Taken- A Bughead Fanific

Chapter 19: "Who's to say that Archie is innocent?"

She had heard everything. Everything she needed to hear, at least.

Betty and Archie coversated, leaving Veronica in the dark. V sat at her boyfriend's- or possible killer's- kitchen table, painfully watching everything unfold.

"You don't actually believe him, do you?" Archie's eyes pleaded. He leaned on the counter with his arm.

Betty stood still, pondering a response.

"Betty!" Archie's breath shook when he shouted her name. He couldn't have both of his best friends thinking he murdered someone. "I didn't kill Cassidy, okay?"

Betty flinched at his quick tone. "Of course not," She quickly deflected. Betty crossed her arms to make it more believable.

"Can someone please tell me what is going on before I scream?" Veronica demanded. She pounded her fist on the table.

They both ignored her. Archie hunched down to Betty's eyes in attempt to meet her eyes. She intently peered into the still living room to avoid his imploring stare.

"Betty, please, look at me," he whimpered.

"Archie?" Veronica asked the same, "What's going on?"

The red-haired boy looked at the both of them with apprehension. He opened his mouth, hestating.

When the blonde- haired girl looked into the living room, she wasn't just avoiding her friends gaze. She felt guilty. Jughead would stand up for her if the roles were switched, but here she is. Thinking about him recalled all of the times Jughead had avoided her gaze since the hospital. She caught him staring only once, but she presumed he had done it on multiple occasions. Pity washed over her. He missed him. Of course, she had been with Jughead a couple minutes ago, but it wasn't him. It hadn't been him since the hospital.

That damned hospital.

Betty snapped her head back into place, but looked at Archie's forehead, "Should I believe you, Arch? I mean, Jughead wouldn't accuse you of something as detrimental as murder if he didn't have evidence." She took a step back, heading toward the door, "-Everyone has come to this pre-conceived notion that Archibald would never do anything bad, and Serpent- trash is always at fault. But I just don't know anymore. . ." Betty trailed off, darting her eyes everywhere but his, as if working out the facts on the very walls of the Andrew's house. "Who's to say that Archie is innocent?"

Veronica's eyes widened like a deer in headlights.

"No," he shook his head back and forth violently before looking at Betty. His eyes looked almost hurt. He managed to straighten his back and switch to Veronica, careful to subdue her worry. He covered his mouth with his other hand, furrowing an orange brow. "But I know who did."

The three of them fell silent for a moment, but it was short-lived.

Veronica's jaw dropped open, "What?"