Archie Andrews stood in front of the mirror in his bedroom, staring at himself with a mix of uncertainty and determination. The day ahead felt big—bigger than anything he'd ever faced before, even though it wasn't about saving Riverdale or fighting against the odds. Today was about something much more personal: finding a sense of self-worth. Archie had always struggled with that, trying to be the hero for everyone else and forgetting to care for himself in the process.
The lyrics of "ME!" by Taylor Swift and Brendon Urie echoed in his mind: "I'm the only one of me, baby that's the fun of me..." He grinned at his reflection, trying to absorb the upbeat, carefree energy of the song. Maybe he wasn't perfect, but no one was. And that was okay. In fact, that was the point.
Just as he finished adjusting his hair, his phone buzzed on the bed. It was a group text from Veronica Lodge:
Veronica: Good morning, people! Who's ready for a day of "me" time? We're meeting at Pop's in 20. Wear something fabulous—you know the drill.
Archie couldn't help but smile. Leave it to Veronica to organize a day dedicated to self-love and fun. She'd mentioned it last week, after another one of Riverdale's inevitable moments of drama. They'd all been running on empty, trying to solve problems that weren't theirs to fix. Veronica had insisted they take a break—a real break—to focus on themselves.
Archie quickly replied, grabbed his jacket, and headed out the door.
At Pop's Diner, Jughead Jones sat in his usual booth, hunched over his laptop. He was typing furiously, a half-eaten burger in front of him. Even though it was supposed to be a self-care day, Jughead couldn't completely abandon his writing.
"Jug!" Betty Cooper called out as she entered the diner, her ponytail swaying. "You better not be working."
Jughead looked up, blinking as if he'd been caught in the middle of a crime. "I'm almost done. Just one more paragraph."
Betty slid into the booth across from him, shaking her head with a smile. "We're supposed to be relaxing today, remember? No dark and brooding investigative pieces. Today's about you."
Jughead sighed, closing his laptop with a dramatic thud. "Fine, fine. But I get to eat two slices of pie to make up for it."
Betty laughed. "Deal."
Just then, Veronica and Cheryl Blossom made their grand entrance, both of them dressed to the nines as if they were attending a gala rather than a casual hangout at Pop's.
"Darling, you're looking positively radiant," Cheryl declared, throwing her arms out theatrically as she approached Betty and Jughead's booth.
Veronica flashed her trademark smile, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Thank you, Cheryl, but save some compliments for everyone else. Today's a 'love yourself' day for all of us."
"Of course, of course," Cheryl said with a wave of her hand. "But if I can't love myself out loud, who will?"
Betty rolled her eyes fondly. "And here I thought you were supposed to let other people compliment you."
Before Cheryl could reply, Tabitha Tate entered, her warm energy filling the room. "I hope you're all ready to indulge in some waffles because I made sure Pop stocked up."
Archie arrived a moment later, grinning at the sight of everyone. "Looks like the whole gang's here."
Veronica gestured dramatically to the booth. "The gang is back and better than ever."
They all settled in, laughing and joking as they ordered milkshakes, fries, and waffles—everything they loved but didn't always let themselves indulge in. It felt good, being together without any pressure, without any danger looming over their heads. For the first time in a long time, they could just be themselves.
As they ate, the conversation drifted toward the real reason for their meetup.
"So, what's everyone doing for their self-care today?" Betty asked, sipping her milkshake. "We've got the whole day. What's the plan?"
Veronica leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I've already scheduled a mani-pedi for myself this afternoon. Self-love means taking care of the little details, right?"
Jughead raised an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure your nails are already perfect."
Veronica waved him off. "Perfection needs maintenance, Jughead. You wouldn't understand."
Cheryl laughed, flipping her hair. "As for me, I've booked a private session at the spa. Nothing says 'self-love' like a lavender wrap and a full-body massage."
Archie grinned, shaking his head. "You two have this down to a science."
Cheryl smirked. "Darling, when you look this good, you need to keep it up. Self-love isn't just a practice—it's a lifestyle."
Betty turned to Jughead, raising an eyebrow. "What about you? Writing doesn't count."
Jughead scratched the back of his neck. "Okay, okay. I might hit up the comic book store later. That counts, right?"
Betty sighed but smiled. "It's your self-care day. Do what makes you happy."
She turned to Archie. "What about you? What's your plan?"
Archie hesitated for a moment, thinking. "Honestly? I've been working out a lot lately, but I think today I'm going to just... take a walk. Maybe play my guitar. I don't know, something that helps me clear my head."
Tabitha nodded approvingly. "That sounds perfect. Sometimes you need a break from all the action to focus on what makes you happy."
Archie smiled, feeling a little more relaxed. "Yeah, that's the plan."
Betty grinned, clearly satisfied with everyone's answers. "Good. That's the point of today. We spend so much time trying to fix everything in this crazy town that we forget to take care of ourselves."
Veronica raised her glass. "To self-love, darling. To knowing that we're fabulous just the way we are."
Everyone clinked their glasses, laughing and smiling, the weight of Riverdale's usual drama momentarily forgotten.
Later that afternoon, Archie found himself walking through Sweetwater River, his guitar slung over his shoulder. The day was sunny, and the warmth of the sun on his face felt like a small reminder to slow down, to appreciate the little things. As he strolled along the riverbank, he thought about how often he'd gotten caught up in trying to be everything for everyone—his mom, his friends, Riverdale. But today, he was trying to let go of that.
He sat down by the water, pulling his guitar onto his lap. As his fingers strummed the strings softly, he felt a sense of calm wash over him. He wasn't playing for anyone but himself, and for the first time in a while, that was enough.
In the distance, he heard footsteps approaching. Looking up, he saw Jughead and Betty walking toward him, holding hands. Jughead had a bag full of comic books slung over his shoulder, and Betty was carrying a notebook.
"Mind if we join you?" Betty asked, smiling as she and Jughead sat down beside Archie.
Archie nodded. "Of course. How's the self-love going?"
Jughead grinned, pulling out one of his comics. "Pretty good. I haven't felt this relaxed in weeks."
Betty smiled softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I wrote a little, just for me. No deadlines, no pressure."
Archie chuckled, glancing at his guitar. "Same here. Just playing for fun."
The three of them sat there in comfortable silence for a while, watching the river flow by. It was a rare moment of peace, and they all savored it, knowing that Riverdale's chaos would inevitably return soon enough.
Meanwhile, back at Pop's, Veronica and Cheryl were lounging in one of the booths, each sipping on a second round of milkshakes after their spa sessions. Cheryl was twirling a lock of her red hair between her fingers, her usual confidence fully restored.
"I have to say," Cheryl mused, "this whole self-love thing? A stroke of genius, Veronica."
Veronica smiled, her eyes sparkling with satisfaction. "Well, I do have my moments of brilliance."
Cheryl laughed, raising her milkshake in a toast. "Here's to us. The queens of Riverdale."
Veronica clinked her glass against Cheryl's, smirking. "Queens who don't need a king."
As the day came to a close, the group found themselves back at Pop's, laughing and recounting their solo adventures. It had been a day of indulgence, of self-care, and of finally letting themselves breathe.
"Today was... really nice," Betty said, her voice soft but sincere. "We need to do this more often."
Jughead nodded, his arm draped over the back of the booth. "Agreed. A break from all the madness is long overdue."
Archie grinned, his mood lighter than it had been in weeks. "Who knew taking care of ourselves would feel this good?"
Cheryl raised an eyebrow, smirking. "I did, obviously."
Veronica laughed, nodding. "Self-love isn't just a luxury. It's a necessity, darling."
As they all sat there, basking in the afterglow of a day well spent, the lyrics of "ME!" echoed in Archie's mind once more: "I promise that you'll never find another like me..."
He smiled, looking around at his friends—his family—and felt a warmth spread through his chest. They were all different, all flawed in their own ways, but that's what made them who they were. And in that moment, Archie realized that being himself—just being Archie—was more than enough.
