Endgame??

Chapter 22

hello everyone! hope all are safe

the love I'm getting for this story is great! thank you for that!! so hope you like it

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              Archie and Betty walked silently through half of the way with a smile constantly lingering on their faces. Archie had gone back to practice after making an excuse for his small hiatus in the morning, Betty quickly forgave him and went about her work in blue and gold while she waited for him to finish his practice. Things seemed to have calmed down both feeling lighter beside each other, Betty casually asked "So how was your practice Arch?" Archie instantly nodded smiling "Everyone is working hard!" Archie smiled to himself thinking how his coach almost chased him around the ground angrily for missing the last few days of practice. Getting that image out of his mind, he questioned Betty "So how is the year book coming?" Betty sighed tiredly "It's going good...I think with the game and the upcoming prom... it should completed soon!" Archie's mind momentarily stopped at 'prom' as did Betty.

         The name prom never brought any happy memories for Betty, she was worried something might go wrong this year too; Archie watched Betty's silence but didn't want to ponder on it. He quickly asked his least favorite question for now to distract her "did you start with Jughead's book?" Betty expectant look when Archie started to ask suddenly fell; she looked at the road trying to hide her true feeling about it. Archie looked at her confused, "ahmm... Ya, I did but I didn't get to read that much though!" she said trying to put on a smile. The truth was she couldn't.... more so didn't want to read a book that was partly based on her dad.

           Betty grew tense as she kept thinking about the book and Jughead, she slowly closed her hand into a fist, her nails gracing over her palm. Every time she tried to calm herself she just felt more pressured...nervous and even scared; she bit her lip trying not to show any of this on her face while she walked along side a silent Archie. Just as the silence grew, she clenched her fist tighter, the nails on her hand start to sting on her soft skin when a warm-rough hand wrapped around hers. She looked down to see Archie's hand on hers; she looked up to meet with Archie's smile...the smile that has always brightened her day since she was very young. She could feel herself calm down with his touch.

          Archie looked at Betty worried, he had been watching Betty's face for few minutes and he could see some kind of pain through her face and he immediately reached and grabbed her hand worried. He saw her slowly smile at him almost teary, "Are you okay Betty? You seem nervous for some reason!" he asked yet Betty just stood there smiling at him. She looked down at their hand; Archie also looked down to notice the condition of his own "Ah Sorry about the dryness... We've been having ground practice lately... So..." Archie started to comment. Betty smiled looking at 'partly embarrassed' Archie explaining to her about his hand, she un-clenched her hand and fitted her hand into his.

             Archie looked at Betty surprised; she held her smile "Don't worry about it!!" she answered earnestly making Archie's worry melt away. Both smiled still walking slowly, and soon realized they had reached home. Disappointment took over both Betty and Archie, with looking at each other they let go of their hands but smiled looking at each other. Betty looked at her home and back at Archie "Thanks Arch!" she spoke her words softly, Archie nodded smiling "Anytime..." he said barely above a whisper. She slowly turned and walked towards her door yet he stood there rooted till she reached her door, she turned to see Archie once more, smiled and disappeared into her house.

             Archie smiled at himself and slowly moved his feet towards his home when his phone beeped, turning away from Betty's house he picked his phone and opened it with a smile