Dive ➤ Betty Cooper [DISCONTINUED]

Five

Archie slowly began to strum, as he opened his mouth to begin singing for his friends,"Come on, on the radio on, and honey we'll dance, dance, dance for the rest of the night, I'm not ready to go..." And as he continued to sing Betty sat there stiffly as she had slowly let her tears fall down, and once Archie had stopped, Keegan heard some sniffling as he slowly turned to the Cooper girl, Veronica and Kevin were smiling as she clapped on for Archie to continue playing. Keegan instinctively stood to go to her side,"Betty-" Keegan started as he quickly wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Betty. Betty, are you okay?" Archie rose an eyebrow as he slowly put down his guitar, Betty took a large inhale,"I'm supposed to say, 'yes.' That's What the nice girl always says, but..." The girl choked up on a sob,"No, I'm not." She said as she began to stand,"I want to be. I thought I could be...But it's too much, too fast." She explained, Betty was afraid to let more tears go as she quickly turned away. Keegan let her go this time, Archie needed to fix this.

Archie quickly stood as well as he grabbed his jacket and hurriedly put it on as he jogged over to her direction, Keegan turned to Kevin and Veronica. Veronica bit her lip in guilt, she looked up Keegan,"Look- I didn't mean to hurt her." She told him,"I know, Veronica. I know you didn't try to, but you...You did." He said as he bent over to grab Betty's stuff,"Kev, Just...Just-." Kevin frowned slightly,"Look Keegan, I'm her friend too." He reminded him with a slightly irritated tone,"I know, I'm sorry, but I just...I want to be there." Keegan said hurriedly.

❰•••❱

Keegan briskly walked around the school, the chattering of the cafeteria fading away- he was pumping his arms trying to propel himself even farther- but the hallways seemed to narrow and at the rate of his speed walking, he was going nowhere. This went on a little longer until he began to hear choked up crying in one of the girls restrooms,"Betty...?" Keegan frowns slightly, his heart rate dropping at the thought of Betty bawling, he surveyed the hallway and quickly entered the girls restroom, a strong smell of perfume surged through his nostrils- and the sounds of  muffled cries seemed to reverberate through the empty restroom. Betty sat on a bench, her hands hidden in her face. Keegan quickly put their bearings down as he ran over to her,"Betty..." He whispered enveloping her into his arms,"It hurts Keegan...It hurts so much...." She whimpered as she took a fistful of his shirt.

  Keegan shook his head,"I know...I know," he said in a small voice as he rubbed small circles in her back. And when she slowly pulled away her tears had dried out,"Here, let's go- Let's take you out today." He told her, as he slowly took her hand and helped the blonde stand, Betty hiccuped slightly, she looked at him with wary eyes,"Thanks. For the millionth time." Betty said wiping her eyes as she bent over to grab her duffle bag and bearings. "But let's get it of here before the bell-" She cut herself off as the voices of students had erupted throughout the hallways, she quickly grabbed him and led him out of the restroom. Merging into the crowd.

  "You don't have to keep coming for me Keegan." Betty told Keegan with a small voice,"I know. It's just- I don't want to leave knowing that you aren't smiling you know?" He said with a nonchalant shrug,"You're here for everybody Betty. Let me have a chance to be there for you too." Betty smiled slightly, she wiped a stray tear from the corner of her eye.

Betty had vixen practice to attend to so she wasn't going to stay with him for long, the two sat together at the gymnasium the rest of the vixens to arrive; Veronica obviously making her way as one of the first to arrive,"Betty. Keegan." Veronica said timid smile, Betty made an inaudible sigh,"Veronica." She said with a little nod. Keegan turned to the raven haired girl,"Hey." He nodded, there laid an uncomfortable silence between them for a moment before Keegan stood,"I should go, I don't want to intrude your practice." Veronica made a little nod,"Alright, well, I'll see you later."

❰•••❱

Betty and the group were at the lounge today, many students there along with them to repose after class, Keegan stood at the vending machine with Archie as he handed him a couple bills to get him a KitKat, the two were civil knowing that Betty wouldn't want their group out of wack because of her. Veronica sat on the armrest of a recliner that chuck sat on, not that he minded anyways. Kevin and Betty on a loveseat in outskirts of the square of couches. The smell of Reggie and the rest of his goons body spray hung around, it easily over took the smell of old books and furniture that usually would waft around the lounge.

"And Sheriff Keller's grilling me, Mantle the Magnificent. 'Cause I'd want Blossom dead. When he was like, the only good quarterback we had." Reggie explained in an incredulous tone. He toyed with the football in his large hands," And speaking of offensive tight-ends, I should've sent the cops to you, Moose. Because here's another unsolved mystery. What exactly were you and Kevin doing at the river, huh? Or does being with the sheriffs son give you a free pass? Keller?" Reggie prodded, a little smile on his face growing wider as Moose gave him a careful glance, he turned over to Kevin who was giving him a steely expression, Betty whispered something to him as he shook his head lightly.

"I mean, let's think about it, if a kid at Riverdale killed Jason, it's not gonna be a jock right?" Reggie asked as he tossed the football the to of his teammates,"Now let's be honest, isn't it always some spooky, scrawny, pathetic internet troll, too busy writing his manifestos to get laid?" Reggie paused for a moment, just to take a quick glance at Jughead, who was scooting away slightly as he avoided Reggie's glance. His glance had landed on Keegan, who was still eyeing the vending machine- Jughead knew Keegan, because of Archie, but the two never talked- they just seemed to have a mutual agreement that they were just acquaintances. Nothing more, nor nothing less.

"Some smug, moody, serial killer fanboy freak," Reggie continued,"Like Jughead." Reggie emphasized the guys name, he turned over to him expectantly. Moose, and the rest of the group smiled slightly as Veronica tucked a strand of hair behind her ear with a slight frown on her face,"What was it like, Suicide Squad?" Reggie jeered with a little laugh,"When you shot jason." He elaborated,"You didn't do anything to the body, did you? Like... After?" Reggie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's called necrophilia, Reggie, can you spell it?" Jughead crossed his arms defiantly, he of course wouldn't answer to a guy like him. The tall player quickly stood from his chair,"Come here you little..." He was quickly cut off when Archie had quickly pushed himself between the two. Keegan following in suit as he quickly grabbed a fist full of his shirt,"Hey shut the hell up, Reggie." Archie scowled,"Boys." Veronica said in a warning voice, the students watching the threes moves, knowing what was to happen.

"Why do you care Andrews? Ryland?" Reggie said narrowing his eyes at the two boys,"Nothing, jest leave him alone." Archie insisted, as he thought he could easily evade Reggie's anger,"You can't just go pointing fingers like that, Mantle." Keegan told him as he shoved the teen away from himself. Reggie went on to rant about how they were in some sort of "pervy blood brother thing" which resulted and Keegan quickly throwing a hard punch to Reggie's jaw, silence filled the room as a sickening crack came from Reggie, Archie quickly pushed Reggie away from Keegan. But Reggie overpowered Archie easily as he smashed Keegan straight into the vending machine window.