Teacher/Single Parent AU

Jughead Jones was going to kill Archie Andrews. That would wipe the smug smile off his face for sure.

He deserved it for putting Jughead's name forward to be the teacher in charge of the annual Science Fair. Jughead really needed to start to pay attention in these staff meetings.

Not only was he the English teacher, with a limited knowledge of science, except that he had read about which peaked his interest in his spare time. But, he would need to collaborate with the head of the PTA.

Cheryl Blossom.

He could feel the shiver run down his back at the mere thought of the name.

The Blossom's were the wealthiest family in Riverdale, it hadn't taken him long to figure that one out when he started at Riverdale High. Their name was basically plastered over every hall, every park bench, every memorial, if they could of found some way to write it into the small town's slogan he was sure they would have.

No teacher wanted to spend their spare time in her company. Or more to the point, at her beck and call.

Principal Weatherby was delighted when he saw Jughead's raised hand, clearly not bothered by the fact that it was being held up by Archie. He had tried to give reasons for why he was not the ideal candidate for the job, he was the newest teacher, he was the English teacher, he was shit scared of Cheryl Blossom. Then Toni had piped up that that meant he hadn't taken part in one of these school events and if that was the case then it was his turn. The other teachers had nodded their heads enthusiastically.

And so here he was 3.30pm on a Thursday afternoon, in the school gymnasium, like a sacrificial lamb to the slaughter.

The slam of the gymnasium door behind him made him spin round. The woman who walked in did not have the tell-tale red hair of a Blossom. She also did not carry the same aire of superiority, as she walked towards him. Her step so close to being an actual skip. Her golden hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, a few strands escaping which she pushed back behind her ears as she approached.

"Sorry about the door," she apologised as she put her bag down on the chair next to him. "Heavier than it looks." She stood up straightening her shoulders before holding her hand out to him. "Betty Cooper."

He took her hand in his and gave it a quick shake. "Jughead Jones."

"The English teacher." Betty replied with a smile, before a frown crossed her face. "How did you get roped into being the head of the science fair?"

"Just lucky I guess," he said with a shrug. "Where is Cheryl? Usually the head of the PTA would -"

"It seems Cheryl is indisposed at the moment. I'm sort of deputy." Betty reached into her bag and pulled out a large binder and put it down on the table in front of them, the weight of it creating a thud. "Not that she didn't leave a whole heap of instructions for me."

Jughead's eyes widened at the size of the binder in front of him. It looked like it would take him the whole week they had to set up the fair just to read the damn thing.

"She thinks I'm going to mess it up." Betty added, a tinge of apprehension marred what had been up to now an upbeat attitude. Jughead hadn't worked with Cheryl before just heard the stories and had a few dealings with her, in regards to her son Matthew, he could only imagine what it was like to be on the PTA with her.

"Well," he tried to put on his best 'go get 'em' voice on as he opened the binder to the first page. "We should get started. Prove her wrong."

Betty nodded and pulled her pony tail tighter as she pulled out a highlighter from her bag and a notebook. Jughead got the impression that she wasn't going to let Cheryl get the upper hand and neither was he. "Besides you've probably got a husband to get home to." Jughead added before wanting to mentally slap himself for being so obvious.

"No husband." She replied with a sad smile. "My little girl is with my mom. So I have as long as you are willing to stay." She returned her attention to the binder in front of her and started to write some notes on supplies.

Jughead tried not to let the smile show too much on his face.

Maybe organising the science fair wouldn't be the ordeal he had imagined it would be.