Fairytale

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FAIRYTALE

Eleanor is admiring the cheerleading outfit on her mirror, again. She can't stop doing, even thought it's not exactly her dream, it's more Betty's actually, Jason always pushed her to try out, but she never got the courage. Until now.

She hears arguing in the room next to hers, so she quickly walks there, already knowing what's she's probably going to find. It's always the same kind of arguings in this house. As soons as she gets there, she finds Alice with her arms crossed while looking at Betty's clothes with disgust.

"What is going on?" Ellie rolls her eyes.

The blonde woman turns around, and she's horrified at the sight. "You too? It's over! You both take that off now."

"No." Betty shakes her head, refusing.

"What did you say to me?" 

"She said no, Mom." Eleanor steps forward, calling her attention back. "This is actually something Betty always wanted and she's happy. Doesn't that matter to you?"

"Of course it matters but –."

"I do everything for everyone! Everything to be perfect. The perfect daughter, the perfect sister, the perfect student..." Betty exclaims. "Can't I do this one thing just for me?"

"Wait." Alice tries.

"Get out of my way," Betty storms off, and grabs her sister's arms on her way out, only looking back to give her Mom one last warning. "we're going to buy a dress. Because we actually have someone to go with. Archie and Veronica."

"Hermione Lodge's daughter?" 

"She's really cool." Eleanor tells her. "And I know you said not everyone is as good as I am but she actually is."

"You think she's going to be your friend? Let me tell you something." Alice points her finger at her daughters, while trying to knock some sense into them. And maybe, yes, maybe they should should listen to their mother, because mothers know better. "Girls like Cheryl and Veronica, they don't like girls like us."

"We don't wanna hear it, Mom!" Betty stops her. "We're going."

. . .

It's finally the back-to-school dance's day. It almost feels like a nice evening, it feels like nothing can go wrong, at least that's how Ellie feels, but they should know by now that not everything goes as they think it will. That's just how life works.

"It's not the met ball, but it's nice." Veronica smiles.

"When do you have to let Coach know about football?" Betty asks, her eyes on  Archie.

"This weekend."

"Guys, can't we just liberate ourselves from the tire dichtomy of jock, artist? Can't we, in this post James Franco world be all things at once?" Veronica wonders.

"I've been working on it." Archie confesses.

"Work faster." The dark-haired girl replies with a smile. "I'm getting punch." She mouths something to Betty though, before walking away.

"It's about following your heart, right?" Betty guesses. "Music or football?"

"Will you guys give me one minute?" Archie asks them, and he has this smile that really hard to say no to. "I promise when I get back, I'll be a much better date, ok? I have a plan." And just like that, he runs off into the crowd.

Kevin approaches them, right away. "You won't believe who just propositioned me in the bathroom."

"Was it Archie?" Ellie jokes, and she gives this chuckle before continuing. "Cause he just ran off." 

"No, but I'll give you a hint, his name may be Moose but I'd describe a certain appendage of his as horse-like." 

Kevin doesn't give any of them time to process what his words mean, he disappears just like that. The two blondes are left alone, both sharing a very confused look.

"That was..." Ellie mumbles, not really knowing what to say.

"Yeah," Betty frowns, and excuses herself from her sister's company. "I'm gonna see where Veronica went." 

"Are you –."

"I'm fine. I'm just..." Betty sighs, and shakes her head. "Forget it." 

Eleanor is left alone, and maybe that's some messed up presage of what's waiting for her somewhere in her future, but that might be her self-conscious and insecure self talking.

Cheryl appearance on stage calls her attention, she stands there as always with a very impressive speech to present Josie and the Pussy Cats. 

When it is about to start, Archie shows up. "Sorry. Where did Betty go?"

"She went to find Veronica, I guess." Ellie replies, with a shrug.

"Wanna dance then?" Archie smiles, then noticing the look on her face. "Just one dance."

"Fine." 

Their bodies become closer, her arms are around the red-headed's neck and his were tightly grabbing her waist. His touch is warm while he's holding her like he is aching all over, like he has been missing something for far too long. Maybe missing her.

"Did that plan work out?" She asks, her eyes wondering everywhere but on him.

"Yeah. I'm gonna try to manage working with my dad, music, and football. It's gonna be nuts."

"But it's gonna be worth it. You'll be doing everything you love." Ellie smiles at the thought. "At least, you won't have to choose."

"I never get to choose." Archie locks their eyes, the subject changing all of a sudden. "People seem to do all the choosing for me."

These words are familiar to Ellie, she remembers them quite well. She heard them a couple of weeks ago coming from this very same mouth. Similar words, at least.

"Ellie –."

"Arch, I can't do this." She shakes her head. "It's gone too far already."

"What?" He's confused at her sudden change of heart. "Why?" 

"God, can't you see?" Ellie lets out a fake laugh, but not her sister's secret. No, never her sister's secret. "You're so blind, Archie."

"What – What do you mean?" Archie frowns.

"Just forget it."

He refuses to end the argument like she wants to, so he continues. "You were the best thing to happen to me this summer, Ellie."

Eleanor closes her eyes, because she knows that if she looks into his eyes, all her convictions would be worth nothing. "Believe me, Arch, this was a pretty good summer." She finally looks up, a sigh escaping her lips. "But Summer is over now."

"Don't I have a say in this?" Archie tries as she steps back. "You seem to be doing all the choosing for me."

"Trust me on this one," Ellie has a hint of pain in her voice. "I don't want to be the one standing in front of anyone's happiness."

"I'm really confused about what you're saying but" He pleads one more time. "what about your happiness, my happiness?"

"Nothing that comes due to stolen happiness can expect a happy ending, Archie Andrews."

Silence follows, while they keep dacing. 

Ellie looks around for a second, and manages to see Betty dacing with Kevin, and Veronica with some other random guy. The dark-haired girl is looking at her and Archie, her eyes analyzing them, like she's digging some secrets.

Eleanor decides to make up some conversation, to distract her from Veronica's attentive gaze. "So, did anyone asked you to come besides, you know, us?" 

"Nope." He tells her. "What about you, Ellie?"

"No one." She shrugs.

"Well, I'd have asked you, just so you know." Archie chuckles.

A smile find it's way to her face. "Anyway." Ellie shakes her head, right away. "You never actually got to tell me who your songs are about?"

"I'm not sure. The first ones, you know, they were about someone. But now..."

"Now what, Arch?" She's confused.

"Now... I'm not really sure of my feelings anymore." He confesses.

The song ends but they keep staring at each other, neither knowing what else to say. Specially, Eleanor. Did her bestfriend like anyone? And didn't tell her, really? It's only when everyone starts clapping, that they break apart. 

The second song is announced as Betty makes her way to the couple envolved in nothing more than tension, at the moment. but Betty has a smile on her lips.

"I'm gonna go to Veronica." Ellie gestures, and leaves with a smile. You two can dance this one." 

While making her way to the dark-haired girl, she regrets it as soon as she finds Veronica's eyes. Already knowing full well the conversation the two are about to have, and there's no escaping now, because by the look of it, Ellie knows Veronica would just follow her even to the bathroom.

"Let's dance." It's the first thing Veronica says.

Ellie's hand goes to Veronica's waist, while the dark-haired girl's hands are on her shoulders, both moving at the song's rytm.

"You can ask." Ellie sighs, better get it over with.

"Do you like him?"

"Can we not start with that though?"

Veronica chuckles lightly. "Did something happen between you two?"

"This Summer." Eleanor feels like a terrible person just by thinking about it, let alone saying it. "Betty was having the internship of her life while I was fucking the boy she loves."

"She doesn't know."

"No." She looks down.

"I won't tell her but you should before this blows up on your face, E." Veronica warns, and she's not that wrong.

Ellie nods, with a sigh. "I know, I know." .

"But... do you have feelings for Archiekins?"

"It's complicated." She swallows.

"Why didn't you ever do anything about it?" Veronica raises her eyebrows at her. "I'm sure Archie wouldn't mind keep it the way it was all summer."

"Sometimes Betty and I fight, yes, we have problems. We cry. But Betty is not just my sister, she's my bestfriend. She's my better half. And if not admiting any possible feelings that I might have for Archie, will somehow make her happy... That's what I'll do, V."

"You care." Veronica points out the obvious..

"I care a lot." Ellie confesses, with a nod. "That's kind of my thing." 

Before they can go any further into the conversation, one of Cheryl's friends approach them and tells them they are both invited to Cheryl's after party.

. . .

Whatever is the reason behind Cheryl's invitation, it isn't something good. It never is with her, and her never ending tricks. Somehow, Jason made her a better person, and now that he's gone there's no one holding her back.

"We're going old-school tonight, seven minutes in heaven." Cheryl announces. "Who wants to play to tryst in the close of love first? My vote is for A for Archie. Anyone care to second that?" 

"Actually –."

"Yes, Andrews!" Reggie cuts Archie off, not allowing him to bail.

"All right, gather around, kids. Let's see who is riding the ginger station tonight." She says, and spins the Cherry Cola glass bottle.

As the bottle spins around, destiny isn't working on Eleanor's favor, as it stops between Veronica and Betty, and since, unfortunatelly, Ellie's standing behind the couch – right in the middle – Cheryl takes that as a chance to cause more chaos.

"No way!" Reggie laughs.

"It's clearly you, Ellie cutie." Cheryl points out, with a smirk. "This will be fun." 

"I'm not doing this." Eleanor stands up, and takes a step back. "I can't go in there."

For the second time that year, she feels like she's stealing her sister's place once again. It's the wrong blonde, it always is. Betty should go in there, not her.

"Why? Have some secrets to spill?" Cheryl steps foward, a inch closer to her. "If you don't, house rules decree, the hostess gets to take the turn."

One last glance at Betty, and she notices the blonde looking Archie's way with sadness in her eyes. If Cheryl goes in there would it be worse than her going? Probably. Guess there's no way of knowing, unless we try first, right. So she does.

"Fine." Ellie places her drink on the table, and walks to the closet.

"You better go, Archie." Reggie tells him. "Or I will!" 

The red-haired boy makes his way to the closet as well, closing the door behind him now. When they're finally standing in front of each other, he sets up the alarm on his phone for seven minutes, not a minute more.

"God, not even with Jason dead." Ellie mutters. "He was always the better twin."

"6 minutes and 20 seconds left." Archie counts, and pleads to her. "Can we please not talk about your dead friend? I wouldn't know what to say." 

"Yeah, you usually comforted me in... other ways." She regrets saying it, right away.

Archie clears his throath, deciding to relieve the tension. "So ask me something you always wanted to know about me but never asked."

Ellie gives it a thought, and maybe now it's not the best time, but it's the only thing that comes to her mind. "Do you feel anything for Betty?"

"We're best friends, nothing more than that." He tells her, and continues. "Now, my turn. Did you knew? That your sister likes me?"

With that, Eleanor realizes Betty finally had the courage to tell Archie about her feelings. Probably while they were dancing, but by the red-haired's tone, it didn't go well.

Ellie looked down. "Yeah,"

"For how –."

"My turn." She cuts him off with a different question. "Did you at any point wanted to be more than friends with Betty? Even if just for one second..."

"I've never felt whatever I was supposed to feel for your sister, Ellie." Archie insists. "Now, since when do you know?"

"Ah," She swallows, and shrugs to make it seem easier. "since we were like ten."

His eyes look down at her in realization. "It was about her you were talking about, when you broke things off. It was about Betty, wasn't it?"

"Betty loves you." 

"I'll never be able to give her what she wants, Ellie." Archie replies.

"Then don't." She sighs, and the next words are not just for him, but for the both of them. "But that doesn't mean you have to break her heart."

"I –."

"Next one, have you felt it with anyone?" Eleanor's curious about this one, specially after their conversation at the dance. "Whatever you were supposed to feel for Betty, have you felt it with anyone?"

"Yes. More than one person now, I guess." Archie replies, their eyes not leaving each other now. "Have you?"

"I guess."

"Your turn." The red-haired boy steps closer, his forehead almost pressed against hers. They're so close, he can smell her shampoo. "Ask me anything that comes to your mind."

"I – I don't know." Her voice is merely a whisper, her heart pounding at her ears.

"Ask me a question." Archie puts a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, and she closes her eyes for one second. "Anything."

"I –."

"Let me do this one thing." His eyes glare at her green ones when she looks up at him again, and she knows what he's about to do. "Will you?"

Archie's body is closer and Ellie's hand goes straight to his tie, she tries to keep him away. She has to, whatever this is, it has to end. But his hands are on her hips, holding her still against his chest. And the air is escaping them.

"Don't do this." Ellie begs him.

Archie closes his eyes. "Can't remember why."

His lips are almost pressed against hers, and it doesn't matter how much Ellie's craving that, it's still wrong. Betty's sadness comes to her mind, and she pushs him back. The alarm goes off just in time, and they break apart. The spell they were under ends, so they walk out of the closet.

Reggie cheers. "Nailed it!"

Ellie looks around, trying to find her sister, but she's nowhere to be found. And that terrifies her. "Where's my sister?"

"She spiraled and fled. Between us, it wasn't a first ride on the ginger, was it? See, that's why I like you." Cheryl smiles widely at her. "Ah, and Veronica went after her."

"You know nothing!" Ellie scoffs, and curses without any restrain. "Fucking bitch."

"I'm the bitch here?" The readhead crosses her arms over her chest, and titles her head slightly. "I wasn't the one kissing my sister's lover boy, was I, Ellie Cooper?"

Ellie is done with Cheryl Blossom, she wanted chaos and she got it. She rushes out of the house in desesperate need of air, and into the cold of night, Archie right behind her. 

"Shit, Betty's phone is off." Archie mutters.

She climbs down the stairs, and sighs. "I'm gonna walk home and see if she's there."

"Can I come with you?" He rushes after her.

Eleanor turns around, and there are tears in her eyes. "Don't you think it will hurt her more to see you? Her heart broke, tonight. She's my sister above everything else, even you."

Not another word, and she left him behind.

Ellie arrives home with a million thoughts crossing her mind, and climbs up the stairs to find Betty's door locked. She still knocks, hoping for a chance to apology for whatever her sister thought had happened inside that closet. 

Betty opens it, much to her surprise. "What do you want?"

Eleanor feels a tear run down her cheek when she notices her sister's own tears. "Betty, I'm sorry. I don't know what you think happened but –."

"No."

"Please –." She tries.

"No, Ellie! You above everyone else know how much I love Archie. You thought you were just being nice, like always, by not letting Cheryl go but... it wasn't nice." Betty exclaims. "It was more than bestfriend's stuff inside that closet, wasn't it? Please, be honest."

There it is, the chance to tell the truth about that summer. To break her sister's heart even more. It's so tempting, it really is, to finally let go of all the guilt, and the shame, and just be done with it once and for her. But she can't.

"Nothing happened. We talked. It's the same Archie Andrews who took baths with me when we were six, how could I?"

"What about him?" She asks.

"What? I – I don't think he likes me." Ellie frowns , and continues with a warning. "But, Betty, I know how much you love Shrek, because we watched it 12 times, and maybe you're hoping for a fairytale too. But Archie won't give you that. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't know how. Those things you imagine, they are in your head, Betty. They will never happen."

Betty's crying at this point. "Guess that's – that's you being as honest as you can."

"Yes." Ellie wipes a tear off her sister's face, with a sad smile. "Archie's not prince charming."

"I... I know."

Even being as heartbroken as Betty is and seeing the way Archie looks at her sister, she can't hate Ellie, not ever. Betty can't hate Ellie because she knows that girl is her better half. She can't hate Ellie because she's the one who's there, and Archie's not.

Fifteen minutes later, Eleanor goes to her own room and lays down on bed crying her own shed of tears. She stays there until she hears voices outside her house, and that calls her attention, so she gets up and walks up to her window.

Archie and Betty are talking. Ellie, looking down at the couple in the side walk, can't hear the words they're saying, but can see her sister's crying.

"You will never look at me the way you look at Ellie, will you?"

"Betty, I –."

"It's ok. I won't say it doesn't hurt, it does. But there's not much I can do about it, is there?"

Eleanor doesn't feel like a good person, to tell the truth. She feels horrible knowing Betty still has no idea about the summer thing. It's still a lie, all of it.

The sun is coming up outside and Ellie still hasn't slept when the town hears the news that Jason Blossom's body has been found with a bullet hole in his head. Ellie goes straight to the lake with her family to see a yellow bag being tossed away,

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