Chapter 6

She broke her own heart holding onto him.

By the end of the day Betty caught up with Archie walking home and grabbed onto his arm. "Archie we need to talk" she said.

"About what?" he asked dumbly, though he knew exactly what. He hoped he would get away with it, but he should have known better. It was Betty after all. She was too smart for him, and he knew that.

"Why did you lie to Veronica?" she questioned. "She's my best friend, she deserves to know the truth."

"I…" Archie hesitated. "I just needed to make sure you were okay" he admitted. "With all that's been going on with you lately, I just wanted to try and cheer you up is all."

Betty smiled a little, "I appreciate your concern Arch, but I'm fine."

"Yeah for how long?" he said as anger suddenly took over his mind.

Her smile fell as she looked up at him, "What are you talking about?"

"I mean how long will it be until you go from 'fine' back to how you were?" Archie questioned. "How much longer will it be before Jug disappears on you again, stops responding to texts, ignores your calls, he'll do it again Betty and you know it."

Betty was clearly upset by his words as she pushed past him, her eyes burning with unshed tears. She couldn't think about that. She wouldn't allow herself to believe that he would leave her again.

Archie blocked her path. "Answer me Betty" he said. "Are you really going to let him keep treating you like this? What's it going to take for you to stop falling back into his trap, listening to his lies…"

"Where the hell is all this coming from?" Betty demanded. "Since when do you care Archie? Was it before or after Jughead came into the picture? I told you how I felt about you before and you shut me down Archie, you shut me down!"

"He's lying to you!" Archie finally burst out. He wanted to take it back, but it was too late. She was glaring up at him now, a look of complete confusion and hurt on her face.

Her voice quieted, "What are you talking about?"

Archie shook her head, closing his mouth. He couldn't do this. He could not force the words to come out. She deserved to know, but clearly Jughead didn't have any intention of telling her.

This time it was Archie that tried to walk away and Betty rushed over to him grabbing onto his jacket once again.

"You can't do that!" she said, her voice rising again, shaking with how worried she was. "What happened Arch?" And then she softened again as her fears got the best of her again. "Please."

Archie sighed as he looked down at her, he couldn't stand to see her so worried, and he braced himself for what he was about to say. He was going to be breaking her heart, he knew it. Why should it fall on him to tell her? Why couldn't Jughead just been honest with her. He claimed to love her, but if he did he would have confessed.

Archie sighed, "Call him" he said. "He should be the one to tell you."

Betty pulled out her phone and rushed ahead of him, her ear pressed to the phone. He wanted to be there for her, but he also knew how she was. How she always pushed people away when she was hurting. He hoped to hear from her again. And soon. He promised himself he would be there to pick up the broken pieces.

The next day Archie heard nothing from her, neither the next, or the next, he worried about when school would start again. They would be on winter break that week, and he knew he wouldn't be able to wait to here for her until then. So when Monday came and there was still no word from Betty, he made his way to her house and stood at the porch, knocking. When she finally answered, she came to the door with her eyes lowered, red rimmed, with flushed cheeks and eyes more tired and dull than he had ever seen before. Her nose was red and when she spoke, her voice was broken and hoarse.

"Hey" was all she could manage to get out.

"Can I come in?" Archie asked as a chill swept up his spine from the cold chill of the wind.

She nodded and opened it for him. She was still in pajamas and she walked over the couch where she had been sitting before she'd gone to the door. The fireplace was on, Elf was playing on TV, and she wrapped the blue and white snowflake blanket tightly around herself.

"How've you been?" Archie asked as he sat beside her, rubbing his hands together to warm them.

"I've been better" she answered. "I bet you could guess, I broke it off with him."

Archie nodded, "Did he say anything? Explain himself at least?"

"He told me it was Toni who kissed him, that it was a mistake…"

"Unbelievable" Archie said as he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "He's not taking any responsibility at all."

Betty smiled a little and placed her hand on his arm. "Its okay Arch" she said. "I've learned my lesson. Jughead just wasn't the right guy."

But it wouldn't be long before Betty found herself sucked back in yet again… and this time, placed in a more dangerous situation than ever before, with no way out.

PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU LIKED IT! Let me know what you think will happen next!