Endgame??

Chapter 15

Hello again! Hope you enjoyed the story till now. Do let me know if any suggestions politely!
Hope you have a fun read!!

----------------------

Monday Morning,

Betty and Archie's walk was awfully quiet with occasional glancing from each other, Archie could feel Betty's absent mind but watched her without a word walking with her even though the silence was killing him. Betty's mind was a mess; she had already got up with a head ache thanks to the lack of sleep, she sighed when her mom's words played again in her head.

FB*
Morning at Cooper's House

"Is everything alright Betty?" Alice asked Betty seeing her lost in thoughts from yesterday night; Betty looked startled at the question but quickly put on her smile "Of course mom!!" Alice smiled even though she knew it was not entirely true. Alice watched as Betty ate her breakfast in silence, "So did you have fun at the Andrews this weekend?" Betty instantly smiled thinking through her weekend again and that answered Alice's question but she waited for her to answer. "I did...I slept well!" Alice smiled but soon Betty's face fell again thinking about her racing heart at the lake. Alice has been trying to be the supportive mother is was, she knew Betty had made difficult choices for her and she wanted nothing to hurt Betty anymore. But this was different, more than hurt Betty looked in dilemma and Alice decided that she would help only if needed by her daughter.

           Alice turned and focused on her laptop as Betty finished her breakfast she remembered something. "Mom?" she called gaining Alice attention, "Do you happen to have picture of Archie proposing me from when we were kids?" Betty asked watching her mom's face stay stoic. Alice already could see that whatever her worries/confusion was contemplating would be connected to Archie, she thought for a second "Yes!" she simply answered with a smile making Betty's jaw dropped. Betty stared at her mother especially at her unbothered behaviour, she let out a breath and asked again "And you gave it to Archie?" Alice smiled again "Yes! He asked it to make a copy!" she answered casually and got up to clean her plate.

    Betty got up unable to contain her question, "Mom! Wha? Whyy?? Ho???" she wanted to ask so many things that she couldn't form a coherent sentence. She stopped, took a few breathes and calmed herself first "Why didn't you tell ME anything about it?" while Alice stood there as if she didn't have an answer. Betty kept waiting for an answer from her but Alice just stood there without looking at her directly. She sighed and gave up putting her head down in defeat, took her plate to clean.

     Alice sighed "It was suppose to be a surprise Betty!" she stated stopping Betty in her track, she turned towards her mom confused "Surprise...for what mom!" she asked. Alice looked a little guilty, but she looked directly at "Look Betty all your life you've ever talked about is...being with Archie!" she said making Betty even more confused. Alice wasn't sure if she wanted to tell it to Betty but something in her gut urged her to, "...so I figured ...You might end up marrying him someday! And I wanted to gift this to you both on that day!!" Betty looked completely shocked at Alice while she stood there studying Betty.

          Betty blinked a few times; she was trying hard to digest the information. She always thought her mom hated the fact that Betty liked Archie but seeing these things she could see her mom had her own dreams about her future and her relationships. Betty took a few steps towards her mom and hugged her being grateful. Alice hugged her back feeling happy that her daughter was understanding her; Betty leaned back still holding on to her mom "Well you could have given it to me....at least after you know..." she said smiling.

       Alice rolled her eyes "How could I Betty, you were trying to figure out your relationship with Jughead... and I didn't want to give you any reminder of your failed first crush!!" Betty looked at her mom and suddenly started laughing at her choice of words and how she put it, "thanks mom!!" She said still laughing making Alice laugh along. Letting each other go, Betty went to the chair to pick her bag, while Alice put the dishes in dishwasher, both feeling much better after the conversation. Alice turned around to see Betty deep in thoughts that she barely reacted when their door-bell rang.