Chapter Text
Veronica Lodge had lived next door to Jughead Jones for as long as she could remember. It wasn’t exactly as though their families were friends, but FP (Jughead’s dad) had been her father’s favourite capo for decades, and it made sense to have him nearby. Hiram Lodge had paid for them to move into the house, and they had never moved on. Even when Jughead’s mother and sister left, desperate to get out of the crime lifestyle, the two of them stayed together in the enormous house. It became a sort of safe house for the Serpents, a gang FP and Jughead belonged to, who rolled in and out the door at all sorts of hours. Veronica had always liked the feeling of family at the Jones’, big parties and dinners and laughing with friends. It was something that never quite occurred at her house. Her parents were secretive, exclusive, a little cold. They loved her, sure, but they didn’t really love – or like – many others.
Veronica pulled up her stockings, slipped into her black kitten heels and admired herself briefly in the mirror before slipping into the backseat of her car. “School, Andre.” It was the first day back at school. Riverdale High was Veronica’s favourite place to be, well maybe except for Pop’s Chocklit Shoppe, because she ruled there. No one dared to cross paths with her, mostly because her father was the Mob Boss that ran this small American town, but that wasn’t the only reason. She had her best friends; Cheryl Blossom whose wealthy, maple-syrup-making family had quickly befriended the Lodges when they first arrived in Riverdale, and Kevin Keller whose father was the sheriff. She had known them forever, played with them in diapers whilst their parents discussed more pressing matters. She had shared nannies with them, shared holidays, and shared secrets. She loved teasing and flirting with the boys on the football team, or the wrestling team, or the basketball team. She loved helping the misguided, advising them on fashion or hygiene. She loved captaining her beloved River Vixens.
To be liked by Veronica Lodge meant many things. It meant favours from shopkeepers, from law enforcement, from teachers. It meant gifts from expensive boutique stores and souvenirs from her fabulous holidays. It was a trait, perhaps that she shared with her father, that Veronica Lodge didn’t like too many people. To be disliked by Veronica Lodge was significantly less pleasant. She often annihilated newcomers with their poor fashion sense or hand-me-down clothes. She caused havoc for anyone who braved correcting her, or pointing out a fault. Most people flew blissfully under her radar, terrified that she may one day learn their name.
The bell rang. Veronica collected her things from her locker, exchanged a little flirty banter with hot jock Reggie Mantle, and made her way to the front entrance to meet her friend.
“Jug!” She wrapped a warm arm around his shoulders and pressed her lips to his cheek. “Pop’s?”
“Don’t waste time asking stupid questions, Ronnie. I’m starving!” Jughead chuckled.
Pop’s Chocklit Shoppe was something of a local heritage site. It’s red booths and neon sign screamed home to all the residents of Riverdale, perhaps more so than their own front doors. Pop was a kind, gentle man who knew everyone and everything that was going on. Veronica loved popping in for a chocolate milkshake and a gossip every now and then. On this occasion though, she and Jughead sat in their favourite booth. They each sipped on their milkshakes as they recounted the first day back at school. Jughead shovelled fries and onion rings down his throat in between sentences, a habit that would usually nauseate Veronica.
“We’re all just sitting around. Sweet Pea is showing off this new knife his dad bought him. It’s archaic, but it’s engraved or something for his 16th. That blonde who writes for the Blue and Gold, Betty Cooper? She walked in the door, obviously by mistake, she’s wearing a short-sleeved turtleneck. Like there is any point in a short-sleeved turtleneck? But she just goes bright red, doesn’t say a word and closes the door. But she closes it on her skirt and she just can’t get it unstuck. Now, she could’ve just opened the door, but she doesn’t so Sweet Pea just gets up and cuts it off! I could hear her make this little noise when she realised. I wouldn’t have done it but it was pretty funny.”
Veronica smiled a little at the story. “Who’s Betty Cooper?”
Veronica only noticed it was dark when the little bell at the front door gave its familiar chime. “Who is that?” Jughead chuckled as a red-headed boy in a forest green cardigan walked to Pop’s counter.
“Um, hi.” The boy spoke. “I’m here to pick up an order for Andrews.”
“I didn’t realise anyone wore cardigans. Maybe he’s the new school librarian?” Jughead chuckled. But Veronica didn’t hear him at all. She was entranced by this new boy. With his bright orange hair and clearly muscular physique that, yes, did look a little strange wrapped up in a cardigan. She pursed her lips a little, admiring the way his smile refused to fall from his face. He was as if encased in glass, shielded from the outside world, existing in mint condition. There was something very unusual about him, she was sure, but she couldn’t quite figure out what. She didn’t particularly like being perplexed, but had little time to figure out his mystery.
He caught her eye, or she caught his. He was walking, slowly with a country gait, toward the booth. “Oh great, now you’ve done it.” Jughead sighed, exhausted at the prospect of speaking with this clearly very vanilla human being.
“Archie. Andrews.” the boy extended a hand, a brilliant smile breaking across his face.
“Veronica Lodge” Veronica replied, careful not to stumble or appear bothered by him at all.
Archie turned to Jughead who was staring firmly out the window. “This is Jughead Jones.” Veronica spoke for him. Jughead gave a weak, condescending smile at the confused look on anyone’s face once they learn his name is Jughead. But as if the new kid read his mind, he only nodded once.
“Do you guys go to Riverdale High?” Archie asked.
“Yes. Are you new here?”
“My father and I just arrived from Chicago.”
“Oh, well, welcome to Riverdale.” Veronica threw on her best smile.
“The town with pep!” Jughead added, his words drenched in his signature sarcasm.
“Andrews?” Pop called.
“Yes!” Archie yelled back. “That’s me. I gotta go, but I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Yes, you will.”
She watched him walk away, hiding the slight blush on her cheeks from her old friend.
“That was sickening.” Jughead deadpanned.
“That was interesting.” Veronica corrected.
“Ah, yes, you’re a modern-day Romeo and Juliet waiting to happen.”
“Now who’s sickening?” Veronica rebutted. “Eat your burger.”
Romeo and Juliet was not what Veronica had in mind, but she had tried every flavour of boy except for orange. And this one looked clean enough to eat off.
Betty Cooper hated Riverdale. She hated that her parents’ newspaper, The Register, had been bought so easily by Hiram Lodge and with it their free speech was all but eradicated. What was the point of fighting tooth and nail to get the truth to the people if the truth had to be signed off by Hiram first? But it wasn’t only what the mob takeover had done to her family, it had happened too long ago for her to even remember what life was like before. Popular has never been a word associated with Elizabeth Cooper, and that was fine. She was a little more on the quiet side, she’d never even kissed a boy, she preferred the company of a good book, but this was neither here nor there. Things had changed now, with Veronica Lodge parading around the school and her meat puppets doing her every bidding in an attempt to reap even a little of what the Lodges were sowing. The corruption was more than she could take, Veronica Lodge’s GPA was higher than her own, and Betty had no doubt that it had nothing to do with merit.
However, in spite of the difficulty, Betty remained involved in school activities. She was part of student council, she tutored some of the younger kids, and she was on the welcoming committee. Which is how she met one Archie Andrews. It was early, about 7:45 on Tuesday morning, the second day of school. Betty was instructed to meet the new kid at 8 to show him around before school started and introduce him to some people. Other than herself, Betty could think of no one worth meeting, but perhaps she could convince him to sign up for the Blue and Gold, the school’s newspaper, to save her having to write every article herself.
Instantly recognising the look of confusion upon the face of a red-headed Adonis leaning against the school entrance, Betty made her way over to introduce herself. She smiled, her blonde ponytail bouncing energetically with each step. “Hi, you must be Archie. I’m Betty Cooper, your peer mentor.”
“Hi,” Archie yawned before blushing a little, “sorry I’m not used to having to be up this early. I took my dog for a walk this morning and always like to get a workout in before school.” He chuckled a little. Betty considered lying about being interested in either dogs or working out but ultimately decided against it. Instead she started walking inside. “I’ll try to make this as painless as possible, I promise.”
Archie rambled incessantly about coming from Chicago and moving in with his father, how he was excited about small town life and loved the food at the local diner (obviously he loved the food, everyone loved the food). Betty tried to listen, but she had spent the better half of a year perfecting her Riverdale High history speech and this boy hadn’t even given her the opportunity to begin. He seemed nice, sure. He was obviously gorgeous, fine. But he was a little too straight and a little too male for Betty to think this had friendship potential past a friendly nod in the hallways and the daydream of a romantic relationship didn’t warrant thinking about.
Uncharacteristically, Betty was praying for the morning bell to ring. This morning had been a disaster, she was sure Archie had no idea where any of his classes were and definitely no understanding of the cultural and historical background of Riverdale High, but that was his loss. At the far end of the corridor Betty noticed a toned, tanned leg garnished with a Prada heel stride out from behind a corner. The familiar waft of Chanel no.5 filled the air. “Ugh” Betty couldn’t stop herself from saying. She turned to Archie to explain, nay, warn him about Riverdale’s very own ice queen, but clearly the continuous speech of this morning had exhausted him and his cognitive function. Archie was fixated.
“Anyway, Arch. Bell’s about to go so I’ve got to go. But let me know if you need any more help with anything okay? And welcome to Riverdale!” Betty clapped him on the shoulder and scurried off before having to answer any questions about Veronica that Archie may have pained her with.
She hadn’t particularly liked Archie, but she couldn’t help herself obsessing about what it was about Veronica Lodge that had caught his attention so. She was pretty and had money, was that really all that anyone in the world cared about? Betty was cute, and she was a nice person. Surely that was more important than designer clothes and private jets? Betty was furious with Veronica for everything that she had, and for the fact that she had never so much as looked her in the eye. She spent most of the day holed up, either in class or at the Blue and Gold. She avoided populated areas, she didn’t want another incident like yesterday’s skirt massacre. She waited until 4pm to go home, preferring the extra quiet of the streets to have a good think and plan her escape from the Alcatraz that Riverdale had become.
“Betty! Betty! Betty!” someone breathlessly called from behind her. A slightly sweaty Archie Andrews caught her on the shoulder, “I thought that was you. I’ve been calling for ages.”
Betty chuckled lightly.
“Thanks again for showing me around this morning. It’s like a zoo in there, I would’ve thought after Chicago that it would be a little slower.”
“Yeah, well I guess Riverdale isn’t quite your average small American town.”
Archie spoke exuberantly, like a child. Everything he said was exciting or new, and pleasantly he seemed to enjoy listening to Betty as well. It seemed no time had passed before she reached her front door. Suddenly she felt unbelievably awkward. Why had the new boy walked her home?
“Well, this is me.”
“Is it? Wow, that’s kind of crazy. I live right there!” Archie pointed at the house directly next to hers. Betty felt her muscles loosen, and she hadn’t even realised how tense she had been. “Maybe we can walk together tomorrow? If you haven’t got anything on.” Archie suggested. She did have things on, but she said yes anyway.
It wasn’t long before walking became her favourite pastime. She and Archie walked to school and from together for the better half of the week. Except when there was football tryouts or Betty had to stay a little later to work on a story at the Blue and Gold, she had tried desperately to convince Archie to join but he was adamant that he would be more of a hindrance than a helping hand. She had forgotten what it was like to have a friend. Since Polly had been indoctrinated into the world of the Blossoms she barely got to see her sister anymore. It wasn’t that she was bullied or anything dramatic like that, but she was lonely.
It was on a Thursday that Archie found out he had made the football team and Betty demanded that they go to Pop’s to celebrate.