Dark Hearts || Archie Andrews and Jughead Jones [1]

A Good Time [3]

A GOOD TIME [3]

When the music hits the house, everyone is already half drunk. Eleanor stands in a corner watching as Archie ruins himself with alchool, and maybe that's been her problem all along, maybe she should get ruined by something that goes away in the morning instead.

Screw this, Ellie has done everything she possibly could today. She's tired of either feeling sorry or regretful, or even mad at herself for feeling things she shouldn't feel. She's tired of apologizing for the way she feels, it's exhausting. She needs a small break from life too.

Veronica approaches her with an arched brow. "What are you doing?"

"What do you think?" Ellie throws the drink down her throat. "I'm getting drunk."

Not five minutes later and Eleanor's dancing amongst the other teenagers, partying hard, laughing out loud and drinking endelessly. In the middle of the confusion, she ends up bumping into a familiar body. 

She looks all the way up to face Reggie Mentle. "Hiii..."

"You're drunk." He states the obvious. "Eleanor Cooper is drunk at a party she didn't want."

"I still don't want it but look around you," Ellie smacks his chest lightly, and then gestures around them. "there's not much I can do about that. At this point what else can go wrong? This is the worst it can get."

"You think?" Reggie scoffs, and warns her. "The trouble with trouble, cutie, is that it starts with fun."

"Can I enjoy the party or not Mr. Mantle?" She takes another sip from her drink, and when she looks into his eyes everything's out of focus already. "Huh?"

"I won't be the one standing in your way, Ellie." He leans in, the frustration rising within him. "Just remember I was also the one who waited an entire year to go on a date with you and Archie couldn't wait a day."

"You know, I'm tired of you always talking about Archie!"

"Because I always say the truth or because you don't like to hear it?" 

"This," Eleanor gestures between the two of them, and she's sure she'll regret her next words for the whole year to come. "is not gonna work out. You talk shit about my best friend, you point every finger at me about Archie, and I'm done with it."

"Funny, I thought you didn't have the guts to say I'm done," Reggie accuses. "seeing you keep forgiving Archie Andrews into your life everytime he screws up."

"I'm leaving!" Eleanor turns her back, and walks away from the funny crowd.

She stumbles outside, her eyes managing to find Betty amongst the crowd reuniting in the backyard. She walks over, stopping by her sister's side. And even with her blury sight, she manages to see the tears in Betty's green eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Jughead and I fought. He said all these... horrible things, Ellie." Betty explains. "He thinks he's some... project of mine. God, he thinks I'm with him cause Archie doesn't want me."

"Jug said that?" Ellie frowns.

Jughead told Ellie this very morning that Betty couldn't care less about Archie and her, but now he says otherwise? Thinking it through, Eleanor realizes that her he's probably just very hurt and disappointed, and this surprise party is just gonna find its way to the list of reasons why he hates his birthday. And it breaks her heart to know that.

"Yeah, he did." Betty confirms, then leaning in with a frow. "You reek. God, you're drunk."

"Maybe."