Blood of My Blood, Flesh of My Flesh (Bughead)

5. Witch Doctor

"We'll be a very forgiving audience, right guys?" Veronica was saying, saddling up next to Archie, pouring over his sheet music. He sent a frenzied deer-in-headlights look towards Betty, as though pleading, and she just gave a watery smile. His music was good, and she'd meant what she said that she wanted to remain friends, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to dive into sitting with him at lunch like nothing ever happened.

Even if that's what she'd asked him to do.

It was funny in that way, she decided.

She realized they were still looking at her, so she plastered a broad grin.

"Yeah, totally. Let's hear it."

Yet, as he started to play, something filled her stomach like dread. She hadn't touched any of her foot yet, but something tumbled in her stomach and threatened to come back up. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't hear, she felt tiny and alone.

She loved Archie, and he didn't love her back. He didn't love her back and he was sitting right across the way from her, doing what Archie always did and she'd usually find it adorable, but right now it just reminded her she couldn't have that.

"Betty? You okay?"

She hadn't realized she was standing until she looked at her fingers, clenching the side of the lunch table.

Keep your emotions low, that's what Sweet Pea had told her.

She tried to swallow it, she really did. She tried to shove her emotions into a little box and throw away the key and say she just forgot some paper in a locker or that she realized that she left her wallet at the register, but when she opened her mouth...she couldn't.

"I'm supposed to say 'yes'. That's what a good girl says and that's me but today..." She looked right at Archie, trying to beg him to see, "It's too fast." She whispered faintly, turning and striding fast across the field. She bit her lip to keep it from quivering and all she was trying to focus on was getting into the school, where she could lock herself in a stall and ride out these toxic and dangerous emotions.

"Betty, wait!" Archie called behind her, jogging to her side, "C'mon, listen to me," He pleaded.

Betty turned, clenching her fists, trying to stay grounded, "No." She whispered. She remembered the night she'd lost control, the night her powers had appeared. She could feel that same inkinesss rising inside of her. From the table, Kevin was standing, watching her with worried eyes.

She took three deep breaths, "I need to go, Archie." She said, broken.

"Betty, wait." Archie said more forcefully, grabbing her arm.

"Really, let me go." She pleaded.

"Betty...I...I hate I hurt you." He said. And oh, that just made it worse. Somehow, she wanted him to be an ass, to act like it was just another day in the life of Archie. Somehow, that would be easier. But this? The anguished look on his face? The pain he felt too? As though somehow, it was painful for him? Betty couldn't stand that.

"Really, Archie. I...I used to feel safe with you. You and me at Pop's that was my safe space. And it's not anymore, do you know what it's like to lose that? And I...I..."

"Betty, let's just talk about this-,"

"No!" The words came tumbling out with a ferocity that shocked Betty. It's not what everyone was focused on, however, they were more focused on the fact that all of the trees in the vicinity of Betty had just violently lost all the leaves, despite it being August and still relatively warm.

"What the..." Veronica jumped up, trying to save her lunch from the sudden rush of leaves. The whole field covered in still-green leaves, which was quite the site to see. Archie was blinking around in shock, as though he wasn't sure what he was believing.