Flash of Red

Chapter 6

"I say just grow up and tell him what you want. You've done it with so many other guys before, why is it so different with him?" Kevin said the words like they were nothing and Betty couldn't believe it. What he was saying was obviously way easier said than done.

"Kev, it's not that simple." She sighed, checking around her bedroom before closing the door. "I like him, a lot and I'm afraid that if I do tell him how I feel, I'm going to freak him out and ruin this. We've known each other a whole of two weeks and I'm already falling for him like I've known him for ten years."

"So, what you're saying is, you've caught feelings but you have no clue how to say you've caught feelings?" It was more of a statement than it was a question, but she took it as a question.

"Well, yeah, pretty much. But what if I do actually get the courage to say something and he doesn't feel the same so I fuck everything up? I can deal with him not feeling the same way, but I don't want to ruin whatever we built in the process of finding out, you know?" She voiced her fears slowly, Kevin listening carefully. "I just... I don't want to ruin something that has just become something."

He sighed. "Well, you're going to have to tell him at some point because most guys are dumb and have no damn clue how to take a hint." Betty giggled, rolling her eyes.

They talked for a few more minutes before Kevin bidded her goodnight and ended the call. She had gotten off the bed with a huff and walked down stairs as quietly as she could but catching a step that made little too much noise. She winced inwardly, hurrying to put the phone back and turning back up the stairs even when she caught him poking his head around the corner from the dining room.

"Betty." She ignored her name and just continued walking, listening to his scoff. "Betty!" She took in a deep breath, walking into her bedroom and closing the door slowly.

~

Jughead paced around the house as he talked to his friend over the phone. "Archie, I-I have no clue what to do here. She... Betty is... how the hell do I do this?"

"You suck at this whole dating thing." He frowned at his friends words but agreed silently. It was no use to try and correct him. "Like, dude, she's in your house. She is willing to stay there in order to make something between you two. She is obviously showing interest because if she wasn't interested, she would be long gone by now, Jughead. And didn't you two go to that farmers market thingy?"

"Well, yeah-"

"Then there you go." Jughead furrowed his brows at Archie's words in confusion, letting out a confused huff. "Listen, she, in a matter of days, convinced you to go to the one thing your high school self swore you would never go to."

"What does that have to do with her liking me?" Jughead couldn't understand anything that his friend was saying to him. "That's literally just me being a bitch and not being able to voice my feelings."

Archie groaned, huffing. "Just her staying there obviously shows that she feels something and she's struggling to figure it out. That should be a signal enough."

"Okay," Jughead sighed, sitting down at the dining table. "So what am I supposed to do? I'm not just going to kiss her and make her uncomfortable, Arch."

"That's not what I'm telling you to do." Archie sighed and Jughead settled in deeper into the dining room chair. "Look, Jug, maybe just trying talking to her. Try sitting her down and just... talk. Maybe then you can get somewhere and she'll make a move so your bitch self doesn't have to."

"Hey, I've made moves before."

"It's not called making a move when you invite her to pick out groceries for you." Jughead frowned, scoffing.