My Light ✔️

3

Betty pov
"Miss Cooper are you alright?" A student from my mechanics class asked kindly and I forced a smile while replying a short 'yes'.

"Are you sure? You don't look too well" He insisted and I dug my nails deeper into my palms.

"Yes Jess please go back inside" I mustered to reply and she hesitantly left eyeing me worriedly as she walked away.

"Betty" I could hear Archie's familiar voice call out from behind me but I couldn't face him in the midst of a panic attack. Instead I tried to focus on my breath, trying to get a hold over my emotions. My lungs were on fire and my heart was beating uncontrollably.

"Betty try to take deep breaths" Archie encouraged as my desperate gaze met his.

"What do you think I'm doing Archibald?" I voiced irritably as I glared at him while I sat down on the steps of the school entrance.

My throat was closing and I was growing lightheaded by the second.

"Shit" I whispered under my breath as I closed my eyes shut gripping my shaking hands.

"Betty grab my hands yeah?" Archie suggested softly as I felt his hands gently grabbing my upper arms and lifting me up to my feet.  My legs were shaking slightly and I took a deep breath before I opened my eyes to stare at the floor.

"There you go" He encouraged grazing his hands down my arms to place them in my hands.

"Okay walk me through your five senses huh? What do you hear?" He asked and I tried speaking but my anxiety was weighing down heavily on my chest.

"Come on Betty. Walk me through it" He said firmly lifting my chin to meet his gaze as I continued taking deep breaths.

"I-I he-hear you" I stuttered.

"Ok. Good. What else can you hear?" He asked me rubbing gently circle on my hands to soothe me.

"I hear-I-I-do-don't know-fu-fuck" I whispered angrily feeling hot tears ushering down my cheeks.

"It's okay it's okay. You're doing great Betty" He reassured tenderly as he pulled me towards his chest to engulf me in a hug. I stiffened under his touch instinctively and he responded my rubbing circles in the small of my back.

"Can you hear my heart beat?" He asked softly and I nodded weakly.

"Ok. Can you count my heart beats under your breath?" He asked and I whispered a soft 'yes'.

"okay you're doing good Betty" He replied running a hand through my hair in a repetitive motion.

After about 5 minutes of just standing with Archie's arms wrapped around me, I began to feel the weight being lifted off my chest. My breath slowly returning back to its normal pace. Archie continued to run a hand my hair until I was able to pull myself away from him.

"See. You're okay" He smiled softly wiping a few dry tears from my face gently.

"th-thank you" I whispered in utter embarrassment sitting down with a heavy sigh of defeat.

"You wanna talk about it?" He asked softly as he sat down next to me, his leg grazing my own at the close proximity.

"No" I really immediately.

"alright" He chuckled lighting lifting up his hands in surrender.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that" I apologized guiltily.

"Don't apologize Betty. Panic attacks are no fun trust me I've had my fair share" He smiled sympathetically rubbing a hand through my back.

We stay in a comfortable silence for a while before he spoke up.

"Betty, I don't want to pressure you into telling me what has you in such a state but can I ask you a question?" He asked staring at me intently.

"Sure" I whispered tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Is that panic attack related to the nightmares you had a few weeks ago?" He asked turning his head so his eyes could meet mine.

"Yeah" I replied staring at the floor.

"Well if you ever need anyone to talk to, I'm one house down and one call away" He offered nudging me playfully.

"I know-I just-it's-it's hard to talk about it" I admitted meeting his gaze. I could tell he was trying so hard to read me but was miserably failing.

"You don't need to tell me, but I would love nothing more than to help you, if I can" Archie replied softly while placing a hand on top of mine.

"I went through something really scary and I-um-I don't like thinking about it too much" I said sighing heavily and Archie squeezed my hand moving a little closer to me.

"Umm-I-I have a lot of nightmares about it-and-it's-fright-frightening" I admitted feeling a lump in my throat. I stayed silent for a while and Archie patiently waited for me to continued.

"I was-I was abd-" I was about to vocalize my trauma for the first time since the incident but the loud screeching sound of the entrance door snapped both of our attention behind us.

"Uh-sorry to interrupt but uh-Archie-uh Betty. We should all start heading back to our classes" Veronica pointed out looking back and forth between the both of us. It didn't go pass me the way her posture became rigid as she took in our close proximity to one another.

"Thanks Ronnie" Archie spoke with a soft smile and she smiled in returned giving me one last glance before walking back inside. Archie offered his hands to help me up and I gladly used them as I was lifted up to my feet.

"We should go" I said quickly clearing my throat and turning around to walk back inside.

"hey hey hey" Archie emphasized pulling me back.

"You can talk to me Betty. Always. You know that right?" He asked gently tucking a strand of my hair away from my face.

"I know Archie" I smiled gratefully.

"Anytime. Anywhere" He reminded with a sad smile.

"We should head back. You heard Veronica. Duty calls" I said pulling my hands away from his and walking back inside. I could see Kevin still waiting for me by the teacher lounge and he straighten his posture when he saw me near.

"Betty I was so worried" Kev exclaimed once I was in hugging distance from him. He pulled me close and wrapped an arm around me.

"I'm okay" I whispered back.

"Let me be the first to tell you that you have a very screwed up definition of what being 'okay' means Miss Cooper" Kev pointed out and I chuckled.

"Kevin. It's Riverdale. What else can you expect?" I laughed and he nodded his head in agreement.

"Very true indeed Betty. Very true indeed" He said as we made our way back. I took one last glance behind me to see Archie was still looking after me and I gave him a soft smile which he reciprocated with one of his own.

Hello Riverdale Fam!!

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Looking forward to writing more. Pls let me know what you all think.

With love always,

Bree