LAST SUMMER [ARCHIE ANDREWS] - DISCONTINUED

nineteen

s/o to the amazing _TooManylies_ for the lovely cover above !

"WHO'S IDEA WAS IT TO PUT THE HOMECOMING DANCE and a reunion on the same night?" Kara wondered. It was a chilly day in Riverdale, and the group had decided to eat lunch outside, so Kara sat between Archie and Veronica, with his letterman jacket tucked around her, the sleeves covering her cold hands. Betty shook her head, blowing out a sigh. "I don't know, but I really wish I didn't have to plan the whole thing..." she grumbled, stabbing her macaroni with her plastic fork.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I have an announcement to make."

Kara's eyes drifted up to where a peppy Cheryl Blossom stood, grinning smugly at them. The strawberry blonde's eyes were filled with a fiery hatred as she stared at her half sister. "One that tangentially involves you, Betty," she said, straightening out her suede jacket, "I'm bringing Polly to the dance as my date, and we're campaigning as co-queens of the homecoming court."

"Because why?" Veronica asked snappily. "Because, Nightmare Smurfette," Cheryl spat in response, "By all rights, it should've been Polly and Jason up on that stage. This is the next best thing." Cheryl's smirk faltered for a moment, but she regained composure and continued, "So don't forget to vote, and I'll see everyone at my coronation!" She sashayed away, her fiery hair following.

"Betty, about the Homecoming Dance..." Archie began, "Can I play a couple songs? I kind of told my mom that-" The redhead stopped quickly, seeing the look Betty gave Jughead. "Wait, y-you don't want me to?" Betty hastily shook her head. "No, it's not that Archie... It's just..." She looked to Kara for help, who knew exactly what she meant. "This dance needs to be fun," Betty said quietly.

Kara patted his hand affectionately as his face fell, and Betty said, "And your songs, as amazing as they are-"

"They make people want to cry," Jughead finished, setting his burger down. Kara squeezed his fingers. "In a great way," she tried, and Betty added, "In an amazing way!"

Archie sighed and Veronica interrupted, "No need to fret, Betty, 'cause Archie asked me to sing with him, and we're thinking of singing some upbeat covers."

Archie blinked at her, frowning. "We are?" Veronica gave him a weird smile.

"Aren't we?"

-/-

"I can't believe Veronica's making me sing some 80's song at this dance," Archie grumbled to Kara. He held a ladder still for Kara, who was hanging up streamers in the gym, per Betty's request. "I mean, why can't we just sing one of my songs? I wrote this new one the other night that's perfect," he exclaimed, glancing around the nearly decorated gym, "It's about how my cat, Cheeto, ran away in third grade, and how that resembles the pain of-" Archie stopped, seeing Kara's look. "I'm starting to see why people say your songs are depressing," she muttered, climbing down the ladder to where they were face-to-face.