Ariana Andrews.

Chapter Nine: Tough Times

Ariana and Archie walked into the office of the Blue and Gold after reciving a text from Betty. Ariana wasn't sure what Betty wanted to say to them, but as usual, she had a inkling that it was going to be about the Black Hood. He was basically the only thing people were talking about these days.

"What the Hell was that last night?" Archie asked, the second he walked into the room. Ariana punched him in the side, before going over and hugging her best friend. "Betty?"

"I lied to you." She said quietly. Ariana shot Archie an I told you so look, which he ignored. "When you asked me if the Black Hood called again, he did." Ariana kept a tight hold on Betty as she talked, due to the tears in her eyes that threatened to spill. Betty sighed, looking away from Archie, and down to the desk infront of her. "And he told me to cut Veronica out of my life, or he-" 

"It's okay." Ariana said softly, trying to comfort Betty.

"And now he wants me to do the same with Jug." Her voice was shaky and a whisper. Ariana felt so bad for her. The Black Hood was ruining Betty's life, and for what reason? Fun and games?

"Betty, why didn't you tell us?" 

"Because I knew you would try and talk me out of it Arch."

"You're right." Archie said harshly. Ariana gave Archie a dirty look, knowing that he wasn't helping the situation. "It's my mistake." Archie started walking away, and typeing on his phone. In a second Betty had gotten up and jumped over to Archie, reaching for his phone.

"Arch put the phone down!" She said sternly. Archie turned and looked at her in shock. "Listen to me," Betty said urgently. "He hasn't attacked or killed anyone, since we started talking. I think this is... distracting him." Ariana got up and laid her hand on Betty's shoulder.

"But at the cost of your mental state? Betty, I understand that you want to help, but you can't distroy yourself doing it." She said gently, making sure that she wasn't saying anything that would make Betty go off.

"She's right Betty. He's tourturing you. Making you hurt your mom, Veronica, and now Jughead? How are you going to put him, and yourself through that?" Betty wiped a tear away before crossing her arms. 

"I was hoping maybe you guys could do it." She whispered, maintaing eye contact with the floor. 

"What?" Archie asked.

"Maybe, you could tell him, that we just need to s-stay away from eachother for a while." Ariana could see that Betty was reaching her breaking point, as tears ran down her face. Jughead ment so much to her, and she was only doing this to protect him, and the town. Ariana could see that. "Maybe something, anything to just keep him away, to appease the Black Hood." Her voice cracked, breaking Ariana's heart. 

"Of course we will. Betty. Anything you need, I'm here." Ariana pulled Betty into a hug, letting Betty cry into her shoulder. 

"It doesn't have to be cruel." Betty said into her shoulder. "Just enough to make Jug leave it." The two pulled out of the hug, allowing Betty to look at Archie. "We can walk it back later."

"You mean you hope you can." 

"Arch!" Ariana hushed her brother.

"No, we can." Betty said nodding her head, "And we will." She looked between the twins. "Please. Don't quit on me now." 

***
The twins made their way over to the Southside. Ariana was not happy about what they were going to do, but she was willing to do it for Betty, God knows she need all the support that she could get right now.

"Look, Arch. I can talk to Jug if you don't want to."

"No, it's fine, I can do it." Ariana looked at her brother with worry.