Betty Cooper hated birthdays. Specifically her own. It just celebrated the fact that she was one year older- which meant another year closer to death. Of course, she had tried to explain this to her mother, because she really didn't want to go to Veronica party. She had even gone as far as hiding the bright purple invite under her pillow, planning to dispose of it. But Betty had been too slow, and her mother had found it. Betty should have known hiding it under pillow was a stupid mistake. Now she was screwed. Alice Cooper's words had been spoke in finality, challenging Betty to try and argue back.
"You're going, Elizabeth. Why miss out a chance to hang out with your friends?"
The thing was, it wasn't that Betty didn't like Veronica. The girl was almost impossible not to like. She was the head cheerleader, the prettiest girl in Sophomore year. Veronica reminded her of a goddess with glowing olive skin, sleek dark hair which cascaded down her back, and bright green eyes. Betty was pretty sure Veronica didn't possess the ability to be upset, or angry. Every time she saw the girl, Veronica had this huge grin plastered across ruby red lips that was contagious. But that was the reason why Betty was beyond confused when she plucked the lilac invite out of her locker.
She had barely spoken to Veronica in the two years they had both been at Riverdale High, and now she was invited to her party?
Which lead her to the awkwardest and surrealist birthday party she had ever experienced. It was more like a vivid hallucination, triggered by eating too many E numbers.
First of all, Betty wasn't deaf, despite what Riverdale's rumor mill churned out. Her silence was the biggest misunderstanding in the town since Jason Blossom's 'death' only months prior. The rumors that flooded Riverdale high typically were centered around gossip and scathing untruths.
They were the joking rumors that were created over a basket of fries and a milkshake at Pop's Chock-lit shoppe. Whilst most of the town called it gossip or just a way to pass the time, the blonde haired girl considered them a waste of time and sometimes just plain idiotic. Things like who the most popular boy in school, Archie Andrews, had his luscious brown eyes set on or if new girl Veronica Lodge was really as good in bed as Chuck had told the world over social media were not inherently important but seemed to make their rounds every month of every year. The point was, just like the rumors that flitted around Riverdale High, like an out of control pinball machine, Elizabeth 'Betty' Cooper was most definitely not deaf or mute. Which made Veronica Lodge's birthday party an even bigger disaster than it already was. That was...at least for her. Betty was as usual, the odd one out. While her classmates sat around her, a blur of colourful smiles and echoes of shrill laughter. Except chatter could still be heard, even if an obnoxious DJ was yelling over shared conversions.
Basically; conversations weren't exactly private around the long narrow table Veronica's party of twelve were sitting.
Except clearly Betty's ex best friend Kevin Keller, and Cheryl Blossom, thought otherwise. The two of them were sitting literal centimeters away from her, their heads pressed together as if they were two twelve year olds giggling over a crush. Though Kevin and Cheryl weren't giggling or laughing, they weren't even smiling. Instead, they were frowning at her as if she was a rare disease they were just discovering. Cheryl with a curl on her lips and Kevin far more sympathetic, his green eyes wide.
Kevin Keller had been one of her closest friends when Betty was growing up, but as the years went by, they drifted apart.
It was fine at school, she guessed. She could easily skip class, or pray for it to be over. But here she was in the midst of those exact kids she tried her utmost to avoid. And it was driving her crazy, that even after knowing her since they were all in kindergarten, they still thought she was either blind, deaf or stupid. Because Kevin and Cheryl weren't being discreet in the slightest. Betty could hear them perfectly.
"Honestly Keller," Cheryl Blossom said. Betty hoped the out of tune Katy Perry song still blasting would drown out the rest of her words. "Remind me again why Veronica invited Betty Cooper?"
Her words stung. Betty stared at her lap, glaring at the skater dress her mom had insisted on. It was too tight, clinging to her slim frame. Normally she wore her hair in a strict ponytail, but for the party, it fell in golden waves, tickling her shoulders.
She looked so childish compared to the others. Cheryl Blossom wore a simple red blouse and a skirt, with tights and heels. Kevin wore a collared shirt and jeans.
"I know she's quiet," Kevin replied. Betty could feel his green eyes boring into hers. "But give her a chance, yeah?"
Cheryl scoffed. "The party's over, Kevin!" She hissed. "She hasn't said one word."
"I told you, she's-"
"Mute?" the redhead rolled her eyes.
Betty ducked her head. So much for best friends forever.
In the seventh grade, Kevin had told her that he was gay, and she in turn had gone to the store the next day and with most of her allowance, had bought him a rainbow frosting cupcake, and the two of them had broken it in two, and shared it. Yeah, the cupcake itself had crumbled into bits, but Kevin had had this grin on his lips, and his eyes had been shining, and at that moment in time Betty didn't think anything could ruin what they had. Kevin Keller and Elizabeth Cooper; two peas in a pod.
Until of course, freshman year. When everything crumbled, like the cupcake.
One day they just stopped talking. The brunette hadn't even given her more than a silent, almost sad gaze as he walked by her in the hallway, on the red-headed vixen's heels like an animal, devoted to their owner unconditionally. What she couldn't understand was why he was suddenly the Blossom's new plaything. Only days earlier he had been complaining to her about how the eldest of the two, Jason, was hot but never seemed to care for anyone other than his sister and it was actually sinful. Was he chasing some romance out of a fairy tail or did he just get bored of the quiet girl with the mother who gave him a glare rivaling Lucifer himself every time that his person came anywhere near her?
Whatever the reason was, the girl couldn't help but still scan the auditorium whenever she entered their shared theatre period out of habit.
Betty didn't have anything medically wrong with her, she hadn't had her tongue ripped out or her voice box severed when she was a little girl. Betty was just quiet. Unlike her classmates, she preferred to stay to herself. It was better that way. After all, her mom had always insisted that her education came first before everything else. Including friendship. Betty wondered how exactly she had gotten in this situation. Which was sitting on her own, while the majority of her drama class sat in groups, chatting animatedly to each other. Cheryl's party was coming to a close, and Betty was trying to think over the overbearing pop music blaring in her ears, scathing her skull. If Betty was being honest with herself, Kevin was irritating her. It wasn't just that he had dumped her in eighth grade for none other than Cheryl Blossom, Riverdale High's very own ice queen. Maybe that's why Betty had come today. Not because of her mother's insistent prodding, forcing her into her best dress, and dragging a metal comb through Betty's thick golden hair.
Betty had initially thought it was all a joke. But when she stepped into the bowling alley Veronica's parents had rented out, with her blonde freshly curled and dressed in the nicest clothes she had- a knee-length skater dress while awkwardly holding a gift, which she hadn't really put much thought into; a snow globe.
Well shit, Betty thought, a bit guiltily. It definitely wasn't a joke. The cheerleader's whole family had been there, a huge ball of energy greeting her, shoving different coloured cups of soda in her face, and plates of party food. When she had managed to politely shove through Veronica's overbearing family, she'd finally found the birthday girl herself, and a bunch of selected classmates sitting around a table, singing tremendously off-key what she presumed was the Spanish version of 'Happy birthday!" While Veronica's father held a cake glowing with sixteen candles.
"Betty!" Veronica was in a short red dress that screamed sophistication. While Betty's looked like she'd picked it out of the kids section.
The girl had jumped up and wrapped her arms around Betty, giggling. "Dude, you made it!" and Betty had been too choked up and awkward to say anything else but nod, her cheeks burning scarlet, and sit down shakily.
The next hour went by in a confusing blur of familiar faces, bathed in colourful lights that hurt her eyes. Archie Andrews, a cute red headed boy with broad shoulders and freckles kept offering her cake, and Betty found herself presently scooping up chocolate frosting and shoving it into her mouth. The party had died down a little, and Betty was starting to feel sick. She'd underestimated how much cake she could eat without barfing her lungs up. The other kids were crowded around the bowling alley. Kevin and Cheryl had stopped staring at her with twin looks of impatience and joined the others. Veronica scored a strike, and Archie for reasons unknown, picked the squealing girl up bridal style while the girl laughed loudly, battering at his chest.
There was loud pop music blasting in her ears, an ongoing drone of auto tune and Betty's chest started to pang with the familiar feeling of crushing anxiety. She wanted to join the others, but staying glued to her chair seemed better- more comfortable.
"Yes!" Betty nearly jumped out of her skin. Jughead Jones, who had spent most of the party playing on an antique skeeball machine, let out a howl of excitement. When she turned in her chair, the raven haired boy was fist pumping the air, a grin spread across his lips. Betty had always found the boy weirdly attractive. Weird, because she wasn't sure what it was that made her heart flutter. He wasn't really anything special. He was tall and gangly, with olive skin and a dress sense that she always found comforting. Jughead Jones was almost always wearing overalls, his checker shirt wrapped around his waist and a leather jacket far too big for him. He basically looked like he had changed in a dark closet most of the time, but Betty liked it. She found the boy cute. Intriguing.
Jughead's party outfit was no different. He wore his usual attire with his signature ratty grey beanie she was sure he hadn't washed since kindergarten. When they were kids, Jughead had a rather pointy nose, that had been a key factor of bullying in middle school. But when the boy hit puberty, he got taller, losing his baby fat; greasy locks made way for thick dark curls that fell in deep green eyes, that Betty sometimes found herself lost inside
"Come on, baby!" The raven haired boy was bouncing on the heels of his converse, anticipating his next underarm throw. Betty watched, unable to stop herself smiling. But the ruckus from Archie's strike drowned out Jughead's excited cheer as tickets spewed from the dispenser. The boy held his hands out, cupped, laughing manically.
The whole situation was like a fever dream.
Put the hyperactive screams of her classmates together with the Lodge family clearly having a great time, and the obnoxious pop songs blasting from the radio, the soundtrack to the party became a screech of white noise; the ultimate headache.
The party was supposed to end at 5:00pm and it had been four thirty last time she checked. Betty was starting to consider hiding in the bathrooms when a familiar voice startled her. Twisting around, her heart in her throat, there was Jughead Jones grinning at her, his green eyes ignited- no doubt from his latest skeeball session.
"You enjoying that?" his lips curled into a smirk, and Betty frowned at him, before he chuckled, tracing his own lips with the tips of his fingers.
Then she remembered the cake she'd been scoffing. Betty felt her cheeks glow scarlet and she grabbed a napkin quickly, swiping at her lips and chin.
She expected Jughead to pull a face and back away, but his only grinned playfully, and raised his eyebrows. "I don't blame you, I'm not gonna lie," He leaned forward on his chair. Betty could smell the faint tang of cologne in the air. "It's good cake."
Betty swallowed and could only manage a nod. "It's...nice." she said with far too much pause. But he just giggled, and Betty found herself smiling. Did Jughead Jones just giggle like a little school girl? After gathering far too much confidence in a small amount of time, and maybe she herself was going a little crazy from too much cake consumption, she was about to ask him if he did in fact just giggle. But when she opened her mouth, the music stopped abruptly, while the lights dimmed. Finally the vivid reds and yellows flashing in her face had stopped, and Betty breathed out a soft sigh of secretive relief.
There was a shot of protest from Kevin, echoed by Archie. Man, they were really enjoying themselves.
"Okay, kids!" Veronica's mom spoke up, and Jughead, who was still leaning on his chair, dangerously close to tipping over, rolled his eyes, tipping his head back and laughing. "I swear she thinks we're five years old." he murmured. "What next?" Jughead's gaze slid to hers. "Party bags?"
"Make your way over here for a party bag!"
"And I spoke too soon." Jughead ducked his head. But from the way his shoulders were bouncing up and down, Betty could tell he found all of his absolutely hilarious.
"Come and collect them!" To Betty's surprise, Veronica had started handing out party bags. When she was frowning at the girl, trying to figure out if Veronica was drunk, high or both, the girl waved at her and Jughead. "Guys!" she gestured them over. "Do you want a ride home? My parents have an eight-seater!"
She had no choice. Betty nodded, and Veronica shot her a thumbs up, as if Betty agreeing to a ride home was the best thing that had ever happened to her.
Betty's mom was out on a work trip, and she didn't even know where her dad was. Hal Cooper was barely at home anymore. Which she was okay with. He was an ass to her mother anyway, and tried to force her older sister Polly to get an abortion.
As far as Betty was concerned, he could rot.
when Jughead started to shake his head, the girl grinned. "It'll just be my dad driving," she giggled. "The rest are going clubbing."
Once again, Kevin, with far too much energy, seemed delighted at the aspect of sitting in a cramped minivan with a bunch of loopy kids. His grin was almost terrifying. Which baffled Betty to no end.
Betty idly stood by, watching The Lodge family, who she was pretty sure were all steaming drunk, as they grabbed coats and bags, crowding around Veronica. It was definitely cute, she thought, with a small smile. Maybe a bit too cute. Practically tooth-rotting cute. But still sweet all the same. Betty swung her party bag between her fingers, watching everyone clear up. Kevin and Archie were huddled together looking at something on Kevin's phone while Cheryl leaned against the party table, sipping something from a bright orange cup. Betty could bet it was beer. The alcohol was strictly for the adults, but from the sneaky smile on the redhead's lips, she was slurping the devil's juice.
Eventually, it was time to leave, and Veronica lead the group of them, skipping and bouncing out into the cool air. The birthday girl was the only one skipping, however. She was holding hands with Archie, who Betty guessed was being forced to skip. Cheryl had slipped out of her heels, walking barefoot on the gravel, stumbling a little.
Jughead walked beside her, keeping his gaze glued to the ground, his hands shoved in his pockets. The second he had stepped out into the early fall sunshine, the bright smile had been wiped from his face. Betty tried to ignore the boy's rapid change of mood and watched Kevin who was smiling up at the sky, a thoughtful look on his face. It was jarring wandering back out into the sunlight. Betty was expecting to step out into the pitch black. But it was only 5PM. There were people lingering around the parking lot.
Betty kept her head down. She felt like she was five-years-old-again, parading out of Chuck E Cheese feeling sick to her stomach after eating far too much pizza and ice-cream.
When she lifted her gaze and watched her classmates make their way over to Veronica's father's minivan, her lip twitched. They were fifteen and sixteen years old, so why did it feel like they were much younger? Was this all some kind of facade that they had all agreed on to look like the perfect kids in front of Veronica's parents?
"Hey, Cooper! are you getting in?" Archie's voice brought her out temporary reverie. There was a slight breeze playing with her hair. Betty revelled in the feeling. It was a refreshing change from the stuffy bowling alley.
She looked up, frowning. The minivan's side door was open, Kevin was already kneeling on the backseat. He had snatched up the window seat next to Jughead, who looked less than thrilled to be squished between the hyperactive boy, and Cheryl, who was practically screaming down her phone. "Yes, mother!" she rolled her eyes. "Veronica's dad is bringing me home, you don't have to come and get me, jeez."
Jughead sunk in his seat, tugging his beanie over his eyes.
Archie and Veronica were sat in front of them. The redhead was showing the dark-haired girl a video, and she was laughing, but not at the screen. Instead; her bright eyes rested on the boy himself. Betty folded her arms across her chest, letting out a breath. Sitting in the minivan for the hour ride back to Riverdale made her gut twist.
"You can ride in the front with me if you'd like!" Veronica's father shouted from the boot, where he was loading his daughter's birthday gifts inside. Betty nodded and yanked open the passenger side, crawling into the seat.
Leaning back into the comfortable leather seats, she glanced into the side mirror, wincing at the blinding sunlight bouncing back at her. Through the haze, she saw Kevin hung over Archie's seat, grinning at whatever the other two were watching, while Jughead leaned into the window. When he caught her eye for a moment, Betty averted her gaze. But not before Jughead could smile lazily at her. Part of her wanted to ask to switch seats with Kevin, so she could sit with Jughead. But talking to the Keller boy wasn't appealing in the slightest. Besides, to her him she was just Riverdale High's Designated Mute.
Betty really wasn't looking forward to breaking the ice with Mr Lodge.
She found her gaze wandering as she stared into the car mirror, watching the back of Mr Lodge as he lifted brightly coloured boxes into the boot. She considered offering to help, but that would mean moving out of her seat. And her stomach was dancing. Running her tongue over her teeth she regretted the four slices of cake she'd eaten out of pure awkwardness. Betty sat up straight, swallowing hard. Her throat was dry with that oh-so-familiar feeling. Oh god, she was going to throw up. Her cheeks flamed.
Glancing at her classmates to take her mind off the brewing sick feeling, Jughead had come to life, leaning over his own seat to join Veronica, Archie and Kevin. Turning back, her stomach catapulting into her throat, she bit back a groan. Oh god. If she threw up in Veronica Lodges' father's car, she'll never hear the fucking end of it. Glancing at the door, she contemplated jumping out and making a break for the bathroom in the bowling alley. Her heart was hammering, her hands clutching the handle. Betty swore she could taste the sickly slither of undigested cake slowly crawling back up her throat.
There was no way she was going to survive ah hour car ride. Shifting in her seat, Betty gripped the upholstery, cringing. Her bare legs were slick with sweat, sticking to the leather.
There it was again. The unmistakable taste of rancid chocolate cake shooting up her throat.
Betty had already made her decision. She was going to make a break for it. She planned to dash into the toilets in the cubicle, vomit, and then walk home. It was a stupid plan, but anything- anything beat throwing up in The Lodge's car.
She took a deep breath, about to jump out, when the driver's side slammed shut, startling her. Her stomach jumped again, and Betty had to swallow several times to avoid spewing all over herself in that moment. But something was- off.
The others didn't seem to notice, all bent over the Archie's phone. The redhead was laughing loudly, almost obnoxiously.
"Wait, hold on, look at this one! Look at his face!" he was yelling, his smile bright while Kevin and Veronica apparently found it the funniest thing on earth.
Jughead was shaking his head, but smirking. His gaze on the boy's phone screen.
Betty turned to face Mr Lodge, and the words; "I'm going to be sick." were ready to choke out. Except the words never left her lips. Because instead of Veronica's father with his permanent grin and warm eyes, there was a complete stranger sitting in the driver's seat.
Betty blinked rapidly, her limbs freezing up. Her hand was still on the door handle, her slender fingers curled around the metal. At the corner of her eye, the stranger was sitting very still. Dressed in black. There was a balaclava covering his face. When she risked looking at the car mirror, Veronica and the others were still giggling at Archie's phone, and Betty spotted the girl's cake splattered on the concrete by the boot.
When she squinted, she saw a limp olive arm lying in the explosion of chocolate and frosting. For a moment, Betty couldn't move. Couldn't scream. The stranger grabbed the steering wheel with gloved hands and started the car, the engines rattling to life caused her to temporarily come out of her stupor.
She opened her mouth to cry out to the others, but nothing came out. She could only squeeze the handle tightly and silently beg all the gods, that the door wasn't locked.
Please. She begged. Oh god, please. Please open- please.
Betty was frozen in terror. Beads of sweat ran down her face. Her eyes stung with helpless tears as she watched, petrified, as the stranger pulled out a can of something. Her heart leapt. Gas. She tried once again to scream, but her lungs couldn't produce oxygen. But luckily Veronica's head had snapped up, her eyes clouding with confusion. The boys looked up too, varying expression's of fright flashing on their faces.
"Excuse me?" Veronica said softly. "Who-" she was cut off when the man attacked, quick as a flash, shoving the can in their faces and unleashing a cloud of intoxicating gas that set them off yelling and banging on the windows. Before they succumbed quickly, choking on the gas. It prickled Betty's eyes, stung her throat and made her stomach twist.
Betty watched her classmates fall under one by one. Kevin and Jughead trying to fight back. But battering fists and strangled yells had turned to muffled moans as the two of them succumbed to the gas. It was like watching dominoes. Jughead fell into Kevin, and the sheriff's son's head slammed into the window with a sickening thump.
Veronica and Archie fell forwards, their heads hanging. While Cheryl graciously tipped onto her stomach in the back seat, her red hair spread around her like a halo. Betty wanted to scream at the others, try and shake them awake. But it was impossible.
Her mind was an array of confusion. Except among straying thoughts she managed to identify the drug. It was halothane- an incapacitating agent. Sleeping gas. Betty's mother had been a doctor before her father left. Now she worked for The Riverdale register. Betty had regularly helped out at the clinic, soaking in her mother's diagnosis' to patients. Now, however? Alice Cooper preferred to stay glued to the town's heinous crimes. Throwing away her career. Betty blinked hard. She couldn't think about that right now.
She stayed completely still, fighting against a scream clawing at her throat. She could make it out. She could make a run for it and save the others. Her gaze stuck to the glass of the window, watching stray raindrops slide down the pane.
Her fingers were still curled around the plastic of the door handle. All she had to do was pull it. Then she could jump out, call someone. Get help! But the noise. Oh god, the noise would attract attention.
The gas wasn't affecting her- yet. If the bastard wanted to knock her out too, he'd have to spray her directly in the face. So for the moment, Betty had the upper hand. Except Betty Cooper wasn't brave. She wasn't the spontaneous type, the kind of girl who just thought 'fuck it' and saved the day. No. She was the girl who stayed frozen solid, her heart hammering through her chest, too scared to move. To breathe. She was screaming, but it was inside her mind as if she believed her unconscious friends could suddenly be able to talk telepathically with her. Betty allowed herself to breathe. In and out. Just once. She deserved one breath. Her heart faltered when the man turned back to face the front.
Don't see me. She whimpered. Don't see me.
Don't see me.
She inched closer to the door, pressing her bare knees against the rubber interior. The gas still lingered in the air, a toxic cloud. Betty's chest ached. If she coughed, game over. He'd notice her. Pressing her lips together, she swallowed a sob.
The man twisted around in his seat to check on the others and as he did so, Betty allowed herself another breath. Then she held it once more, tightening her grip on the handle. Do it! Her mind screamed. Outside, the parking lot was empty. Mr Lodge was still lying in the remains of Veronica's birthday cake. Betty risked glancing in the car mirror. The stranger had pushed Archie and Veronica back into their seats, positioning their heads so they weren't drooped forwards. She couldn't help staring. The way his slender fingers held Veronica's face, gently coaxing her form against the window, letting Archie face plant into her shoulder. Was he somehow making them comfortable? So they didn't choke to death on their own vomit?
Betty watched, fascinated, as the man quickly climbed over the first row of seats, his hands moving fast, making sure the others weren't hanging forwards. Her stomach twisted when he clipped Jughead's seat belt over his chest and then sat Cheryl up so she too was comfortably pressed against the window. It was obvious to Betty then, that the man didn't want to kill them- yet. She turned back to her current predicament; the door. Now was her chance. The man was leaning over Jughead's pale face. He looked so relaxed. So helpless. She was terrified she'd never see his eyes open again, or his lips curl into that oh- so satisfying smirk. Betty's grip tightened on the lift. All she had to do was...pull.
It was such a simple action. Yet so much relied on it. She had her own life, as well as four others in her slimy hands, still clutching the handle.
Before Betty knew what she was doing, or before she could hesitate and properly go over her actions, she was yanking the metal handle, and a loud click sounded, and felt like cymbals crashing together, scathing her ears. A wave of nausea swept over her when the door- it didn't budge. She tried it again, fiercely, digging her fingernails into the metal. There was no way out. She was stuck in a car with a madman.
Betty's scream lit up her thoughts, while her lips could only soundlessly mouth the word, the last dregs of hope in her heart flushing away.
No!
She didn't have to turn around to see the stranger move in an almost supernatural manner, it was jarring. He let go of Jughead, and the boy's head fell back into the soft leather of his seat. Like a puppet being cut from his strings. The stranger twisted back in his seat, grabbing for the canister. But with adrenaline rushing through her, Betty was faster.
Part of her wanted to slam her fists into the windows and scream for help, but the rest of her was aching to try and wake the others. Even if that was impossible right now. She ended up doing a mixture of the two. Betty threw herself against the glass of the window, pounding her fists on the glass. "Help!" she screamed. Loud and clear. She was almost proud of how easily her scream carried. Surely someone had heard her? She was finally breaking from her shell, ready to screech if it meant saving herself and the others.
She tried again with the door, yanking at it relentlessly. But god hated her. Because the damn thing was locked shut. After realizing the windows were tinted, meaning nobody outside could see what was happening inside, her heart dropped into her stomach.
Then Betty had no choice but to slowly turn around, and face her kidnapper. There were words on her tongue, ready to spit out. Why? Why them? But once again, she was mute.
The man didn't waste any time, and with the flick a hand, the bright blue canister was inches from her face. She tried to back away, but there was nowhere to go. The loopy side of her brain expected Archie to jump up in his seat, Jughead lunging forwards with wild eyes. The two of them would overpower their attacker, and they'd be- they'd be safe.
Except Archie was still out cold against the window, and Jughead was dead to the world.
Betty accepted her fate then, and only stared into steel grey eyes, as a hissing noise sounded in her ears. She saw the cloud forming around her, she tasted it in her throat, seeping through her nostrils, completely incapacitating her limbs. She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out, and the world seemed to spin as she joined in, twirling and dancing, laughing; an alternative Betty who had joined in at the party.
But no, she wasn't laughing, twirling or dancing. She was falling. Her last conscious thought was a slightly hysterical 'Ow' as her head hit the metal door handle.
And then she was plunging into sweet, sweet oblivion. And part of her was relieved to join her friends.
Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed! If you'd like more, leave a review and tell me what you think :)