I do not own any characters, plots, or anything else pertaining to "Riverdale". This fanfiction is about Barchie and takes place the night of Prom. I'm going to skip ahead until then because I'd like to explore how that would play out now that the show has revealed (what all of us Barchie fans have known since the beginning) that the two have underlying feelings for each other. As always, thanks for reading and reviewing.
A Dream Come True
Chapter 1
A Magical Disaster
Betty hasn't allowed herself to think about this night because she's been too afraid to. The last two months have been rough, and she hasn't been thinking about much other than helping Jug catch-up to graduate. Now, as she looks at herself in the mirror in a beautiful dark blue dress, she can't help but remember looking at herself in the same mirror before the Homecoming Dance all those years ago. She had so much hope and it had been dashed in one night. Archie had destroyed her dream of them being together and had simultaneously broken her heart. Her confession had led to nothing and he had never looked back, or had he?
Over the last few months, she's wondered if Archie regrets telling her that he didn't love her, that he didn't want to be with her. Lately, when they've all been doing cram sessions together in the bunker, Betty has felt Archie's eyes on her. Stealing glances when he thought she wasn't looking. To say that it's unnerved her would be an understatement. Ever since Cheryl pointed out what she's been denying for so long, she hasn't been able to get it out of her head. Maybe she had been right. There is and always will be a part of her that's in love with Archie. It's something she can't help, but she can bury it. She prays Archie will be able to do the same.
As she puts the finishing touches on her make-up, she hears the doorbell ring, and can't help but smile. She can't wait to see Jug in a tux. Her heart hammers all the way down the stairs and up to the front door. When she opens it, she's surprised to see Archie standing there. He's wearing a traditional black tux and holding a yellow corsage in his hands. Betty can't help but feel her pulse quicken and something akin to butterflies invade her stomach. "Arch, what…? Before she can say anything, he hands over the corsage. "I know we're not going together to Prom, but I promised I'd give you a corsage." Betty is taken by complete surprise by this. She can't believe he remembered after all this time. Betty gives him a warm smile. "Thanks so much, Arch. It's so sweet of you to remember." He gives her that handsome smile she's always loved so much. "How could I forget? You made me promise on your 9th Birthday." Betty can't help but laugh. "And you wanted to know what my one wish was when I blew out the candles and I told you I wanted you to get me a yellow corsage when you took me to Prom." Archie nods at the memory. "Here, put out your arm." She does this and her heart does a somersault as he takes the corsage out of the box and then puts it on her wrist. Their eyes suddenly lock, and his touch lingers on her arm. He's staring at her like she's the center of his universe. Like she's his world and she's afraid to breathe.
They stay like that until a car door can be heard shutting from behind them. They quickly jump apart and they're back to reality. Betty sees Jughead and Veronica getting out of the limo Veronica had rented for the night. She has to turn away for a moment to get her composure before she puts a smile on her face, as they both approach. Jug gives her a smirk, as he walks up her front steps. "Well, don't you look beautiful." Her forced smile disappears and a real one replaces it, as she feels herself finally relax. "You don't look so bad yourself." His smirk widens and he captures her lips in a kiss. A few moments pass, before Veronica's voice interrupts them. "Okay, you two love birds. There will be plenty of time for that after the Prom. We've got to go." Betty pulls back, quickly slipping her hand into Jug's, still feeling the tingling sensation on her arm where Archie had touched her. Her heart does a somersault on its own accord, right before Jug helps her into the limo.
She does her best to avoid eye contact with Archie, as him and Veronica get into the limo after them. Betty knows this night is going to be complicated, considering how awkward things have been between her and Archie the last two months. She takes a sharp breath, as she feels Jug pull her closer to him. Betty turns and gives him a small smile. Jug gives her a warm smirk in return, before he reaches into his coat pocket. She watches as he gently takes the beautiful white corsage out of the box and grabs her wrist to put it on. When his eyes fall on the yellow one already there, her heart drops in response. "Where did you get this?" She feels panic rise inside her and she's not sure how to answer the question. How would Jug react with the truth? Should she lie? All these thoughts in her head play on repeat, until she hears Archie's voice break the silence. "I gave it to her because I promised to when we were kids." Betty feels Archie's eyes key in on her, but she refuses to look at him across the limo. Instead, she locks eyes with the boy she loves, and sees confusion written over his features. She also notes the hurt there as well and it feels like a knife twisting in her heart. "Is that all it is, Betty?" She nods a little too quickly and pulls off the yellow corsage to replace it with the white one from Jug. She quickly puts the corsage away in the empty box and hopes this will put Jug's fears to rest about her and Archie. But, as her eyes lock with his, she can see he's not buying it. Her worst fear is coming to life and her façade that she's created is now disappearing and revealing her true feelings.
He stares at her for a beat longer before she hears Veronica's voice cut through the tension. "Let's get some music going, liven things up a bit." Betty's eyes quickly shift to Veronica and she can see the uncertainty written all over her features as well, before she turns to put the music on. As the music starts to fill the limo, Betty still refuses to look at Archie. She wishes he would have lied about getting her the corsage and that she would have come up with something else instead. With everything between her and Archie lately, she should have thought of something, but her mind went blank, when she saw the expression on Jug's face.
Betty sits there in a daze for the rest of the ride, not knowing what to say or how to deal with this. It seems that none of them know what to say because all four of them are quiet until they get to Riverdale High. She can feel the shift in the air, as the driver opens the door to let them out of the limo. Betty immediately reaches for Jug's hand and watches him take it with hesitation. There's no smirk on his face, just a blank expression she can't quite read. Her heart aches at the thought that she's hurt him. As they start through the double doors of the gym and the loud music hits her ears, she can feel a certain redheaded boy's eyes on her from behind. Betty can't help but turn to look at Archie over her shoulder and when their eyes meet, she feels something pull inside of her. Something that's laid dormant for a long time. The same thing she can see in his eyes now. As Betty turns her attention back to the door in front of her, she knows one thing about tonight. It'll be a magical disaster.