"Well..." Kevin began, scrutinizing her from across the table. "It looks..."

"It looks fine, B." Veronica promised, shooting him a sharp look. Ever the protective one. "You can barely tell."

Betty shrugged numbly.

There was a scar forming against her temple, not monumental, but noticeable nonetheless. Even wearing her hair down couldn't hide it.

Kevin gave her arm an apologetic squeeze, turning his attention back to Veronica.

"So." He said. "You and Reggie."

They were sitting side by side, Betty across from them, zoning in and out of the impending conversation, her mind somewhere else entirely.

"Me and Reggie." Veronica echoed warily.

"Tell me everything, babe."

Betty took a sip of her milkshake, still pretending to listen. A hint of guilt hit her; though the drama between Riverdale's former power couple was nothing new, as her best friend, Veronica deserved her undivided attention.

"He told me that he loves me." She admitted, shaking her head.

"What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything."

"Oh, Ronnie..."

I don't know much longer I can keep this a secret.

It's the only way there can be an us.

Archie, and...

Miss. Grundy?

Who... What... Where... When...

And most importantly, how?

"Betty."

After catching sight of her best friend lip locked with the music teacher, she had practically rushed to the office, careful to keep silent footsteps. The last thing she needed was for Archie to discover that she was now in on his deep dark secret, at least until she decided what she was going to do with the information.

"Betty?"

How could Archie have been so stupid?

Getting involved with a teacher? What the hell was he thinking?

"Betty!" Kevin called for a third time, his voice snapping her back to reality.

Veronica looked concerned. "Everything okay, B?"

Before she could answer, she was going to lie, and say that everything was fine, the bell above the door jingled.

Kevin raised an eye brow. "Now that's an odd combo of people."

Betty whipped her head around to find none other than Fred Andrews and Archie, followed closely by Miss. Grundy.

Her blood boiled.

"I'll be right back." She said, not waiting for a response.

She stood up, crossing the diner.

"Hey Betty." Mr. Andrews greeted.

Betty forced a smile. "Hi, Mr. Andrews, Ms. Grundy. Archie, can I talk to you?"

Archie looked surprised. "Um, sure. I'll call you later?"

She had already caught hold of his sleeve.

"Actually." She began to pull him from the booth. "Now. Just school stuff. Outside?"

His father nodded, giving them the okay.

Betty pulled him along behind her with a strength she wasn't aware she had. Out of courtesy to his family, not to the cougar, she waited until they were outside to confront him.

"Archie." Betty pronounced carefully. "As your best friend, is there anything you want to tell me?"

A confused expression crossed his face. "No... I don't think so."

He was even a worse liar than she was.

He was avoiding eye contact with her, choosing to focus his gaze at the window of Pop's, where Kevin and Veronica hadn't bothered to hide that they were watching the scene unfold.

"You sure?"

"Betty." He sighed. "What's going on?"

How could he stand there and play dumb?

Did he really think he could hide it forever?

"You and Ms. Grundy, Arch? Really?"

"You and Ms. Grundy?"

He stared at her in shock.

He had known that when Betty had pulled him away from the table, they wouldn't be discussing anything having to do with school. He'd hoped that maybe, he could apologize again, erasing any awkwardness still left between them.

Because he was sorry, so sorry, even if she had gotten the help she needed, however Jughead had helped her, she looked like she was finally sleeping again, it killed him to think that he had betrayed her when the only thing he wanted to do was protect her.

There was no chance of clearing the air now, at least, not for a very long time.

"A teacher, Archie?" Betty demanded. "Seriously?"

"Betty-" Archie began, but she threw up a hand to cut him off.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Did Jughead tell you?" He shot back.

Surprise etched across her features, masking the anger for only a moment.

"Jughead knows about this?"

As if on cue, a motorcycle's engine roared as the bike pulled into the parking lot, several more following along behind it.

Betty started towards them.

"Betty!" Archie snapped, fingers encircling her wrist, yanking her back.

"Ouch, Archie!"

A Serpent caught sight of his actions, throwing his helmet down as he began to charge forward.

Jughead, tossing off his own helmet, called the guy's name, halting him in his tracks.

He exchanged a few words with his gang, and then, they were entering Pop's without him.

"Archie." He called, warning dripping from his tone.

It was Archie's turn to move, involuntarily dragging Betty along behind him. She mumbled something, maybe she had asked him to let her go, but he was too angry, nearly seething, to truly hear what she was saying.

"Did you tell her?" He hissed.

Jughead's gaze narrowed at his grip on her wrist, it had almost become vice-like. "What are you talking about?"

"Did you tell her?"

"Tell her..." He echoed. "Shit, Archie, no."

"Then how did she-"

"I saw you!" Betty snarled, trying and failing to yank her arm free. "Jesus, Archie, let go of me!"

"What do you mean, you saw me?" Archie made no moves to follow through with her demand. "When?"

"Today." She told him. "In the music room, when I was leaving to get my stitches out."

Jughead's eyes trailed to her forehead instinctively.

"Seriously, Arch, let go of me!"

His hand fell away from her wrist, and in the dim light, he noticed an angry red mark encircling her pale skin. He had done that to her.

"Betty-" Archie began.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Betty."

"Tell me!" She cried, shoving against his chest. She pushed him again. "Damn it, Archie, tell me!"

"Betty." Jughead pronounced carefully.

It was only when she forced him backwards a third time, and then a fourth and fifth, did he step in, slipping in between the pair, turning to face her.

"Stop!" Jughead ordered, his hands curling around her arms. "Betty, stop."

She didn't recoil at his touch, and Archie raised an eye brow in disbelief. He was a Serpent; how could she not be afraid of him?

Maybe because she knew, really, they both did, that deep down, behind the leather jacket and sarcastic quips, the Jughead Jones they had known and loved, the Jughead Jones that had been their shared best friend, was still in there somewhere.

"This isn't helping." He said.

"You knew?" Betty accused, wrenching herself free from him too. Archie grinned. "You knew? Why didn't you tell me?"

The familiar mask of indifference crossed his face.

"I'm sorry, Betts." But he didn't sound it. "I didn't know that we were in a place where we still told each other everything."

Archie's jaw tightened.

"Jug." He warned.

Betty's lips formed a thin line. "Archie-"

"Betty." Jughead blocked her path, almost like he knew her better, like he knew that she might slap Archie next. "Stop it."

"Why are you taking his side?"

"I'm not."

Archie wanted to defend himself, but he knew he had no right to.

It started after a long day of labor back in June, he'd been heading home on foot, his car needed repairs, and his father, having decided to stay later, needed the truck to get home.

Ms. Grundy had been kind enough to offer him a ride.

He would never forget the way she looked, her summer clothes, a far cry from the baggy skirt and blouse she usually wore, her hair hanging long and loose, those heart shaped sunglasses, a popsicle in her left hand. They had kissed seconds later, her lips sticky and sweet against his own.

They couldn't tell anyone, she had said, and he'd wholeheartedly agreed, though it nearly killed him to keep such a secret from those closest to him, Betty most of all.

They were best friends; they were supposed to tell each other everything.

It killed him to know that there were still so many things he couldn't tell her.

"I have to go." Betty muttered suddenly.

Archie started after her, only to be stopped by Jughead's extending arm. "What? Betty, wait-"

She shook her head. "I can't... I don't know what to say to you right now, Archie, I really don't."

"Betty." He complained.

She spun on her heel.

"Betty!" Archie barked, losing all patience. "What are you going to do?"

Betty stared at him in disbelief. "Is that all you care about?"

"What are you going to do?" Archie demanded again, because he knew her. Too well.

Shooting him a disgusted look, both he and Jughead watched her storm off, wrapping her arms protectively around her midsection, a clear indicator that she was upset.

Jughead clapped him on the back, a little too roughly.

"Nice going, Arch." He smirked. "You're not going to be happy until you completely drive her away, are you?"

Archie scowled in response.

Yes, his first instinct should have been to go after his best friend, to apologize profusely, and tell her the truth, all of it, but the only thing he could think about was the Nancy Drew side of Betty Cooper, and how it could potentially ruin everything.