CHOOSE
The words spoken last night are still haunting Eleanor's mind, the way Archie kept defending Ms. Grundy maker her feel sick to her stomach, and it isn't about the fact that he actually likes her, it's about what he did - and keeps doing - because of it.
Ellie's patiently grabbing the books she'll need from her locker when she's approached by a very anxious ginger boy. "Can we talk?"
"I wasn't the one who told Betty, if that's what you wanna ask me." She slames shut the locker's door, and turns her back on him with one last word. "Bye."
Archie follows behind her. "Actually I wanna know if your sister is gonna write about Grundy and I in the newspaper..."
Ellie stops on her tracks and turns to face him in desblief. "Who do you take her for?"
"I'm scared, ok? If anyone finds out –."
"Yeah," She rolls her eyes, tired of the same conversation over and over again. "we wouldn't want your lover to go to jail."
"This is not a joke, ok?" Archie scoffs at her lack of seriousness. "I need your help, Ellie, if –."
"No! I'm tired, Arch." Ellie snaps, and this is way she prefers to mock the situation and be sarcastic instead. Because when she lets herself feel it, everything crumbles. "Of being the option you go to when you messed up and you don't want to face the consequences alone." Ellie sighs loudly, and tells him what he already knows. "You're in it deep."
When Ellie leaves her friend behind, and turns the corner, she doesn't have time to process what just happened, because she bumps into Betty right away. One look to her right, and Eleanor quickly realizes her sister had just exited the music room.
"Betty,"
"I... I have an explanation." Betty quickly replies.
Ellie crosses her arms over her chest. "You better."
. . .
Both Veronica and Betty are sitting across from Archie and Ellie.
"Ms. Grundy showed up in Riverdale near a year ago out of thin air." Betty tells Archie, and by the look on his face he's already disaproving whatever she's saying. "There's no record of her before that. Her facebook, her Linkedln account, they were all created a year ago. Before that, she's a ghost."
In front of them, on the table, there is a picture of an old lady, the only Geraldine Grundy that Betty was actually able to find.
Now, Archie's just confused. "Where... Where did you find all this?"
"The deep web. The dark internet." Veronica jokes. "Check it, it's all online. Googling."
"And did you cyber-stalk Ms. Grundy before or after you interviewed her for a fake article?" Archie accuses. "Why are you doing this, Betty? I'm not in any danger."
"She's just looking out for you." Ellie shrugs.
"But it's the truth. I'm with her!" He insisted, and his eyes changing between the three girls. "I know what we have and neither of you do."
"We would if you had told us." Ellie scoffs, and she doens't miss the opportunity to speak up some things that have been bothering her. "Remember that whole summer or do you only remember the Fourth of July weekend?"
"What is that su –."
"She taught Jason Blossom." Betty interruptes their arguing with one more information, one that could change everything. "Did you know that?"
"She taught a lot of people." Archie remarks. "What's your point?"
"My point is you don't know anything about her, Archie."
"Betty, let this go." He pleads. "If you are really my friend, any of you, you'll let this go."
"Ok." Betty nods. Not sure if she means it though. "I'm sorry. I'm done."
Archie then turns to face Eleanor now, waiting for a reply from her as well. Instead, he only gets a sloppy shrug from her. So, he begs. "Please, Ellie."
"I can't stand by and watch you do this!" Ellie argues, she's not ok with his priorities. "Betty is just looking out for you, we all are. And the fact that you keep defending Grundy, putting her over everyone, over -."
"I thought we were really good about this, but clearly we're not." He shakes his head as if he's disappointed, and that pisses her off more.
"We'll never be good until you stop throwing us under the bus to protect Grundy, Archie." She explains, her voice a bit too loud. "I can't keep seeing you do that."
"Then why are you still here, Ellie?!" Archie's pressure takes the best of him, and he loses it. "I want to be with her, so stop being jealous about –."
Betty leans forward, and tries to stop them. "Guys, calm down!"
"Jealous?" Ellie scoffs, and she fakes a laugh then as if that's the most absurd thing she has ever heard.
"Yes, jealous of the fact that I moved on. Jealous that I have someone and you don't." Archie's looking into her eyes at this point, but he still doesn't realize what he's reallt saying. "That's what this is about, right?"
"Stop this!" Betty slams her hands down on the table.
Both friends, arguing before, look up at the blonde with big eyes staring back at them, she's clearly confused as to how that meeting became so bad so fast. It's what happens, they should know by now, when feelings get hidden for far too long and far too deep in their chests.
Archie feels the need to say something, when everyone's falls into an awkward silence. "I'm not putting Grundy over anyone, I just –."
"Really?" Ellie arches her eyebrows at his words. "So if you had to choose between Grundy and I, who would you choose, Archie?"
Betty frowns, shocked by her sister's question but, above all, confused at the hidden meaning of the conversation going on between them. Veronica, on the other side, fully aware of what the conversation really is about, looks at them in a nervous anticipation, already knowing Ellie will leave Pop's more hurt than when she got in.
"Come on, you were the one saying people seem to do all the choosing for you, so I'm giving you a choice only you can make," Ellie pressures him. Archie hesitates, he doesn't have an answer for Ellie. And his silence is the only answer she needs, because she knows exactly where she stands with him now. "I got it. I won't stand in the way of your happiness, don't worry."
. . .
Even tho Eleanor is the sister who fought with Archie earlier, she's the one to stay behind. When Betty comes to her asking for help to investigate Grundy, Ellie refuses. Maybe because Archie asked them to stop – no, that's really not the real reason – maybe it's because deep down the whole thing is just hurting her too much.
While dressing her pajamas, Ellie hears her phone beep. So she walks to the desk, and reaches for it. Betty's name shining on the screen.
Betty: OMG Ms. Grundy is Jennifer Gibson. And we found a gun. A GUN.
Ellie: Grundy's GUN?
Betty: we're telling Archie!! we're outside!
"Oh my god," Ellie gasps.
She dresses some jacket that she picks up on her way to the door, and rushes downstairs, not caring to lock the door when she leaves. She makes it pretty fast to the house next to hers, and Archie's already there with Betty and Veronica, already arguing.
"Grundy has a gun! Jason was her student!" Betty exclaims, and tries to make him see how the pieces fall back together so well. "Why didn't you ask? About her name, about anything?"
Archie's eyes fall to his feet, the answer is so clear to all of them anyways. Eleanor was right about not going with them, but just like with everything else, here she is getting hurt, over and over again because of her stupid curiosity. The curiosity killed the cat, and now it's killing her.
And she hurts herself even more, when she finally asks him, her voice merely a whisper. "Because you're in love with her?"
And it is like a punch to her stomach when all Archie does is walk away, and get back inside his house. Until his door closes shut, Ellie stands there in the cold, hoping he'll turn around and deny it. But he never does, and it doesn't suprises her.
Here she is, all the time, waiting for him to say the right thing for once, but Archie never reaches out for Ellie, not unless it helps him in some way. So, Ellie's ready when, in the morning, Archie calls Betty and her to go for a walk. Ellie refuses, and stays home instead. When her sister comes back, she tells Ellie all about the divorce story and the gun for protection instead of murder.
. . .
Things are pretty horrible, all these bad things keep happening in Riverdale, and maybe it is some kind of punishment for evil things done in the past. When they think things can't get any worse, they get home and their mom is at the door, waiting for them, with a gun in her hand.
Ellie frowns at the sight. "What –."
"What's wrong is that your sister Betty is hiding a gun in her bedroom, and that's just for starters." Alice accuses.
"I can explain!" Betty tries.
"Oh, you will." She put the gun back inside the house, and walks back outside, now closing the door behind her. "Now, both of you, get in the car."
"Wait, what?" Ellie turns around, confused.
"Now!"
"You brought that home, Betty?" She turns to her sister in desbelief, how could Betty forget that they live with Alice Cooper out of all people. "What the hell?"
"I... I panicked!"
. . .
They meet Fred Andrews at Riverdale High's entrance, and Ellie can't really understand what's happening, or what's about to. It just doesn't make sense, until it does. Until they follow her Mom to the music room, and now it all makes sense as they interrupt Archie and Ms. Grundy.
"There they are!" Alice points out, and turns to face Fred. "What did I tell you?"
Geraldine's confused. "Can someone just tell me what's going on here?"
"Of course. Archie," Alice turns to him now. "would you like to share with us what you and the teacher have been doing during your music lessons? And please don't leave out any of the lurid details, because Betty here keeps a very meticulous diary."
Ellie closes her eyes with her Mom's words, Betty's diary of course. She was so afraid Archie would throw them all under the bus, but turns out they did it themselves.
Archie's eyes go to both sisters, but it's Betty who mouths an apology, and she already has tears starting to form in her green eyes.
"I never thought that I'd live to see the day. I thought the one thing that we could keep Riverdale safe from" Alice steps forward, she's now much closer to the music teacher. "was child predators."
"Ms. Grundy's not a predator!" Archie argues. "She's a good person."
"Archie, you don't have to defend me." Geraldine tells him.
"No, he doesn't." Fred intervenes.
"They are not denying it, are they?" Alice states. "They're clearly guilty. I think the next step is we take this to Sheriff Keller, and let the wheels of justice take over."
Archie's eyes widen as he looks over to Fred, pleading. "Dad, you can't let that happen."
"It's complicated, son." Mr. Andrews shakes his head.
"She didn't force me to do anything!" Archie exclaims, and he tries to make sense out of it. "I went after her! Everything that happened, I wanted it to happen."
"There's no surprise there." Alice rolls her eyes.
Ellie's breathing heavly at this point, her hands running through her long blonde hair in desesperation. The whole thing is just too much, how did they even get here. "Mom, stop!" She feels a tear run down her cheek as she pleads. "Please, please, stop this."
"Putting her on trial?" Betty scoffs.
"This isn't just about her. This is about him!" Alice gestures towards Archie, but her eyes are on her daughters. "I want you to see what kind of person he truly is."
"Wait a minute, that is what this is about?" Fred frowns at her words. "Your crazy grudge against my teenage son?"
"I'm never gonna stop being friends with Archie, Mom!" Betty yells, and makes sure the woman knows this is all for nothing. She would never turn her back on him.
"This is not about you, Betty! This is about Ellie!" Alice shouts, and no one's expecting what comes out of her mouth next. "Ellie and her summer fling with Archie! It's about how red haired boys keep ruining our family, just like Jason ruined Polly!"
"Mom," Ellie breathes, tears falling down.
"What?" Betty's voice is almost gone, and she looks over to her sister. "What summer fling?"
Archie looks over to Ellie, and he notices she's crying. He forgets about Grundy for a minute, flashbacks of that summer coming back to him.
"Stop." She laughs. Archie ignores her, and keeps kissing her neck, all the way down to her chest. "Archie!"
"What?" He quickly kisses her, and he has this big smile on his face."Don't tell me you don't like it, El?"
"Shut up." Ellie pushs him off from the top of her body, and sits up straight. "I'm here to help you with your songs, remember?"
"Right." Archie tells her, and chuckles. "I forgot."
"How could you?"
"When it's about you, I forget about a lot of things."
"If you forget things just because of me, maybe they aren't that important." Ellie sits down on his lap, kissing his lips softly. "Am I right, Archie Andrews?"
"Or you're more important."
Archie comes back to reality with his Dad's voice. "We're done here!"
"Oh, we're far from over!" Alice argues.
"Betty –." Ellie tries to reach out for her for the first time, they're both crying now.
"Stay away!"
"Stop!" Archie shouts, and he looks at Alice before continuing. "You're right, Mrs. Cooper. I'm selfish and I'm stupid, and yes your daughter and I got together this summer and I don't deserve to have a friend like her, or like Betty. But if there's anything I learned from Ellie is that I have to do what it's right, so please don't hurt Ms. Grundy because of me."
"This is exactly about doing what's right and, of course, informing our neighbors."
"Alice, I swear to god –." Fred warns.
"Enough!" Ellie wipes her tears away, because what she is about to say next requires her to be strong. She needs to be strong. "Publish one word about this Mom and I swear I'll convince everyone I went nuts and invented this whole thing! That I got crazy, same as Polly."
"What... What Ellie –."
"Better," Betty steps forward too. "I'll tell everyone that I broke into Ms. Grundy car. That I robbed her, and made up the story of their affair. It will be like I finally... snapped."
"Crazy runs in our family will be our slogan." Ellie adds as one last warning.
"I'll quit." Ms. Grundy spoke up. "I'll quit my job. Will that satisfy you?"
"It has to." Betty says.
"She has to leave town." Alice warns, because no way she's going to let that woman wonder around Riverdale in chances of getting her hands on another teenage boy.
"The hell –."
"Son," Fred stops him.
"I'll pack my things and be gone by morning." Ms. Grundy promises, and walks away.
Archie tries to go after her, but there isn't much he can do.
Ellie also turns to face Betty, and tries to understand what's going through her mind right now. Does she hate her? Of course she does, right. How could she not. "Betty, I can explain."
"You knew and... and that didn't stop you." Betty sobs, but this is better than silence. "You were the one person I'd never thought capable of that. You're my sister!"
"I'm so sorry!" Ellie cries out. "I –."
"I stood there, asked it to your face and you lied!" Betty accuses, because she gave her sister a chance. And she believed her. "You said you didn't like Archie, that nothing happened in that stupid closet! You lied about everything!"
"Nothing happened in that closet." Archie turns to them, as if that one fact alone would change anything. "I swear."
"Betty, please, I never meant to hurt you." Ellie tries to get through to her. "I need you to know that. Please," But Betty's already out of the room.
Ellie made a vow to herself when Polly was sent away. That she would take care of Betty the best she can, keep her away from pain. And in the end, she had been the one doing all the damage.
. . .
Ellie makes her sister a favor when they get home, she walks up to her room, closes the door and lays down on her bed. She cries into her pillows, ignoring the voices coming from Betty's room. It isn't until everything's quiet and Alice walks into her room, that Ellie looks up.
"I thought Betty knew, hunny."
Ellie sits up in her bed, and mutters. "Get out."
Alice steps forward, her voice small. "I love you so much."
"Mom, just leave me alone." Ellie pleads, she doesn't wanna snap at her mother because that would make even sadder, but she knows she will if she doesn't walk away.
"I was trying to open your eyes. About Archie and Ms. Grundy and –."
"I knew about everything." She tells her, and continues with her voice a tone higher. "So you didn't do me any big favor, ok?!"
"He doesn't care, Ellie." Alice makes sure she knows, that he's not gonna get through for her. "You're the one who always cares, that will be your downfall if you let it. Like when you lied to Sheriff Keller to protect Archie."
"Archie is one of my bestfriends! And he needed my help."
Alice sits down on her bed, and she caresses her daughter's cheek, wiping as many tears as she can away. "You're too good for your own good. Look at what Jason did to Polly. When you walked in the other night... crying. I saw your sister, all over again."
"I'm not Polly, Mom. Nor Betty." Ellie shakes her head, moving away from her touch. "I can take care of myself."
"I'm your mother, Ellie. No one knows what's best for you than me."
"Look at what you did! Betty can't even look at me and you broke Archie's heart." Ellie scoffs, one long sigh escaping her lips. "So much for knowing what's best." Ellie gets up from her bed, and grabs her jacket in a quick movement, then walks out of the room, without looking back at Alice, not even once.
. . .
It's around one am when Ellie finds her way back home again, the small light on the porch is on, it must have been Alice, she's her mother so of course she would never stop caring and worrying. The clarity allows Ellie to notice Archie standing in front of her small steps, and she's surprised her Mom hasn't kicked him out yet.
"What are you doing here, Archie?" Archie flinches at her tone, it isn't the one he's used to. It isn't sweet and welcome, it's cold and painful. "I get that you're hurting but I'm not in the best position to comfort you right now," She sighs tiredly before telling him. "so go home."
"I would choose you." He blurts out.
Ellie's confused. "What?"
"You asked if I had to choose between Grundy and you who I would choose. And I'm telling you, right now, I'd choose you. Everytime." Archie steps forward, and he's sure his words don't mean a lot now. But he still tries. "f I had to choose between you and Betty, I'd –."
"Don't. Don't say it, Arch."
"Why?"
"Because it doesn't matter." Ellie looks down. "Betty is heartbroken already."
"I'm sorry, ok? It hurts me to see you in pain." Archie looks into her green eyes, disregarding her previous comment. "So, I'm sorry for making you feel like you were competing with Grundy."
"It was never about me winning or her winning. It was about you winning. And I've always been on your side, no matter what." Eleanor explains. "I just didn't want you to loose the one good thing you've had for over a decade, your friendships." She feels the need to comfort for some reason. "And don't hurt yourself anymore, Archie, because of Grundy. I'm sure she'll be fine."
"It didn't matter. Before you all came in, I had just ended things with Ms. Grundy. You guys are more important than her. You are way more important than her, Ellie." He replies, because he needs her to know. "I'm sorry it took me so long to see that."
His words take Ellie by surprise, but a smile finds it's way to her face. They both stare at each other in silence for a while. And it actually helps them sleep better that night.