The Serpent and His Girl

Stop Messing With Me

When he enters Pop's Choklit Shop, it's as if his whole world stops for a minute. Sitting on the front counter beside a beaming Cheryl is nothing other than Betty's phone. It's screen is cracked, covered in dirt and parts of old leaves. But it's her's, he knows it. Archie scrambles over, falling over his own feet to get over there immediately. Cheryl slides the phone over to him once he's sitting on a stool.

His breath hitches as he looks down at the dark screen. He clicks the home button, as her lock screen picture of the two of them at the homecoming dance shows, a tear slips down his cheek. Cheryl quickly passes him a napkin, holding his hand gently. The bell above the door chimes, signifying a new customer in the small town's idyllic diner.

"Ch-Cheryl what does this mean?" The red headed boy asks. Cheryl inhales, her eyes darting to the figure that's perusing the diner through the doorway for an empty booth. When she doesn't answer him, he glances up at her. "Cher? What's...?"

He follows her gaze, seeing Reggie. He shrugs, thinking Cheryl was just overreacting to Reggie's poor fashion sense. But then he looks farther than that, seeing a pink-haired serpent run out of the parking lot. Suspicious. Without thinking, he darts out of the diner after her, Cheryl screaming at him to stop. Cheryl grabs Betty's phone and runs after him.

"Archie! Archie, stop! Archibald Andrews if you don't stop right now!" Cheryl shrieks after him, causing the Serpent to stop in her tracks. She turns around, eyes searching until she finds Cheryl.

"Cher? Oh my god, what...hey babe!" Toni embraces the red headed girl, kissing her on the cheek soon after. Cheryl giggles and pecks Toni's lips, unbelievably happy to see her girlfriend.

"TT! How was your day? Oh, you look so cute today!" Cheryl gushes, her eyes sparkling. Archie sighs, running a hand through his hair.

"Ugh, Cher you wouldn't believe what happened today! My boss at the Whyte Worm almost caught me helping Bet-I mean Brittany," Toni corrects herself suddenly. Archie and Cheryl exchange a look. It says BINGO! Toni spots Betty's phone and quickly changes the subject. "Babe, what is that?"

Cheryl responds nonchalantly, "Just my beloved cousin's phone. You know Betty, the one who's missing? Yeah. Anywho, Archie I can actually point you in the direction of where I found dear Betty's phone. It was over there on that sidewalk. I'd help but Toni and I need to, uh, catch up!" Before the Blossom heiress even finishes, Archie races towards the tracks.

He scours the ground for anything. Anything at all that will help him find his blonde best friend. After minutes of finding absolutely nothing, he peeks along the tree line. The sun is setting, and soon the town will succumb to the inevitable darkness of the night. He runs up and down the sidewalk, unknowingly taking the same steps as Betty Cooper did a few nights prior. As his search becomes more and more frustratingly dry of evidence, he realizes that searching the ground for clues is pointless.

His eyes start to water, agony coursing through his veins. All he wants is her back, was that too much to ask? He just wants to hear her voice, her laugh whenever he says anything stupid, to have movie night Wednesday's again, where the popcorn flows and the laughter never ends. All he wants is to hug his best friend. Is that too much to ask for? He closes his eyes, as he lets the tears flow. Running a palm over his face, he lets out a shaky breath.

Walking back towards Pop's, he spots something he didn't notice before. A shard of glass next to a rectangle outline in the dirt beside the cracking sidewalk. As he bends down to inspect it, he hears an echoing whisper. He straightens immediately.

"Who's there?" He booms out, scanning the bushes for any sign of life. After a second of only a soft breeze rippling through the area, he shrugs. Bending down to inspect the glass at a closer angle, he puts all his attention back to the strange imprint and the sticky substance covering the glass.

A twig snaps not far behind, and he glances to his left, then right.

"Okay seriously Cheryl, come on. Come out, and I'll buy you a milkshake, just stop messing with me," he nervously chuckles. Another snap. He turns around, fists up and ready to fight. What he's met with is an empty street barely lit by a blinking street light. "Cher...knock it off okay? I get it, ha ha I'm a scaredy cat. Now knock. It. Off. Seriously."

Yet another snap, followed quickly by the crunch of gravel. Archie's breath hitches as he turns in circles.

"Seriously whoever you are cut the shit. I'm not kidding. I'm not afraid to use the best of my ability to beat you up. Stop." He threatens. Arms wrap around his torso, and he feels someone's warm breath on his neck.

"Oh ho ho, pretty boy. You aren't gonna be doing anything. You're coming with me." The voice hisses in his ear. Archie struggles against them, using all his strength to break free. He stumbles towards Pop's, but falls almost instantly. His legs have given out, but as two other men grab his arms, he continues to fight.

"Oh, pretty boy, no matter how hard you fight, it's over. You're coming with us." A serpent his age kneels in front of a still fighting Archie. "Face it Red, you're done. You're outnumbered. But please, try to fight. I love a good shit show." The serpent mocks him, a smirk growing across his face. Archie grunts, relaxing into the Serpents' hold. The other Serpent gets up slowly.

"Good, now that all the fight is out of you Red, I suppose introductions are in order. I know who you are, Archie Andrews. But me? The name's Sweet Pea. And that," he motions to the boy holding Archie's left arm, "is Fangs. The other one is Tall Boy. Now, boys, I think we should let him get his rest. It'll be a long night once Boss hears of our little catch."

Sweet Pea strides over to a confused Archie, cracking his knuckles. He chuckles darkly, raising his fist.

"Night night, Red."

A/N :
oHHHHHH. That's the tea. I really feel like this chapter had more of a vibe that my earlier ones had. Idk lol. But anyways, what'd you think? Let me know