Trouble // Riverdale (2)

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

"But nothing is better sometimes
Once we've both said our goodbyes
Let's just let it go"

Athena didn't know what she expected when Veronica told them to get their swimsuits on, but here she sat in a bikini, sitting across from her ex-boyfriend as her current boyfriend had his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. This was a weird time. Veronica gently slipped in as they sipped on their second round of Margarita's.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm feeling better already. Okay, so, full disclosure time. When Archie told me about the kiss, I absorbed it, processed it, and in the end, I bear no ill will towards my beau nor my bestie. But has the thought of it haunted me these last few weeks? A tiny bit, yeah. And now, clearly, Betty and Jughead, you guys are caught up in the aftermath." Athena had clenched her jaw and her body tensed causing Reggie to glance toward her.

Athena had been briefly told what was the tension between them all as she originally thought it had nothing to do with her at all. It was at Christmas time when she first saw Archie and Betty kiss each other in her driveway. She wasn't completely sure why Veronica was so concerned but Athena wasn't dumb. She knew that it didn't take long for the two to get together. "So to clear the air amongst us, Jughead and I should kiss."

Athena choked on her Margarita as Archie protested immediately. "Let's see where this goes." Reggie whispered into her ear as she stared at Jughead who began to stand up. "Well, wait a minute, I don't know. Hold on. Veronica and I kissing might help to, uh. What's the sports term, Archie? Uh, Level the playing field?" Athena felt like she and Reggie should not have been there. She could tell Reggie was beginning to get tired due to the long drive up.

"Betty, a little help here?" Archie pleaded, not loving the idea at all. "You're not upset though?" Betty asked Jughead, confused as to why he wanted to do this. Athena began to question his motives as well, the action being very uncharacteristic of him.

"No. No, really, I'm not upset. But I'm human. What if a future me tries to use your kiss with Archie against some future you? A Vughead kiss, right now, in the present might be precisely what it takes to save a future Bughead from imploding. Archie, come on, man. It's just a stupid kiss. Right?" Athena felt uneasy as Veronica and Jughead walked toward each other. Veronica and Jughead didn't seem natural. They were polar opposites and probably the two people in the group that aren't that close.

"Jughead. Don't freak out. Just trust me." Athena looked toward Archie as Veronica pulled Jughead down, planting a kiss on his lips that lasted more than a second. Archie looked at her, uneasy and slightly irritated as his girlfriend kissed his best friend in front of him. "Now, the party is getting started," Reggie said as the two pulled away.

Their time in the spa didn't last long and soon all the couples split up into their rooms where Athena lay on her side, Reggie having fallen asleep almost immediately. Athena wished she could join him but she was restless, kept up by her own nagging thoughts. Slipping his arm off her waist, she wiggled out of bed, wrapping a dressing gown around her underwear-clad form before going to get a glass of water.

Her footsteps were soft on the floors as she made her way through the house, the moonlight barely illuminating her figure as she passed the windows into the kitchen which was as expected: immaculate. Athena Blossom found herself barely able to reach the top cupboards, prompting her to do what she used to do as a child. She gently climbed onto the counter, resting on her knees before reaching up again. "You need help?" Athena let out a soft yelp and caught the glass that she almost dropped on the ground.

"Jesus, Archie. Don't scare me like that." Archie sent her a grin before walking over and helping her off the counter, making sure she didn't tumble onto the tiles below. "Couldn't sleep?" Athena whispered, remembering that it was late at night and that they weren't the only ones in the house. "Yeah, I just couldn't seem to close my eyes," Archie said as he watched Athena fill the water up at the sink, taking small sips.

Archie Andrews didn't know how to communicate with Athena. Awkwardness seemed to bloom whenever they were around each other and Archie knew that at first, it was due to his resentment, but his anger just turned into sadness about how they ended. How it was over one stupid thing that shouldn't have mattered. It was his fault. "Hey, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. Sorry about everything, I know Ronnie made me kissing Betty all about her but I know it hurt you more."

Athena nodded and held out her hand for Archie which he grabbed causing a soft, genuine moment between the two. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have been so awful to you before we broke up. I know I'm the reason it happened and I'm sorry that I rubbed my relationship with Reggie in your face." Athena took a breath as Archie chuckled slightly causing Athena to raise an eyebrow in amusement. "What are you laughing at?"

Archie shook his head with a smile on his face. "We have a lot of apologizing to do to each other." Athena chuckled before nodding. "I guess we do. D-Do you think that we could ever get to where we were before?" Archie's brain went wild for a moment as he thought about what she could mean. He knew what the obvious meaning was but he couldn't help but wonder or maybe even hope for more. His recent fight with Veronica that night showed that the couple wasn't as strong as Archie had previously thought.

"I think so." Archie pushed off from the counter he was leaning on before Athena rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him. Archie stumbled back slightly, surprised by the sudden contact but wrapped his arms around her anyway, embracing her like it might be there last time. "Sorry, you always give the best hugs." Athena was quick to pull away as she pulled her hair behind her ear, something Archie had noticed her do whenever she was anxious.

He silently walked her back to her room before the two waved at each other before entering their rooms where their partners slept. It was weird but Archie felt a flicker of something, something he hadn't felt since he and Athena had broken up. Love.

I'm lowkey trying to get this done as quick as possible. Don't yall love the media saying Lili and Cole broke up like who the fuck cares its their life. Also those comic con interviews, Lili looks so fucking done with the show.

Thanks, Queenie.
(UNEDITED)