The One with A Complication (JUGHEAD X READER X ARCHIE)

CHAPTER 15

There were some moments of silence with you and Archie just trying to calm down.

"(YOUR NAME), I..." Archie started but once you raised your eyes, your expression made him stop.

"You what, Archie?" you spoke, your voice colored with disappointment. "Do you even know what you are doing right now?"

He shook his head, licking his lips. "Listen, I've been thinking lately. Ever since you and... him said you were a couple, I finally understood (YOUR NAME); I came to my senses for real this time."

"And what did you understand exactly?" You flinched upset, closing your arms over your chest.

"That you are the one for me." Archie admitted and let a breathing chuckle.

"Right..." you nodded, not even feeling a single thing regarding that statement. Just pure disappointment for the guy in front of you that stooped so low.

The boy eyed you, not quite believing your reaction. "I know you feel bad right now, you don't know how to say this to Jughead, but he will understand, he always knew, you just got confused—" he went on and on, making plans and taking things for granted like he always did.

"Confused?" You cut him off. "No, Archie, I'm not at all confused right now. I might have been in the past but all is crystal clear now." You scoffed, not quite believing how oblivious you were some months ago.

"(YOUR NAME) ..." he chuckled in disbelief. "You said you loved me not long ago. And I'm here telling you that I love you back. I want us to try again." He continued desperately.

"That's where you got it all wrong; where I got it all wrong." You focused your eyes on his. "I never loved you, Archie." You admitted with a shrug and saw Archie gasp in front of you. "Jughead was always the one I wanted. You cheated on me." You smiled at that.

"It-It can't be." Archie refused, chuckling again uneasily. "(YOUR NAME), we were right there outside your house when you demanded an answer from me, an answer I couldn't give you then, but I can now... please, give us a change, I know you're still in love with me..." he said in a lower voice, coming closer to you and placing his hands on your arms.

"No." (YOUR NAME) squirmed away from his touch, not feeling even the slightest of affection. "I always felt things for Jughead, things that I couldn't quite understand, but then you came along, so I got myself distracted. But you and I would have never lasted, Archie... Because sooner or later, I'd definitely find my way to Jughead and you back to Grundy." You confessed and your heart ached at the thought of Jughead with the sad eyes, at the thought that you might have missed him if Archie's didn't cheat on you, that you might have missed that feeling inside your chest that compared to nothing you ever felt before for anyone.

"Is that your final answer?" Archie let a heavy sigh, turning his defeated frown to the floor, where he thought you wouldn't see it.

"Yes." You replied without missing a beat and in all certainty.

"And one last thing; you'd better lose those jackass ways they brainwash you with in those locker rooms. Not that there's any of your business but we never did anything in here that would make you or your dad feel uncomfortable in your own house. The way you implied that and talked to Jughead tonight was unacceptable." You saw him dropping his head more to the ground in shame and felt a tad of relief at that, seeing that some bits and pieces of the Archie you got to call your best friend were still there. "Start planning your apology." You advised and walked softly around, gathering your cardigan and putting on your sneakers before heading to the door.

"I'm sorry, Archie... I'm not the (YOUR NAME) you got used to always have around anymore." And with that you were gone too, leaving Archie behind, regretting all the choices he had made in his short-lived life.