Chapter One: Signs

The leaves blew across the veranda, the wind whistling in droves, slamming the window coverings against the screens. Click, tap—her shoes clacked against the concrete—Betty Cooper hurried past the houses, her chin buried in her scarf, skin crawling with each passing gust. The forecast from the night prior had predicted scattered t-storms in the evening, but she had figured herself punctual enough to avoid them. In truth, while she wished to avoid the rain, part of her longed for it—to be drenched and taken aback by it all, as if it were an outward manifestation of her tribulations. There, she could scream, her sorrow like so many tiny, individual tears lost in the aquatic flurry that would beseech her. There, she could fade away, if for but a moment. There she would be away from a one Veronica Lodge, to whom's place of dwelling everyone was gathering.

Glancing up at the sky, she saw a shooting star, and she made a wish, closing her eyes—stopping in the darkness, sniffling as the feeling in the tip of her nose went away. A crackle from over the horizon caused her to jump—she began to widen her stride, checking her watch as she did. Five o'clock. Already? It seemed just a moment ago it was four-thirty. Biting her bottom lip, she squinted her eyes, hunching forward as she pushed against the tumultuous wind blowing from the sea of darkness beyond her.

"Where is that Betty Cooper?" a one Veronica Lodge asked to herself, placing a coaster down on the coffee table adjacent.

"Probably scared off by the thunder, hiding under a rock. Typical prole," Cheryl said, an arm around her waist as she sipped some wine.

"You know, I don't recall inviting you, or bringing any wine up from the cellar for that matter," Veronica said, standing up.

"Now look, ladies, there's no need to fight," Archie said as he came into the room, a smirk creeping across his face.

"Oh, certainly not when you're here." Cheryl wrapped an arm around the freckle-faced teen, shifting her eyes to her host.

Curling her upper lip in disgust, Veronica turned toward the kitchen. "It wouldn't be much of a fight, not with that confused cocktail of fabrics you call a dress."

"Why you..." Archie swallowed loudly as he turned Cheryl away from her wouldbe rival.

Opening the oven, Veronica poked the turkey with a thermometer, the heat running across her face, sending goosebumps down her thighs. Another hour she thought, shoving the tray back in as she closed the door. Sighing, she leaned over the sink, staring out the window. The sky was still clear, the stars glistening along the black velvet void above, like an open jewel case just out of reach. Placing her chin on her hand, she found her mind beginning to wander. Would it be so terrible if Archie chose Cheryl? Did it even matter at this point? Forever seventeen naught, she'd aged—they all had. Blinking, she noticed one of the stars moving, mechanically, in a stutter—down, right, gone. A chill traveled down her spine.

"Everything alright?" Chuck asked, glancing out the window.

"I think I might be hallucinating," she said, running her fingers through her bangs.

"Maybe you should go take a rest—you've been at it all day."

"Yeah—yeah, right, sure."

Quirking an eyebrow, he watched her leave the kitchen in a daze, once again turning his attention out the window. Shrugging, he followed suit.

Drooling on his collar, Jughead had long since passed out, deprived of any sugar to keep him awake. Peering in his direction, Veronica rubbed her eyebrows, tempted to wake him, lest his saliva laminate furniture worth more than his parents' cars. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she approached the front door. Fresh air would do her good—the house was stuffy, and her lower back was beginning to ache from cooking all day. Opening the door—her eyes widened and her head tilted back.

"Oh! Sorry I'm late, I just, I don't know, I got caught against the wind in the dark, and that can be pretty scary, haha," Betty said, rubbing the back of her head.

Blinking a couple of times, Veronica moved to the side, wetting her lips. "I see. Welcome."

"Eh? Are you feeling okay?" Betty asked, tilting her head to the side, placing her hand on her forehead.

"Yeah, just fine. I think I just need a little air, that's all." And with that, she brushed passed her out the door.

"Gee, what's up with her?" she asked herself.

"Isn't it obvious?" Cheryl said. "Clearly she doesn't want you here—the less competition the better."

"And I suppose that goes double for you?"

Cheryl smirked and let out a haughty grunt of a laugh as she went back to the lounge, wrapping her arm around Archie's back. Knowing her intentions, it didn't bother her—she had steadily become immune to such juvenile theatrics. More important was getting warm she thought, taking off her jacket and sliding on her socks to the fireplace, thawing her hands.

"Woah is it hot in here all of a sudden, or is it just me?" Reggie said, feigning sincerity. "It's like we just got a second heater, and the dial cranked up to eleven!"

Betty rolled her eyes as she rubbed the bottom of her nose, not bothering to face him.

"Aye, what's the matter with you?"

"I'm just a little tired—it was a long walk from the library," she said, flashing a fake smile.

"Oh, that's right, you's got that report due after break, yeah?"

"Er, yeah—I didn't have a group, so it's more work for me."

"I find that hard to believe," he said, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.

Hands outstretched toward the fireplace, she snickered, "And why's that?"

"The prettiest girl in Riverdale can't find a group for a measly old project? C'mon," he said, talking with his hands.

"Cut her some slack will ya?" Archie said, coming between the two. "Sometimes you get classes where you don't really know anyone."

"Right," she said, giggling.

Sitting on the porch swing, Veronica twirled her hair as she pulled her legs in, wrapping an arm around them. The breeze brushed against her cheeks, around her shoulders and through the back of her hair. Closing her eyes, she sighed, the heaviness in her chest beginning to disappear.

Fvoom! Her eyes sprung open, darting from left to right amidst a flash over the timberline. A sense of impending doom overtaking her, she rushed in from outside, rubbing her arms and knees together in a tremble, goosebumps permeating along her skin. What was that? Sniffling, she locked the door behind her without turning around, glancing ahead of her. Betty and Archie were awfully close to one another, so much that their elbows would rub against each other here and there. Exhaling a deep breath, she stammered toward them with a twitch in her lower back, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Taking a deep breath, she regained her composure with a scowl.

"Hey!" she said, a hand on her hip.

"Oh, hey Ronnie, what's up? You seem bothered!" Archie said, looking up at her furrowed brows.

"Didn't any of you see or hear that?" she said, misplacing her anger.

"No, I'm not sure what you're talking about," Archie said with a shrug.

"That flash—that explosion! I couldn't have been the only one!"

"Maybe you are hallucinating," Chuck said as he came around, raising an eyebrow.

Right eyelid twitching upward, she raised her chin with a glower that contorted her soft features into those of a manic stranger to her friends. "Now you listen here-"

"What do you think you saw and heard?" Betty said, interjecting with a smile.

Veronica turned her attention away from Chuck, shoulders slumping. "Uh..." Her brows arched inward as her mouth ever so slightly gaped. "Well, I was relaxing on the porch, and then there was a thunderous boom, and what looked like an explosion off toward the neighbors' estate."

"You said it yourself! It was probably just a thunderstorm off in the distance. Riverdale's supposed to get a real pounding tonight, if ya know what I mean—heh." Reggie said, grabbing the air in a pelvic thrust.

"Eh."

"Reggie," Chuck said, rubbing his forehead.

"Well, in any case, he's probably right," Archie said, flashing a smile. "You've been cooking all day, why don't you take a rest?"

"Oh, you have? Why didn't you just have one of your gourmet chefs do all the work like usual?" Betty asked with widened eyes, cocking her head to the side.

"I wanted to do something nice," she said with a sigh. "Betty, be a dear would you? Check the food in about an hour or so. I think it would be best if I took a nap upstairs."

"Roger, roger!"

"Huh?"

"Er, Crunchatize me captain!"

"What?"

"Betty are you okay?"

"Ahoy Mateys?"

"Ugh. Someone wake me when it's ready," Veronica said, walking to the stairwell at the end of the hall.