Rainy Days ▸ BUGHEAD

chapter twenty four

i store at myself in the mirror. the tux archie lended me was unbearable. dressing fancy was never my forte, especially when it's for things i really don't want to attend. and a dinner party with the blossoms, is pretty high up on that list.

archie was in the other room brushing his teeth. now i'd find that normal if it wasn't the third time he'd done it since we got home from school. he's up to something or maybe he just wants pleasing breath.

that's a first.

i walked into the bathroom just as archie was spitting out the toothpaste. when he looked back up, i was able to read him. he as a open book, he had a plan, if the brushing teeth was obvious enough.

"did you eat a pound of garlic?" i teased.

"very funny jug." archie snarled back. he put away his toothbrush in the cabinet. "i actually am doing this for someone."

i rolled my eyes. "and who is the next lucky contestant on the 'archie's gonna play you show'". i pause for a quick chuckle. "also can i have a glass of water.

archie nods, and starts filling a cup with water. "and about that whole archie playing thingy, this time will be different."

he hands me my cup of water. "funny joke." i start to drink before i say something i will regret.

"no i'm serious." archie said. "i was gonna make my move on betty."

i spit the water on the floor in shock. "excuse me?"

"you heard me. i'm gonna ask out betty."

i tried not to show my real emotions, but when your heart breaks it's not something you can hide. not only was the girl i love about to be taken away from me, she's getting taken away by archie. and if this ain't your first rodeo, you know there's no beating her feelings towards archie.

and in that moment i knew i'd never be good enough, because i'm not archie. now i don't wanna be archie, but for completely different reasons. but she'd never go for me as long as archie into her. she'd never love a broken boy, like me.

"i thought you didn't like betty." i said.

"well ever since she started paying attention to you i..."

"hold up." i interrupted archie. "paying attention to whom now?"

"you." archie replied. "every time your together you have this romantic tension, and it made me jealous. plus ronnie is supposedly hooking up with reggie now, i can use betty as a rebound, to win back ronnie."

i gulped down the cringe of his words. "so you don't actually like betty?"

archie's face turned confused. "i do like her a little, but i like ronnie better. and it's all thanks to you. if there was nothing between you two, i'd be stuck alone. but now i realized better can be my rebound, and a perfect one to trigger ronnie."

"it's sad that all you think of betty is a rebound." i said, anger growing inside of me. "she deserves so much better that some preppy ginger judas."

"ah ha!" archie said. "you don't want me to do it because you like her. the woman hater likes betty cooper. i should have known!"

anger grew stronger inside of me. "when i ever say that?"

"i can tell." archie raises his voice at me. "you cannot lie to me jughead jones i know everything. i know you love her and you don't want me to be happy. i need betty, it's the only way i'll get back ronnie."

i dropped the glass of water on the floor. it's shattered into several pieces. the water was now all over the floor, and my regret was no where to be found.

"i'm done with you andrews." i said. "you can have betty and any else you want, but you don't get me."

and just like that i began to gather the only things i'd brought when i'd moved in. i placed them in a backpack, looks like i'll be living somewhere else for now.

"jug, don't leave." archie said.

"forget it archie." i said. "you've crossed my line. i'll find somewhere else to live."