Riverdale : Our Town - Season 1 (English version)

Chapter 27 (Archie) - "If you're really my friend, you'll let this go"

I thought I had regained Betty's trust, but I now realize that it was a bit hasty. It had only been a week since we made up, but unfortunately, the rest didn't last long.

"You could have warned me !", I reprimand Jughead, as we walk past the high school entrance to go to class.

"Look, I am by nature a conscientious objector. Not saying anything to either you or Betty was the most moral choice I could make.", he calmly responds.

In any case, he didn't do anything to stop the bomb from exploding on me on saturday night : that's it, Betty knows about my affair with Geraldine. It's the worst thing that can happen in a friendship : finding out that your best friend has hidden the truth from you. God knows what Betty is capable of doing now...

"Jug, she's not gonna write about me and Grundy in the paper, is she ? Like she did with Chuck ?", I question my friend, in order to be reassured.

I read Betty's article in the high school newspaper the other day. It was really well-written, and she destroyed Chuck, as he deserved. But now, I fear that she will do the same thing with me, and that it will reduce my future to nothing.

"Dude, seriously ?", Jughead exclaims, looking at me, incredulous. "Think about what you're saying.", he adds, while putting his hand on my shoulder. "If there was even an iota of a chance that something could hurt you in any way, Betty wouldn't do it... Probably."

"Oh my god !", I start panicking.

"I'm kidding.", he laughs. "But maybe she has a point... What do you see happening with Grundy, long term ? What do you want ?", he asks, frowning.

I let out a sigh, and look around me, hoping that no one will hear me.

"I want to be with her.", I confess. "I don't know how, but I wanna hang on to what we have for as long as possible.", I say, in a melancholic tone. "Just if Betty's gonna do anything crazy, can you please let me know so I can stop it ?"

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In the end, I was right to stay alert with Betty. I know that when she has something in mind, she never gives up, and she goes all the way. It can be both a quality and a deflect. As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't really go in my favor.

Indeed, as soon as lunch is over, I learn that Betty interviewed Miss Grundy behind my back, which confirms my worst fears. Then, after class, I receive a message from Betty, inviting me to join her urgently at Pop's.

"Miss Grundy showed up in Riverdale a year ago, out of thin air.", reveals my best friend, 30 seconds after my arrival. "There's no record of her before that. Her social media accounts were all created one year ago. Before that, she's a ghost. She doesn't exist. The only Geraldine Grundy I could find was a woman who died 7 years ago.", she informs me, showing me a press cutting.

It takes me a few seconds to digest the weight of her words. I pull my hands closer to Betty's, in order to examine the newspaper article. There has to be a rational explanation to this situation. I know that Geraldine is innocent, but I have to admit that Betty's discoveries can set thinking.

"Where did you find all this ?", I carefully ask, looking at her file of archives.

"I have my sources.", she replies, proud of herself.

Maybe she doesn't take it seriously, but it's not funny at all to me. A person's life is at stake. Betty doesn't seem to think about the consequences for Miss Grundy's career... she could lose it all. I don't want her to end up in a bad position because of me.

"And did you cyber-stalk Miss Grundy before or after you interviewed her for a fake article ?, I exclaim, with bitterness.

My friend sighs, searching her words, before looking down, a bit ashamed.

"Why are you doing this, Betty ?", I conjure her. "I'm not in any danger."

"You don't know that.", she retorts, in a thin voice.

"Yeah, I do. I'm with her.", I reply, a bit harshly. "I know what we have, and you don't."

Maybe I went a little hard on her, but Betty must stop her nonsense, for everyone's benefit. As though I must fight against her disappointed green eyes glaring at me, and I have trouble ignoring the pain appearing on her face, I still convince myself that I'm doing the right thing, and that it's worth it.

"She gave Jason private lessons right before he died.", she throws at me, as a conclusion. "Did you know that ?"

No, I didn't know that. And I'm sure it isn't even a big deal. Geraldine's relationship with Jason is completely different from ours.

"She taught a lot of people... what's your point ?", I say, acting like I don't understand.

"My point is, you don't know anything about her, Archie !", she cries out, upset. "Doesn't that worry you ?"

I need to stop her before this goes too far. Because I know that if I let her continue, she will manage to change my mind on Grundy, and I don't want that.

"Betty, let this go !", I say.

"Archie, please..."

She takes my hands so that I listen to her, just like when we were kids and she wanted me to focus. But this time, it doesn't work : I push her away.

-"If you're really my friend, you'll let this go !", I beg, desperately.

In front of my deep words and my serious expression, Betty freezes like ice. The blonde girl winces, thinks for a bit, and finally gives in.

"Okay, sorry. I'll stop digging."

And with such an innocent face, I don't know how I could not trust her.