Chapter Ten

Whatever had made it so that most of Riverdale High showed up for the football game, the game wasn't exactly it. Or maybe it was the idea of an easy win that made most of the student body, even those that tried to keep themselves from the Friday night lights found themselves in the crowd.

Which was why Gabby was only a little surprised when she saw Jughead sitting at the top of the stands, looking at the field with an air of disinterest, a book clasped tightly in his hands. His eyes flickered over the field before he shook his head and buried his face into the book. Beside him, Archie and Betty shook their heads, smiles coming to their faces as they looked over the field.

Gabby noticed that and the bustling crowd as she took a quick break from looking over the football field through the lens of her camera. More specifically, it was a quick break from having to watch Cheryl go over her routine with the River Vixens time and time again. To keep from having to nod and smile and say, "It was good," to every question Cheryl asked.

"What about this move?"

"It was good."

"Really? Do you think it would've looked better at the end?"

"Cheryl, it was good."

"I think I might put it at the end. It's a real finisher move."

"Cheryl!"

Polly turned towards the red-head with a plastered-on smile. The same sort of smile that all the River Vixens had to keep on when they were out in public, in the River Vixens uniform. Or, rather, what they had to keep on at all times. It was no wonder they were always so crabby with each other, having to keep up happiness that long would've easily given Gabby a headache from how quickly her smile would turn into a grimace.

Faking the happiness, though, Gabby thought, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jean jacket. That wouldn't be too hard. Her breath condensed in front of her face, a quick cloud in response to the sharp breath she'd sucked in to Polly's sudden whip-turn toward her. Even Cheryl quickly cut herself off, watching Polly with an air of cool detachment.

Polly's expression relaxed into one of compassion. "Your moves are great," she said, placing her hand on Cheryl's shoulder. Cheryl stared back at her. "Everything you've come up with is great. I understand you're nervous, but you don't have to be." She shook her head, blonde ponytail bobbing as she did so. Her smiled widened. "It's the first game of the year, no one's going to be paying attention to us." She shrugged, brushing her cheek with her shoulder as she turned and waved a pom-pom toward the field. Jason waved back. "No one important, anyway."

Cheryl's cheeks reddened. Gabby sucked in another sharp breath, her shoulders instinctively moving up towards her ears. Gabby didn't miss the cool tone; the hint of humiliation Polly was throwing toward Cheryl. A mainstay of being the head cheerleader to being the co-captain. If Cheryl's eyes were green, they would've been emeralds when it was announced after try-outs that she'd been bested another year in a row.

"I just want to be sure this night is perfect." Cheryl tossed her own ponytail over her shoulders then patted the non-existent flyaways into place. "The world is a stage and we always have to make sure we're the best."

"It's a high school cheerleading team. There's plenty more that's important than being popular or messing up one cheer." Polly squeezed Cheryl's shoulder then stepped back. When she turned away, she missed the look Cheryl shot Polly and the eye-roll Gabby responded with, complete with miming sticking a finger down her throat. "Relax."

Cheryl flashed Polly a smile that stretched so tightly Gabby could see the lines around her mouth deepen within seconds. It faded into a snarl the second Polly turned her back and went to help out Midge, who was slowly moving through the steps of their routine. Only minutes away from starting off the game.

"Slut," Cheryl hissed, facing Gabby completely. Her eyes flashed. "Everyone knows she's the captain because she's sleeping with my brother."

Gabby's hands tightened on the top of the fence that separated them. Her dark eyes roved over Cheryl's face, wondering if she knew the truth about her words. Decided against it when she saw the pure vitriol on her best friend's face, saw the vehemence in her eyes. "You don't know that. She's really good, Cherry."

"And I'm a saint." Cheryl brought up her pom-pom, waving it in Gabby's face so that it tickled her skin, like little itchy kisses against each part of her face. Gabby giggled quietly. "I come up with all the moves and she just takes the credit, mooching off my brother's popularity."

"Why do you care so much about Polly anyway? Everyone knows you're the best on the team."

"I know that." Cheryl then gestured with her pom-poms toward the audience, nearly smacking Gabby in the side of the head as she did so. "But none of these people know it! They act like Polly's the best thing that's ever happened to this school when she was nothing before Jason started paying attention to her." She folded her arms. "He can take it away in seconds and then where'd she be? Damaged goods."

Gabby sighed, bringing up a hand to rub her forehead. A headache started to pound at her temples though she couldn't honestly say whether it was Cheryl or the thumping of the marching band's drummers that were doing it. It was hard, keeping secrets from Cheryl, but she knew what would happen if she said the truth. That Polly was pregnant. That Cheryl was going to be an aunt.

Maybe if she knew she'd be nicer to Polly. Maybe she'd lighten up a little bit.

But a bigger, better part of her knew how unlikely that was to happen. Once Cheryl was on the warpath…and it seemed that Gabby was directly in Cheryl's line of fire the second she'd decided to speak. Cheryl's eyes sparked once more, a fire as red as her hair that made Gabby gulp and take the tiniest of steps back.

"Sorry, am I boring you with my diminutive insignificant problems?" Cheryl placed her hands on her hips. "Am I taking away from something more important, Shutterbug?" She then placed her hand to her chest. "When my entire social career is coming to a halt right before my eyes. And you don't care!"

Gabby briefly glanced toward the sky, taking in the darkened sky against the bright lights of the football stadium. She lowered her gaze once more, squinting amongst the sudden change in lighting. "I know you're stressed right now," she said. "I'm going to get you a funnel cake."

"With strawberries!" Cheryl barked to Gabby's back as she walked away.

Gabby shook her head, the heels of her boots crunching against the grass, heading toward the food concession stand that'd been set up. She walked through the growing crowd of spectators. She noticed Toni, Sweet Pea, and Fangs, immediately catching Toni's eye, heading in opposite directions. Gabby immediately averted her eyes, the same any Northsider would do when coming across Southsiders.

They ignored her as much as she ignored them. All but sticking her nose in the air as she made a show of lifting her chin as she walked by them. Toni's eyes shifted to her, she chuckled and shook her head, but kept going. Gabby was sure she heard Sweet Pea—or was it Fangs? She didn't really care—mutter 'Northside Princess' under their breath.

Gabby shifted her attention back to the task at hand—funnel cake, as soon as the sugary scent filled her nose.

"Funny seeing you here."

Gabby looked up to see Archie inching at her side, jostling toward the back of the line. Gabby lifted an eyebrow. "Why?" She couldn't help the biting remark shooting out of her like a bullet fired from a gun. A instant response she didn't have to think about. "Don't think I can be interested in football?"

"I didn't think you were interested in any of this food," Archie replied. "You and Cheryl hardly eat any of the food in the lunchroom, you usually bring your own. Or complain about what the lunch ladies give us. Can't say this is much healthier."

"You'd know wouldn't you?" Rather than being offended, the side of Archie's mouth turned up. "Besides, I'm getting some funnel cake for Cheryl. She doesn't like people to know, but it's one of her favorite foods."

Then Archie's look turned into a mixture of amusement and mild confusion. "Why wouldn't she want people to know that?"

"Because it's Cheryl." Gabby reached up and adjusted the beanie that sat over her hair. "When does anything she does make sense?" A chill went up her spine and she looked over her shoulder, eyes darting around. She could've sworn Cheryl was glaring at her. The chill felt the same. Or maybe it was her paranoia. "Don't tell her I said that."

"Secret's safe with me," Archie said easily. They stepped forward in line. "I also won't tell her that you decided to slum it with me."

Gabby rolled her eyes, ignoring the stab of…something in her stomach. "We're in line getting food, I don't think it'll be a problem." She eyed him. "I mean, unless you have a problem."

He held up his hands defensively. "I don't. Just…giving you an out if you wanted to go ahead of me in line or something. Make it seem like nothing's going on." Gabby was silent. Was something going on. "Believe me, I get it. You don't want to encourage Cheryl's wrath."

"Yeah…" she quickly changed the subject, noticing the wad of bills in his hand. "Are you really going to get all that?"

"It's for Jughead," Archie explained. "One of everything at the stall."

"Why's he here anyway? He hates football." She remembered what Archie had told her about it before. "He hates large social gatherings." She paused. "He hates everything."

"Yeah, but I convinced him to come. I thought it'd be good for him. But, you know Jug, he said something about the banalities of life is encapsulated in the game, showing us something about who is going to end up a success and who would end up stuck here." A funny look came across his face. "It's a bit more depressing of a thought for football. He doesn't get it."

Gabby took another step forward when the line moved. She briefly glanced toward the field as the blowing whistle signified the start of the game. She looked at Archie out the corner of her eye, wondering why he wasn't rushing to get back to his seat if he liked the game so much. He didn't seem to be too hurried. He wants to talk to you. He said other people were afraid of you, Gabby quickly pushed the thought away, irritation surging through her.

"So, why are you here?" He guessed. "Cheryl, right?" Sounded less sure of himself when he added, "And Jason?"

The question made her frowned, irritation growing as she snapped, "Why?"

"You don't really seem into it." He gestured around with his hand. "That's all."

Gabby blinked at him. Chewed her lower lip. Leaned toward him as if to divulge a secret so heinous she couldn't let anyone else hear. "I know absolutely nothing about football," Gabby admitted. But if she was going to be Cheryl's friend, going to be an honorary River Vixen because Cheryl said so, she had to attend the games. Archie's eyebrows rose. He smiled. "You don't look surprised."

Archie shrugged. He took in a breath, his already red cheeks reddening even further. He ducked his head, taking a step forward in line. "You never really look interested when you're here. You look bored. I didn't expect you to get it. Football is fun."

"It's boring," Gabby protested with a groan so loud Archie laughed. "You watch guys fight over a ball for hours and they hardly go anywhere in the first thirty minutes." She gestured vaguely toward the field. "And, sometimes, you score. After hours of mind-numbing helmet bashing, crotch thrusting, and ball busting someone actually scores."

"Well, it won't be Southside High, that's for sure," Archie agreed. He shrugged again, this time a more comfortable motion, his grin still on his face. "Football isn't bad. You just have to watch some more of it."

"So what do you like about it so much?"

"Me?"

Gabby made a show of looking over her shoulder. "Who else am I talking to?" The answer hit her quickly. She could've been talking to anyone else. Probably should have been. But she wasn't. She was talking to Archie, and surprisingly, was having a good time. If the smile on her face was any indication.

"Well, to me it's different," Archie said. "Different than any other game. The stakes are higher…you only play a few games per season so each other matters. Each game is unpredictable. Every time you wonder what's going to happen. Every game is important and because of that, it makes it so that you really don't know what's going to happen." He paused and added. "The feeling of having the ball leave your hands, in the perfect snap, and land perfectly where you wanted it to go…" he shook his head. "There's no other feeling like it."

"Oh." Gabby nodded slowly. "So…sort of like…in volleyball, where you get that point in, the winning point, just in the corner of out of bounds when you were sure you were going to miss it." Her smile widened at the memory of the championship winning game the year before.

"Exactly!" Archie agreed. "That was a good game, too."

"You were there?" Despite their winning season, volleyball wasn't the most popular sport in school. But, in many ways, Gabby enjoyed that. The pressure wasn't there. She didn't have to be Black Cherry. She could just be Gabby and knock the volleyballs over the net without having to wonder how she looked as she did it.

Archie flushed and looked away. "I was waiting for my dad to pick me up, it was raining."

"You don't have to blush." Gabby reached out and shoved him on the shoulder. "I know you went just to check out all the girls in their short-shorts. It's okay, you can admit it."

A laugh escaped Archie's lips. An honest laugh. A real laugh. One that Gabby hadn't heard too many times before and was pleasantly surprised to enjoy. Something erupted in her stomach, a light, airy feeling that made her giggle as well.

"If that were the case, I think more people would show up." His eyes flashed with mischief, turning away from her.

"Ouch. Who knew Archie Andrews could make a joke?"

"Compared to my dad's jokes, that was golden."

There was a sudden roaring from the crowd that whipped Archie's attention to the field. And, for a moment, he was transfixed. Eyes searching for the source of the sound, lips parted as he quickly took in the surprising tackle that'd happened. The turnover—or whatever—that'd been given to Riverdale High. (That is, if what Jason had told her about football had finally sunk in). Gabby watched him for a moment, the weight of her camera gently pushing against her chest when the wind blew once more. On a whim, Gabby took the camera into her hands, brought it up to her eye, adjusted the lens, then took the picture.

The sound of the camera shuttering must've grabbed Archie's attention, for he blinked and flashed Gabby a smile before facing forward again.

Gabby lowered her camera and studied the picture. Saw Archie in a way other people didn't see. Where he was completely himself, didn't have to put up a air to fit in with everyone around him. Wasn't worried about the jokes and teasing he got in response to his appearance. But she saw the way his eyes sparkled as he watched the field, excited for the start of the game and what was to happen next.

Gabby unbuttoned her jacket, suddenly feeling very warm.

If anyone asked about the picture, if anyone noticed, it anyone wondered why she was paying so much attention to Archie Andrews…she'd say it was for the Yearbook.

A/N: It's been a while since I updated, took me longer than I meant it to (as per usual) and I'm sorry it's a short one to come back to. But we've got a few things here; some tension with Cheryl and Gabby and some shipping with Archie and Gabby.

Would you like some chapters from Archie's POV? He's the deuteragonist in The War At Home so you'll absolutely see it there, but do you want to see some of it here as well or do you think it being solely from Gabby's being more interesting? I'm biased so…lol

Hope you liked it.

Cheers,

-Riley