𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 & 𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐒, riverdale (ON HOLD)

iv | one truth down

CHAPTER FOUR — one truth down
S1:E1 "The River's Edge"

Outside the Cooper House

"I'M ASKING you one time, Archie." She said with heavy emotion in her words and face, "Did you ever love me? Or even like me?" She hated behaving like this, so vulnerable because of him. That's not what Elias told her to do, he told to kick ass. "Of course I love you, Betty." The redhead walked closer to her, "I just can't give you the answer you want."

"Why?" All Betty wanted to know was, why? She didn't understand how only she caught onto the feelings train and it left Archie behind, "You are so perfect." His words made Betty scoff, Leo was right. "I am not good enough for you." He's an ass. "I'll never be good enough for you."

She sighed, bit her lip, contemplating whether to say something back or turn around and leave. Betty slowly turned around but her brother's words echoed in her head. That's the Cooper legacy, you make people hurt the same way they hurt you, if not worse. "You know what, Arch?" She turned back to him, this time it was as if Leo's anger was shifted onto her.

"Maybe you aren't good enough. Maybe you don't deserve the love I would give you. Maybe you're too stuck up in your varsity-music-all-rounder era to have any time for real love instead of your fuck buddies. So, yes, Archie, you will never be good enough for me. Because you would never be able to give back the love you'd get, 'cause you don't understand it. Grow some balls before you go breaking other girls' hearts."

She stormed back into her house after removing her anger, though when she entered the house she noticed her palms having pressure wounds from her nails which drew some blood. She didn't get enough time to check out her little wounds as she was engulfed with a tight hug by strong arms.

"You did it." She heard a muffled voice say, he pulled back with a big smile on his face. "You actually listened to me."

"Don't sound so surprised. I'm the one whose surprised that I listened to you. I was gonna chicken out--I was but then your words...came back to me. As if it were a reminder to not leave without a fight, you know. Your words are more helpful than you think, Elias." Betty felt better than she did before now that she removed her emotions onto the redhead without a single sense of regret.

After seeing how smiley Betty got from before, he didn't care whether he gave her good advice or not. He told her to fight back and she did, she listened to him. All he cared for was the smile on his sister's face. 

Now he knew, with his pieces of advice here and there, she'd soon know how to take care of herself properly. Then, he would consider his part as her older brother, completed.

✶

Andrew's House

Archie, who was still stuck up on the words received from the blonde girl next girl, lay on his bed. Not even bothering to change his clothes, he was still in shock from listening those words come from Betty. It felt like it was so unlike her. But maybe, this summer had changed her. Or was it, love which changed her? Maybe Leo's personality finally started rubbing off on her as well. So many possibilities and so little to believe.

He was trapped in his thoughts so much, he didn't even bother to check whether his father was asleep, or whether his sister was back home. Suspiciously enough, the room next to Archie's was empty.