Cigarette Daydreams // Archie Andrews (1)

PROLOGUE

As Athena Blossom sat in a police boat as it swept Sweetwater river for her brother, she couldn't help but feel immense sadness. Sitting next to her sister, she wept for she had lost a part of herself. For now, their trio had come down to a duo and that was the cold, dark reality. After a body could not be found, Athena spent a week wallowing as an empty casket was buried in her brother's name. But being a Blossom meant she had to move on quickly or hide her emotions.

Wanting a hint of normality, Athena went to the bright pink neon decorated diner that was Pop's. She sat in a booth by herself, drinking her strawberry milkshake as she felt pairs of eyes glance at her. She knew that everyone that knew what had happened either pitied her or despised her because of the Blossom name that had been tarnished by her siblings and parents. It was usually the latter.

Hearing the bell ring, Athena glanced up to see her friends, Archie Andrews, and Betty Cooper. This, in fact, was extremely awkward as she had not talked to them since Archie had blown off her and Jughead on July 4th and Betty as she had told her only close female friend that she had feelings for Archie to which Athena responded, 'me too'. But after all Athena's brother did die and she hated to say this but she was off the hook.

Athena looked down at her food, hearing the footsteps approaching her booth. She dipped her fries into a milkshake as this was the most pleasant thing on the earth now. "Can we sit?" She heard her best friend ask. Athena glanced up through her lashes to see Archibald Andrews giving her a sympathetic smile which she hated. She softly nodded causing Betty and Archie to take a seat on the opposite side of the booth, both be extremely cautious around their friend.

"So, Betty, what was the highlight?" Archie asked knowing that his friend did not want to talk about the death of her brother but they all knew they would eventually have to talk about it. Now was hardly the time or place. "Of my internship? The Toni Morrison book release party I organized, by far. At the end of the night, Toni Morrison, who is, as you know, - my literary hero, says to me. 'Don't rush this time, Betty. It goes by so fast at your age. One summer can change everything.'" Hearing this Athena couldn't have agreed with Toni Morrison more.

"I've never heard a statement so true. How was working for your dad, Arch?" Athena asks, slightly edging towards the topic of July 4th. Betty gave Athena a quick side smile as the youngest Blossom interacted with them instead of sitting in silence. Archie exhaled a deep breath as if he had been holding it in, Athena's engagement into the conversation causing a weight to lift off of his chest.

"It was pouring concrete, every day, all day long. To pass time, I would start composing these poems, in my head. And at night, I'd go home, I'd write them down." His eyes lit up as he talked about these so-called poems. "You don't even like reading poetry." Betty pointed out. "That is true." Athena nodded before taking a massive sip from the almost empty glass of her shake.

"But, they weren't poems, they were song lyrics. And working on them made me feel like-" "What, Archie?" Betty asked putting her hand on his. This made Athena a little bit angry, but who was she kidding. Betty is the perfect girl and Athena had made the choice to back down so that her best friend could be the one who was loved after all they've been through.

"It made me feel like I'd finally broken through to something real. About my life and what I should be trying to do with it." He paused for effect before finally revealing his life goal. "Music. Starting this year, tomorrow." He smiled enthusiastically at the blonde and fellow redhead.

"That's Amazing." Athena smiled at the way he was talking so passionately about his dream. Athena tried to imagine what it'd be like if he talked that way about her. "Will you ask Ms. Grundy to tutor you?" Betty was all about planning but she too seemed excited about his newly discovered passion. "I'm not sure, maybe."

"What about football?" Athena asked. "Can you do both?" Betty backed up. "I'll try out, at least." Athena nodded satisfied with his answers, knowing that his dad would freak out if he were to not try out for football. The classic American father. "Well, have you told your dad?" Betty questioned more. "No, and until I've got things more figured out, you're the only people I'm telling, okay?"

"Well, I'd love to hear them sometime. Your songs." Athena smiled at the redheaded boy and he smiled back at her, nodding with a small chuckle emitting. "Yeah, I'm finishing a couple of demos tonight." Betty smiled widely before she leaned forward, looking nervous. "Great. Also, I've been thinking about us, Archie, and our friendship, and how it's time we-" Athena paid attention to the blonde as she professed her love for the boy she had been pining over for many years. But as she looked at Archie, she noticed his eyes were diverted somewhere else. More specifically, Someone else. A Raven-Haired beauty came in walking towards their table with confidence that is thought to be make-believe.

"Hi." She said with her eyes trained on Archie, never wandering to the two others who sat in the booth. "Hey," Archie responded back with just as much want as the other. Athena looked at the time, noticing it was almost time until she had to be home and on a usual basis, she would've stayed for longer but the sudden approach of the raven girl was shocking to the girl as Archie was so hypnotized that he was unable to hear Betty's unfortunate confession.

"I gotta go, bye guys." She quickly stood up and ran out of the booth toward the door. She could hear Archie saying a faint goodbye but as she turned to look back, His eyes were trained on the girl whilst Betty stared at both redheads in disbelief. Athena felt bad because she left her alone with them and Archie because, in that time frame, nothing seemed to matter except the raven-haired beauty.

Hopping in her car, Athena was driven away from the place she loved and drove to her own haunted mansion. Walking around her own home was daunting as every direction she looked, she couldn't help but see her brother gasping for air as his lungs slowly filled with water. She couldn't help but imagine the whole thing to be her fault. She passed his old room to see Cheryl laying there which caused a shiver to go down Athena's spine before she continued to walk to her room. She collapsed on her own bed and tried to sleep despite all the death filled her head.

(EDITED)