's not small anymore," he said with a smile.

"I've seen the movie already to be able to write my review. Now I'm here to just look after Theo and offer emotional support to you if you need it." He let out a low chuckle. While Theo never cried during sad movies and Jughead had no experience with comforting crying women, he was sure he could figure it out if needed.

As her knee brushed against his, Jughead went still, his fingers curling into a fist as he fought his instinct to touch her. He hadn't felt like that in years, but all he wanted to do now was to wrap his arm around her shoulders and bring her closer to him or to rest his palm on her thigh. But he knew that would be inappropriate. He barely knew her, yet he couldn't help feeling attracted to her almost instantly. She seemed to understand him like no one else and when she looked at him with those beautiful green eyes... Jughead quickly shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts. This was not the time or place for them and instead of focusing on how close Betty was sitting or how her scent was attacking his senses, he tried to pay attention to the movie that was just about to start.

[therealthingisworse]

Movies | | @abettybug

[therealthingisworse]

abettybug:

Watching the father and son exchange warmed Betty’s heart to her very core. Oh she had a big giant crush on Jughead Jones, didn’t she? What kid of mess had she stumbled into. Certainly a messy one. But…well sometimes messes were okay weren’t they? Especially when he was putting a comforting arm around her shoulder that left her giddy in a way she hadn’t felt since she was in high school pursuing the same boy for fifteen years. (What in the hell had she seen in Dilton Doiley?)

“Ew. You gotta eat with your hands Theodore!” Maddie Rose insists, handing him a napkin. “That’s how grown ups do it. And I wanna be one someday really soon!”

Betty shook her head. “Not too soon, little girl. Mommy would like you to stay a little bit younger for awhile if it’s all the same to you.” She turned to Jughead. “Kids they days. They want to grow up so fast don’t they? It makes me sad. I feel like i haven’t had her that long and she’s already wanting to up and move out. Do you think they’ll always be like this?”

She moved a bit closer in her seat towards him. it was only so she could see the kids better. Not because she wanted him to put his arm around her again or anything. Okay that was absolutely the reason. She lifted up the popcorn thing to him. “Want some?”

Theo's face scrunched up as his new friend used his full name. Nobody ever called him that and much like his dad, he didn't like his name very much. "You can't say that oud loud. Daddy says if we never say our real names out loud, we can pretend they don't exist and we can be called whatever we want," Theo lectured her with a serious face, but took the napkin anyway. "He also says grown ups are boring and they can't spend all day reading books or playing with legos. So I don't wanna grow up."

"The time runs too fast, doesn't it? It feels like yesterday when he was taking his first steps and now he's giving life advice instead." Jughead laughed, wondering whether he maybe spent too much time talking to Theo about serious stuff and would turn him into a grumpy old man by the age of ten. He needed more adult friends just as much as his son needed friends his age. "I think there will come a time when they learn about bills and taxes and then they'll never want to leave us." He chuckles and they finally settled into their seats as the lights started to dim.

"Umm..." Jughead trailed off, thinking about his own bucket of popcorn that was sitting by his feet, seemingly unnoticed by Betty. "Sure. Thanks." He smiled taking some of the popcorn she offered while trying to kick his own bucket beneath his seat inconspicuously. He had no idea why he was doing that, but it felt right. Actually, he knew exactly why he was doing that. For some reason the idea of sharing popcorn with Betty felt much better than having his own and he was glad the lights were off by the time this realization hit him as his face grew uncomfortably warm. "Are you the type of person who cries during the sad parts of Disney movies? Because if yes, spoiler alert, you may need this," he whispered after a moment, sliding a pack of tissues towards her with a little shy smile.

[therealthingisworse]

Movies | | @abettybug

[therealthingisworse]

abettybug:

“A budding movie snob huh? Oh that’ll be hard to handle for you. What if there’s a film you guys don’t agree on?” Betty giggled, moving just the slightest bit closer to Jughead as they walked. “I’d love to hear his eloquent explanation as to why Cars 3 is far superior to Cars 2.”

“Mommy made me hide my eyes during Jurassic World. I didn’t get to see the first one that explained how they got the dinosaurs. But I know that one day I’m gonna own a dinosaur too.” It was fact to a child, just like everything else was. If they wanted it then somehow someway it would happen.

Betty startled at his question. Apart. They had to sit apart if she wanted to sit by Jughead and let her daughter sit by her new friend. The very thought terrified her to her very core. She’d worked so hard to get little Maddie–what if someone took her? But Jughead’s smile was reassuring and she tried to relax. “I…yeah I bet we could do that. As long as we can still see them.”

"I'd like to think I would be able to be civil about it and accept his opinion, but just between the two of us, Theo is the bigger person here so I think he'd agree with me to not hurt my feelings." Jughead laughed, looking at his son with pride. Even if he ended up hating Tarantino movies, he'd still love him more than anything in the world. But he hoped that wouldn't happen. "Please, don't ask him that. I've been hearing about Cars for way too long. I'm glad he moved on to something else."

"Dinosaurs are cool!" Theo exclaimed with a wide grin, jumping on the spot, causing a few pieces of popcorn to scatter on the ground.

"Easy, buddy. You don't wanna lose all your popcorn before the movie starts," Jughead chastised him with an amused smile.

"I can't lose it if I eat it," Theo said with a proud grin as he buried his face into the bucket of popcorn, attempting to eat as much of it as possible without using his hands and Jughead just shook his head with laughter.

As he suggested that the kids sit in front of them rather than next to them, Jughead sensed Betty's worry and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's gonna be okay, trust me. We'll be able to see them perfectly from over here." He gave her a little smile and squeezed her shoulder lightly, telling himself he was doing this for the kids and not for the selfish reason of wanting to sit next to Betty. He only convinced himself a little. "Theo, is it okay if you sit next to Maddie while her mom and I sit behind you? Can you behave?" Jughead asked his son who replied with an eager nod.

"Well, I guess that's settled then?" he asked, turning back to Betty.

[therealthingisworse]

Movies | | @abettybug

[therealthingisworse]

abettybug:

Maddie shared the slushie with her friend, smiling brightly when his tongue went blue too. She giggled and turned to Mr. Jones. “uh huh. I’ve been a polite princess because I always am!” she explained with a bright smile. “I’m the bestest little girl around you know?”

Her child was so vain. Betty couldn’t help but laugh at the silliness of the little girl. She ran a hand through her hair and kissed her mess of curls. “I love you but you’re so silly sometimes.” she turned her attention to Jughead. “yeah we’re here for the Disney movie. I’m not so sure I could handle the slasher but I think Maddie Rose probably could.”

She smiled up at him and felt her heart flutter again. This was absolutely ridiculous. Why was she feeling like this? It felt silly but fun to be talking to him. “Would you guys…if we’re going to the same movie would you want to maybe sit with us?”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Jughead laughed, admiring the girl’s self-confidence.

He laughed again at Betty’s comment, wondering whether she was really so funny or whether it was just that aura around her that made him feel like a teenager making him act like this. “It’s not worth the money anyway. Barely three out of five and my standards for slashers are low,” he said with a shrug. Despite his dislike for the movie, he could rant about it for hours, something that was more than useful for his job, but not something that would probably make Betty want to hang out with him again. And he was done trying to pretend he didn’t want to hang out with her.

“That would be great.” He smiled, hoping he didn’t sound overly eager. “Where are your seats? There seem to be quite a few people going to see the movie,” he said with a hint of disappointment. If the cinema was going to be packed, there couldn’t be much they could do to sit together and it bothered him more than it probably should’ve.

[abettybug]

“We can fine them together,” Betty smiled back at him, feeling her cheeks heat up with a brilliant red blush. He had actually agreed to it! She was surprised by just how willing he was to spend time with someone that was, essentially, a stranger to him. 

Maddie Rose grabbed Theo’s hand tightly. “We can sit next to each other at the movie.” She leaned down and whispered, though both parents could hear, “You can have another drink of my slushie later too. But sshhh, don’t tell anymore.”

The young mother didn’t have it in her heart to stop the cute exchange, choosing instead to follow along behind the excited girls and chat with Theo’s father–who she very much liked. “Only 3 out of 5 stars? Do you rate movies a lot in your free time? Can I have a rotten tomatoes score with that too?”

[therealthingisworse]

“Okay,” he agreed with a slight blush. He knew this was not a date by any means, but couldn’t help himself and wonder when was the last time he went to see a movie with another woman. It was certainly not since Theo was born.

“Well, if it’s possible and if your mom agrees,” Jughead said, looking at Betty expectantly. He didn’t want to overstep his boundaries and allow Maddie Rose to sit next to his son if Betty didn’t feel comfortable with it. He heard the little girl offering Theo more slushie, but he decided to act like he heard nothing because the way Theo’s face lit up at the offer was more than worth it. He took a mental note to feed him just a bit more broccoli the next day to make up for it.

Jughead laughed, realizing that even though Betty shared the information about her multiple careers, he never told her what his job was. “Also in my free time, but mostly not. I work as a movie critic for an online magazine. Write movie reviews and all that,” he said with a shrug. “It’s not my dream job but it pays surprisingly well for me to either complain or gush about every new movie I see. So in the end it’s perfect.”

[abettybug]

“Wow,” Betty smiled as they made their way through the crowd, her hand tight in Maddie’s. “Must be a dream come true for a cinephile like you right? I can’t imagine it wouldn’t be amazing. I’ll have to pick up the paper–or I guess the computer in this case–and read a few of them. You guys must go to the movies a lot.”

Maddie Rose leaned over and whispered to Theo. “Does that mean you’ve seen Incredibles 2 yet? I heard it was really good and that the baby was really funny! What about Jurassic World?” She offered him another sip of her slushie as payment for his words.

Watching the children together, Betty couldn’t help herself. If she said no to them she was a monster. “Of course they can sit next to each other. I can’t possibly pull you away from your best friend can I?”

[therealthingisworse]

"Well, it's a blessing and a curse," Jughead admitted honestly. He knew he was lucky to be able to connect his work to his hobbies, but that didn't mean it was all fun all the time. "I get to see a lot of movies tell people my opinion and get paid for it, but it also means having to watch a lot of movies that I really don't care about and still have to remain somewhat objective." He shrugged. "But yeah, Theo is definitely growing up to be a cinephile like his dad. For a five year old he has some pretty extensive opinions on certain Disney movies." He laughed, looking at his son with pride. 

"Incredibles 2 is amazing!" Theo exclaimed with joy. "I think it's five out of five. That means it's reaaally good," he explained with a giggle. "Daddy says I can't watch Jurassic World until I'm at least seven and that I have to watch Jurassic Park first because it's better." He pouted but quickly smiled again when Maddie offered him her slushie.

They continued weaving through the mass of people, keeping the kids close to them until they reached their seats. "We can't all sit next to each other," Jughead said with a sigh as he looked thorough their tickets and the quickly filling theatre. "Maybe the kids can sit next to each other and we sit behind them?" he suggested hopefully, not wanting to separate his son from his new friend, but knowing that Betty would probably want to sit next to her daughter.

[therealthingisworse]

Movies | | @abettybug

[therealthingisworse]

abettybug:

Maddie shared the slushie with her friend, smiling brightly when his tongue went blue too. She giggled and turned to Mr. Jones. “uh huh. I’ve been a polite princess because I always am!” she explained with a bright smile. “I’m the bestest little girl around you know?”

Her child was so vain. Betty couldn’t help but laugh at the silliness of the little girl. She ran a hand through her hair and kissed her mess of curls. “I love you but you’re so silly sometimes.” she turned her attention to Jughead. “yeah we’re here for the Disney movie. I’m not so sure I could handle the slasher but I think Maddie Rose probably could.”

She smiled up at him and felt her heart flutter again. This was absolutely ridiculous. Why was she feeling like this? It felt silly but fun to be talking to him. “Would you guys…if we’re going to the same movie would you want to maybe sit with us?”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Jughead laughed, admiring the girl’s self-confidence.

He laughed again at Betty’s comment, wondering whether she was really so funny or whether it was just that aura around her that made him feel like a teenager making him act like this. “It’s not worth the money anyway. Barely three out of five and my standards for slashers are low,” he said with a shrug. Despite his dislike for the movie, he could rant about it for hours, something that was more than useful for his job, but not something that would probably make Betty want to hang out with him again. And he was done trying to pretend he didn’t want to hang out with her.

“That would be great.” He smiled, hoping he didn’t sound overly eager. “Where are your seats? There seem to be quite a few people going to see the movie,” he said with a hint of disappointment. If the cinema was going to be packed, there couldn’t be much they could do to sit together and it bothered him more than it probably should’ve.

[abettybug]

“We can fine them together,” Betty smiled back at him, feeling her cheeks heat up with a brilliant red blush. He had actually agreed to it! She was surprised by just how willing he was to spend time with someone that was, essentially, a stranger to him. 

Maddie Rose grabbed Theo’s hand tightly. “We can sit next to each other at the movie.” She leaned down and whispered, though both parents could hear, “You can have another drink of my slushie later too. But sshhh, don’t tell anymore.”

The young mother didn’t have it in her heart to stop the cute exchange, choosing instead to follow along behind the excited girls and chat with Theo’s father–who she very much liked. “Only 3 out of 5 stars? Do you rate movies a lot in your free time? Can I have a rotten tomatoes score with that too?”

[therealthingisworse]

"Okay," he agreed with a slight blush. He knew this was not a date by any means, but couldn't help himself and wonder when was the last time he went to see a movie with another woman. It was certainly not since Theo was born.

"Well, if it's possible and if your mom agrees," Jughead said, looking at Betty expectantly. He didn't want to overstep his boundaries and allow Maddie Rose to sit next to his son if Betty didn't feel comfortable with it. He heard the little girl offering Theo more slushie, but he decided to act like he heard nothing because the way Theo's face lit up at the offer was more than worth it. He took a mental note to feed him just a bit more broccoli the next day to make up for it.

Jughead laughed, realizing that even though Betty shared the information about her multiple careers, he never told her what his job was. "Also in my free time, but mostly not. I work as a movie critic for an online magazine. Write movie reviews and all that," he said with a shrug. "It's not my dream job but it pays surprisingly well for me to either complain or gush about every new movie I see. So in the end it's perfect."

[therealthingisworse]

Movies | | @abettybug

[therealthingisworse]

abettybug:

Maddie shared the slushie with her friend, smiling brightly when his tongue went blue too. She giggled and turned to Mr. Jones. “uh huh. I’ve been a polite princess because I always am!” she explained with a bright smile. “I’m the bestest little girl around you know?”

Her child was so vain. Betty couldn’t help but laugh at the silliness of the little girl. She ran a hand through her hair and kissed her mess of curls. “I love you but you’re so silly sometimes.” she turned her attention to Jughead. “yeah we’re here for the Disney movie. I’m not so sure I could handle the slasher but I think Maddie Rose probably could.”

She smiled up at him and felt her heart flutter again. This was absolutely ridiculous. Why was she feeling like this? It felt silly but fun to be talking to him. “Would you guys…if we’re going to the same movie would you want to maybe sit with us?”

"I'll take your word for it." Jughead laughed, admiring the girl's self-confidence.

He laughed again at Betty's comment, wondering whether she was really so funny or whether it was just that aura around her that made him feel like a teenager making him act like this. "It's not worth the money anyway. Barely three out of five and my standards for slashers are low," he said with a shrug. Despite his dislike for the movie, he could rant about it for hours, something that was more than useful for his job, but not something that would probably make Betty want to hang out with him again. And he was done trying to pretend he didn't want to hang out with her.

"That would be great." He smiled, hoping he didn't sound overly eager. "Where are your seats? There seem to be quite a few people going to see the movie," he said with a hint of disappointment. If the cinema was going to be packed, there couldn't be much they could do to sit together and it bothered him more than it probably should've.

[therealthingisworse]

Movies | | @abettybug

“Orange or raspberry?” Jughead asked, looking down at his son who was buzzing with excitement next to him.

“Raspberry, please,” Theo replied with a sweet smile, his blue eyes shining.

“Okay, make the one small raspberry and a large orange please. Oh, and a pack of M&Ms,” Jughead told the teenager working at the concession stand, taking out a couple of bills from his wallet. The concession stand at the cinema was one huge rip-off, but he could never stop himself. A proper movie experience couldn’t go without snacks. Even if it was just a kids movie. There was probably a huge group of parents who would judge him for pumping his son full of sugar with the soda and candy, but he was not going to beat himself up about it too much. He could hardly say no to the little boy when he looked at him with pleading eyes.

Today, especially, he wanted to give him a little treat for a successful first week at new school. While the first day was preceded with some anxiety, when Jughead came to pick him up he was pleasantly surprised to see Theo happy and smiley, excitedly chattering away on the whole way home. Most of his experiences from the first day included a girl called Maddie Rose who supposedly came up to him and told him she wanted to be his best friend. Jughead’s smile grew especially wide at that part. The rest of the week passed in similar fashion and by the end of it Theo was excited to go to school every morning and Jughead found himself getting excited as well. He tried to tell himself it was just because he was happy for his son finding a place where he felt comfortable, but he knew it was also because he was secretly hoping to run into Betty. They hadn’t had a chance to have a proper chat since that time at the coffee shop and even though he managed to attend his first PTA meeting, he was still more of an outsider who was there to observe and make sure it was really something he wanted to join. It seemed like majority of the parents there were really proactive, stay at home moms or parents who had a lot of experience with this sort of stuff, which left him feeling a bit insecure and unsure whether he was the right fit.

“Daddy,” Theo whispered as he pulled on Jughead’s sleeve to get his attention while the father tried to balance the snacks and drinks in his hands.

“What is it, buddy?”

“That’s Maddie. My friend from school,” the boy said, pointing towards a little group of people and when Jughead looked in the direction his son pointed him to, his eyes were immediately drawn to Betty. 

“Do you wanna go say hello?” Jughead asked.

“I don’t know,” Theo replied sheepishly and Jughead gave him a soft smile. His son was no social butterfly, that much he got from him. So Jughead always tried to push him just a little to try to talk to people so he wouldn’t become a friendless loner like his dad.“C'mon, let’s go say hello to your friend and her mom,” Jughead prompted him and with a little nod from Theo they headed towards the little blonde girl and her mother. As they got close to them, Jughead cleared his throat and smiled. “I didn’t know there were going to be real life princesses here tonight.”

[abettybug]

Going to the movies with Maddie Rose was always an adventure. Some days she didn’t want sugar, opting for a salty snack like pretzel bites and a large water. But other days–most notably today–there wasn’t enough she could put in her tiny little body. The latest Disney animated film had come out just last weekend, and Betty had been promising her daughter all week that they would go if she did well in class. Well, six gold stars later, there wasn’t really a way she could say no to that little grin.

Much like she couldn’t say no when Maddie held up the pack of redvines and pointed at the red and green slushie stand. “I want one of those mama! Look at the colors!”

Betty bit her lip, debating on if it was late enough in the morning for popcorn, pretzels, candy, and a sugary drink like that. She remembered the way her daughter grinned bright blue the first time she ever had one, and immediately ordered two smalls. Maybe mom deserved a little spoiling too, after all, they’d been eating healthy all week!

Just as they were about to turn into the line of parents with eagerly bouncing children, where their tickets could get torn, she heard a voice from behind her. It sounded familiar and Betty immediately felt her hopes sky rocket. Turning around, she wasn’t disappointed. There he was, Jughead. Her silly little crush was manifesting in ways she couldn’t have predicted. As president of the PTA, she was sure at their last meeting she looked like a fool, stuttering over her words as she tried to show off for the man lingering in the corner, his eyes wide and watching her. It was just a routine meeting and she’d sounded so foolish!

 Maddie’s eyes lit up wide when she heard the voices and immediately squealed, throwing her arms tightly around Theo. “Look mommy it’s my best friend! Do you wanna try some of my slushie it tastes like blue sugar and that’s the bestest I think. It made my tongue blue,” she sticks it out to show him before turning to Jughead and bowing. “Theo’s my prince so you better have been nice to him Mister!”

“Maddie…careful,” Betty said softly, but it was mostly all in good fun. She smiled at Jughead, feeling her heart beat a little quicker. “Fancy meeting you here.”

[therealthingisworse]

Theo looked at Jughead with pleading eyes. "Can I daddy, please?" Jughead smiled, wondering how he managed to raise such a polite child.

"Of course you can try some if Maddie is okay with it. But not too much, you have your own snacks," he said and Theo nodded with a bright smile.

Jughead laughed at Maddie's interaction with Theo. Just like the first time he met her, she seemed like a little hurricane. But while initially he was worried that his timid son might be a bit scared off by her bubbly personality, he could see him coming alive next to her and it warmed his heart. "I'm always nice to him, Miss Maddie." Jughead grinned at the little girl. "Were you nice to your mommy, though? Not giving her any more trouble?" he asked, remembering that when he first met the girl, it was because she threw her shoe away to try to get out of going to school. Looking back at it, he was glad for her little tantrum as without it he probably wouldn't get to talk to Betty in the first place.

Jughead's heart fluttered a little when Betty smiled at him and he immediately felt silly. He was closer to his 30's than his teen years. He shouldn't feel like this just because a pretty woman was paying attention to him. And yet... "Likewise." Jughead returned her smile. "This is my home away from home." He shrugged. He couldn't count the number of hours he had spent at the cinema if he tried. "I assume you're here to see the new Disney movie and not the slasher they happen to be playing at the same time?" he asked with a smirk.

[therealthingisworse]

Movies | | @abettybug

"Orange or raspberry?" Jughead asked, looking down at his son who was buzzing with excitement next to him.

"Raspberry, please," Theo replied with a sweet smile, his blue eyes shining.

"Okay, make the one small raspberry and a large orange please. Oh, and a pack of M&Ms," Jughead told the teenager working at the concession stand, taking out a couple of bills from his wallet. The concession stand at the cinema was one huge rip-off, but he could never stop himself. A proper movie experience couldn't go without snacks. Even if it was just a kids movie. There was probably a huge group of parents who would judge him for pumping his son full of sugar with the soda and candy, but he was not going to beat himself up about it too much. He could hardly say no to the little boy when he looked at him with pleading eyes.

Today, especially, he wanted to give him a little treat for a successful first week at new school. While the first day was preceded with some anxiety, when Jughead came to pick him up he was pleasantly surprised to see Theo happy and smiley, excitedly chattering away on the whole way home. Most of his experiences from the first day included a girl called Maddie Rose who supposedly came up to him and told him she wanted to be his best friend. Jughead's smile grew especially wide at that part. The rest of the week passed in similar fashion and by the end of it Theo was excited to go to school every morning and Jughead found himself getting excited as well. He tried to tell himself it was just because he was happy for his son finding a place where he felt comfortable, but he knew it was also because he was secretly hoping to run into Betty. They hadn't had a chance to have a proper chat since that time at the coffee shop and even though he managed to attend his first PTA meeting, he was still more of an outsider who was there to observe and make sure it was really something he wanted to join. It seemed like majority of the parents there were really proactive, stay at home moms or parents who had a lot of experience with this sort of stuff, which left him feeling a bit insecure and unsure whether he was the right fit.

"Daddy," Theo whispered as he pulled on Jughead's sleeve to get his attention while the father tried to balance the snacks and drinks in his hands.

"What is it, buddy?"

"That's Maddie. My friend from school," the boy said, pointing towards a little group of people and when Jughead looked in the direction his son pointed him to, his eyes were immediately drawn to Betty. 

"Do you wanna go say hello?" Jughead asked.

"I don't know," Theo replied sheepishly and Jughead gave him a soft smile. His son was no social butterfly, that much he got from him. So Jughead always tried to push him just a little to try to talk to people so he wouldn't become a friendless loner like his dad."C'mon, let's go say hello to your friend and her mom," Jughead prompted him and with a little nod from Theo they headed towards the little blonde girl and her mother. As they got close to them, Jughead cleared his throat and smiled. "I didn't know there were going to be real life princesses here tonight."

[abettybug]

The Coffee Shop

[therealthingisworse]

abettybug:

Betty watched him talk with wide eyes. He was so open, honest, and absolutely genuine as he explained just a little bit of how he’d come to be a young single father of the most adorable little boy in the world. Unable to stop herself, she reached out and took his hand, threading their fingers together. It almost felt silly, but she was already developing a strong attachment to him. Everything about him just resonated with her bleeding heart. She wanted to bake cookies for them and make sure the boys were eating right. Her mother always called her the Patron Saint of Lost Causes.

“Jughead…I’m sorry. I’m sorry people hurt you like that and treated you badly because of decisions that weren’t yours. Not everyone is perfect and you don’t try to be. They do. So I think you’re to be admired even more for what you do to be a good person then. I think you’re amazing, not selfish. Consider me from now on your ear to rant on. Sometimes it’s nice to have someone who understands it all.” She smiled up at him wide and pretty. “You’re a good guy. I’m lucky to have gotten to meet you today. And i’m serious about the PTA. We could use someone like you.”

It was Jughead’s turn to blush now. Sure, people close to him had been supporting him as much as they could since the moment the three months old baby was dropped off at his doorstep but they were his friends, his family. They had seen him tackle many obstacles and he had helped them with theirs. It felt natural they would be there for him. But Betty… He only just met her and she had already shown him so much compassion and understanding. It was unlike everything he was used to. “It is. It’s very nice. Thank you.” He smiled back at her, letting her know he appreciated it.

“No, I’m sure I’m the lucky one. Actually, it’s quite funny. I was hoping to fly under the PTA’s radar, hoping that being unnoticed was the way to go and then less than an hour after meeting you I’m fully on board, excited to organize something for the kids. You’re really something Betty Cooper. Do you work as a lobbyist or…” he trailed off with laugh. It was strange how easy it was to talk to her. To jump from laughing to serious topics and back. Like they had known each other their whole lives. It scared him a little how easily he could get attached to her. But for now, there seemed to be no harm in it.

[abettybug]

Betty blushed at his compliment. He was so cute, so gentle, it made her heart flutter just a little bit too much for her liking. Or maybe it was just to her liking. “No but I’m sure I could add that cap to the many ones I already have. I freelance write but I’d love to be a  photographer if I ever got good enough. I have a photography business but it’s more a passion project right now. A few clients here and there but nothing too serious.”

Looking at the clock, she sighed. There probably wasn’t much time left for them to talk before real life and grown up responsibilities called. It made him sad to think about. It felt almost devastating, but maybe…she pulled out her phone and handed him her number. “Here.”

[therealthingisworse]

Jughead's breath hitched when he saw her blush once again. When did women get so cute? He pondered. But maybe it wasn't women. Maybe it was just Betty. "A fellow writer then," he mused with a smile. "Photography seems like a great hobby. And even better if you can make a career out of it."

Jughead felt a wave of disappointment when he saw Betty glance at the clock with a sigh as he assumed it meant their meeting was coming to a close. It wasn't often that a conversation with someone ended before he wanted to and it was quite a surprise to him. However, he was even more surprised when she gave him her number. She wants to recruit you for the PTA, it doesn't mean anything more. He told himself as they exchanged numbers but it still made him feel a tiny bit giddy. "The food and drinks are all on me of course," he said, taking out a few bills out of his pocket before she could say anything. He felt like she was the type to try cover the check and he wanted to make sure he would beat her to it. Not as some stupid proof of his masculinity, but because he had genuinely great time and it was the least he could do to repay her. "Can I walk you anywhere?" he asked hopefully, not wanting their conversation to end quite yet but also worried he was imposing on her kindness.

[abettybug]

The Coffee Shop

[therealthingisworse]

abettybug:

Betty watched him talk with wide eyes. He was so open, honest, and absolutely genuine as he explained just a little bit of how he’d come to be a young single father of the most adorable little boy in the world. Unable to stop herself, she reached out and took his hand, threading their fingers together. It almost felt silly, but she was already developing a strong attachment to him. Everything about him just resonated with her bleeding heart. She wanted to bake cookies for them and make sure the boys were eating right. Her mother always called her the Patron Saint of Lost Causes.

“Jughead…I’m sorry. I’m sorry people hurt you like that and treated you badly because of decisions that weren’t yours. Not everyone is perfect and you don’t try to be. They do. So I think you’re to be admired even more for what you do to be a good person then. I think you’re amazing, not selfish. Consider me from now on your ear to rant on. Sometimes it’s nice to have someone who understands it all.” She smiled up at him wide and pretty. “You’re a good guy. I’m lucky to have gotten to meet you today. And i’m serious about the PTA. We could use someone like you.”

It was Jughead's turn to blush now. Sure, people close to him had been supporting him as much as they could since the moment the three months old baby was dropped off at his doorstep but they were his friends, his family. They had seen him tackle many obstacles and he had helped them with theirs. It felt natural they would be there for him. But Betty... He only just met her and she had already shown him so much compassion and understanding. It was unlike everything he was used to. "It is. It's very nice. Thank you." He smiled back at her, letting her know he appreciated it.

"No, I'm sure I'm the lucky one. Actually, it's quite funny. I was hoping to fly under the PTA's radar, hoping that being unnoticed was the way to go and then less than an hour after meeting you I'm fully on board, excited to organize something for the kids. You're really something Betty Cooper. Do you work as a lobbyist or..." he trailed off with laugh. It was strange how easy it was to talk to her. To jump from laughing to serious topics and back. Like they had known each other their whole lives. It scared him a little how easily he could get attached to her. But for now, there seemed to be no harm in it.

[abettybug]

The Coffee Shop

[therealthingisworse]

abettybug:

Betty blushed a brilliant shade of red at his words. He was so wonderfully flirtatious and no one had ever done that with her before–at least not in recent memory. The second they found out about the little girl the tended to run as far and as fast as they could. Maybe it was nice meeting someone who understood the responsibilities of being a young parent.

“It would! I can’t tell you how mortified Madeline is of me sometimes. We’ll go to little picnic parties with some of the other PTA moms and their spouses and they’ll be riding bikes and other things and she never learned before her mother couldn’t teach her! I even get nervous letting her on a trike,” she admitted. She tried not to be the hovering woman her mother had always been growing up, but sometimes that Cooper fear and need for control manifested in the worst ways and she found herself doting to a suffocating extreme before pulling herself away and apologizing.

“I can’t wait to try your cookies. M&Ms are Maddie Rose’s favorite kind.” Unable to help herself she smiled in his direction. “As for the PTA, there’s a small fee associated with it, but you get a cool PTA shirt that one of the mom’s helped to design, with the name of the school and their mascot on it. We can even have yours say ‘PTA DAD’ on the back if you want. We have meetings every Wednesdays during school early in the morning but they don’t last more than a few hours. We need volunteers to help us organize events like school wide fundraisers, field trips, and the carnivals we put on every year! Oh you’ll love the carnival. It’s huge and the kids always have an amazing time. We also have something called Field Day that we put on.”

“We have a bit of an opposite problem then.” Jughead laughed, taking a sip of his coffee. It really was as amazing as Betty claimed. “Riding a bike is about the only sport related activity I know how to do, but Theo is still a bit scared of it. Sometimes I’m worried he has a hidden talent for some sport but we won’t find out because I’d rather take him to a library than play catch and one day it will be too late and he’ll be disappointed in me,” he said with a sigh. He wasn’t sure why he was telling Betty this, but he couldn’t remember the last time he was able to have an honest conversation with another parent. Archie and Jellybean were always eager to help him out with Theo, look after him and play with him so Jughead could get some time alone, but while he could talk to them and share his worries as a parent, they could never understand him in a way that another parent would. “Sorry, didn’t mean to bother you with my probably unreasonable worries.”

“Doesn’t everyone love M&Ms? Though Theo and I usually end up eating majority of them before we can even put them in the cookies.” He laughed, thinking of the last time they were making the cookies and by the time the M&Ms were supposed to be added, they had barely any left. He was certainly not good at not eating the ingredients before the meal is finished. “A shirt with ‘PTA DAD’ on it? You should’ve started with that. That’s the biggest pull.” Jughead grinned at her. He hoped she didn’t take his teasing the wrong way because the more she talked about the PTA the more excited he was getting to actually join them. Something he never thought would be his thing suddenly seemed so appealing. He didn’t want to think it was just because of Betty, but she was definitely persuasive. “Wow, sounds like the PTA is busy. I’m pretty sure the previous school only did ballet recitals and spelling bees to show off the kids who took private French lessons. The bake sales were all filled with fancy pastry that the moms just got shipped from somewhere. Really, I don’t know why I ever thought it was the right fit for Theo.” Jughead rolled his eyes but laughed. While he was still mad about the way he and his son were treated there, now all he could do was try to poke fun at them.

[abettybug]

“They’re not unreasonable Jughead. Trust me when I say it’s nice to have a candid conversation with another parent about these sorts of things,” she smiles honestly, squeezing his hand. “It’s hard but that’s okay. Its why were parents right? Because we wanted to do some of that hard stuff. But being a single parent is harder. It is. So i know how you feel.”

Betty made a face as he described his previous school. it sounded like a nightmare–not a place to foster a young child’s growth. She shook her head. “It sounds horrible there. I hate it for you and little Theo. I had judgemental parents and trust me when I say I get a lot of them. Everyone wants to know where her dad is but they don’t believe me when I say there isn’t one. They don’t think someone as young as me would want to go through getting a sperm donor and all that. But it was worth it to me. I always…I always wanted kids. Before it was too late.” She’s spilled too much. He’ll think she’s crazy. “Gosh I’m sorry.”

[therealthingisworse]

Jughead was a bit taken aback by her confession. A girl like Betty surely had men lining up for her. Yet she chose the hard path and willingly became a single mother. If anything, she should be admired and not judged. "Don't be," Jughead gave her hand a comforting squeeze. "You took initiative. You wanted control over things. There is nothing wrong about that." He gave her an honest smile. "As much as I wouldn't change the way things are now, because I love my son more than anything in the world, I wish I had some more control over how things happened." He took a deep breath, briefly contemplating whether he wanted to share his story as well. He felt like it was only fair to reveal something after she just did. If only to make her feel better. And while he didn't know why he suddenly cared so much about how a woman who was still virtually a stranger to him felt, he knew it was the right thing to do. "I know those questions all too well. Everyone assumes I'm divorced or even widowed. They get this really sad face and try to pity me. It's quite awkward when I need to explain to them that Theo's mother is not dead. Or maybe she is. How would I know?" He scoffed, shaking his head and subconsciously gripped Betty's hand a little tighter, as if looking for comfort himself. "The point is, she went to a great length to make sure she's no a part of his life. And she doesn't deserve to be. You'd think that a mother dropping a baby at the father's doorstep only happens on TV, right? Well, it doesn't," he said, his eyes fixed on the table between them. He wasn't sure why he was telling her all this. Initially he just wanted to vent a little and support her. Now that he started talking, it was hard to stop. "Anyway, we're not the bad people here for trying to do our best in an unusual situation. It's the people that bully us or our children who should feel bad," he finished, looking up and hoping he could find understanding in Betty's eyes rather than pity or judgment that other people give him.

"I guess now I should be the one apologizing for bringing this conversation down, shouldn't I?" he asked with a chuckle. "It just feels really good to tell someone who can relate at least in a tiny way. Is it selfish of me to be glad there are more people who may understand my frustration?"

[abettybug]

The Coffee Shop

[therealthingisworse]

abettybug:

Betty blushed a brilliant shade of red at his words. He was so wonderfully flirtatious and no one had ever done that with her before–at least not in recent memory. The second they found out about the little girl the tended to run as far and as fast as they could. Maybe it was nice meeting someone who understood the responsibilities of being a young parent.

“It would! I can’t tell you how mortified Madeline is of me sometimes. We’ll go to little picnic parties with some of the other PTA moms and their spouses and they’ll be riding bikes and other things and she never learned before her mother couldn’t teach her! I even get nervous letting her on a trike,” she admitted. She tried not to be the hovering woman her mother had always been growing up, but sometimes that Cooper fear and need for control manifested in the worst ways and she found herself doting to a suffocating extreme before pulling herself away and apologizing.

“I can’t wait to try your cookies. M&Ms are Maddie Rose’s favorite kind.” Unable to help herself she smiled in his direction. “As for the PTA, there’s a small fee associated with it, but you get a cool PTA shirt that one of the mom’s helped to design, with the name of the school and their mascot on it. We can even have yours say ‘PTA DAD’ on the back if you want. We have meetings every Wednesdays during school early in the morning but they don’t last more than a few hours. We need volunteers to help us organize events like school wide fundraisers, field trips, and the carnivals we put on every year! Oh you’ll love the carnival. It’s huge and the kids always have an amazing time. We also have something called Field Day that we put on.”

"We have a bit of an opposite problem then." Jughead laughed, taking a sip of his coffee. It really was as amazing as Betty claimed. "Riding a bike is about the only sport related activity I know how to do, but Theo is still a bit scared of it. Sometimes I'm worried he has a hidden talent for some sport but we won't find out because I'd rather take him to a library than play catch and one day it will be too late and he'll be disappointed in me," he said with a sigh. He wasn't sure why he was telling Betty this, but he couldn't remember the last time he was able to have an honest conversation with another parent. Archie and Jellybean were always eager to help him out with Theo, look after him and play with him so Jughead could get some time alone, but while he could talk to them and share his worries as a parent, they could never understand him in a way that another parent would. "Sorry, didn't mean to bother you with my probably unreasonable worries."

"Doesn't everyone love M&Ms? Though Theo and I usually end up eating majority of them before we can even put them in the cookies." He laughed, thinking of the last time they were making the cookies and by the time the M&Ms were supposed to be added, they had barely any left. He was certainly not good at not eating the ingredients before the meal is finished. "A shirt with 'PTA DAD' on it? You should've started with that. That's the biggest pull." Jughead grinned at her. He hoped she didn't take his teasing the wrong way because the more she talked about the PTA the more excited he was getting to actually join them. Something he never thought would be his thing suddenly seemed so appealing. He didn't want to think it was just because of Betty, but she was definitely persuasive. "Wow, sounds like the PTA is busy. I'm pretty sure the previous school only did ballet recitals and spelling bees to show off the kids who took private French lessons. The bake sales were all filled with fancy pastry that the moms just got shipped from somewhere. Really, I don't know why I ever thought it was the right fit for Theo." Jughead rolled his eyes but laughed. While he was still mad about the way he and his son were treated there, now all he could do was try to poke fun at them.

[abettybug]

The Coffee Shop

[therealthingisworse]

abettybug:

“I promise you the coffee here is nothing short of perfect,” Betty said easily. Without a doubt she knew it to be true. This place was her favorite in the world. Even Maddie could spend hours in here without her having to worry too much about her being sick or bored. 

She ordered the same thing she always did: a white mocha with an add shot of coffee because it was the only thing that could keep her awake for long periods of time. The joys of being a mother meant always being on her toes and a little caffeine definitely helped with that. She swore her blood stream was more coffee than it was red blood cells anymore.

“I helped paint the walls,” it was a little vain to point out, but she was proud of all the hard work she’d put into this place. After how much Veronica had done for her in helping make sure Maddie was a possibility, a little paint job was the least she could do. “So i’m a bit biased about everything i think. But I don’t think you’ll mind once you get a take. Those chocolate chip muffins are to die for. They’re an old family recipe I gave the place too.”

“I see I’m not the only one with caffeine addiction here,” Jughead joked as Betty placed her order. “My best friend Archie always judges me for it. Says I’ll get a heart attack before I’m thirty. But he’s one of those weird people who spend three hours a day at a gym and claim it makes them more energized.” Jughead rolled his eyes with a scoff. “I mean, no offense if you’re one of them. I just can’t relate.” He shrugged and leaned back in his chair.

“Is there anything you don’t know how to do?” he asked with an impressed smile. He had known Betty for less than an hour and he already learned that she’s the president of the PTA, a single mom and apparently knows how to paint walls and has some amazing looking family recipes. Just then the waitress came back to their table and Jughead, pleased with the speed at which she delivered their order, wasted no time before digging into the muffin. "Mmm…“ he let out a satisfied moan that may embarrass some people, but he always found there was no shame in loudly appreciating good food. “Okay, I totally trust you now,” he said after taking a sip of coffee to wash down the chocolatey goodness and smirked at her. “Please tell me you’re making these for the bake sale.”

[abettybug]

“Trust me when I say that I am not one of those people,” Betty laughed and tried to imagine the last time she was at the gym. It had been a little bit before Maddie was born, when Veronica had insisted she try and work out through the baby. Just go to a yoga class for young mothers, she had said, it would be fun, she said. Instead, Betty ended up crying to a bunch of strangers because she was so far along she had laid down and couldn’t get up by herself. “The gym is not my favorite place in the world.”

She blushed at his compliment, playing with the end of her hair. Something about his kind words his close to home. Maybe it was like Veronica said: she hadn’t had much male attention lately. Most guys her age weren’t interested in raising a pre-school aged girl.

“I don’t know how to ride a bike,” Betty admitted. “It’s my one weakness. Oh, but the bake sale? Maybe! I was also thinking about making some of my cinnamon and pecan banana bread! You’ll have to try that too. I think it’s better than these, but I never let anyone have the recipe. It’s too precious!”

[therealthingisworse]

"Well that makes two of us. I really don't know how I ended up being best friends with such a gym rat." Jughead shook his head with laugh. Truth to be told, he was friends with Archie long before that, but sometimes he still wondered how they managed to keep their friendship so strong despite all the differences that became clear with age.

Jughead noticed the slight blush on Betty's face and had to stuff another piece of muffin in his mouth to hide his grin. When hoping he may see her blush, he didn't actually expect it to happen anytime soon. If ever. And he certainly wasn't trying to achieve it. But if anything he said and did caused that. Well, he might feel good about it.

"Oh, no! Not knowing how to ride a bike? That will ruin your reputation!" Jughead scoffed but smiled, letting her know it was just some good-natured teasing. Was he allowed to tease someone he had known for only such a short time? He wasn't sure. But he was never good at communicating with people "the proper way". "Better than these? That's hard to believe." He laughed, popping the last piece of his first muffin into his mouth, savoring the taste. "But if that's the case, then I'll probably have to ask you to marry me before anyone else figures out your baking skills and snatches you up." He grinned and for a second wondered whether his comment went too far. He didn't mean for things to come out as flirty but somehow he couldn't help himself. Maybe he needed to be in contact with more women because he felt like a teenager around Betty. Except when he was a teenager, he could hardly look a girl like Betty in the eyes for more than ten seconds. "And here I was, thinking that my M&M cookies would be good enough for the sale," he added with a shake of his head. "You need to tell me more about the PTA and what is expected of me. I'm clearly underestimating this."

[abettybug]

The Coffee Shop

[therealthingisworse]

abettybug:

“I promise you the coffee here is nothing short of perfect,” Betty said easily. Without a doubt she knew it to be true. This place was her favorite in the world. Even Maddie could spend hours in here without her having to worry too much about her being sick or bored. 

She ordered the same thing she always did: a white mocha with an add shot of coffee because it was the only thing that could keep her awake for long periods of time. The joys of being a mother meant always being on her toes and a little caffeine definitely helped with that. She swore her blood stream was more coffee than it was red blood cells anymore.

“I helped paint the walls,” it was a little vain to point out, but she was proud of all the hard work she’d put into this place. After how much Veronica had done for her in helping make sure Maddie was a possibility, a little paint job was the least she could do. “So i’m a bit biased about everything i think. But I don’t think you’ll mind once you get a take. Those chocolate chip muffins are to die for. They’re an old family recipe I gave the place too.”

"I see I'm not the only one with caffeine addiction here," Jughead joked as Betty placed her order. "My best friend Archie always judges me for it. Says I'll get a heart attack before I'm thirty. But he's one of those weird people who spend three hours a day at a gym and claim it makes them more energized." Jughead rolled his eyes with a scoff. "I mean, no offense if you're one of them. I just can't relate." He shrugged and leaned back in his chair.

"Is there anything you don't know how to do?" he asked with an impressed smile. He had known Betty for less than an hour and he already learned that she's the president of the PTA, a single mom and apparently knows how to paint walls and has some amazing looking family recipes. Just then the waitress came back to their table and Jughead, pleased with the speed at which she delivered their order, wasted no time before digging into the muffin. "Mmm..." he let out a satisfied moan that may embarrass some people, but he always found there was no shame in loudly appreciating good food. "Okay, I totally trust you now," he said after taking a sip of coffee to wash down the chocolatey goodness and smirked at her. "Please tell me you're making these for the bake sale."

[abettybug]

The Coffee Shop

@therealthingisworse

She could tell immediately he regretted not bringing his little boy here sooner. Betty hoped that this would be a turning point for him and Theo–helping to ease whatever pain they had suffered through at their previous school, in their previous lives. While this place wasn’t perfect, everyone did their best to make it a good learning environment for the children, all of the children. Familial background didn’t much matter to anyone aside from a few of the snobbier people, but she did her best to ignore their jabbing remarks and focus on her own happiness.

“Don’t worry. They’ll be plenty of other field trips we’ve got planned. There’s a bake sale coming up and if our class raises the most money we’ll all get to go to the aquarium with three volunteer chaperones! It’s very exciting,” she tried to turn it around, help him see something brighter. Maybe he hadn’t been there for the first one, but Theo would enjoy his time here.

“What kind of single mother would I be if I didn’t have a favorite coffee shop?” she smiled at him, brushing off her dress. “Follow my lead.”

The cafe was small, just a few blocks away from the school, with a few tables huddled throughout the dimly lit room. Mostly teenagers worked there, but it was an easy place to relax without the hustle and bustle of a busy place like starbucks. The walls were decorated with quotes from some of her favorite novels. Looking at it, she felt her heart swell with pride.

“My best friend Veronica owns this place, and her general manager is our old high school friend Kevin. Trust me when I say you will not be disappointed at all.”

[therealthingisworse]

"That sounds amazing. I'm sure Theo would love that," he said with a smile. They were going to win that bake sale even if Jughead had to buy all the baked goods himself. He'd make sure of that. "Well then, lead the way."

As they entered the café, Jughead immediately noticed the different quotes on the walls and smiled. If the coffee was as good as the owner's sense for interior design, then he'd be satisfied. "We'll  see, we'll see." He grinned as they found a little table for two and sat down. "I am quite picky about the quality of my coffee." As if on cue, the second the words left his mouth there was a waitress standing by their table with a pad in her hands, eagerly awaiting their order. "I'll have a double-espresso and um..." He craned his neck to try to see towards the display of pastries at the counter. "Two chocolate chip muffins," he said after a second of consideration. After all, breakfast was over an hour ago and his stomach was starting to signalize that it was time for food again.

He waited for Betty to place her order and looked around. He had never heard of this café but he really liked the vibe it gave off. Small, quiet and not far from the school. It felt like an ideal place for him to write at. "I really like it here," he pondered out loud. "The coffee shop where I usually go to work on my writing was recently mentioned on some blog and now it's overflowing with hipsters. I've been looking for a new place since then, but have yet to find something."