"Reg." Archie muttered, clasping him by the shoulder to hold him in place as he examined the left side of his friend's face. "What the hell happened?"
Reggie glowered at him. "You didn't hear?"
He shook his head.
He hadn't spoken to any of his friends all weekend, his phone remaining strangely silent. He'd tried to reach Betty countless times, even arriving at her house to offer her a ride to school, but no one answered. While Reggie, Chuck, Kevin and Moose were huddled together around Chuck's locker, the girls were nowhere to be seen.
"Your batshit crazy best friend did this to me." Reggie grumbled.
Archie's jaw tightened, Jughead's name automatically coming to mind. His eyes widened when he realized that Reggie had meant Betty.
Seconds later, a familiar head of blonde hair rounded the corner, Cheryl and Veronica on either side of her. Sure enough, her right hand was doted with purple and blue bruises.
Archie's arm extended in front of Reggie before he could start towards them.
Betty avoided his gaze.
Cheryl scoffed.
"Come on." She ordered, her fingers locking around Betty's uninjured wrist. "Let's go."
"Betty." Archie called, annoyance and concern lacing through his tone. "Betty, wait!"
He moved to stand in front of the girls, blocking their path.
Veronica shot Reggie a look he couldn't quite place, hurt, anger or both.
"Betty." He said again, his eyes glued to her bruised knuckles. "I think we need to talk."
Her lips formed a thin line. "Not right now, Arch."
"Betty-"
"Not now." Betty hissed, taking the lead for once, looping her arm through Veronica's. "I really don't need another lecture, Archie, and I really don't want to. Come on, V."
Veronica grasped Cheryl's hand, pulling her along behind them.
Archie's eyes bored holes into her back.
"What's gotten into her?" Chuck asked, clearly intrigued.
"I don't know." Archie mumbled.
But he was going to find out.