Hopelessly Devoted ➳ a.a ♡ b.c.

eighteen

betty stared numbly at the inside of the stall door. the bell, signifying the start of class, rang through her ears, but she didn't move. she stayed seated on the ground.

she didn't know if she'd made the right decision, but it was too late to change it now. she'd chosen to move on from archie andrews. now she could see where things could go with lucas. who knows, maybe this decision could lead to great things for her.
                     ***
"hey, josie." archie said as he slid into the seat across from her.

"hey, arch." archie's felt a twinge of pain in his heart.

it stung hearing someone that wasn't betty use his nickname, especially someone he didn't know very well.

"so how have you been? are you working on any new music?" josie asked breaking the awkward silence that had developed.

"i've been pretty good, but i haven't even looked at my guitar in ages. let alone thought about writing something." he confessed.

"that's too bad, you're really talented." she smiled at the redhead, but all he could do was stare back.

he felt like a part of him was missing without betty, and it wasn't fair to josie for him to be thinking about another girl on their date.

"but, nowhere near as talented as you."

josie let out a laugh.

"that's true, but i'm working on my modesty so pretend i didn't say that."

archie smiled.

maybe josie could fill the emptiness he felt, at least for a little while.
                     ***
row after row of books with their spines facing outward lined the shelves, and coarse, blue carpet covered the floor. the children's section, clad with floor cushions and comfortable leather arm chairs was quiet with the exception of a small giggle every once in awhile. the computers for studying and research purposes remained untouched, and the wooden tables in the center were practically empty. a sweet muffled stillness, filled the quiet atmosphere, as the librarian at help desk, shushed a small child. dust floated lazily through the air, unseen, minus the times it would pass through the rays of sun slicing through the half open blinds, and make the air come alive.

"betty?" the vaguely familiar voice drew her attention away from the book she'd been attached to.

"lucas, hey." betty said as she shifted on the bean bag she'd been sitting on.

"what are you doing hiding in the back of the library?" he said as he laid down his bag, and joined her on the floor.

"just trying to think. the library is kind of my safe space, and this is the most quiet, secluded spot in here." she set her book down on her lap.

"yeah, it's pretty chill back here." he said as he laid his back against a book shelf.

"chill?" betty snickered.

"watch it missy, this is a judgment free zone." lucas pointed at betty accusingly causing her to laugh again.

"you're right, i'm sorry." betty put up her hands in surrender.

"yeah, you should be." he said jokingly as he pulled a book out of his bag.

"what are you reading?" betty asked as she scooted next to him, so their arms were touching.

"land of love and drowning, by tiphane yanique."

"never heard of it. what's it about?" betty asked as she looked down at the book in his hands.

"learning that the people who guarded you, like your parents or someone you love, could also be the people that you needed guarding from." he looked up, and their eyes met.

their faces were too close for betty to be comfortable, and she felt bad, because all she could think off was when she kissed archie.

"um," she turned her head away and looked at her lap, "that sounds interesting."

"it is. what's miss cooper reading?" he asked trying to wipe away the awkwardness brewing.

"everything i never told you, by celeste ng."

"i'll make a point of reading it, so we can discuss it next time." he scooted a bit closer to her.

"next time?" betty laughed.

"yep, next time."

she scoffed.

"don't pretend you're irritated, because it's obvious you like me." he said.

"you're pretty confident aren't you?" she smiled.

"i may be confident, but you're not denying anything."

"excuse me, this is a library, and i'm trying to read. so, could you please be quiet. if you aren't i'll have to report you to gladys." she giggled.

"who the hell is gladys?"

"are you kidding? gladys is the librarian, and she takes her job very seriously. when my best friend, and i were little we'd come here, and she would yell at us so much we were afraid to come back. but then when we turned eleven she stopped yelling at us, and she started to bring us candy, or she'd request special books to be brought in for us. so if i want you out, you're out." betty smiled at the memories that surfaced.

"your best friend? are you talking about archie?" lucas asked.

"um yeah, do you know him?" betty replied.

"not really, but we've talked a few times, and i've seen you two together a lot. are you close?" betty felt her mood darken.

"yeah, the closest, well we were. we had a falling out a few days ago. it's been hell not talking to him."

"well, i'm sure you'll make up. you've been through so much together." betty furrowed her brow.

"what? how would you know that?" she visibly tensed.

"i don't, i just assumed since you said you've been friends since you were little." he smiled innocently.

"yeah," betty said skeptically, "i guess that makes sense."

"this may be forward, but would you like to go out some time, like on a date?" lucas asked.

"um, would you mind giving me a bit of time to think? i just got out of a pretty serious relationship." betty traced the indents of the book cover with her finger.

"yeah, take all the time you need."

"thanks, lucas... i don't think i ever got your last name."

"evans, it's evans."

a/n - sorry for the semi-filler chapter :/