varchie oneshots

games

3 Days Later

Archie's POV

After the semi-formal, practically the whole student body piled into Cheryl's mansion for what was set to be a wild after-party. There were a couple huge couches by the fireplace, and a bunch of people gathered there. I carefully avoided sitting near Betty by perching on the arm of the couch opposite her, with all the guys on the football team. I couldn't even look at her.

I stared at Betty. "You're not-"

Her green eyes glimmered. "Is it really that impossible to imagine? You and me, together?" She sounded so desperate.

"Betty...I'm...I'm really sorry. I just don't feel the same."

Now she was crying real tears, and my heart thudded with fear and nerves. Just because I didn't want to be with Betty didnt mean I wanted to hurt her.

"Archie...don't you remember? When we were little, you kissed me and you told me you wanted to marry me? Why are you being like this now?"

"Because that was before-"

"Before Veronica came to Riverdale?" Betty finished. "Archie, that girl is nothing but bad news. If you even hear half of the things her dad did-"

"She's not her father, is she, Betty?" I asked Betty harshly.

"Arch, she's just playing mind games with you! That's the kind of girl Veronica is. You're just another boy she'll play on a string."

I suddenly felt a surge of anger for Veronica. "Betty, you don't know her. And what I do isn't any of your business, OK?"

And I walked off.

"Archie Andrews and the new girl. Should be fun." Cheryl grinned. With a jolt, I realized either end of the bottle was pointing at me and Veronica. Betty looked completely heartbroken.

Slowly, Veronica and I got up and walked towards the closet. We shut the door and moved to face each other. I put my phone in between us so we could see each other better.

"I know her brother died and all that, but Cheryl..." She sighed comically and shook her head. We chuckled.

"I get that."

"So...how did everything go with Betty?" Veronica asked casually. God, she looked so beautiful. Her catlike eyes, long lashes, high cheekbones, full lips that she was anxiously biting, lit up by my screen, framed by her dark wavy hair. My breath caught in my throat, and it took me a second to recover.

"What do you mean?"

"She likes you a lot, Archie. Didn't she tell you?" Veronica asked.

"Well, yeah. I know everyone expected us to be this power couple, but I just don't feel the same way as Betty does." I admitted. "Seriously. We grew up together, we live next door to each other. And we're best friends-but that's all we'll ever be."

"Are you sure?" She raised an eyebrow.

Unconsciously, I shuffled towards her. "Yes, I'm sure. I really like Betty, and I don't want to hurt her."

"Me neither." Veronica ducked her head.

Did she just move a little closer?

"How are things between you guys now?"

"Well...not good. I have to talk to her. Properly." I clenched my fist.

"Maybe wait till her broken heart's been mended? You're really something, Archie Andrews." Veronica teased, smiling.

"Oh yeah?" I smirked back. "Didn't have me down as a heartbreaker, Ronnie?"

"You're really more trouble than you look don't you?" She shuffled closer, dragging a finger down from my collarbone to my chest. "All boy-next-door-ish."

"Yeah."

We pulled closer to each other until our foreheads touched. There was hardly any space between our faces.

"We shouldn't do this." Veronica breathed out. I could tell she was fighting as much as I was.

And I knew we shouldn't. Logically. But I was feeling so confused right now, and it would feel so good, so good, to hold someone close to me. "We definitely should do this."

Veronica chuckled darkly before leaning in and our lips pressed. Her hand pushed on the back of my neck, guiding me to her. My hands found her waist and I held on to her tightly as we kissed, slowly. After the emotional rollercoaster the semi-formal was, Veronica was a cure, a balm that healed me slowly from within.

That girl is nothing but bad news.

Maybe I wanted bad news.

When we pulled apart, there was a mischevious glint in Veronica's eye and suddenly I remembered what Betty said. About how she was playing mind games.

But I knew that this was a game I didn't mind playing.