riverdale imagines - complete

not a second choice // rm

You walked into the speakeasy trying your best not to drop the two giant bags of food you brought for you and Reggie knowing that it was going to be a long day of work. You called his name, hoping he wasn't in one of the back rooms so he could help you. Thankfully he came rushing over.

"Why didn't you text me that you were here, y/n! I would've met you outside." he scolded jokingly as he took one of the bags.

"Well i didn't think they were going to be this heavy or that we ordered this much food." you said as you sat the bag you were carrying down on one of the tables. Reggie came out from behind the counter with plates and silverware for us to use, sitting down next to you as you began taking out all of the cartons from the bag.

As you ate, you and Reggie talked about everything that wasn't work related. The two of you spent enough time talking all things speakeasy that you were kind of tired of it.

"Everyone's so worried about how Veronica is doing with Archie going awol that no one has really asked me and it bothers me a little but it also means that i don't have to think about where my brother is and what could possibly be happening to him right now. And i don't really want anyone's fake sympathy." you said as you pushed food around your plate growing sad as you spoke about your brother.

"Yeah but that's really shitty that no one has asked his little sister how she's doing."

"You're the only one who seems to care about mine and dad's well-being while everyone else is catering to Veronica. I love her, don't get me wrong. This isn't me confessing my hatred for her because i absolutely love her, she's like the sister i never knew i wanted. But it does bother me that no one worries about me in this situation."

"I'm always here for you, y/n. You know that right?" Reggie said looking intently at you.

"Of course i do, Reg." he placed his hand on top of yours, giving it a squeeze and the two of you continued to eat your food before getting to work on everything that needed to be done in the speakeasy.

You had a giant crush on Reggie that only seemed to have blossomed as the two of you started working together. You've known Reggie your whole life and have had a close relationship with him since you were born, but you never had any romantic feelings until recently. You were sure he felt the same way, but the only way to find out is to ask him and that's what you planned to do. It's just a matter of when.

You had finished up for the night at the speakeasy. Yelling a goodbye to Reggie and Veronica, you headed up the stairs to your car. As you searched through your bag to find your keys, you realized you must've left them downstairs on the counter. You let out a huff, wanting to be home already, as you turned around and walked back down to the speakeasy.

"Hey, have either of you seen-" you stopped mid sentence finding Reggie and Veronica, lip locked leaning against the bar, "my keys?" you finished as they broke away and looked at you, "uh sorry i just forgot my keys." you said with a slight chuckle walking over and grabbing your keys off the counter and walking back towards the stairs.

"Have a good night, guys!" you called and waved behind you. You heard them mumble a goodnight in return. You put on a nonchalant front but when you got to your car you broke down a little. Not crying, but your heart broke a little thinking that you actually had a chance with Reggie.

Over the next few days you acted like you saw nothing the other night. Reggie and Veronica not bothering to bring it up either. Until one day when you and Reggie were in the car together, making an alcohol run.

"So are we just not going to talk about the other night?" he asked.

"What's there to talk about, Reg?" you asked looking over at him.

"Um you walking in on me macking on your brother's girl?"

"Veronica and Archie broke up before he left so you weren't macking on his girl and i don't think Archie plans on coming back anytime soon so do what you want." you shrugged your shoulders keeping up your nonchalant attitude.

"Well what about you?" he asked.

"What about me? I don't think you and Veronica being together has anything to do with me, Reggie." you chuckled a little wondering where he was going with this.

"Look i think that maybe i have feelings for you and it took you walking in on Veronica and i kissing to make me realize that i felt something for you. And i've known you your whole life, i know when you're upset and though you put on a front and made Veronica believe you were fine with it, i saw the hurt in your eyes which makes me think you feel something too."

Your jaw had dropped and your eyes went wide as Reggie read you like an open book.

"I um, i don't really know what to say." you whispered.

"Do you have feelings for me?" he asked bluntly.

"Yeah." you whispered again.

"Okay." he said and then the two of you fell into silence. Your mind was racing, not knowing what he was thinking in that moment but you had a feeling that it wasn't good. You were almost positive he was going to pick Veronica and you had come to terms with that already so you would be fine either way, but taking into consideration the talk you just had, a little part of you held hope.

You went home that night, staying up the rest of the night thinking about everything. Not sure where this thing with Reggie was going to go and he didn't give you much to go off of. The next morning, you weren't feeling school so your dad let you skip so you could catch up on sleep. In the middle of a nap you were taking on the couch, knocking at your front door woke you up, making you slightly mad. You got up, wrapping the blanket around you as you headed to the door to answer it.

"Reggie? What are you doing here?" you asked groggily.

"I came to see why you skipped school today." he said as he walked past you and into the living room.

"I didn't sleep well last night so dad said i could stay home. I was actually in the middle of a nap when you so rudely interrupted." you curled back up on the couch, closing your eyes for a second.

"I ended things with Veronica." he spoke.

"Why?" you mumbled, eyes still closed.

"Because i realize that my feelings for you were much greater than anything i felt for her." your eyes shot open at he admitted the reason for ending things with Veronica, "to be honest, we weren't much of anything. I'm actually not sure what we were, but i know the second Archie comes back, she'll toss me away like rotten meat and that'll be the end and i don't want to be someone's second choice and i know you don't either." both of you sat, eyes facing forward. Reggie too scared to look at you for a reaction and you frozen in your spot trying to think of something to say.

"You're not my second choice, you're my first. It just took me seeing the hurt in your eyes to realize that i wanted to be with you and i'm sorry for that. For hurting you." he whispered.

"It's okay, Reggie. You didn't do it intentionally." you slipped your hand out from under the blanket to rest it on top of Reggie's hand that sat in his lap. His head snapped over to you at the sudden contact. You gave him a soft smile which he returned, lacing your fingers together.

"Can i stay here with you? I don't really feel like going back to school." he asked.

You nodded your head, switching positions on the couch so your head laid in his lap, "only if i can continue my nap while you play with my hair." you said as you got comfortable.

"It's the least i can do for waking you up." he chuckled brushing his fingers through your hair as you dozed off into sleep with a smile on your face.