Dare [unfinished.]

03 | UNNERVE

"It's been a loveless year
I'm a man of three fears"

- Bad Liar, by Imagine Dragons

— — — — — — — —

CHAPTER THREE
UNNERVE

     "YOU got asked to Homecoming," Betty slowly said from her spot on Veronica's bed. "By Archie Andrews? The Archie Andrews?"

"This is the sixth time you've asked me."

"And it still isn't believable."

"Believe what you want to believe," Veronica said nonchalantly, continuing her algebra homework, not really wanting to listen to her friend repeating the same words over and over again. "It doesn't change the fact that he asked."

"I know," Betty sighed. "But why? He hasn't noticed you before—no offense, it just seems out of nowhere."

"I know exactly what it is," Veronica muttered to her homework.

Even though Veronica accepted his offer to go to the dance, it didn't mean she was blind. She knew exactly what it was. It was out of nowhere, and all anyone knew was how Veronica Lodge wore glasses, therefore she was a nerd. It was why she wore the round spectacles in the first place. To get less attention, not more of it.

"What?"

Veronica let out a sigh of her own and finally looked up to meet her friend's green eyes. "Think Betty. All boys ever want is sex. Archie Andrews is no exception no matter how innocent he may have seemed."

At that, Betty's face fell for whatever reason, and Veronica knew instantly that something was wrong. "What happened?"

Now Betty averted her eyes, looking up at the white ceiling of Veronica's bedroom as if there were an interesting mural depicted.

"Was it Jones?" If it was, she was about to commit murder tonight.

A dip of the chin. It was barely imperceptible and she would've missed it if Veronica wasn't looking for confirmation.

Veronica took off her glasses and set them next to the stack of papers. "What did he do?"

"Nothing."

Veronica longed to say the words "bullshit" and "liar," but what Betty needed right now is comfort even if Veronica wanted to know just what the Serpent King did.

Veronica gave her blonde friend a soft smile and rubbed her back as she started to sob.

•

     ARCHIE dropped down onto his bed.

The brunette kissing his neck making messy work of his skin as she gasped into his ear her version of "dirty" talk. And despite the fact that he was having sex with a girl, who's name he couldn't be bothered to remember, he had a lot to think about.

Maybe the fact that he had asked Veronica Lodge to the Homecoming Dance the week of.

He was an idiot for doing that. Why had he done it? Archie didn't have to. He could've just taken the loss of the dare, could've the hit of his ego, but no. He just had to ask her to the dance and be all shy about it like she didn't know what kind of person he was.