sweetener • riverdale [2]

06.

"Are you for real?"

Thorn grabs Archie's arm roughly and yanks him into an empty classroom. She thrusts the t-shirt Veronica forced her to have at his chest and he takes it in his hands. Thorn's expression is hard, unimpressed by her friend's latest antics.

"This was Veronica's idea," Archie defends.

"Believe it or not I didn't think otherwise, unless you suddenly liked scooped-necks," she says harshly. "You are such an idiot."

Still, her calling him an idiot makes Archie smile. He can't help it. It always reminds him of the first time they kissed, and it's like his heart is beating so hard, he think his chest might explode.

"No. No," Thorn shakes her head on seeing him smile, "no, do not get all cute on me, Andrews. I'm annoyed," she says.

"But you know it's not me, so why are you mad?" he asks her.

"This freaking video!" she exclaims in frustration. "The video that the entire freaking town has seen!" She throws her hands up. "Do you honestly think the Black Hood is going to be threatened by a bunch a shirtless teenagers?" Thorn scoffs. "This is pure stupidity, Archie. You can't solve every problem by taking your shirts off."

"It's got nothing to do with you," he spits.

"You're my friend," Thorn argues.

"Then act like it!" he yells at her. Archie's rage is shown in his face as he shouts at Thorn, her having to take a step back from him. He sees her started and he drops his hard gaze, his eyes softening . "I'm sorry," he says.

Thorn nods at him, reassuring Archie that she's fine. "I am your friend. At least I'm trying to be," she tells him honestly. "I am only person telling you the truth right now, Archie. You are playing a dangerous game and you're going to get hurt."

"Not if I hurt him first," Archie says.

Thorn steps back again. She tilts her head in disbelief. "You really are serious about this, aren't you? You're serious about this mafia-type gang you've created."

"Of course I am, you should know that."

"Maybe I don't know you then," she says softly. "Because the Archie Andrews I know would never do something so stupid."

"Trust me, Thorn, this is good thing," he insists. "Why don't you trust me?"

"The problem is that I do trust you, Archie," Thorn says. "I always have, even when I say I don't - I do! I trust you," she says, ashamed of her own truth. "I trust so much that I'd do anything for you. I lied to the police for you, for Grundy, because I trust you."

"And now she's dead because of the Black Hood."

"Like I said before, I'm glad she's gone." Thorn shakes her head and she says, "You blind were back then and you're even more blind-sighted now." Her hand goes to his shoulder. "I'm worried about you," she says. "Please," Thorn begs, "be careful. I don't want to see you get hurt."

Archie's hand lands on top of hers. "I'm not going to," he reassures her.

"Just..." she pauses, "you're not in this alone. If you need me, I'm there. Always," she tells him, "even if we're not together."

Archie gives her a small smile. "I promise to always call you first if I need you."

*

Sitting on the floor of Jughead's trailer, her back to the sofa, Thorn tries to decipher the Black Hood's message. She doesn't even know how she's got wrapped up into doing this. They've been there since school finished and it's killing Thorn to keep staring at the unfamiliar markings. It's even putting her off the food they got about forty-minutes ago. She's barely gotten through half her curly fries.