heartbeats ; bughead

06

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Baetty | 1:23 A.M

Hey, you up?

Archie | 1:23 A.M

Yeah, I'm up, Bet. 

Baetty | 1:24 A.M

Pop's? :D

Archie | 1:24 A.M

Sure, I'll meet you there.

Baetty | 1:24 A.M

Okay. 

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archie;

Why did she want to meet me? 

Crap.

Did she find out about last night? I'm in trouble now. 

I walked with dread towards Pop's Diner, the birthplace of all of our good times. Betty and I would have so much fun, just sitting in a booth, looking out the window, while drinking milkshakes, or laughing with Pop Tate. When we were younger. 

(And freeeeee...)

When I arrived at the diner, Betty wasn't there yet, so I opened the door, and the bell jingled its usual jingle. 

Pop stood at the front, and I smiled at him. He was like a second father to me. Ever since my mother and father divorced, and Mom left to Chicago, I always went to Pop's to let go of myself. 

Well, actually, it was either that or Sweetwater River, where I met Betty for the first time. 

But that was beside the point. 

He walked up to me, and clapped me on the back. "How you doin', Archie? It's been a while!" His smile was ernest, though obscured by wrinkles. I smiled at him, and gave him a thumbs up.

How was I doing, though? After what happened with Veronica...

Veronica...

Shoot. I felt so bad. But Betty would find out if we furthered what happened yesterday morning, and I wouldn't want Veronica getting hurt.

You did the right thing, Archie. You love Betty, remember?

"Arch? Hello?" Someone shook my shoulders. When my vision became clear again, someone, a girl, was standing in front of me. 

I grinned. "Betty..." 

She grabbed my hand, and pulled me to a booth. Before we got in, she rested her hand on my cheek and whispered, "I love you," pressing her lips to mine. She shifted her hands to my neck. 

When we finally pulled away, she dropped into the seat opposite to me, and called a waiter over. We ordered one milkshake each, and fries. 

Then Betty looked at me with worry. "Something's wrong, Archie." 

I frowned. "What's wrong, Betty? Are you all right? Is--" The waiter came with the food, and Betty readily dug into the fries. 

She smiled warmly. "No. Shomethingsh wrong...wish you." 

My heart fell into my shoes. Would I have to tell her about Roni...Does she already know? 

Damn it. She already knows. I could tell by the look of sadness on her face. Or was that just the look someone makes when drinking a milkshake?

"Betty, I'm sorry. It happened just like that. She made the first move, and I was just too into it to stop. I'm--"

She let go of her milkshake, and stopped drinking. Looking up, she squinted. "Who made the first move, and for what? And what were you too into?"

My jaw dropped. Crapcrapcrapcrapcrap. SHE DIDN'T KNOW. How am I going to explain this? I forced a smile. 

"Chess! A game of chess! She-Veronica-made the first move! But she was on the black side! And white always goes first-It's the rules! It was so unfair! And I was so into the game-that-I-I couldn't stop her! I know how much you love chess...I'm sorry!"

She frowned and squinted for a good minute. Then a smile crept on her face, and snickering turned into a giggle, which turned into a chortle, which became a laugh. Her laugh was like a melody, like a song. It was so beautiful, that I started laughing too. We just sat there, our hands clasped, laughing as if the rest of the world didn't matter. 

But it didn't feel real. It felt...wrong. 

Why did I feel like this? Even when Betty kissed me, I got the same feeling. The lurch in my stomach. The pricking. 

Was it possible that...I missed Veronica? Or that I didn't...didn't love Betty?

No. Not possible. How could I possibly love the girl who just slapped me? I directed my hand to the bruise near my eye. 

She hurt me. She used me. How could I possibly love her?

And all the while, when Betty and I were laughing, my mind wasn't in Pop's, in a booth, with my girlfriend, but somewhere else. 

Someone else. 

I love Veronica. I love her eyes, her hair, her innocent smile, her delicate body against mine. And her lips on mine, with no one else in sight. Her hands stroking my hair, her waist pushed against me. 

She was my everything. 

She was more to me than she ever knew. Archie, what if she breaks your heart, like you broke hers? 

Shoot, I forgot she was still mad at me.

How will I ever make it up to her? The last time I saw her, I muttered about how I thought I was finally in love. 

And I thought that I was wrong, that I was so angry that I was just blabbering. 

But I knew now.

I was in love. 

I smiled to myself, embracing the thought. Specifically, the thought of our kiss. 

I love her.