hungry | bughead

Ill Ice Cream

  Betty sat up in bed, her hands freezing around the cold bowl of vanilla ice cream. Veronica, Midge and Nancy surrounded her on the bed, each with their own bowls.

  Nancy cleared her throat, "So Betty, what happened?"

  The blonde sighed around the spoon in her lips. She placed it back in the bowl and sat up a bit more.

  "Archie wanted me to get back together with him, he got angry, tried to lock me in the room and when i ran away he threw something at me."
 
  "The hairspray," Veronica whispered.

  Betty felt tears well up in her eyes, "Why did he do that to me. . ." She trailed off, gazing into her bowl of dessert.

  Midge placed her bowl on the bedside table, and proceeded to walk out the door, "Lock it, I'll be right back."

  She jogged outside and spotted Reggie sitting at the patio table, eating the now warm watermelon.

  Midge sat next to him, and pulled her chair closer to him. Reggie went wide eyed and looked behind him at Moose.

  "Uh, I don't think Moose would like this Midge-"

  "Shut up."

Reggie held his lips stiff and nodded.

  "I need your help," she started, "Come with me."

  Midge sat up and waved at him to follow her into the mansion. Reggie looked back at his male friends, hoping they didn't notice.

  The familiar door to Veronica's room was closed, and Reggie was getting tired of walking into the room. Midge knocked.

  "Who is it?"

  "Midge."

  Nancy opened the door hesistantly, making sure to peer out to the sides, "Why is he here?"

  "He's helping," Midge said simply, before walking in with Reggie following behind.

  He spotted Betty on the bed, propped up on pillows and eating what he assumed to be ice cream. She looked at him through her watery and bloodshot eyes.

  "Hi Reg."

  He stepped closer, careful of his surroundings, "Bets I-I . . . Wow . . . I mean- what happened?"

  The blonde sighed and her lip quivered, Veronica held her hand and gripped it tightly, "Archie, he hit me."

  His jaw dropped in a confused manner, "But why?"

  "He wanted me to break up with Jughead and I said no."
  
  Reggie scorned himself for not calling Jughead. Sure he was gone but maybe if he knew something was up Reggie could be his protective outlet, although him being his rival wouldn't allow for that. But maybe, just maybe it could happen. Reggie wasn't in love with Betty, but she was his friend, his sweet, loving, smart and beautiful friend. And he'll be damned if he lets Carrot Top ruin her life.
 
  Midge walked back towards Reggie, "I need you to talk to Archie about it. Try to knock some sense into him."

  Reggie furrowed his brows, "That maniac almost killed Betty! You want me to talk to him about it? He'd kill me!"

  Midge sighed, "Don't make it obvious dummy," she rolled her eyes midsentence, "Just mentiom Betty every once in a while, try to remind him of what happened."

  "So I'm sublimanally making him confess?"

  "Sort of."

  He bit his lip and tapped his foot, "Okay I'll try."

  Nancy stood up, "I think we should all go back outside, to keep any suspicion away. Will you be okay Betty?"

  The blonde nodded, taking another spoonful of ice cream to her lips.
 
  They all walked out, making quite the entrance and having everyone stare at them.
 
  "Nancy! Baby! Where did you go?" Chuck ran to her, gripping her shoulders.

  "We went in for a little snack is all," she lied.

  "You're so lucky I'm not hungry or I'd be mad at that," Archie intruded.

  Moose walked into the crowd of teens, "Duh, I'm hungry . . ."

  Midge grabbed his arm, "Let's go get you something to eat Moosie," she smiled, but turned to look at Reggie and raised her eyebrows. She mouthed 'do it.'

  Reggie smacked Archie's back, "Hey Arch, what do you say we swim a couple laps around the pool?"

  Archie smirked, "If you can catch up!"

  The two ran into the water and began aimlessly splashing around.

  "He's messing it up already, " Nancy whisperes in Veronica's ear.

  "Give him some time."

  Reggie jumped out the pool, and decided he could tease Archie, "So Arch, how are things with Ron?"

  The redhead ran his fingers through his hair,"Good," he answered quickly and dived back into the water.

  Reggie waited until he came back up for air, "I heard Jughead's out of town. I hope it doesn't make Betty too lonely . . . Where is she anyways? Have you seen her?"

  Archie nearly choked, "Sh-She's taking a nap. Didn't you notice?"

  "She's been asleep a long time. I figure we better check on her huh Arch?"

  "Uhm, no we should let her sleep."

  Reggie tried his best to contain his smirk at Archie's attempts to avoid Betty.

  "Man, I bet if Jughead was here, they would be inside raiding the fridge together and-"

  "Shut up Reg jeez!"

  Reggie froze and stared right at him.

  "Jughead's not here! Betty isn't with him today! So stop talking about it!"

  Reggie looked away and anxiously played with his fingers. What was he supposed to say now?

  "Yeah, and if he was here he would probably be taking a nap with Betty."

  Archie's face turned red, "Listen here, stop acting like Jug is your best friend or something, he doesn't even like you! And neither does Betty! She's my friend! She would pick me over you any day!"

  Reggie became angry. He didn't care about the whole Jughead part, but the Betty part. Ooh, that hurt. Especially with him still trying to hang onto Betty's friendship after what he did.

  "Some friend you are, you nearly killed her!" He screamed a little too loud.

  Everyone in the patio heard him and turned to look. Archie's breathing paced faster.

  Dammit Reggie, Midge scorned in her head, way to be subtle.

  "I know what you did Archie! You tried to make her like you again and when she said no you hit her!"

  Moose stood up, his tall muscular figure walking closer to Archie, "Duh, you hit Betty? You bully!" He clenched his fist as he towered over the smaller teen.

  "Listen here Moose, he's lying, you know him he's a big fat liar! He just does this 'cause he hates me!"

  "He's not lying."

  All the heads turned to the opposite direction this time. Betty stood there, right at the door of mansion.

  "Archie hit me," she lifted her bangs so everyone could see her bruise, "He did this."

  "What the fuck Archie!"

The voice came from inside, and behind Betty appeared Jughead, shocking everyone, especially Betty and Archie.

   He moved in front of Betty and his eyes locked with Archie's. His black eyes darkened in anger, and his dark brows emphasized it.

  "I hate you, my best friend."