Prologue.
I stare into the fire, marveling at the array of bright oranges and yellows flickering in the darkness. the flames seem to swirl erratically, dancing to the beat of our combined heartbeats. I shiver. But it's not even cold. I feel Jughead press himself closer to me, wrapping his arms tighter around my exposed shoulders. Sparks flit from the billowing flames like fireflies dancing capriciously in the breeze.
The four of us stand in front of the inferno, and I wrinkle my nose. The smell is distracting. They taught me how to block it out, pretend it didn't exist. But it was something I'd never managed to master. No matter how hard I try the stink still stings my nostrils and twists my stomach. My blonde hair dances around my face, trailing across my lips in the air and I feel it brushing against my back. Mother nature caressing me. Caressing us. Even after we did bad, bad, very bad things, she still cares for us. And my heart bleeds for her kindness.
Blood rushes in my ears as I cock my head, looking down at the shapes consumed by flames licking over bodies piled on-top of each other, their limbs enveloping, meeting together and becoming one as flesh and fat caught. Clothes catch alight, shriveling up into dust and hair ignites, sending sparks spewing from the small pit we dug in the sand. Archie takes a step backward, chuckling. Though when he stumbles back, we move with him. That's what we are. A chain. An unbreakable, impenetrable bond that will never break. We all stagger backwards with him, our arms wrapped around each other. Veronica and Archie hold each other close, while I cuddle closer to Jughead. My feet are bare. Naked against the warm sand of the desert which stretches out forever. If I stare long enough at the horizon it looks like it completely envelopes with the midnight sky. Jughead lets out a soft shaky breath and is the first to speak. "After this, We get out of here right?"
We all murmur in agreement. In the back of my mind, I know we're screwed. The police aren't going to give up. Our parents aren't going to give up. But neither are we. We don't let go of each other. I feel if we do, we'll break. We'll shatter without one another.
"Right." Archie murmurs. He's still entranced by the flames. His bright ginger hair catches in the firelight, his pale face illuminated by a warm orange glow. There are still scarlet streaks down his cheeks, his neck. His hands are still dripping crimson. Though so are mine. But I don't feel dirty, filthy, wrong. I feel powerful. Veronica huddles into Archie. Her dress can no longer be called white. Her raven black hair is tied into a ponytail. She looks tired. Dark shadows underline her eyes. But her lips are stretched into a soft smile. Veronica did the honors. She struck the first match and didn't even hesitate. She see's this as cleansing the people of Riverdale. Purifying their ashes.
There aren't many words to describe us. I'd call us Killers. Murderers. Psychos. Pick a name, any name. I'm not going to lie and say we're not. Because we are. We killed people. Friends, neighbors, even family. If I ever do get caught and sent to a mental institution and some guys in white cut me open and say, "Yes. This one was bonkers!" Then I guess I'll have an explanation to why I did everything I did. But until then, I'll say it until I'm blue in the face. I did it for them, and they did it for me. That's how we all got here, standing over a pile of bodies ignited by a canister of stolen gas and some cheap matches. We did it for each other.
You see, before them- before Jughead, Veronica and Archie, I was Elizabeth Cooper. The perfect girl next door. My mother had planned out my entire life and I had no say in it. I was lost. And that's when I found them. Three kids who were like me. Broken, lost and a little fucked up. Which lead us here. Our uncertain future. I can hear sirens in the distance, and when I lift my head I see them. Flashes of red and blue getting closer and closer, blurring in my vision. None of us move. Jughead pulls me closer and I take a moment to look at him when he catches my eye. He's scared. I know that. But he's also exhilarated. Blood decorates his face as it does mine. His brown hair is tousled and damp, hanging in the bright green eyes I fell in love with. His lips curve into a smirk and I grin back. I can't resist his smile. "We should get out of here."
The siren's stop, coming to a skidding halt in the middle of the road behind us and I hear a voice. "Elizabeth!" It's my mother. But I don't turn around. None of us do. Even when our parents cry out our names in anguish, in terror. "What did you…what did you do?!"
'Lets go." Veronica says. Her voice is a dreamy murmur. She dances forwards, twirling in her dress. She's an angel, painted in blood, her raven hair twirling around her heart shaped face. She drags Archie along with her, and he gestures for Jughead to grab his hand. There's a male yell. "Stay right where you are or I'll be forced to shoot!" His voice shakes because he's scared of me. Of us.
'I SAID GET ON THE GROUND! HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD! NOW!"
Veronica doesn't listen. None of us do.
I smile and squeeze Jughead tighter. Archie grasps Veronica's hand, she takes mine, and of course my own already rests in Jughead's. Veronica leads us forwards, tripping and stumbling over each other. We laugh loudly. The cacophony of noise makes me grin and it's so brilliantly twisted. So fucked up. But it's us. I can hear my mother screaming and crying. But I don't flinch. I lift my head and smile at the sky. There's no moon. No stars. Just the darkness ready to swallow us up. I'm not scared. We are not scared. Because we are IV.
CHAPTER 1
I stopped actually doing work a few hours ago. But I couldn't bring myself to go home where I knew my future would be waiting for me in the form of early acceptance to some elite boarding school in Greendale. All I knew is that I liked it here. I liked working for the Blue and Gold. It was simplicity. The perfect extra curricular to get me into a decent college. Of course I tried to tell mom that. But she wouldn't listen. I ignored her texts. My phone was faced down on my desk as I stared dead-eyed at my computer screen. There was a word document still open in the bottom tab, but I couldn't bring myself to open it. Instead I found myself in a zombie state, browsing YouTube. I'd gone from film trailers, to TV show trailers, before completely leaving my sanity behind and delving into animations that made no sense, yet had millions upon millions of views.
The Blue and Gold office was quiet and peaceful. There was an element of tranquility. The lights were switched off so I could concentrate more, but I was getting progressively more worried that someone was going to barge in and catch me staring at my laptop screen, my desk littered with empty coffee mugs. My blonde hair was a bedraggled mess, straying from its usual strict ponytail and I'd managed to spill pasta sauce from lunch all over my skirt. I wasn't on my game that day. Though I'd been in stuck in a foggy cloud for a while. Nothing and nobody could penetrate it. I felt a little like I was close to drowning, yet something was weighing me down, pushing me deeper and deeper until I was under the surface and lost. And nobody, no matter how loud I screamed, could help me.
That day, the string of bad luck started in the morning when I forgot my gym bag. Cheryl Blossom, the captain of The River Vixens and my mortal enemy, screeched at me like a banshee until I ran home and got it. Then after lunch there was a quiz I didn't study for. Which wasn't me at all. Mr Henderson my English teacher had asked if I was sick for keeping so quiet when usually I was eagerly answering every question he threw at the class. And finally; when I didn't think things couldn't get any worse, I bumped into Mr Weatherbee, who asked in the tone of you have no choice, Betty . If I wanted to write an article for The Blue and Gold.
I couldn't exactly say no. In fact, I didn't even think I had the ability to utter that word. It was always Yes.
"Yes, mom. I'll make you proud."
"Yes, Mr Weatherbee, I don't mind you scrapping that article I spent my weekend and most of my mentality on."
"Of course you can borrow my dress, Polly!"
"Yes, Cheryl. I do look like Season Five Betty Draper."
My entire life- I was only able to say yes. And it was always for other people. I was obsessed with making them happy, and not myself. And thanks to that, no amount of caffeine could keep me awake. I'd had barely any sleep the night prior. Though it was my fault. There was this new series on Netflix that everyone was talking about, and of course I had to have a look. Though five hours later my alarm was going off and mom was yelling at me to come down for breakfast. Like with everything else, I had to paste a smile on my face and pretend I hadn't just stayed up all night watching some trashy Sci-fi drama. I told mom the dark circles under my eyes were because of stress. I wasn't exactly lying. I was stressed. Though watching trashy TV shows at 3am wasn't helping.
I glanced up from my 6th Buzzfeed video and stretched out in my chair.
The office was pretty spooky at night. We were still setting up a proper office, so there were still large boxes of textbooks and old year-books piled on every surface. The School newspaper didn't have a lot of members. There was only me, Kevin Keller, and some freshman girl I still didn't know the name of. She had actually explained that she was forced to join a club by her strict parents. So technically she didn't count. I let my gaze wander over the room, picking up small details like ancient lost property boxes probably from when my mom went to school. I was tempted to go digging around looking for memento's from the 80's/90's. Though I was startled when the door creaked open and a silhouette strode in and went straight for the lights.
Before I could stop them, the room was flooding with blinding orange light. I shaded my eyes quickly, squinting through the pain at the doorway where none other than Kevin Keller stood. If it had been anyone else, I'd have ducked my head and returned to the article. Though I found myself smiling at the boy.
"Betty?" When Kevin saw me, and then saw the coffee cups, the various work folders all over my desk and worse still, the Buzzfeed video asking the question: What happens when you die? I just about died of embarrassment. Though Kevin wasn't one to judge. Especially if it was a messy desk or my questionable taste in You-Tube video's.
Kevin was in his usual sweater vest, his dark hair a floppy damp mess on his forehead. I figured from the state of him that it was raining. I twisted my head to make sure, and yep, the dirty glass windows overlooking Riverdale High's campus were decorated with pretty raindrops sliding down the glass. We were on the top floor, so I had a pretty cool view of the town in the daylight. Though at night, everything was swamped in shadow. Darkness. I used to hate it. Though over the last few weeks I'd found myself more and more accustomed to sitting back and staring at the dark sky. I never looked for the moon or stars. I just stared at the dark. "What are you still doing here?" He asked, stepping further into the room, folding his arms. "Dude, school ended like three hours ago."
I was painfully aware of this. I'd been keeping an eye on the time ever since mom's last text, which was just a string of exclamation marks. I leaned back in my chair and shrugged, playing with strands of my hair. "Working." I replied.
Kevin edged closer and his smile grew. "On what? Buzzfeed videos?" He teased, before doing a double-take at my messy desk. "How many coffees have you had? Didn't Weatherbee tell us not to abuse the staff kitchen privileges?"
I shrugged. "Enough." I only spoke one-word answers to avoid more pressing questions. Like why my phone was vibrating every few minutes, and the very revealing red stain on my skirt. Kevin and I had been friends since we were kids and the one thing I both loved and hated about him, was the fact that he could always tell there was something wrong. The thing was, I wasn't even sure myself what was wrong with me. I just knew that being unable to concentrate on anything, not even what I had a passion in, as well as countless nights of no sleep, was something to worry about. Kevin sat down next to me, swiveling in an office chair.
"Alright, what's wrong?" He asked. His eyebrows furrowed. Though I didn't have an answer for him. So I shrugged and smiled. "I'm just stressed." I murmured, and after a long, withering look, he sighed and stood up, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a candy bar. It looked like it had been in there a while. I watched him, getting increasingly confused, as he unwrapped the chocolate bar and held it out in front of me like I was a kid. "Okay, Betty. You are this Snickers bar." He said, and I held back a giggle.
"I'm a Snickers bar?" I repeated with a smirk, leaning back in my chair. Kevin shushed me and I rolled my eyes, pretending to zip my lips and swallow the key. Though he only frowned.
"You can't swallow the key if you've locked your lips-" He sighed in frustration. "No, okay, we're getting off track. Anyway! Betty. Elizabeth Cooper," I hated it when he used my full name.
"You are this candy bar." Kevin said seriously. And I nodded with a frown. "You seem pretty happy and stable right now, Betty. But once you get too stressed, when the workload is too high and you can't put up with it anymore," Kevin snapped the bar in half and I felt my heart jump into my throat. But I didn't know why. It was just some weird metaphor Kevin was acting out. Clearly he was trying to tell me to tone it down. And he was right. I knew I was starting to act a little crazy, a little unhinged. The week prior I'd found out my sister Polly's boyfriend, some senior ass, had slut shamed her on Instagram. I hadn't been thinking properly and ended up inviting him over to our house after seducing him, before luring him into the hot tub in our backyard. Instead of making out with him, which I knew he thought we were going to do, I showered him with maple syrup and warned him to stay away from Polly. Of course he told my parents and most of the student body. But something in me didn't care. I wasn't anxious when I walked down the hallway with my books pressed to my chest. I didn't care when The Vixens openly talked about me behind my back at practice. Something had snapped inside me. Something dark. And I knew Kevin could see it right through my fake smiles.
My phone buzzed again, and Kevin raised his eyebrows. He was still holding the chocolate bar and it was rapidly starting to melt all over his hands. But as I had been caught in my thoughts, he had been distracted by the Buzzfeed video still playing on my laptop.
I ignored my phone. I knew it was mom. I only had two active contacts. My mother and Kevin. Since Kevin was sitting right in front of me, nowhere near his phone, I knew it was the latter. My stomach twisted. I knew she wanted to talk about The Chuck Incident. Apparently it was so important it needed to be capitalized on the fridge in the kitchen. She wanted to talk about how she could make things better for me. Though I knew sending me off to some elite Greendale Academy would only better the Cooper name.
Kevin quickly snapped out of it and moved his gaze from my computer screen back to me. His project. Sometimes I thought that. I was like an object to him that needed fixing. Kevin was a caring person. He offered his help and support to friends and classmates and I loved and appreciated that. But when I was running on not even an hour of sleep and he was trying to describe what I presumed was my inevitable mental breakdown with a half melted Snickers bar, I'd had enough. "Kev," I jumped to my feet as enthusiastically as I could make out and took the candy bar from his hands, and dumped it in the trash under my desk. He blinked at me before opening his mouth to protest.
"Like I said, there's nothing wrong with me." I smiled at him. Perhaps my grin was a little too big showing way too much teeth, but he seemed to understand and he sighed, ducking his head. "I'm just worried about you, Betty." He murmured. "You know, after what-"
"After what happened?" I nodded, laughing a little. "Yeah, everyone's asking me that." I started piling my work up, sticking it back in my folder a little too violently than needed. Kevin had stood there frowning at me as I saved my unfinished article and logged the computer off before throwing on my jacket; the jacket I'd carelessly put on in the morning, not thinking about the storms being predicted on every weather channel available. When I was digging in my pocket for my keys, my phone vibrated once again, and I grabbed it, shoving it in my jeans. When I moved towards the door, Kevin blocked my way for a second. At first I thought he was playing around, but when I really looked, his eyes were wide with worry, lips parted as if to say something else. I knew what he saw. He saw a shell of Elizabeth Cooper. A girl with a bright fake smile, trying to help everyone in her life and forgetting about her own health. Her own mentality. He saw a girl whose ponytail was slowly falling out, just as her grip on reality slipped. Though of course he didn't say any of that. He only stared at me like I was some little kid in need of their mommy.
"What?" I demanded. I needed sleep. But there was so much I had to do, I could barely think straight. My hands went to my pockets once again, digging for spare change. It was just about enough for a brain rotting energy drink. Kevin cleared his throat and for a second, I wondered if he was scared of me- for just a fleeting moment. After all, I had nearly drowned Chuck Clayton in sweet, sweet syrup.
"It's raining." Kevin said, before turning and walking away. He turned the lights off before he left, and I was once again plunged into darkness. But it was peaceful, and wasn't harsh on my eyes. I watched Kevin fumble in his bag for his headphones before corking them in, sending me a last glance. "You're gonna get soaked, Cooper." He muttered, before walking back down the hallway.
I thought about following him. Apologizing. But I didn't want to. That's what I'd done my whole life, and I was done being the suck up. I was done apologizing for stupid stuff, and I was certainly done caring what other people thought about me. So instead of following Kevin, I gripped the straps of my backpack and set off the other way, letting my loose hair dangle in my face.
"Ah, Betty!" A voice startled me, but I continued on, staring at the patchwork floor tiles on the corridor as I walked. It was Mr Weatherbee. "Elizabeth. Did you finish that article? I'd love to read it!" He yelled, his voice reverberating down the empty corridor.
I didn't answer him, not even bothering to look back.
There was a rundown 7/11 down the street from school. The second I was pushing open the door, hearing the jingle jangle of the bell, I almost instantly regretted it. The bright, fluorescent lights in the store were quick to attack my eyes, and I put my head down, glaring at the dirty marble floor. Before I could change my mind or think of repercussions I quickly made my way over to the line of fridges at the back of the store and yanked one open, digging around for something sweet. Something that would keep me up all night because I could already feel my brain starting to shut down. It had had enough. No, Betty. I can't function without sleep! It screamed at me in some high pitched cartoon voice as my hands closed around a frosty can of cheap energy drink.
I was pretty sure mom banned them when I was a kid. I didn't know if it was the sleep deprived, zombie state I was in, but the colors on the can stood out. Bright Lime green on a black background; MONSTER. The name hit me for some reason. I grabbed two cans before shutting the door. I had half a mind to press the icy drinks to my sweaty forehead. It was November, yet somehow I was burning up. I'd managed to escape the first initial rainfall, though I was sure I wasn't completely safe from Mother Nature yet. I shuffled over to the counter, hauling the cans with me and silently praying that I had enough money. I couldn't be bothered counting it. The 7/11 wasn't that big. It was a simple box shape with all the necessities around the perimeter. It smelt of stale cigarettes and day old BO. There was a girl standing at the counter. She was waving a bottle of orange vodka at the owner who was rolling his eyes. "Young lady, I said I can't sell you alcohol without ID." He man looked to be in his late forties with greying hair and wore a polo shirt covered in different colored stains. He had a thick New York accent. The girl scowled. "Sir, you can clearly see it states I was born in 1995."
He surveyed her, his eyebrows furrowing together. They reminded me of caterpillars. "You don't look 22." He muttered. "Don't you go to that high school down the road, kid?"
I stood awkwardly, clutching the energy drinks. The girl had long black hair and was wearing a tight black dress complimented by a denim jacket. She looked pissed. "I just gave you my ID!" She snapped back, and I startled a little. Her voice was familiar. When she turned her head briefly, to dig in her purse, pulling out a wad of cash, I recognized her and my stomach flipped over. Veronica Lodge. She was in most of my classes but I hadn't spoken a word to her. After all, she was pretty much what I'd classified as a goddess. She had soft golden skin, glossy dark hair and a perfect figure. What made the situation even more confusing was that she was the daughter of a millionaire and was standing in a declining 7/11 trying to buy cheap booze with obviously fake ID. Veronica was Riverdale's Blair Waldorf. Without the bitchiness. She sounded like a pretentious indie film and said things like "Daddy" unironically. I only recognized her because we'd been paired in History to do a project about the Roman empire.
Though I quickly realized after properly looking at her that Veronica Lodge's mascara was smudged, and when I dared to look closer, her cheeks were stained with tears. "Look, I can give you extra, okay?" Veronica choked, and she sounded like she was going to burst out crying. I only stood there, trying not to look uncomfortable. The owner shook his head. "Can't sell a minor alcohol, so unless you have valid ID, sweetheart- move along." His gaze left the girl and he looked straight at me, as if I too was holding bottles of vodka. "You buying anything love?" I nodded silently and tried not to think about Veronica Lodge as she scoffed loudly before dumping the orange vodka on the counter and turned on her heel to walk away. I paid for my drinks quickly and stuffed them into my bag and as I was hurrying out, I was surprised when the girl followed me.
"Betty Cooper, right?" I stepped outside into the cool night air, just as the heavens opened. I felt ridiculous without a hood. Veronica wrapped her jacket tighter around her chest and leaned against the store's doors with a sigh. Her breath billowed in the air. I paused to stand next to her, scuffing the soles of my converse against the sidewalk.
"God, it's freezing." She muttered. "I wish I wore a warmer jacket."
I only managed a nod, and she smiled, before swiping at her eyes with the cuffs of her sleeve. "Veronica Lodge." She shot me a watery grin. Mascara ran down her face in streaks and I tried not to stare. "Though technically we already know each other right?"
"Right." I forced a grin back. "You're in some of my classes." She nodded.
"Sorry. Oh god, I look awful." Veronica laughed, snorting loudly, before she smiled brightly. "Didn't we have a project to do?" She asked, and when I frowned at her, unable to reply because I could feel my hands going numb, she giggled. "You're my partner for History, right?"
I figured just awkwardly smiling and nodding would make her go away, but she had other plans. "Hey, so I know this sounds a little sudden," she wiped wet strands of her dark hair from her eyes. "But do you maybe wanna come and hang at mine? We can work on the History project?" When I opened my mouth to attempt to make an excuse, she shrugged and looked at the ground. "Sorry," she laughed a little. But her voice broke. "I know it sounds crazy, but I don't really want to be alone tonight," she sniffed again, wiping her nose. "I totally understand if you can't."
My phone vibrated, just as I was about to answer. Veronica raised her eyebrows. "Are you gonna answer that?" She asked. I shook my head and smiled brightly, copying one of her clearly faked grins. Maybe Veronica and I weren't so different after all.
"Sure!" I replied quickly to her offer, before I could spit out an excuse. When she frowned blankly, I hurried to explain myself. "Hanging out, I mean. I'd love to." I rushed out.
If hanging out with Veronica Lodge, some rich bitch socialite, meant avoiding my parents and facing my future, the bland, boring white-picket fence and perfect little house life, then so be it. Veronica's face lit up. "Really? Okay!" She swiped at her eyes again as if that would fix her makeup and pulled out her phone.
"I can call us an Uber?" She glanced at my pocket where my phone was still loudly buzzing itself into a meltdown. "Are you not going to call your parents?"
I shrugged. "They won't care." I murmured softly, and she looked momentarily taken aback, before nodding, her fingers tapping expertly as she dialed an Uber. "Uh, okay?" She raised her eyebrows, her lips curling into a questioning smirk. But she didn't say anything else. I shivered, squeezing my arms tighter around myself for warmth. I watched the flurry of rain waver in the breeze in the glow of a distant lamppost. The warm orange light was captivating. Like flames dancing in the air. "Betty?" I jumped when Veronica tapped me on the shoulder. "I can't get an Uber. They've closed early for some reason," she let out a hiss of frustration as the rain grew heavier. I could feel my hair getting progressively more wet, sticking to my forehead. Veronica didn't look much better.
"We could walk?" I suggested quickly, when Veronica started talking about an ex boyfriend who could drive. He was apparently in college. Veronica turned to me and frowned. Once again her eyebrows disappeared into her hairline. She had to shout over the sound of rain pulverizing the sidewalk. She grabbed me and pulled us both under the shelter of an old store that had been closed a while. "Dude, you are the first person I've ever met who has happily suggested we walk five blocks in the rain!" She yelled. But Veronica was giggling, pushing her dark hair out of her face. Then she was facing me. Beautiful Veronica Lodge. Her face lit up by the orangeade glowing rain.
"Why don't we be totally spontaneous and just run for it, Betty Cooper?" She shouted over the rainfall. Before I could say anything she was letting out a squeal of delight, grabbing my arms, pulling me forward and jumping into the downfall, yanking me with her. I gasped loudly, my breath caught in my throat when the chill hit me, when I felt raindrops slither down my back, drench my hair and trickle down my cheeks. But I too cried out, splashing through puddles as we ran, hand in hand, down the street, Veronica giggling like crazy. My hair whipped behind me, spiraling in the wind as we sped down the street. Cars rushed past, headlights blinding as they splashed us even more. But we only laughed louder, holding onto each other as the rain pelted harder, soaking us further. But I barely felt the chill anymore. Instead there was a rush in my veins, something I hadn't felt in so long. I was feeling again.
My converse were soaked, my skirt sticking to my legs,but I didn't care. I laughed, squealed and cried into the night with Veronica. I had never felt so alive, so exhilarated, in my life. Eventually we came to dizzying stop. Veronica skidded in her heels and nearly flew forwards. She managed to steel herself but was still giggling. She grabbed my hand as we slowed to a walk, and trudged through puddle after puddle. There was something truly beautiful and childish about Veronica. It drew me to her. The girl skipped across the sidewalk, playing a lopsided version of 'Don't step on the cracks' as her heels clacked across the concrete. I walked beside her, still grinning like a fool.
"So, are there any guys in your life right now?" She turned to me, waggling her eyebrows with a smirk. She looked truly amazing, her black dress sticking to her in all the right places. Though I was positive she was going to get sick.
"Guys?" I repeated, frowning.
Veronica giggled. "You know, the male species? Inferior to women, of course." Veronica seemed to catch herself. "Unless of course, you swing the other way?"
I snorted. "I don't have any time for relationships." I muttered, staring at the sidewalk.
Which was true. Even when my hormones got the better of me and I developed a crush, I suppressed it before I could even catch feelings for someone. Veronica shrugged. I noticed we'd walked off the Riverdale strip and were heading towards Sweet-water Woods. The road looked like it went forever, twisting and winding through the canopy of trees, weighed down by rainfall. I kicked through a pile of dead leaves, and after a moment, Veronica copied. "How about a crush?" She nudged me playfully. "Come on girl! There must be someone."
There really wasn't. So I made up a crush. Dilton Doiley. Some weirdo who wandered around muttering to himself. Veronica scoffed. "Really? You have the hots for Dilton?" She laughed. Veronica had a great laugh. "Isn't he like, literally a psycho?"
Not exactly. Dilton had been found with guns in his locker, but claimed they were for self defence. But that didn't answer the weird muttering thing he did to himself.
Instead of answering, I turned the question on her, and she shrugged, grinning. Veronica clearly wanted to be asked. "There might be a certain red-headed cutie on the football team," she giggled. I turned to her, intrigued. "Varsity?"
Veronica nodded. "I can't remember his name though?" She sighed wistfully, and I frowned. The only red-head I knew who could possibly fit Veronica's description was Jason Blossom, Cheryl Blossom's brother. "Do you mean Jason Blossom?"
I couldn't help chuckling, and she turned to me, her expression twisting with irritation. "What's wrong with him?"
Jason Blossom reminded me of a mannequin. With vampire-like porcelain skin and a thin smile, the boy looked like he belonged in Twilight. Though Veronica seemed to be infatuated so I shut up. Thankfully, the conversation regarding boys from our school fizzled out and we ended up walking in a comfortable silence. Once the buzz had worn off, I did feel the chill. My teeth started chattering and I had to clamp my jaw shut to avoid making it obvious that I was freezing to death. Veronica sighed and wrapped her arm around me, pulling us along. We stumbled and tripped a few times, but her warm embrace- even if I was awkwardly pressed against her drenched jacket- it felt good.
"I should have called daddy." Veronica murmured and I bit back the urge to agree with her. I was sure my limbs were going to shrivel up and drop off from the numbing cold.
"See, Elizabeth," Mom's voice taunted in my head. " This is why you don't run around in the rain. You silly girl. Now you're going to get sick."
Veronica rubbed her hands together, and the bright smile never left her face. I couldn't say the same for my own. "We'll be okay, Betty." She insisted. "I have warm blankets, unlimited hot cocoa and I can bet there's some trashy girly movies on Netflix." I smiled back, shoving my numb hands in my jacket. Mom had stopped calling. I wondered if my phone had switched itself off due to the overwhelming amount of calls attacking it.
We kept close, our bodies pressed against each-other as we walked. Veronica stared at the sky, a dreamy smile on her lips. I was almost certain Veronica had heard about The Chuck Incident. It puzzled me that she wasn't mentioning it and I couldn't help but wonder why she had mentioned her father, but not actually rang him and asked him for a ride. Why had she been crying and buying liquor in the first place?
"Veronica…" I started to say softly. The words were like bile, already in my throat before I could stop them. Though luckily, I was interrupted by a loud horn behind us. It startled me, pulling me from my stupor. We turned around and I squinted, finding myself staring at a beaten up truck pulling over at the side of the road. Veronica stopped walking and grinned as the windows rolled down and a boy stuck his head out. He was wearing the Blue and Gold Letterman jacket from school, but I didn't recognize him. He had scruffy red hair and the smile of a shark. "You guys lost?" He raised his eyebrows at us, his lips curling into a smirk. "You're a bit wet aren't ya?"
Veronica folded her arms. "Does that line normally work with you?" But her eyes were shining at the boy. I could practically hear her internal screeching.
There was a loud snort from behind him, and another boy leaned around his friend. Presumably the driver. I stared at him. There was something about him, something that stuck out. He had a light grey beanie and dark brown hair tousled in his bright green eyes. He grinned at us, and I found myself smiling back. "What my friend is trying to say, without sounding like a creeper," he chuckled. "Do you guys need a ride?"
Veronica didn't waste any time. "Are you going anywhere near the Pembrooke Hotel?" She asked hopefully, and the redhead's eyes widened. "Hey, we're actually going past the Pembrooke! What a coincidence !" He turned to his friend, and the dark haired boy played along. When I focused on the driver, the boy with the beanie, I noticed his hands gripping the steering wheel looked discolored. His fingernails were crusted with scarlet and when he caught my eye, his smile grew. "That is a coincidence!" He laughed. His eyes never left mine. "How about it?" He jerked his head. "You guys wanna get in?"
I was positive something wasn't right. The redhead's shark grin was unnerving, yes, but also intriguing. I wanted more of him. I wanted more of his friend. I was sure Veronica was aware of how shady the whole situation was, but she only grinned excitedly and jumped in the back, pulling me along. When I slammed the door behind me and leaned into the soft upholstery seats stinking of stale cigarettes, I allowed myself to smile.
"So!" Veronica squeezed in next to me. "Who do we owe our token of gratitude to?" She was still smiling, her eyes lit up. She was staring at the redhead as he fiddled with the car stereo before straightening and turning to us with another frightening smile. "Nah, don't bother with names," He shook his head with a grin. "We don't do names," My heart leapt into my throat. But I wasn't scared. He winked at me. "Names make it harder."
The other boy chuckled lightly. He squeezed the steering wheel tighter, and when my gaze traveled up his jacket, I caught splashes of claret decorating the material like he'd been splashed with deep, dark paint. He was chewing on a toothpick, and would every so often glance in the mirror, his green eyes practically radiating with excitement.
But I loved it. Shivers were tingling down my spine, reverberating through my whole body. But I wasn't afraid. I felt ignited.
Veronica frowned at the redhead. I thought she might start to freak out, battering the two boys with questions. But she only raised her eyebrows. "So I don't get a name?"
The boy shrugged. "Do you really want it?" He smirked, before turning back to the front. Veronica's eyes flashed with something- irritation? Before she turned to me, rolling her eyes. I met her gaze, and I didn't know what to say. Surely she could see the danger, sense the sick, lustrous atmosphere hanging over the boys like an impenetrable fog. But she only grinned widely at me, and I smiled back, before catching the driver's eye in the mirror. His expression was crinkled with confusion. I only flashed him a bright smile.
It was clear they weren't taking us to The Pembrooke. I caught quick-as-a-flash glances between the boys, riddled with twisted smirks. I only leant back in my chair, watching the night fly by. There were no other cars, barely any civilization. It was just us, speeding down the long, winding road passed the woods. The dark haired boy stamped on the gas, accelerating for a moment, and I was momentarily thrown forwards before slamming back into my seat. Though I didn't cry out or yell at him to slow down. Neither did Veronica. The words were in my throat, I just didn't want to say them. Eventually, the car slowed, and when I pressed my face against the window, there was only darkness. Rain drops slid down the glass, dancing down the panes. I was starting to wonder if Veronica was like me. Intentionally throwing herself into danger for the thrill, for the buzz of feelingagain.
"Alright, get out." The redhead finally snapped, breaking from his nice-guy facade. Beanie boy turned off the gas and jumped out into the rain, waving his arms and gesturing us out of the car. Veronica shrugged at me with a quick smile, before shuffling along the seat and jumping out. I joined her quickly, trying not to wince when I felt the rain once again soaking my hair, slithering down my back. The redhead pulled out a gun and pointed it at us. "Get on your knees." I felt my stomach twist, my heart drop. But I didn't feel scared- like I should have. I only stood there staring at the two boys lit up by the car's blinding headlights. They were beautiful. Red and Black.
Veronica fell to her knees. Though she wasn't scared. She wasn't crying for her life, because like me, she expected it. She saw the glint in their eyes, the shark smiles and, of course- the blood. She only turned to me, and she laughed. She really laughed. I knelt down too. My bare knees hit the concrete but I didn't feel pain. I didn't feel the icy rainwater envelope them. All I could think about was him . Beanie Boy. Green Eyes.
Beanie boy was already holding his gun. His hair was stuck to his face in soaking strands and his eyes were crazed, his lips twisted. I loved it. "Let me get this straight," he said, taking a step forwards, scratching the back of his head with his gun. "You two jumped into a stranger's car after ignoring every sign pointing to the fact that you were riding with two killers. I mean, did you not see the blood on the seats? Couldn't you smell the bodies rotting in the boot?"
Veronica just laughed. I felt bubbles of hysterics crawling up my throat too.
I didn't answer him. But I had seen the blood on the seats. The second I got in the car, my bare legs had brushed against the cheap leather. The blood had been a dead-giveaway. It was almost like they left it there on purpose.
He let out a laugh, throwing his head back. I loved his laugh. "You're either fucking crazy, or two dumb asses."
The redhead chuckled. "Cute though." He winked at Veronica, and she beamed at him to his confusion. The redhead shuffled uncomfortably, as if taken by surprise. "Are we killing them?" He shouted, over the whipping wind sending all of our hair into a frenzy. Veronica's dark hair whipped across her face, the dark haired boy's beanie threatened to fly off, and the redhead's fringe was a straggly mess, blowing in his eyes. It was funny. When I really looked, we were just four kids standing in the rain, finally free of our oppressing lives. I didn't flinch when Beanie Boy cocked his gun at me, his fingers teasing the trigger. And I loved how his eyes widened with confusion.
I'm not scared of you. I told him with my eyes. He only stared back.
"Are you really going to kill us?" Veronica's voice was silky smooth. She didn't hesitate. She stood up and kicked off her heels, walking barefoot in the rain, her soles splashing through puddle after puddle. She slowly made her way towards the redhead, and he lost the look of confusion, of irritation on his face, and he smiled. Veronica didn't stop until her forehead was pressed into the butt of the redhead's gun. He cocked his head, but he didn't lose his smile. From that moment on, I realized they were both batshit mental.
"Are you crazy?" He murmured, searching her expression for traces of terror, but Veronica Lodge only ducked her head, giggling. I was surprised when the redhead joined in. He laughed loudly, and lowered his gun to his side. The two seemed to envelope into each-other as Veronica grabbed the redhead's hands and spun him around. They stumbled together, splashing loudly. But he laughed with her, his mouth stretched into that wonderful, terrifying shark grin. "What's your name?" He asked, spluttering as rain trickled down his face, gracing his lips. He threw his arm around her, and instead of running away- instead of trying to attack the boy, Veronica held onto him, She was still smiling. The two reminded me of The Demon Barber and his wife. They never took their eyes off each other. I found myself completely entranced, watching them as I knelt in a pool of filthy rainwater, my hair sticking to the back of my neck. Both of their expressions were illuminated by the car's headlights, and I knew it there and then. The way they looked at each other. It was beautiful fucked up love at first sight.
"Veronica," She replied, and then did a curtsy with her soaked dress. "Veronica Lodge." The boy grinned back. The gun was still in his hands, but I could tell his grip was slipping. "Archie." He murmured. His eyes were all over her, taking every inch of Veronica Lodge in.
"Archie Andrews."
Veronica cocked her head. "Nice to meet you Archie Andrews." She held out her hand, and as if stuck in a trance, the boy who had pointed a gun at her head only moments ago, shook it. I was entranced by the whole ordeal, watching Archie grab Veronica's hand and squeeze it, like he'd never let her go. Though my world seemed to shatter when I felt something hard protrude into my back. I turned on my knees to find Archie's friend staring down at me, his lips curled into a small smile. "And you?" He held his hand out to help me up, and I took it, stumbling when he yanked me to my feet. That was when it hit me that that the boy's weren't going to kill us. "Betty Cooper." I answered, making sure I didn't avoid eye contact. His smile grew, "Are you afraid of me, Betty Cooper?"
He stepped towards me, and I inwardly shivered. Instantly, I wanted to play with his damp hair, I wanted to run my fingers down his chest, I wanted to feel his lips against my own. I took a breath, and we both watched it cloud in the air. I shook my head, and he frowned, before whipping something out of his pocket. I saw the silver glint, the deadly edge. But I didn't move. I only stared at the boy, daring him with my eyes. I was half tempted to curtsy to him like Veronica had done. The boy held the knife, caressing my cheek with his frozen fingers as he pressed it gently into my skin. There was only a biting pain for a few seconds, before I felt a trickle of blood run down my face. He studied me, waiting for me to cry out, beg him to stop. But I only smiled at him sweetly. "Nice knife."
The boy chuckled, a childish grin spreading over his face. "Jughead Jones." He murmured finally in greeting. I could tell he was trying to hide his smile. He pocketed the knife, before fiddling with his hair, wiping it from his eyes. The rain continued to cascade, soaking us, soaking the car, soaking our clothes. But none of us cared. Veronica and Archie had just met and were hand in hand, swinging each-other's arms like little children. Jughead grabbed mine and he dragged me over to the others. My phone vibrated again. I ignored it. Instead I looked at our little group that had just formed. We were each soaking wet, gasping for breath, shivering and laughing as we stared at each-other, drinking each other in. I didn't let go of Jughead's hand. We didn't say anything, but nothing needed to be said. There were unspoken words flying around in the icy air without our frozen lips even moving.
That was how we were formed. How the Betty, Jughead, Veronica and Archie bond started. With four lost kids in a boring town, each breaking from their mediocre lives to pursue something much more dangerous. Much more exciting. Much more deadly.
Right there, standing in the bitter rain was the first moment I saw us as something more than friends, than lovers or soulmates. We each had crazy eyes, twisted lips and a thirst for blood.
And we were fucking perfect together.
Please tell me what you think! I'm so excited to write this, eeeek :D Review for more!