Rainy Days ▸ BUGHEAD

chapter twenty nine

the room was in flames. the flames only got bigger, the smoke only got heavier, the situation only got scarier. we were all stuck in that room, all stuck to die.

my life was gonna end this way. but this couldn't be the end could it? there had to someway out. if there's one thing i admire about myself, it's my ability to get out of trouble. if there's a way in there's a way out. that's something my father always told me.

thus began my search.

"well it was nice knowing you all." archie teased. "i'll see you guys in hell!"

i gave a glare at archie. "really right now?"

"hey!" archie said. "there's always time for a sarcastic comment."

ignoring archie, i kept digging. no comment from the idiot red head was gonna stop me. i searched as hard as anyone could in a room full of smoke. but it had been a couple minutes and that's when the smoke really hits you.

people were coughing, i was too. it came clear to us the end was near. but things were looking up, when i found something.

an old window, next to a rusted ladder.

"guys!" i yelled at them. "i found an exit, a window and a rusty ladder."

the group of people rushed towards me. we all huddled around it, it was a blessing. in that moment i think i actually believed in god, more than i ever had. miracles can happen.

but not all miracles end perfectly.

the room started to get worse as i thought about it, so i took out the ladder. i set just enough to wear we could reach a lower roof and easily jump off.

this was gonna work. it had to work.

"archie!" i said. "go quickly."

archie obeyed me, and followed my plan almost as i pictured it. this was the first time i didn't have to explain it to him, mostly because we were trapped in a burning building. but for the state we were in, he did pretty good, for archie at least.

after archie followed hal, than alice, than polly. it all went perfectly until it was just me and the blonde beauty.

now when you picture yourself alone with your crush, it's not a burning house. but a moment alone is a moment alone. but it didn't mean a happy moment.

but things weren't romantic, the world was slowly crumbling beneath us. the room was filled to the brim with smoke, it was hotter than hell. it was clear something was gonna happen, one of us would have to be left behind.

"betty, go!" i yelled.

betty shook her head. "no jughead, you go!"

"i can't do that!" i yelled again. "you'll die. i'm a man i can take it."

"but i can't let you die up here." she said back. "i could never forgive myself."

"why?" i asked. "why would you care."

"it's complicated to explain juggie." betty said. "especially in a burning building, when the fate of your life is in the balance of that window."

"well it's not making things burn faster."

"juggie-"

"no just tell me." i said. my anger was heating up, just like the flames in the room. "you've got my curious."

"because i-"

"because you what?"

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU JUGHEAD!" betty yelled.

the room got quiet. those words filled my head with wonder. she loved me, she really loved me. too bad this came up at the most tragic event we've been through in these tough months. bad timing i guess. i regretted yelling at her. it looked like there was one choice.

i was not letting betty die.

"betty, i love you too." i said back. "which is why i'm begging, please go."

"i can't." she cried.

"but you can."

betty took off her necklace and handed it to me. "keep this safe. keep polly safe. keep everyone in riverdale safe, promise me?" she wiped a lone tear off her cheek.

"but bett-" tears watered up my eyes as i spoke.

"promise?"

"i promise."

i listened to betty and climbed down like the others had before me. all of me wanted to turn back, but it was too late. the house had too many flames to save anyone else. fate had played its cards.

betty was dead, and all sunshine of riverdale left had been lost too.