Best Part: Reggie Mantle FF

seventeen

Reggie sits on the football bleachers, rubbing his hair and face in frustration. He kept replaying Archie, hugging Amayla like she was his girlfriend. Reggie exhales his breath, knowing he hurt Amayla's feelings. He grabs his phone and calls her. He goes straight to voicemail.

He knows only three people that were close to her. Betty, Kevin, and Diana. No way in hell he was going to Veronica. Reggie makes his first trip to the Newspaper Room, and Betty and Kevin are there, organizing the next newspaper.

"Have you guys seen Amayla?" Reggie asks.

Betty turns around and crosses her arms. "And why would we tell you where she is? What you did was screwed up, Reggie."

"I know," Reggie replied. "I was so mad because I saw her hugging Archie, and I just snapped, okay?"

"No, not okay," says Kevin. "Amayla is a sweetheart. She was going to surprise you tonight by being a cheerleader tonight to cheer you on during the game."

Reggie's eyes soften. "What?.."

"Yeah," said Betty. "She practiced all day with Diana, me, and Veronica."

Reggie rubs his face in stress. Fucking Veronica. "Veronica. Always Veronica."

"What do you mean 'Always Veronica'?" asked Kevin.

Reginald exhales and sits on the stool. "After our date, she drunk called me. Telling me to basically dump Amayla and get back together with her."

Betty and Kevin's eyes widen as they let him continue speaking. "Of course, I told her no because never again I would date her. I like Amayla. A lot. And everywhere I go I feel like she is causing the bullshit to happen."

"Now that you think about it... Kevin, remember when Amayla ran off?"

Kevin nods. "Yeah you and me went after her-"

"You & Me," Betty says while staring into Kevin's eyes. "Not Veronica."

Reggie stares at them while they stare back at Reggie. Maybe just maybe they got somewhere.

●●●●

Reggie runs out of the Newspaper Room, his panic running through his veins as he leaves Riverdale High. He calls Amayla while running back home. Goes to voicemail. 'Fuck.' He thought. He keeps running until he sees Amayla from a distance, slowly walking back to her house.

He runs faster until he hugs her from behind. Amayla's eyes when she knows who it is behind her.

"Reggie, please leave me alone!" Amayla yells as she pushes him away.

"Amayla let me explain. Please..."

Amayla looks up at him, waiting for him to explain his story. And he does. He explains everything. How he liked her since the beginning. How he got easily jealous over that "simple" hug. And that gas station phone call with Veronica.

Reggie holds Amayla's hands and caresses the surface with his thumbs. "Amayla, I am so sorry I yelled at you," Reggie says with tears in his eyes. "You didn't deserve that. If you are still mad at me, I understand."

Amayla looks at Reggie. She sees his pain. His hurt. His sympathy. She knows that he's sorry. She could tell that he was sorry. "I'm sorry too, Reggie... You were right about Archie... He did lie to me... I just wanted to make peace.."

"I know," he replied. "You have nothing to apologize for. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm such a bad boyfriend..."

"You're not," Amayla said while squeezing his hands tighter. "You came out of a place of worry, and I know you didn't mean what you said... I forgive you, Reggie.."

Reggie hugs Amayla and hugs her without jealousy, anger, or worry. He knew Amayla wouldn't hurt him. Reginald felt guilty due to the fact he made her cry. He never wanted to see tears in her eyes again. It's true about what people say. Everyone is not perfect.

Amayla knew he was sorry. Not the fake type of sorry she would see in toxic relationships. Reggie was sincerely sorry for what he did. Not because of the hug, of how he reacted. She knew it was right to forgive him. But she couldn't forget it. The first time he made her cry. The first time she hurt him.

They both decide to walk back to school, hand and hand, more tighter than before. Reggie held Amayla's hand with love and gratitude. Amayla held Reggie's hand with forgiveness and grace. And as they walked down the hallways of Riverdale High, everyone had seen that the popular jock and the school girl were officially dating.