"You see this program is," the middle aged dean paused, leaning back in the lavish chair as she looked Betty in the eyes, "restrictive," she finished. Betty only nodded with the same smile her mother had taught her. Restrictive? What was that supposed to even mean.
She wanted to scream, to argue, to shove that pen down her pompous entitled throat. But instead she clenched her fists tightly. Nails threatening to break skin as her interviewer looked over her file. She had spent hours just picking out the case for it, settling on brown leather with gold embellishments.
"I see you volunteer," the women nodded in approval.
"Yes, every summer at my church," Betty said enthusiastically, ready to go on her practiced spiel.
"With children?" the women asked ask, her eyes wandering back down to her file. Betty's own drew to rest on the ruby broach on the women's seemingly expensive jacket. Her mind wandering on how exactly Cheryl Blossom got in before she did with her little to no community service, let alone anything involving children.
"With good will, and the food bank," Betty replied after a brief pause in her own thoughts, selling herself as best she could.
"What about during the school year?" she asked, glancing over the nearly blank section of paperwork with pursed lips.
"I have extra circulars during the school year, " Betty replied, still forcing the smile onto her face. She could tell the woman was not pleased with her lack of volunteer work. An argument rose to the back of her throat about how she was told that it looked better on applications, but she fought it down.
She closed Betty's portfolio with a snap, placing it down on the mahogany wood desk. Then stared directly into Betty's eyes as she slid the gold embellished file back over the desk for her to take.
"Miss Cooper," she spoke as Betty took the file from the desk, a little dejected.
"Everything in your file is exactly what this school is looking for," she said then paused, giving time to smile at the compliment before continuing, "Unfortunately every other student applying is also just as good," she added.
Betty only nodded, not knowing what to say.
"If you can add on some more community service by the end of the year I don't see a reason why you won't be accepted by us," the normally stern dean smiled for once, revealing unnaturally white and perfect teeth, "working with children under our own class is seen as most desirable, a candidate showing they will do what it takes to make a difference in this world," she finished in a peppy tone. Almost enough to make Betty vomit at the obviously fake facade.
"Yes, I'll do whatever it takes," Betty said as her smile returned. The dean extended a perfectly manicured hand for her to take, and she took it without hesitation.
"Good, I hope to see you next fall," the dean said as she motion towards the door behind Betty.
"They want how many hours!?" Veronica screamed from across the lunch table, snatching the paper from Betty's hands.
"Sixty?" Veronica gasped at the paper in horror.
Betty sighed at her friend in frustration. Sixty hours of service was not that much, in fact is quite small to her. Veronica was only horrified at the prospect of what exactly the community service was.
"Sixty is not that much V," Betty argue with a frustrated smile at Veronica's over the top antics. No, the hours were not that much at all. Veronica just couldn't imagine being within even a mile of south high, let alone inside of it.
"Did you check for anything else? Even with other teachers?" Veronica questioned for the fifth time since she found out about her friends situation.
"No it's the only community service that I can do that won't stop me from anything else," Betty grumbled back. If she had it her way it would be Riverdale community college, but it's not her way, it's her mothers. So today after school she would bus herself over to south side high and look after some children in the after school program there. They were just children, she kept telling herself, children who were just less fortunate then here. Maybe even still innocent like a child should be. Something told her it wouldn't be that simple however. Even the rich kids acted just like that, rich kids.
She could picture it now what would happen if she didn't get the volunteer work done.
"Well I'm glad you are throwing away everything we've worked for!"
Her mind shouted in her mother's voice; almost bring tears of stress to her eyes as she looked at the skylights of the cafeteria. The constant chatter turning to white noise as the stress ate at her chest. She wasn't even sure if this is what she wanted. An Ivy League school for journalism? Her mother went to Riverdale college, and she did just fine. Despite her being ashamed of it.
"Betty?" Veronica's voice pulled her from the ceiling.
"I," she blinked away the threat of tears, shoulders still heavy, "was just thinking."
"Well," veronica eyed her friend with unsaid questions," are you sure this is a good idea, after the whole Jason blossom thing?" she finished.
"That happened in July, it's September and no new information has come forward," Betty picked at her sandwich, "besides, I'm not some rich man's son," Betty finished.
"Your still on about that whole, Jason's murder was for a reason, thing," Veronica frowned.
"All I'm saying is some rich kid's son doesn't turn up in a river shot in the head for no reason," Betty shook her head. She had been curious about the case for months, but with no one willing to help her it was a dead end.
"Just be careful," Veronica grabbed Betty's hand from across the table, "and stay away from those gang members," she added with a squeeze. Betty only smiled as the lunch bell rang, signaling them both to pick up their trays and head down different hallways.
"And don't forget to text me!" Betty heard from behind her as she walked to class. Sending a rare and genuine smile to her face.
Betty stepped off the city bus and into the almost chilly fall air. In front of her was south side high; behind it was the elementary school.
The bus drove off with a load roar behind her as she stared at the red brick building in front of her. Trash dotted the parking lot and fresh spray paint tagged the door. It was only four but she swore the sky had darkened at the sight of the building.
She swallowed the nervous lump in her throat. Her mind flashing back to the directions given to her in Riverdale highs office.
Check in inside the high schools office, someone will show you how to get to the program from there.
Her feet moved forward despite protest from her thoughts. Opening the door was simple enough, even providing relief as she stepped inside. The halls were empty, not a soul in sight as she passed through the metal detectors without a hitch. She came to a fork in the hallway, a sign with directions posted on the wall. The word office caught her eye and she followed the arrow to the right, her feet following.
She noted the floor, countless back scruffs from the hundreds of students that roamed the hall. Funding not allowing for more than a mop and a sweep. Leaving it permanently scarred.
she mentally scolded herself for looking down at the floor.
Walk with confidence, and it will fallow.
Her mother's voice replayed as her eyes slowly started to go up as her feet took her forward. Not expecting the boots that she ran into at the end of the hall, an emotion that she didn't quite have a name for settling in her stomach.
Time seemed to stop along with her body as she took in long slender legs clad in old faded jeans. Suddenly she felt how the tip of her pony tail bounced off her neck as she went over the leather jacket and to his neck. Noticing the nervous swallow of his adams apple before coming to the subjects face and instantly locking with his dark blue eyes. A black curl bouncing off his forehead from under a strange almost tattered looking beanie as he picked himself off the wall he was leaning against.
The world almost melted, and she couldn't even determine why. Was it fear? Stress? Or that she wasn't expecting to find someone in south side high at four pm on a Friday?
And why didn't this boy look like anything her friends and mother had warned her about?
His eyes were hard, cold, and locked with hers for god knows how long. But behind that facade they seemed, kind? and maybe curious? Not something she was expecting from a south side high student.
After what seemed like years the world came back with a loud crash. The door next to him slammed open and out poured three other students. All wearing some form of leather, like a uniform. They all bolted to the right, running past the boy she had been so focused on. She watched them disappear behind the corner with heavy footsteps fading into the distance before looking back to him, who was still staring at her with the same look as before.
"Jughead!" a distinctly male voice called, but he didn't respond.
The footsteps got loud again. This time one figure came out from behind the corner with slick black hair, his hands making a questioning jester. He followed Jughead's eyes back to Betty before a sly smile ran across his face. The interaction only lasted a second before he grabbed Jughead's shoulder and began to run back down the hall with him. The dark eyes still locked with hers as they disappeared behind the wall.
Betty couldn't help but notice the green serpent on his back.
I love this couple, and I think that in the show they are great. I wrote this story because I love the characters chemistry and how perfect they are for each other. It will be Bughead centric. Following the first season with added twists. Let me know what you think in a review or even a pm if you want me to continue.