Betty and Archie were having dinner in the quad. She'd been quiet since he returned from his classes, but she'd been quiet pretty much since she arrived at Archie's dorm room nearly a month ago. Somedays, she appeared happy, but there were days, like today, where she looked apprehensive. On the table beside her plate was her phone. It had been lighting up at regular intervals, even though it no longer rang or vibrated. Archie could tell each time her cellphone lit up that she was unnerved by it as she would grit her teeth and mutter under her breath.
"Louis still isn't taking the hint," Archie concluded.
"He wants me to tell him where I am so he can see me. He thinks we should try to work things out," Betty sighed heavily.
"Have you considered blocking his number?" Archie asked.
"He just calls from other phones," Betty shook her head and bit her lip as she hesitated in telling him about the call she received a couple of days ago when he was doing rounds in the dorm. "He got into my dorm room the other night and called using the landline."
"Your roommate let him in?"
"No," Betty shook her head, "When she was there to get my stuff, Cheryl had a long talk with her. Tiff knows better. I called her cell after I quickly hung up on Louis. She was in a study group."
"Betty, you need to contact campus security," he suggested, "If he's breaking into your dorm room, he's committing a crime he should be held accountable for."
"He's never going to be held to be accountable for anything," Betty reminded him, "His family practically built the school. The worst he would get is a slap on the wrist. Why do you think I never went to campus security when he threw me around the room?"
"I'd like to get that guy alone just once," Archie's fist tightened under the table.
"You and Mad Dog?" Betty smiled a little.
"I wouldn't need help," Archie shook his head.
Betty swallowed hard, "Maybe I just need to turn off my phone."
"Might be a good idea. Tell those who need to reach you that they can go through me," he suggested, "I'll turn your phone on once a day and check the messages to make sure there isn't anything important from home."
"Thanks, Arch," Betty nodded. "For now, it's just Kev, Cher, and Polly."
"You should have that talk with your mom," he said as they got up to leave.
"Maybe when we get back to Riverdale," Betty shrugged, "It's not exactly a conversation I want to have over the phone."
"I guess it's really not," he took her hand in his.
"I'm tired of being depressed today. Can we get a couple of drinks or something at that bar just off campus where your friends hang out?" she asked.
"Sure," he replied, "Did you want me to call everyone to meet us there?"
"I'm not in the mood to impress anyone tonight, so maybe just you and me," she suggested.
"You and me sounds good," Archie smiled as they walked towards the lot where his truck was parked.
Betty was feeling noticeably better after a couple of drinks. As neither was interested in having anymore, they were pleasantly tipsy but not drunk. She pulled him onto the dance floor with the rest of the patrons. It was difficult for Archie to ignore how right she felt in his arms as they swayed with the music.
"Where are you right now?" Betty noted the faraway look in his eyes.
"Last I checked, I was here with you," he grinned.
"No," she shook her head as her thumb unconsciously caressed the base of his neck.
"No?"
"You've got that lost in a memory look in your eyes," she explained.
"Just thinking back to the other times I've danced with you," he smiled.
"Prom," she recalled, "That was the last."
"There was so much I wanted to say to you that night but couldn't," he admitted, "It wouldn't have been fair to Jughead or Veronica, and it certainly wouldn't have been fair to you."
Betty swallowed hard as she asked, "What did you want to say?"
"That I was an absolute idiot when we were sophomores and an even bigger idiot the day in the bunker when I let you talk yourself out of you and me," Archie said.
"Arch," Betty shook her head, "Don't do that to yourself, okay? Sophomore year was bad for all of us, but even with all the problems we had, I'll never stop thinking you got the worst of it."
"Me?" Archie was taken aback by that.
"You were a confused kid. Grundy groomed you into doing exactly what she wanted," Betty said.
"Let's not go back to that," he shook his head to clear the unwelcomed memories flooding his mind, "I was messed up. My parents were getting divorced, and my mom had moved to Chicago. I don't know why I didn't turn to you. You'd always been there for me."
"And you for me," Betty smiled, "About the bunker, Arch-"
"I never should've let you walk out," his eyes were so serious it nearly broke her heart.
"I should never have walked out," she agreed. "Do you ever think about what it might have been like if we'd gotten together in high school?"
"Yeah," he bobbed his head, "A lot, actually."
"Do you think we'd still be together?"
"I don't know," he shook his head, "There were a lot of things that could've ruined us."
"Veronica's insane crush on you," Betty nodded.
"Jug's insane crush on you," Archie countered.
"After I found out my dad was the one who nearly killed yours, there's an excellent chance I would've pushed you away as hard as I could," Betty said.
"And I would have hung on tight," his arms tightened around her a fractional bit.
"It killed me that Veronica was there for you when your dad died. I wanted it to be me," she felt tears welling in her eyes.
"Truth? There were times I wanted it to be you, too," he admitted, "Veronica tried to be what I needed, but she didn't understand my relationship with my dad like you."
Betty swallowed hard as the memories of losing Fred Andrews hit her again. Losing him had been worse than losing her own father. She truthfully didn't know how Archie handled it as well as he did. "It's getting late. You want to get going?"
"Yeah, let me pay our tab," he replied, "Grab your bag. We'll meet at the door."
"This was my idea. I should pay."
"I got it," he assured her.
She knew she wasn't going to win this contest. He was a gentleman to his core, so she went to retrieve her bag, making the mistake of looking at her phone and the plethora of messages it contained. She made a face of disgust and stuffed the device back into her bag before meeting Archie at the door.
"Give me that damn phone," Archie held out his hand when he joined her.
"Is there any point in arguing?"
"You could, but it's been a pretty good night for the most part. A fight would put a damper on things," he smiled.
She handed over the phone.
"You will get this back after we return to Riverdale," he slid the phone into his back pocket and then placed his hand at the small of her back to guide her to his truck.
Betty smiled as they walked.
"What is so funny?"
"Nothing," she shook her head.
"Tell me," he said.
"You'll be a good dad one day. You've got the protective thing down."
"I think fatherhood is a long way off for me," he opened the door to his truck for her.
"Perhaps, but you'll be a good one when the time comes," she smiled.
"In you go," Archie urged her into the truck. There was no point in discussing the offspring topic. It was years away.
"You're such a guy," she smirked as she climbed in.
"Guilty," he shut the door with a smile before jogging around and climbing into the driver's side.
Betty buttoned herself into some pajamas she knew weren't among her possessions before Cheryl had packed her things up, but they were comfy, so she was glad for them.
Archie had gone off after they'd gotten back to the dorm to do his RA duties. He'd be back in a bit.
Feeling a bit restless, she started sorting through his bookshelf, hoping for something that would catch her attention. She was done with most of her reading for her classes and was itching to read something non-class related. Just as she was about to give up, she found a bound book with no title. Opening it, she realized it was Archie's journal. She didn't even know he kept one. She nearly put it back when she found a passage with her name. It was more than a journal entry; it was a poem or the beginnings of a song. It was beautiful. It spoke of how their relationship had evolved through the years and how much he wished he'd dared to do what he'd wanted. Betty was nearly in tears as she closed the book and returned it to the shelf.
Archie returned moments later. Betty's eyes locked with his, and suddenly she had an urge she could no longer ignore. She went to him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and angled his face so she could attack his lips in a kiss so powerful it nearly brought them both to their knees.
"Betty," Archie's eyes were a bit glassy as he pulled back slightly with a bit of a smile, "What was that?"
"Something I should have never talked myself out of," she ran her hands down his arms and threaded their fingers together.
Archie closed his eyes as he savored the moment, his forehead pressing against hers.
"Archie, you make me feel safe," she smiled.
"You are safe with me," he tenderly stroked her chin.
"You've been my best friend for as long as I can remember," she added. "We've had our ups and downs, but no matter what, I always knew I could count on you. That's why I came here in the first place and why I agreed to stay."
"What are you trying to tell me?" he asked.
"Not trying to tell you anything, more like I'm asking you for something," she looked away from a moment.
"Ask me anything," he brought her eyes back to his so she could see the sincerity in them.
"Things with Louis and me have been bad for a long time, and I've forgotten what it felt like to be with someone I trusted," she swallowed hard as she tried to get out her request. "For a while, I had sex with him for fear that he'd hurt me if I didn't. I'm not saying he forced himself on me, but it's a shaky line of consent."
"Betty, just ask what you want," he told her gently.
"Will you be with me?" she asked, "Will you remind me what it's like to be with someone good?"
Archie closed his eyes for a few beats to process her request. If he was honest with himself, he'd fantasized about being with her for many years, but this moment was complicated. She was vulnerable and possibly not in the best headspace. "Betty, are you sure?"
"I am," she nodded, "But if you're-"
Archie threw caution to the wind as he kissed her again, their joined hands cupping her face before one of her hands slid free so her arm could hook around his neck. He wasn't going to overthink this. She needed him, and he'd give her this even if she hated him for it later and even if it would haunt him for the rest of his life.
He lifted her effortlessly in his arms and carried her to the bed, laying her out like she was a precious gift he intended to treasure.
"Promise me I'm not taking advantage," he laid out beside her, his hand laying lightly on her stomach as he hovered slightly above her, "I'd never forgive myself if I did anything to hurt you or our relationship."
"Let's make a deal," she tugged lightly at his shirt, "We have tonight and then not ever talk about it ever again."
Archie nodded, even though he disagreed with her proposal. He knew this wouldn't be a one-time thing in the long run. It simply couldn't be. As far as he was concerned, they were end game.
Deciding to let the night be what it was, they each reached for the other's clothes, and slowly, piece by piece, they began to fall to the floor, and Archie spent the night showing Betty exactly how a real man treated a woman he cared deeply for. They'd deal with the fall out later.
TBC...