Chapter Text
Betty doesn’t ask Veronica about the kiss.
Under Cheryl’s harsh gaze and snickering murmurs from the others in the gym, Betty floats away. She slips so far into her own head it almost doesn’t register save for a light lingering pressure and the tell-tale feeling of waxy lipstick she’s sure has smeared bright red all over her mouth. She raises a hand to her lips and starts wiping. Then the next thing she knows, Veronica’s fiercely defending her (in a way that no one else ever has besides Polly) to a girl who back in New York would probably be her best friend.
“Why are you being so...nice?”
It’s a genuine question Betty expects to get some nonchalant answer to, but Veronica’s surprisingly honest. So much more real and warm than the persona Betty scoped out online before her student mentee had officially arrived. Excitement bubbles in her chest because maybe she had Veronica pegged totally wrong this whole time? Maybe we could actually be friends?
“See, that wasn’t so bad was it?” Veronica asks after Archie jogs away, out of earshot. “You just scored a date with your dream boy, girl.”
“But only because you’re coming too, you know that right?”
Veronica rolls her eyes.
“Okay, I promise once we get to the dance, I’ll give you two lovebirds some space...” she says looping her arm through Betty’s. Wiggling her eyebrows suggestively to match her tone, she adds “And then you can make your big move -”
“Which could either go really well or be a total disaster? Like what if he- ”
“How can he not, Betty? I mean have you seen you?”
*
Betty smiles all the way home and she feels so content and alive that it feels like a slap to the face when her mother marches into her room and starts her monologue about “girls like Cheryl and Veronica”. She almost feels herself floating away again, fists clenching and unclenching tentatively. Her palms are still tender. The tiny half-moon reminders of Cheryl’s mean words tether her to the ground and out of sheer reflexive, frustrated rage, she snaps back. Veronica is nothing like Cheryl Blossom.
She heads downstairs to the kitchen, stunned. She’s only known Veronica for what? A day? It only took a single school day for Veronica to seep into the cracks her mother keeps chipping away at, and that’s Betty’s first mistake. She let her in too much too soon.
(Because it all unravels just as quickly).
*
Seven Minutes in Heaven is the devil’s party game. It has to be.
Betty’s makeup is ruined before she’s fully out the Blossoms’ front door, she’s sure. Her face feels like it’s overheating and her dress feels entirely too tight all of a sudden. She strides home, tears pooling into her vision with each unsteady click of her heels on the pavement. You were right Betty, you were so right. Girls like Veronica only take and take and take and take. They plot and steal and claw their way to the top not caring about anyone they hurt. Why else would she agree to go into that closet when she knew? She knew how Betty felt. (Of course Veronica never really wanted to be her friend, Betty thinks).
She can’t sleep with Archie’s “I do love you Betty” and her mother’s “I warned you about that Lodge girl.” echoing in her ears. And every time she closes her eyes her mind conjures up all sorts of scenes of Archie and Veronica together. In the closet. Kissing. Hands twisting in each others’ hair, heated breaths between kisses. Then they pull apart and Betty’s in the gym again as Veronica whispers “Don’t freak out- just trust me.” And then they’re kissing, slow and soft. She wonders if Veronica kissed Archie the same way, if he had her lipstick smeared across his mouth like she had. Fresh tears threaten to fill Betty’s eyes, but there’s no way in hell she’s going to school tomorrow looking like a swollen eyed mess. So she rolls over and reaches for her phone.
‘Veronica is the WORST kind of friend’
At least, according to Kevin - who’s equally outraged yet intrigued that Veronica somehow managed to kiss them both and upset the entire balance of things in one day. They don’t really dwell on it much because it turns out he had a wild night of his own.
Thankfully, Jason’s body being found quietens the gossip about the closet incident. But Betty’s heart aches just the same.
*
Veronica is somehow everything, and nothing she expects, all at the same time. Betty expects a predictable apology, she doesn’t expect the flowers and cupcakes that come along with it. Girls like Veronica move on quickly, they find new friends to ruin. Betty knows. But she can’t help but thaw when Veronica persists and even lobbies for Archie to be forgiven too.
It’s the way that Veronica runs after Cheryl without hesitation that changes Betty’s mind, though. That same kind of strength she felt that first day being around Veronica is what she desperately wants to tap into. The strength to stand up to her bullies but at the same time - with open arms- willingly comfort that same person when no one else would. It doesn’t take five minutes for her to decide she doesn’t want to miss out on that.
When they take down Chuck and his goons the week after, it feels like everything clicks into place. She’s all in, no questions asked, and she lets Veronica know it. Together they begin to forge something that feels like it can’t be broken.
Betty’s never felt stronger.
*
Sometimes Veronica will catch her eye across the rec room or in class and they’ll smile at each other just because. Sometimes Veronica lets her gaze dip low to Betty’s lips and Betty can’t help but think about their kiss. The expression on Veronica’s face as she pulled away is etched into her mind so vividly, it makes her stomach flutter. She doesn’t think about it often with Archie and all the other murder stuff still lurking in the forefront of her mind. But when she does, sometimes she wonders if something like that would ever happen again. If it would feel the same. Because the first time wasn’t unpleasant at all, it was kind of nice? She keeps the memory tucked away in the back of her mind.
But then it does happen again and maybe Betty can’t stop thinking about it.
*
The next time they kiss is no less spontaneous. It’s also not for anyone else. Not really.
They’re pressed together to one corner of one of the Blossoms’ leather basement sofas, Veronica half sitting on Betty’s lap, arm thrown over her shoulder. Cheryl’s gone off somewhere with Josie, leaving her queued Sleepover Jamzzz playlist on full blast, and Betty feels so light she could burst.
Sure it’s probably because she’s a little tipsy off some fruity drink Cheryl gave them, but so are half the other girls at the sleepover.
Veronica for her part is totally amused at Tina trying to launch pieces of Chex Mix into Ginger’s mouth right beside them. She stifles a snort making her nose crinkle and it draws all of Betty’s attention to her face, then not long after, to her lips. Tonight they’re a shade of deep maroon her mother wouldn’t let her be caught dead in. Veronica presses them together and all Betty can think about is how it would look smeared all over her own pale skin. On her lips. On her neck. And - Oh.
“I’m really wanna kiss you right now.” she blurts, heat shooting up her neck. What the hell was that?
Part of her hopes her friend didn’t hear but Veronica turns her head, eyes immediately lowering to Betty’s lips too. “What?”
“I kind of want to kiss you right now. Would that be weird?” Wouldn't it?
“Oh my God, Betty!” Veronica gasps in mock surprise, then after a beat, “You totally can if you want to. I mean we already did that other time, it’s not a-” It’s not a big deal Betty thinks, silencing Veronica with her lips.
Even though she’s the one making the move this time, her eyes (and her heart) still flutter uncontrollably at the contact. Veronica’s arm tightens around her neck, cupping her face with the other hand and Betty wills herself to stop being so damn nervous. She wants more than anything to be present in this moment. Veronica thankfully picks up on this and helps calm her. Her thumb swipes against Betty’s jaw and she relaxes into it this time, breathing out through her nose before sucking at Veronica’s bottom lip. If their first kiss had been soft, this one was tooth-achingly sweet.
Veronica tastes faintly like peaches and alcohol from the drink they’d been sharing and Betty can feel Veronica’s’ lips curl into a smile mid-kisses, like she’s enjoying herself and, fuck. It makes Betty lick into her hot mouth which she greedily accepts like it’s all she’s been waiting for. Betty’s sure her entire face must be red up to her ears at this point. Veronica’s right hand slides down to her neck stroking gently. The left sinks into the back of Betty’s hair, tilting her head back and anchoring her in a new position. Their lipstick must be all over each other’s mouths by now because their lips slide together so much more easily. The warmth of Veronica in her lap and the flick of her tongue against hers stokes the fire building in her bones. It’s hot and wet and Betty can’t stop.
At the feeling of blunt nails scraping down her throat, Betty can’t help but buck; grinding her ass down on the sofa, praying that Veronica’s the only one that hears the sound that came out of her mouth. She wraps her arms around her tighter, pressing them as close together as possible. If there’s one thing she was certain of after this, it’s that Veronica’s a really damn good kisser.
(Betty can’t help but wonder, briefly, if she had kissed Archie the same way)
Betty knows they’re surrounded by like ten other girls and the music’s still playing in the background but for the next two or so minutes (that somehow feel infinitely longer) it feels like they’re the only two people in the room, wrapped up on that couch. All she feels is Veronica. There are no catcalls, no whistles. It’s like no one even cares and it’s great. Until they hear Cheryl clear her throat loudly.
“Alright, let’s settle down ladies and lezzes,” she says, staring at them pointedly. “It’s movie time.”
Veronica rolls her eyes and swipes at the smudges left on the corners of Betty’s mouth before settling back comfortably on the taller girl’s lap, facing the TV. As the opening credits start, their hands find each other, slotting together perfectly. Betty’s pretty sure this doesn’t mean anything. It certainly doesn’t have to. They’re just friends who’re really comfortable with each other. She’s sure that by tomorrow, she’ll see Archie at school and her heart will start flip flopping like it always does. But right now- sitting with her hands entwined with Veronica’s on her lap- it feels like she’s burning up inside.
And that’s her second mistake.