Archie will never forget the day he got the invite. His heart sunk and he felt as if his whole fell apart. He hadn't even since him or her in years, yet it still stung. See he had moved to California in pursuit of a music career and much to everyone's surprise, he'd found one. He had dozens and dozens of hit songs. Most of them were about a certain blonde girl.
Maybe that's why he was so surprised he was invited to her and Jughead's wedding. She had to know his most popular song, Happier, was about her. It was so blatantly obvious even fans speculated it was about her, after they found pictures of his old yearbooks on Google images.
For those reasons, he'd decline the invitation.
Archie's record label was demanding a new song. They wanted it released on May 24. The day before Betty's big day. He was having an awful case of writer's block, but it all cleared after he received the invite. He figured they never heard his music, considering it was never brought up to him.
Little did he know, Betty was always listening to his music.
Betty had felt sick the day Jughead proposed. She wanted to say no, but what good would it do? The one who her heart longed for was thousands of miles away in California, happy. She followed him on all forms of social media, anonymously of course.
When Archie declined the invitation to her wedding, her worst fears began to kick in. She'd have to go through with it. Archie wasn't gonna be there to save her this time.
Then Archie announced he would be releasing a really personal new song the day before she was to officially become someone else's. Betty could only hope it had nothing to do with her. If it did, she wasn't sure what would keep her from buying a ticket and boarding a plane, instead of saying I do. But a part of her hoped it had something to do with her.
When the audio dropped at 12am May 24, Betty had been waiting up to listen.
She wants to get married.
She wants it perfect.
She wants her grandaddy preaching the service.
She wants magnolias, out in the country.
Not to many people, save her daddy some money.
It was about her. He still remembers all of that? Betty had told him that when they were kids.
Betty's heart broke, partly because his heart was broken, partly because she wishes she was marrying him instead.
She turned the video off.
Archie's song was well received. The song had only been out an hour and people were going crazy for it.
He couldn't believe how many people stayed up to listen to his song. He couldn't help but wonder if Betty were to hear his song if it would change anything.
He was scrolling through the comments and he saw so many people asking him whether he actually went to the wedding. They claimed that if he went, it might make a difference.
Suddenly Archie wondered if it would make a difference. So he did something he thought he'd never do. He bought a plane ticket to Riverdale. He wasn't sure if he'd make it, but he realized that if he never tried, he'd never know.
The day of Betty's wedding, was day she'd planned out when she was little. The venue, the flowers, the dress, it was all made to match her dream. Jughead had made sure of that. The problem wasn't the flowers or the venue, it was the groom. No matter how hard she wanted to, she could never love Jughead unconditionally. Something (or more accurately, somebody) was always in the way.
Archie.
But not today, not when he lived thousands of miles away and declined his invitation.
So when the clock struck 3, she walked down the aisle with Fred Andrews, who'd stepped in as Betty's father figure after her father was send to jail.
3: 30 was the time Archie pulled up to the church. He wasn't sure if he was too late or not.
He ran up to the doors and pushed them open.
Ironically right as the priest said "speak now or forever hold your peace."
"Stop the wedding."
"Archie?" Betty said, surprised and a little happy.
"Archie? What the hell!" Jughead said at the same time.
"I'm sorry Jug but I have to get this over my chest." Archie said as he turned to Betty "I love you Betty Cooper. I know you don't feel the same way but I had to tell you or I'd spend the rest of my life wondering."
"Arch..."
"You don't have to say anything Betty." Archie said, cringing as he did. He knows he ruined everything.
Betty turned back to Jughead.
"Jughead, I'm so sorry. My heart isn't in this. It hasn't been since high school." Betty spoke softly as Jughead's face fell. His heart had just been broken.
"Betty. What did I do wrong? What does he have that I don't?" Jughead said, his heart breaking with every word he said.
"Nothing, you did everything right. Your just not-"
"Archie"
"Yes"
And with Betty's simple response, Jughead left the room.
Archie and Betty embraced.
"I love you too Archie" Betty whispered into his ear.
•Disclaimer•
I don't own Riverdale or any characters of Riverdale.
I got my concept off the amazing song Marry Me by Thomas Rhett.