IMAGINES ▹ ROSS BUTLER

↳ i love you

( I LOVE YOU ) 
by serpentsangel

You and Reggie have been dating for a fair bit, or at least it seems that way, Reggie was never able to hold a stable relationship due to his flirtatious nature but somehow, just somehowyou managed to entice the jock enough to get him to be faithful. And yes, you've had your doubts but Reggie couldn't be sweeter than he already is. Which is why it makes your stomach turn when you realized he has yet to repeat the words back to you. "You're over-thinking it, (Y/N). Maybe it's the anniversary blues." Betty says, as you wrap yourself in endless blankets, eyes stained red with the drying tears from the night before. "Plus, as much as you want to believe you've changed Reggie, there's always going to be a part of him that's too proud of his masculinity to say soft words like that. Just give it time."

And time you gave. Your 3rd year anniversary with Reggie is approaching, along with graduation. Maybe it's the sadness in your heart consuming you, the sadness that this may or may not be the last time you see him depending on where either of you go to college. Reggie, already a prospect for a sports scholarship all over the country and even in Canada but you? Your parents got you to work at their production company for a year or two before going to college. A destiny you were bound to have before you could make your own choices.

Taking a deep breath, you approach Reggie at his locker and getting up on your tippy toes to give him a kiss on the cheek. He jumps back slightly, a little surprised at you being there. "Woah, you scared me." A small smile plays at his lips as he gives you a quick peck. Taking a look around, as if to check if any of his teammates saw him give public affection to his girlfriend.

"Is everything alright?" You ask and Reggie, as he has been doing lately, brushes it off and shuts his locker. "Homecoming is coming up. Are you ready for the game?" You change the subject, hoping that trying to take an interest into his hobbies would somehow allow him to pay more attention to you. It's the time of the year where all the seniors are packed with applications and final projects that none of their minds are set straight. Especially with homecoming, no one could focus on anything else.

"Yeah. I've heard that a lot of scouts for schools could be there and yeah." Reggie sighs as he squeezes your hand, smiling down at you with begging eyes.

Your hand drops to your sides as you sigh. Holding onto your books in your arms, Reggie's eyes fall. "You have to cancel another date night? I understand. I'll just see you, whenever I guess." You walk past him as your shoulders bump. Another date night cancelled because Reggie needs as much practice as possible for the big game and though you understand, this is important for him, but he's been blowing you off for sometime now and you can't think of the last time you two properly spent time together and you wonder if he even remembers that your anniversary is coming up. Most likely not.

Another night of you being cooped by the bar at Pop's, stirring your milkshake absentmindedly as you eat fry by fry and stare into the distance. You don't notice a tall figure, clad in all black with the exception of a flannel, slide into the spot next to yours. "(Y/N)?" Your ears perk as you look up and see Sweet Pea, one of the Southside High students that transferred over to Riverdale High when their school got shut down. "You're here alone?"

"As I always am." You raise your hand and ask for the food to be packed for home. "What brings you here? No Serpent duties tonight?" You question. You were one of the few students that opened their arms to the Southside students when they first arrived. Reggie? Not so much. Funny enough, it was how the two of you met, when he first cascaded down the staircase and you sassed him to the point Veronica had to hold you back before you punched the guy.