Author's Note: I have decided to write a series of one shots that place Beronica in college … where they met for the very first time when they enter their shared dorm room. This is a window of their love story through college … and adulthood.

The Yearly 365 Challenge

Prompt #101 (Word) Stocking

"Why is there a stocking on the door handle?" Betty's head tilted to the side as she eyed the door of the dorm.

"To keep people out of course." Veronica didn't bother lifting her eyes from her lap top scene as she contiuned to click the buttons.

"I know that." Betty rolled her eyes. "But usually it works if it's on the other side of the door. It only works on your roommate … not the rest of the dorm." Her eyes squinted as she tried to understand why the stocking was on the door leading out of the room. Her body stiffened as full relationzion hit her. "Oh, oh." She gasped as quickly got off of her bed.

Veronica looked up at this. She looked at the embarrassed shaking lean tall blonde; then her eyes went over to the door where she saw her stocking covering the knob. "What? No!" She quickly jumped to her feet and rushed to the door; she yanked the stocking off the knob. She turned around to face the blonde. "I'm not trying to kick you out of our room Betty. Honest. I didn't realize that my stocking landed there last night was all." She had returned to the dorm late the previous evening … well in wee pre morning hours more likely; she hadn't wanted to turn on any lights; not even her phone flashlight in worry that she would awaken the deeply sleeping blonde. She had managed to get herself to her bed; and changed into her night wear in complete darkness; besides the shiver of moonlight that was drifting in through a crack in their blinds. She had simply tossed her stockings off into the darkness instead of allowing them to fall to the floor with the rest of her clothing.

"No, I get it. You need to study. I'll leave you to it." Betty breath quicken as her anxiety took a nosedive as she realized how much of an inconverience she had put Veronica through without looking at the social cues of dorm life.

Veronica held her hands slightly at her sides as she took a careful slow step forward. "Hey now Betty, breath for me please." She softly cooed in a low calm voice.

Betty's arms wrapped around her waist; as she tried to pull her shoulders up and into herself. Trying to withdraw fall into herself. To distance herself from this situation that she found herself in. All because she was too dumb to realize what a single was. All because she was too stupid to realize that of course Veronica wanted the room to herself. That she didn't what Betty around her. Why would she after all … Betty was always getting underfoot. Betty was always the one whom caused others to become distracted from what they were doing.

Veronica ever carefully placed her hands against Betty's hunched shoulder's; her little fingers touching the skin of the slightly taller blonde's neck. She lightly brushed the skin trying not to startle the innate blonde. The only thing moving on the girl in front of her was the slight shakes in her nerves. Her eyes searched the blondes drifting ones; longing to find the blonde's spirit. But it was like searching for a fleeting glimpse of a sight of pure oxyeon.

She was crouched down in the darkness that was the void that she always found herself in; whenever she had to escape the world. Her arms finally covering her legs as she sat in the darkness; where only a small candle light was awash.

What are you doing here Betty?

"I can't do this Pol." A low whimper escaped through her lips.

Yes you can. You are strong Betty. Ever so strong.

"You don't understand Polly, I truly upset and annoyed Veronica." Betty shook her head as she tried to make her sister's frame standing just beyond the candle light. A lone tear rolled down her left cheek.

No Betty, you are the one whom doesn't understand. You didn't wait to hear what Veronica had to say to you. You just escaped as quickly as you could you silly silly little girl.

"You are just saying what I want you to say." Betty sighed as she shook her head.

Then why are you still here?

"I don't know the way back." Betty whimpered hugging her knees tighter against her stomach.

Oh Betty. What am I going to do with you.

Betty's eyes lowered to her knees.

"Betty..." Faintly echoed through the void of a single candle light darkness. "Betty. Betts. B. Please come back to me Betty. Come on B work with me here girl. Please." Betty's head cocked at the fearful tone in the voice that had entered deep into her soul where she currently was hidding.

"V-veronica?" Her soft voice spoke in wonder.

Still think she's mad at you?

"B?" Veronica's worried voice echoed.

Betty looked at the fading image of her sister. "W-what do I do?" She whimpered.

Just follow Veronica's voice. She'll lead you till you reach the other side. I love you Betty.

"I love you Polly." Betty whispered as her sister's image finally disappeared into the darkness. She stood to her feet and took a step toward's Veronica's voice.

"Betty? Betts? B?. Come on B I need you to come to me. I don't know what else to do." Veronica's hands had run up to cup the blonde's face in between them; her fingers gently massaging the skin underneath them.

A mewl escaped through dry crackled lips.

Relief shinning through chocolate hazel eyes as they searched for life in the sea of blue green in front of her. "Come on B; come on back to me." She whispered as her fingers pressed a little firmer against the cheekbone.

"Uggh." Broke through the blonde's vocal codes. Her eyes drifted closed. "That feels really nice."

Veronica smiled relieved. "Good. Just enjoy it." She moved closer towards the blonde. There was just a sliver of space between their bodies.

Betty's eyes drifted open. "Sorry about before." She sighed as she felt her body relax.

"There's nothing to be sorry about." Veronica stared deeply into the blue green eyes that she had gotten lost in since the first moment setting on them at the beginning of the year; when she first moved into the dorm room. "Nothing." She breathed out.

Betty stepped back to give more space. "I over reacted." She shook her head. She walked to the door and removed the stocking. "I should have realized that the stocking wasn't placed there to kick me out silently. You would tell me that you need to be alone to study." She sighed as she placed the stocking in Veronica's clothes hamper. She looked downward and found the dress that Veronica had worn the night before. She knelt down and gathered it up; and placed it in the hamper.

"Let's watch some bad 80's tv tonight." Veronica said as she remained where she stood; watching as Betty picked up after her. She knew that Betty needed this movement; this distance right now from her. That she wasn't rebluffing her … she was just finding her way once more that was. "A little Alf perhaps?"

Betty's head twisted so she could look back over at her roommate; "Alf wasn't a bad sitcom." She shrugged. "It could be worse. Way worse."

Veronica tasked and nodded in agreement.

"I'm just saying lets not watch bad 80's tv tonight." Betty stood straight once more as she moved over to Veronica's bed side table. She gently moved the things around to be more orderly. "How about we watch medico 80's tv."

Veronica smiled. "Fine with me. So Alf; Mama's Family; Dukes of Hazzard …." She listed as she stepped to the end of her bed.

"The beginning of the Simpsons." Betty offered up.

"Of course." Veronica sighed as she sat down at the foot of the bed. "Should we get food before we start?"

Betty's head twisted once more; "I'm actually not hungry. But when we go out for your dinner; I'll pick up some snacks for later." She turned back to make sure that she placed Veronica's novel in the center of the table next to the lamp.

"Okay." Veronica nodded. She knew her roommate enough by now to know not to fight her on skipping dinner. She made plans on ordering extra food. She knew that the blonde's system would settle itself while her food aired the room. She knew what to order and what not to order. After all Betty's tastes ran along hers (most of the time) … but she would make sure that Betty ate something healthy before falling asleep that night. She stood to her feet as she found Betty ready to leave. She grabbed her purse from the chair where she left it the previous night. She followed the blonde out of the dorm room.

…..

"Thanks for ordering extra." Betty sighed as she bit into another seasoned fry.

Veronica smirked as she kept her eyes firmly on the lap top scene just as Buba cried out that his parents didn't love him because they didn't send him his weekly allowance; so he can't buy the sparks plugs that he needed for his Uncle Vent's hand me down old motocyle. "Anytime B. Anytime." She bit her lip as she tasted the light salt from her own fries.

"I'll pay for breakfeast in the morning." Betty said as she glanced at the side of the shorter brunette's face.

"Fine." Veronica knew better by now not to fight Betty on her need to paying her back. There had been a few stubborn stand offs in the weeks before she just allowed the blonde to pay her back for paid meals. "But not in the dinning hall." She grimaced.

A smile made itself known on the blonde's lips. "Yeah only dutch in the dinning hall."

"If I can help it we won't be eating at the dinning hall much." Veronica sighed as she scolled down to the icon for Dukes of Hazzard. But her hand moved on once more at the slight shake of Betty's head to the side of her. She paused on the icon for Out of This World. She scolled down the listing until she saw Betty's slight nod from the corner of her eyes. She sat back as the show started.

A few minutes into the show Betty scooted closer. She rested her hand next to Veronica's on the bedspread. Her eyes remained glued to the scene. "Thanks about before."

Veronica breathed lightly. She moved her hand to gently touch the side of Betty's hand. Her finger gently massaging the skin against it. She knew Betty didn't need to hear her words in this moment. That just being there for her was enough for the blonde.

The two roommates kept their eyes on the scene but their thoughts were on one another. Both too afraid to speak the words out loud in fear of destroying the growing feelings between them. Both still in doubt of their own feelings for the other was; to even begin to think, and hope that the other felt the same for the other.