Jughead's POV

Tomorrow was Archie's trial, I couldn't face Betty..I'd been lying to her. My dad and I had reached a compromise with Penny. But I wasn't ready to tell Betty what that was. The Ghoulies would be combining with the Serpents, whatever we had was half theirs. Which included Thistle house where we were all staying since the trailer park went to ruins. But that wasn't the part that would kill her, my own decision for the good of the Serpents would.

"Jug...you don't have to do this." My dad begged me as we sat there at one of the Ghoulies new hangouts in Greendale.

"I don't have a choice. How am I going to be able to show a united front, being with Betty...it makes me look weak. Everyone knows she's my soft spot, you heard Penny say it herself. I have to break up with her. You know what, I'll just do it after court tomorrow. I'm going to head back to Riverdale in the morning." I sighed as I headed back to the hotel.

"You're going to regret this Jug. I promise you are. I regretted it when I did it to Alice...look where I am now. Please tell me you don't consider this better off? The mistakes we made Jug, they changed everything and I made the first one when I let Alice walk away." He yelled at me.

"I'm not you...and Betty isn't Alice. I have to do this for the Serpents and to protect her. All our enemies come after her to get to me." I said back to him.

"You're doing it for the Serpents and to be fucking selfish. Boy...I can promise you will regret this." He said as I walked out of the bar. My dad was probably right, but right now no one could change my mind, I was breaking up with Betty for the good of the Serpents. That's what I told myself at least. I had to be an example as a leader. The next morning I woke up to five missed calls from Betty. I looked at the time and realized the trial had already started. My dad was waiting outside gassing up the bikes.

"Ready?" I said to him as I put on my leather jacket and helmet.

"Are you sure about this Jug? I guarantee you if you do this, there is no going back. " He sighed, trying to stop me one more time.

"Dad I know the consequences. I get it, I made my decision. I'm sticking to it." I sighed as I got on my motorcycle and pulled away. It took a good hour to make it back to Riverdale. I drove right to the courthouse parking my bike next to other Serpent's already inside. Digging my heels into the floor as I entered the courtroom, the jury had just come back with their final verdict.

"We find the defendant Archie Andrews not guilty in the crime of arson and destruction of public property." One of the jurors said as he sat back down. The crowd cheered as the session ended Betty ran up to me and embraced me in her arms. She leaned in for a kiss, being that I had been gone for over a week now. It wasn't a lot to ask for but I couldn't return the feeling. I turned my head as I stared at her with a beatened look on my face. I had a feeling she knew what was going, I'd barely called her the past five days and struggled to tell her I loved her on the phone last night.

"Jug...what happened?" Betty quickly realized something was terribly wrong.

"I have to talk to you. " I said.

"Would Penny not compromise? How long do we have till the Ghoulies want revenge?" Betty asked nervously jamming her nails into her palms.

"Betty it's not about the Ghoulies...it's about us. " I said as she stepped away from me.

"Us?" She asked.

"The Ghoulies and the Serpents are combining gangs...what's ours is theirs. I want to know show a united front, with no room for weakness. And you Betts...you're my weakness. For now, I think it's best if we end our relationship. I can't show any signs of insincerity or emotion. I have to be logical. This is the safest way to make this transition easy." I said to her. She was speechless as mascara stained her porcelain cheeks.

"You won't even fight for us anymore...I kept the Serpents in line while you were off making deals with the devil. Now I don't even get to kiss you because you're scared of looking weak. Alright if this is what you want so be it. Enjoy being single..I'm in such shock..it's going to take me some time to process this. Please don't try to talk to me for a very long time Jug. Just know this is the second time you've done this. There is no going back, like you I don't want to show weakness any longer either. " Betty said as she walked out of the courtroom.

"The Ghoulies move in tonight. I need all the Serpents to start to prepare and get the free rooms ready for them." I said following behind her.

"God Jug..you're really killing me. " Betty said as she got on her motorcycle and sped off. I had to let her go, give her time to think and process how much things were about to change. I looked down in my hand and noticed she ripped off her J initial pendant necklace and gave it back to me. We were really over this time and it was all my fault. As Betty sped off into the night I saw flashes of Alice and FP in both of us. My dad was going to end up being right.

When I arrived back at Thistle house that night, I gathered the Serpents around and told them the plan. I explained everything from start to finish, including Betty and I's demise for the good of the Serpents. She was sitting on Cheryl's bar counter top not looking at me. While V laid on Archie's chest on the couch. "Ok, so they'll be here within the hour Cheryl. What should we do to welcome them?" I asked.

"House parties are usually my specialty." She said as she got up to go start making the proper arrangements. Betty wouldn't look at me or anyone for that matter. She just sat there trapped in her head. It was my fault this time. I was bringing out all the bad thoughts in her. When the Ghoulies got there the house got packed, between the loud vibration of the speakers and the laughter around the room, I lost sight of her in more ways than one.

"Jug.." Archie said as I walked up to him and Veronica.

"Nice to see you out and about Archie. Congrats on winning your case by the way. Sorry I missed it. " I said back to him.

"Thanks, Jug it's nice to be free...do you really think breaking up with Betty was the smartest choice though?" He asked me.

"It was the only way Arch, I just work better alone. Loving someone makes you weak. There's no room for weakness in Riverdale now. " I said as more Ghoulies walked into the house. I was greeted by a new face.

"Jughead Jones." The six foot tall brown haired boy said as he dusted off his leather jacket.

"That's me. " I said back.

"Malachai will not be joining us tonight or any other in the near future. He's been detained until further notice, I'm taking over as leader of the Ghoulies for him, I'm Noah Rider." He said in a raspy voice.

"Okay Noah, welcome to the party. I look forward to working with you. " I rolled my eyes as I walked away. I sat down next to some Ghoulie girls and began to strike up a conversation to get my mind off of Betty. Did I make the wrong decision? Of course, I did.