Chapter Text
Reggie Mantle was an idiot.
His hair was permanently tousled from running his hands through it in frustration. There was a week left before graduation, and he’d royally fucked things up with Betty Cooper.
She hadn’t given him the cold shoulder. Oh, no. At least then, Reggie would know she cared. She would text him every once in a while, usually around midnight, talk to him about school and graduation, but she wouldn’t breach any subject relating to the night they spent together.
Which was infuriating, since Reggie couldn’t stop thinking about it. Especially when she all but stormed out to go on a date with her new redheaded suitor.
Reggie slammed his locker shut with more force than necessary. Dilton Doiley had the locker next to his, and he jumped at the sound.
Reggie smiled at him disarmingly, and Dilton smiled back nervously. “How’s tricks, egghead?” Reggie asked, fondly.
Dilton shrugged. “I’ve actually been invited to a few graduation parties, if you can believe it.” He held up a flyer. “Are you going to Ronnie’s?”
Reggie felt a little guilty about the 10 invitations he’d gotten and not even given a second thought to. He had no idea when Ronnie’s party even was. “Er, sure…slips my mind, what time is it starting?”
“Nine tonight. Pretty late. I would worry about curfew but I think my parents would let me stay out all night if they thought I was finally getting a social life.” Dilton’s smirk wasn’t bitter at all. He was a good egg.
Reggie clapped him on the shoulder. “See you there, Einstein.”
Only one thought kept him focused on the party. Betty was Ronnie’s best friend and she’d be bound to be there. She had been able to escape him at school, but he could easily corner her at a party and demand they talk.
Talk about what, he had no idea – he just knew he missed her cupid’s bow lips, not just on his but when she was smiling at him, that half smirk that made his head feel light.
Reggie Mantle held no illusions about his feelings for Betty – he was in deep, over his head, and he knew it. He just didn’t know what to do about it.
++++
Reggie was fashionably late to Ronnie’s party, not because he wanted to be, but because he’d had to politely decline all his other invitations and turned down three girls asking him to be their date.
Usually, he’d be preening at the attention, but he knew he was only getting it because he had been unavailable in the last couple of months, and had his eye on a particular blonde – it wasn’t as if he was hiding it. He wasn’t like Andrews, passing girls around to his friends on the sly and lying about where he was to Betty or Veronica – Reggie played games out in the open, so no one got hurt. Usually.
Yet he was the “bad boy” in Riverdale, and Archie was practically the town hero. He didn’t get it. Must be something about redheads, was all he could figure.
He opted out of the tailored silk shirts that he usually wore on dates and chose a Captain America t-shirt that was one size too small after his bulking up for football season and recruiters this year. He liked the way the distressed fabric strained when he moved his arms, and he was hoping Betty would too.
He wiped his sweaty palms on his tight designer jeans when he got out of the car, and then ran his hands through his hair for the 100th time, but it still flopped stylishly over his face.
He took in a deep breath, hearing the music from a block away where he had to park. At the very least, he thought, Ronnie threw great parties. He was sure to have a good time.
He was dead wrong about that.
As soon as he walked in, he was swept into the kitchen for a shot and a beer, then the patio to watch Moose do a decidedly impressive keg stand while Midge pressed against him, already drunk.
“Where’ve you been, Reg?” Her lipstick was smeared, likely from making out with her huge, possessive boyfriend.
He shrugged. “Around.”
“You looking for Betty?”
“Maybe.”
“She’s out near the pool.” She paused, always a slut for drama. “With Archie.”
Reggie tried not to react. He didn’t want to be the whole school’s gossip on Monday, but he stiffened involuntarily. He shrugged again, his shoulders feeling tight. “That’s her prerogative,” he said casually, but excused himself from Midge and made his way out to the pool. It seemed to take forever, and he ended up having to do another shot with Chuck Clayton, captain of the football team, so his head was buzzing when he stepped into the cool air outside.
He took a grateful breath of fresh air and scanned the pool. He supposed all the other parties must have given up and come to Ronnie’s, because he spotted Jason Blossom who had invited him to their manor, also. He was sidled up next to Ginger Lopez, who Reggie had actually dated for a good month.
Jason was wasting his time. Ginger had discovered she was a lesbian in sophomore year.
Reggie finally spotted the blond curls he’d been looking for all night.
She was decked out in a killer royal blue bikini, still wearing heels from changing and giggling with Ronnie by the pool chair, drinking what looked like hunch punch.
His mouth went dry at the sight of her, even with Ronnie standing by wearing a black bikini thong.
Betty had her hair in a loose knot at the nape of her neck, and Reggie wanted to move it and kiss her there.
Archie had a perfect view of both girls, the bastard, lounging on the chair with his hands behind his head.
The girls were glancing at him appreciatively, and Reggie had to admit that his rival had gotten lean where Reggie was bulking up, and he was showcasing his tight abs, which were impressive even with his porcelain pale skin.
While he was pondering how to get Betty alone without the whole school listening, Betty model walked over toward Archie and leaned down to ask him something.
To his credit, Archie kept his eyes up, even though her apple shaped breasts were rounding out the top of her bikini as she bent over.
Reggie relaxed a bit. He hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Adam Chisholm, Betty’s boy of the week. Or month. Whatever.
Then he saw Archie grin and grab Betty’s arm, pulling her into his lap. She shrieked and giggled, spilling half her drink over her and Archie.
Reggie’s blood boiled. He hadn’t heard what she’d said to him or any context whatsoever, but he couldn’t help stalking over. She didn’t even look up at him, laughing at Archie as he moved his hands over her body, and instead of clearing his throat and not making a scene, Reggie said, “Hey, Carrot Top, hands off the merchandise.” He wanted to sound joking and light, like his usual Mantle the Magnificent self, but it came out strained and angry.
Archie twitched an auburn eyebrow. “Who put a bug up your ass, Mantle? It’s a party! We’re free in a week!”
Archie was drunk, Reggie realized, which was unusual. Ever since junior high when Archie, Jug and Reggie had drank a fifth of Reggie’s dad’s gin together and Archie got so sick he turned green and puked all over Reggie’s mother’s Persian rug, Archie had stuck to one or two beers.
Reggie sighed heavily. Archie was a jerk, but he was Riverdale’s jerk, and he had a good heart, deep down. WAY deep down, sometimes.
He didn’t want to argue. He didn’t want to fight his friend/rival. But he wanted the boiling in his blood stop. He wanted the buzzing in his head to settle, wanted to stop gritting his teeth at the sight of Betty cuddled against her long time crush.
Instead of politely asking Betty to talk to him inside, the jealousy took over. “Where’s your boyfriend, Bets?”
Betty’s smile faltered on her very pink lips and Reggie felt a stab of guilt.
“He’s on vacation until Monday with his folks,” she said, indignantly but quietly, and gulped down the rest of her drink.
“Aw, Reggie, let up,” Archie said, hugging her one armed while he picked up his half empty beer. “Betty is just having a good time. She doesn’t need old Aaron around at every turn.”
“His name is ADAM, for God’s sake,” Betty said, but she was smirking at Archie. Reggie noticed with growing rage that her hand was low on Archie’s stomach.
Then he did it. He really put his foot in his mouth, so far it might be coming out of his ass.
“Seems like you forgot his name last week,” he said, and the words were out of his mouth before he could understand what they meant.
Archie frowned at him. “What are you talking about Reggie?”
“Oh, nothing. Just a tutoring session we had.” He kept talking, staring at Betty’s downcast lids, the hurt on her face, her mouth sagging down at the corners where she had been so happy and free.
He was such a fucking asshole.
Archie turned his eyes to Betty, and with horror Reggie noticed tears tracking down her face.
He lost it completely when Archie took her face in his hands and brushed her tears away with both thumbs, and Betty smiled up at him gratefully.
Words didn’t come, so he took his newfound bulk and strength and grabbed Archie’s shoulder, jerking him off the lounge and plopping Betty down on the lounge, a little mmph of surprise coming out of her.
Archie landed on his ass, scraping his bare back on the pavement.
“What the fuck, Mantle?” Archie yelled up at him, and Reggie stood over him, panting, hair hanging in his face. Something about the look on his face shut Archie up.
Archie set his jaw and got up, wiping the dirt off him.
Veronica had been watching with what looked like glee, but now she took over, petting Archie and oohing and awing over his scrapes and scratches.
Reggie didn’t feel like himself. He felt like he was standing outside of himself, watching the scene play out. Everyone was watching, but he finally brought his eyes to Betty, who was looking at him with disdain and shock.
“What happened to you, Reggie?” She half whispered, tears still tracking down her cheeks.
Reggie shook his head, heat rising behind his eyes. “I’m sorry, Bets,” he managed, and then he took off toward the street, hopping the low security fence into the bushes, as he’d done many times when he’d come over for a booty call at the Lodge’s.