wc: 861

archie searched through the riverdale high halls for his bestfriend, not finding her anywhere.

there's only one more place she could be, the bathrooms.

jughead stood in front of the mirror and sink, crying.

she couldn't help it, this was when her emotions came out to play. when suddenly archie andrews stormed into the women's bathroom looking for her.

"archie what're you doing in here?" she turns around after seeing him behind her in the mirror, sniffling and wiping the tears off her cheeks.

"looking for you."

jughead laughs, turning back around to face the mirror, avoiding eye contact with archie.

"please just go." jughead says, trying her absolute hardest to not speak with tears.

"no i'm not going until you tell me what's wrong."

"please jug. just say it."

"i don't know what you want me to say." i swallow, i knew exactly what he was talking about. it's just, everything will change if i say something now.

"did you see me and veronica this morning?"

i roll my eyes, "arch please just go!" i raise my voice, holding my head down so he can't see any of my facial expressions.

"i'm not going."

i swallow my breath once more, "fine then i'll go." i go to walk past archie when he stops me, completely blocking my body from walking out the door.

"let me go."

"no."

"please arch." i start sobbing uncontrollably, this is definitely one of my more embarrassing moments.

he brings me into his chest by my head, hugging me. "it's okay. you can tell me anything."

does he want me to say it so we can move past it?
or does he want me to say it because he feels the same way?

the 50/50 chance is too much of a risk when it comes to losing archie.

i suck it up. "let me go." i say seriously.

"jug.."

"i said, let me go."

"fine." he moves to the right. i push past his shoulder and out the door. when i bump into a guy since i wasn't exactly paying attention to where i was going.

"sorry." i say, walking away fast, not even bothering to see who i just hit by accident.

i hear someone running after me, i assumed it was archie so i turned around with an annoyed expression plastered on my face. it pull it back when i realize it's scott.

"hey." he says, handing me a piece of paper i must have dropped since it was my homework.

"oh fuck sorry, i didn't know it was you."

"yeah i kinda assumed, are you okay?" he asks, he really is one of the most genuine guys in this town.

"i'm fine, really." i forced a smile against my lips, saying sorry once more.

he fake smiles along with me, "i was actually thinking about you.."

"oh, really?" i didn't actually believe him, i just thought he was trying to make me feel better, which was sweet of him i guess.

he nodded, "would you wanna go to pops with me later tonight?"

"you mean like, on a date?" i laugh unintentionally, i didn't mean it in a bad way but i'm pretty sure that's how it came across.

he holds a hand up to his heart, "ouch."

"no it's not.. i'm just kind of into someone else.."

"what? is he bigger than me?"

he makes me laugh i'll give him that.

"it's not.. well i can't be with him, so i think i just need time to move past him, you know?" i try my best to explain without giving too much away.

his eyebrows furrow a little, like he was trying his absolute best to figure out what i meant by that. "so just come to pops."

i squeeze my lips together and squint my eyes a little, thinking.. "maybe."

he smiles, "well you know my number."

i nod and smile, i think this could be a good idea?

i call betty since i didn't want to stay at archie's now.

"betty?"

"yeah jug?"

"could i stay at your place for a couple nights..?"

she acted surprised when i asked for permission. archie is my bestfriend yes, but it was always the three of us growing up.

"of course, obviously yes."

"thank you."

"can i ask why you aren't staying with archie?"

"we can talk about it later?" i didn't feel like getting into it on the phone.

she knows all about the whole unspoken feelings. coming from both sides.

"okay thank you, i'll be by later i gotta go."

"okay. see you later." she ends the call. i better get to archie's house and get my stuff before he comes back home.

i ditch the last class to swing by archie's house and gather my things and not have any confrontation with him or fred. i love his dad but i didn't want any questions so i left a note on the kitchen table.

i drop my things on betty's back porch since she obviously wasn't home right now to let me in and i didn't want a one on one convo with alice.

this is for the best.