By Monday, word has spread about Veronica and Archie's break up. Betty assumes Veronica told Cheryl and Cheryl told everyone else.
She and Archie don't walk to school together. She's not sure if there's sides in the Archie/Veronica break up, but if there is, she's definitely supposed to be on Veronica's. So they decide it's best to keep their distance at school.
She locks eyes with him at lunch as he crosses the cafeteria to join Reggie at his table with some of the other guys from the football team.
Betty's own table consists of just herself, Veronica and Kevin. Betty hastily drops her gaze lest anyone notice the two of them eye fucking across the cafeteria.
Veronica appears to be doing better. At least, she's not bawling her eyes out anymore. But she goes a little pale when she sees Archie and she quickly starts talking about the lack of healthy lunch options at this school. Something Betty knows Veronica has never given a shit about. But anything to distract herself from her heartache.
After lunch, Betty finds Archie waiting for her at her locker. She slows when she sees him, looking around nervously.
"What are you doing?" she hisses when she gets close. Archie gets out of the way so Betty can open her locker. "We're supposed to be avoiding each other."
"I just wanted to ask you something," he says.
"Which is?"
Archie leans close and Betty shivers, feeling his hot breath against her cheek.
"Are you wearing that short skirt just to tease me?"
Betty stops suddenly. She glances at him. "And what if I am?"
"I wish we didn't have to keep this a secret," Archie groans.
"I'll come over after school, I promise," Betty whispers.
Archie nods. He clears his throat. "Thanks, Betty," he says loudly. "I'd never pass math without you."
He gives her a wink and Betty rolls her eyes before watching him leave. She pulls her books out of her locker and slams it shut. She almost jumps out of her skin when she sees Jughead standing there.
"You must think I'm a complete idiot," he says. It's the first thing he's said to her since their break up. Hell, it's the first time he's even looked at her.
"What are you talking about?" Betty asks.
"You and Archie are together."
Betty stares at him. "No, we're not."
"My dad said you were at Archie's Friday night and basically all of Saturday," Jughead says. "Right after he broke up with Veronica."
Betty glances around. She grabs Jughead and drags him into the nearest empty classroom. "Archie and I are friends," she says, once they have their privacy. "I can stay at his house."
Jughead snorts. "Come on, Betty," he sneers. "Show me some common decency. You owe me the truth."
Betty bites her lip. He's right. Doesn't she owe him at least that? And if he's already figured it out, what's the point in denying it? "Fine," she sighs. "You're right. We're together. Are you happy?"
Jughead shakes his head, looking at her like she's lost her mind. "Happy?" he scoffs. "Not even close. "But at least I'm not as crazy and paranoid as I thought I was."
"I'm really sorry, Jug," Betty whispers. "I really did love you, and I never cheated on you."
"Whatever, Betty," Jughead shakes his head. "You know, I was on my way to forgiving you. Now I don't know if I'll ever be able to."
Tears well in Betty's eyes. She hates that she hurt him. Hates that they'll never be able to go back to the friendship they had before.
Jughead turns to go.
"Wait, Jug," Betty calls after him. She hates that she has to ask him this. She knows he'll hate her even more. "Don't tell Veronica, please?"
Jughead gives her a look of disgust. "Like I said. Whatever, Betty. But if you think she's not going to find out some other way, you're an idiot."
Betty nods. Jughead gives her one last scathing look before he leaves the classroom.
Betty is pretty sure a secret relationship is supposed to be exciting. And it is, sometimes. It is when they get home from school and she can finally get her hands on him. It is when they share a look across the classroom and her heart speeds up. And it is when she walks past him in the hallway and they brush hands just for a moment and she knows no one can tell how much they yearn for each other.
But other times, it's just terrifying. It's like she's walking on eggshells, trying not to look at him too long, or talk about him too much, in case someone figures it out. She's worried Jughead is going to tell someone and Veronica will find out. She can't relax while she's at school because she might slip up, and life as she knows it would be forever altered.
She wonders how long they'll have to keep this up. Weeks? Month? Years? She would, if she had to. But she'd also love to scream to the whole world how much she loves Archie Andrews.
Cheryl Blossom's pool party is definitely not the place to do it, though.
She doesn't even know why she's going, except that everyone else is, and it's kind of hot, so why not?
She and Veronica show up together, and upon seeing Archie already in the pool, Veronica grabs Betty by the arm and leads her to the pool house.
"We have to put our drinks in the fridge," Veronica says. It's a valid excuse for avoiding Archie, except that their drinks are in a cooler full of ice and they don't really need to put their drinks in the fridge, but Betty is happy to go along with it. It's probably best if she avoids Archie too. She's already well aware of how attracted to Archie she is when he's all wet and half naked. She doesn't need everyone at the party to see her drooling over him.
When they exit the pool house, it looks like the boys have started a game of pool basketball, complete with little plastic basketball hoops at each end of the pool.
"Betty!" Archie calls, swimming to the edge. "Come and play. The other team could really use you. They're getting thrashed."
Betty laughs. "Is that right. Who's the other team?"
"It's Kevin and Moose vs me and Reggie," Archie says.
Betty is about to agree. She glances at Veronica.
"You should play too, Ronnie," Archie says, hesitant.
Veronica shrugs. "I don't want to get my hair wet," she says. Betty watches as Veronica stalks away to sit on a lounger next to Cheryl.
"If I play the teams will be uneven," Betty points out.
"Midge will play," Moose says. "Won't you, Midge?" he yells.
"But we get Betty!" Kevin says.
"Screw you, Kevin!" Midge laughs, but she slides into the pool anyway.
Betty looks down at Archie in the pool. He grins at her as she tilts her head. She sighs. "Okay, fine," she agrees.
As sweet and accommodating as Archie is in everyday life, he's competitive when it comes to sport. As are Reggie and Kevin. Moose and Midge don't seem to care as much. Playing basketball in a pool is much harder than Betty would have thought, even playing without a proper basketball. She's not that competitive when it comes to sport, but something about the way Reggie and Archie crow about their impending victory makes her play harder.
Kevin passes her the ball and she swims for the hoop. She's almost there when Archie grabs her around the waist and pulls her back, spinning her around. She tries to hold onto the ball, but then he's tickling her and she can't hold onto the ball any longer. Archie laughs as he grabs it and throws it down the pool to Reggie.
"Hey, no fair!" Betty complains. "Basketball is a non-contact sport!"
"I don't know… ref?" Archie calls.
Reggie, evidently, is the referee. "I'll allow it!" it yells as he shoots the ball through the hoop.
Archie laughs as Betty splashes him, advancing on him. He grabs her and pulls her towards him. She swears for a second he's about to kiss her, and Betty is about to let him. Nothing matters except the feel of his skin on hers. He remembers himself at the last moment and swims away.
Betty's heart pounds, and she looks around, wondering if anyone had noticed the interaction. She meets Kevin's eyes and he raises an eyebrow. Oh god. Had he seen?
"Well, I'm done playing if you guys aren't going to play fair," Betty announces, swimming for the edge. Truthfully, she doesn't want to risk another close call.
"Yeah, I'm done too," Midge agrees. The girls get out of the pool, and the game seems to end after that, Archie and Reggie claiming the win.
Betty grabs her towel, wrapping it around herself as she heads to the pool house to get a drink. She opens the fridge and stares into it for a minute, focused more on her indiscretion with Archie than actually getting a can of soda.
She looks up when the door of the pool house slides open and Archie walks in, still dripping wet from the pool. He gives her a smile and her heart races. She smiles back, shutting the fridge.
"Hey," she says as Archie approaches. She's about to comment on the fact that he nearly got them caught, but the second her mouth is open, his tongue is inside it. Betty's arms slide around his neck and she closes her eyes, unable to stop herself from kissing him back, though someone could walk into the pool house at any moment.
The towel drops to the floor and Archie's hands are on her waist, burning into her skin. She gasps as he breaks the kiss and lets his mouth press against her neck instead.
"Someone could walk in," Betty manages to choke out.
"I'm getting everyone drinks. They're all too lazy to come in here," Archie murmurs. Betty's head rolls back as he continues to kiss her neck. He lifts his head and begins to toy with her bikini top. "You're driving crazy wearing this thing," he groans. The words send a pang between her legs.
"That's the idea," Betty smirks. She guides his hand to her breast and he pushes the material of her bikini top aside, exposing her pink nipple. He thumbs the hardened peak softly, before bringing his head to her breast and sucking her nipple into his mouth. Betty gives a soft whine, his ministrations having a direct effect on her clit. Her head swims.
A voice cuts through her desire, a voice that doesn't belong to Archie. "I changed my mind, I do want—" Kevin says as he walks into the pool house.
Betty shoves Archie away hurriedly, covering herself up, but it's too late. Betty feels her face burn, and when she glances at Archie, he's looking bright red and sheepish.
"Are you two…?" Kevin looks between them. Betty can't even look him in the eye. "Together?" Kevin finishes.
"Yeah," Archie says. There's not much point in trying to deny it. They could pretend this is just some one-off hook up, but somehow that would be worse. Betty doubts Kevin would believe it anyway.
Kevin shakes his head. He looks at Archie. "You've only been broken up with Veronica a week," he points out. Betty doesn't like his accusatory tone. She would've thought he'd be happy for them. For her. He always used to root for them.
"Yeah," Archie nods. Betty's tongue feels like lead. "We're in love," he says. Betty's heart lurches. The words don't seem to have the same effect on Kevin. He looks to Betty.
"Don't tell Veronica," she whispers.
Kevin sighs. "Fine," he says. "But I can't promise she won't find out anyway. Especially if you two continue to make out in public places."
Betty cringes. Kevin leaves the pool house. Betty picks up her towel and follows him, Archie right behind her.
"Where are the drinks?" Reggie yells. Archie stops. Betty glances at him.
"Right," he swallows, going back into the pool house. Betty looks around for Veronica but she doesn't see her. Instead she locks eyes with Cheryl, who purses her lips, eyeing Betty suspiciously. Betty adjusts her bikini top subconsciously, and heads for a lounger.
She lies back, closing her eyes, trying to calm her racing heart. Kevin knowing isn't the end of the world. Maybe he's judging them, but he knows she's always loved Archie. How could he blame her?
She thinks maybe she falls asleep for a minute or two. When she opens her eyes again, Cheryl is gone. Archie is talking with Reggie by the pool, both holding a drink. Veronica is still AWOL.
Betty takes the opportunity to check Archie out while no one is looking at her. Her attention is diverted when the back door of Thistlehouse swings open and Veronica marches out, Cheryl right behind her. Betty sits up, watching as Veronica makes a beeline for Archie.
Archie looks up at the last second.
"You asshole!" Veronica spits, pressing her hands against his chest and shoving him, sending him flying backwards and splashing into the pool.
"V!" Betty says, standing up and making her way over. "What the hell?"
Veronica whips her head around, shooting daggers at Betty. "Fuck you, Betty."
Betty feels like she's been slapped. She swallows. "V…"
"Are you, or are you not, fucking my ex-boyfriend?"
Betty opens her mouth, flailing, trying to think of anything to say. She feels sick to her stomach. She glances at Archie, who has surfaced again.
"Ronnie…" he tries.
"Don't," she snaps. Betty looks to Kevin, silently asking if he told. He shakes his head. Veronica looks back to Betty, her expression changes from one of anger to one of betrayal. The hurt in her eyes causes Betty physical pain. "How could you?" she says, her voice cracking.
"Veronica, I'm so sorry—"
"Save it." Her expression hardens again. "I can't believe I ever thought you were my friend."
Cheryl chooses this moment to interject. "Feel free to leave the party anytime, backstabber," she says, smirking.
Betty collects her things, feeling hollow. She feels like everyone is watching her. Archie appears at her side as she leaves, and everyone else goes back to the party. Except Cheryl who grabs her arm as she's going.
"I know you think I did this just for the drama," Cheryl says. "But Veronica deserved to know the truth."
Betty seethes. She hates Cheryl with every fibre of her being. "How did you even know?"
Cheryl shrugs, looking pleased with herself. "You're not subtle, Betty," she says. "Veronica didn't want to see it. But she wasn't hard to convince."
"I hope you're happy, Cheryl," Archie snorts.
"Ecstatic," she says, smiling a joyless smile.
Archie puts his hand on the small of Betty's back and leads her from the party. Betty's stomach churns, her head throbs. She has no idea how she's going to face school on Monday.
