heal.

CHAPTER 4;

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Three drinks down, an hour has passed and she's still not here. The football team is most of the group, shotgunning beers and huddling up in the middle of the living room.

He can tell when she arrives, because a few of the younger guys turn and look for twice the time of a glance. There's only one girl in Riverdale who has that effect on people, and she's here in his peripheral vision.

She looks glowing, in a silver dress that falls at her upper thigh and makes her golden legs look miles long. Her hair is in those effortless curls that make him wonder- has any human ever been so perfect? No, he decides they haven't.

Absentmindedly, he sucks in a breath, but he can't help it. His heart is pounding like he's a 12 year old boy and she's the first girl he's ever laid eyes on.

It's not enough, just to be watching her from across the room. He sees guys talk to her, giving the flirting laugh that he perfected a long time ago. They get drinks for her, spin her around once or twice and it makes him feel like he's burning, like a part of him might explode if he has to watch one more guy flirt with his Ronnie.

Sure, he knows that technically she isn't his anymore, but it feels the same as it once did. And she wronged him. He just wants things to go back to how they were before, when they were barely separate people, sharing moments and dreams on his double bed upstairs. It was months ago but it feels like decades have passed and he still doesn't know anymore, doesn't know anything that she's not apart of.

None of these thoughts matter, however, when she approaches him, lips curved into a slight smile as she reaches out to touch his arm.

"Hey again," she says loudly over the party music, her white teeth shining like her pearls in the cheap party light. The room reeks of booze and other things, the music is some shitty pop song, and there's at least 20 people making out, but he looks at her and sees the entire world and all of its riches.

"Hi." Archie replies, taking her drink to set it down and asking if she needs a refill. She refuses, said that three was plenty and she'd better slow down if they were gonna get milkshakes. It reads with a slight raise of the eyebrow and a signature Veronica Lodge smile. He all but races to his car at that very moment- instead, he takes her arm and her jacket. They slowly say their goodbyes and weave through the crowd.

"You don't mind if we walk?" He confirms, as if she'd say no. For the two of them, it was ritual. Veronica would typically take off her heels and force Archie to carry her on his back. Tonight they walk side by side, changes obvious but maybe for the better.

"Please, walking with you is like my favorite past time." Ronnie chuckles, her raven waves swinging as she walks, the moon catching sparkles on her dress. For him, the sound of her heels clicking next to him feels like a compass, keeping his mind and his heart on track- because he never, ever wants to be wrong in her eyes. In the back of his mind, he's picturing her face that day, her words hitting and stinging- because she knows, she knows exactly what hurts him.

She's yelling, her fists at her side as her anger echoes through his garage. And she has every right to yell, to be pissed at him.

He told Jughead about Hiram's plans against his better judgement, and she caught him. Though he knew he shouldn't meddle with the Lodge's business, he didn't know how to tell Jughead no. By doing this, he had hurt Veronica.

"Archie, do you ever think anything through?" Veronica shook her head, years streaming down her face lightly as she stared back at him.

"Ronnie I, I'm sorry. I guess I just-"