Blue Jeans, white shirt
Walked into the room, you know you make my eyes burn
It was like James Dean for sure
You're so fresh to death and sick as cancer
Lana Del Rey.
Riverdale high was just as big as Betty's old school in Arizona. The same amount of students. The same subjects. The same size. The same extra curricular activities. Yet it felt so different. And that wasn't necessarily good. On her first day, she'd walked in like a child lost. Students stared, teachers were curious, the walls and lockers gaped in a similar act of shock. And with the fear, embarrassment and awkwardness came the crushing realization that this was an entirely new place, that her life would need to be built up from scratch.
The entire building and rooms within felt as if it had been constructed in a time of retro highs and earthy lows: grand brick designs, framed windows, patterned tiles and yellow and green floors and walls. While it was inconsequential about the looks of a school, it felt unnerving. And with the building came the people: the students looked as if they were all plucked from an old TCM film, perfectly swell, perfectly happy and perfectly normal. But it was just another unsettling thing that had her eyes widening at the weirdness of it all- the charming people, building and smiles were just... Weird.
And while she made friends quickly, in the very first hour she should say, nothing could dash the heavy feeling in her stomach. Kevin, Veronica and Archie were definitely nice. Kevin being the head of the drama society, Archie a football player. They treated her as if she were like them: smart, sweet and kind. Perhaps she seemed to be: her pink sweaters, collared blouse and ironed skirt painted her as another doll in this mini world: she was a pastel queen. Yet Veronica perhaps stood out the most. She was definitely not from here, from the big apple in fact, yet she it were as if she wanted to dive in to Riverdale, to be accepted with open arms. And she was. It didn't matter that she wore black lace and expensive, dark clothes: it was the way she smiled, the way she simply curved into the Riverdale life.
Yet if Betty were to talk- really talk- about life outside of homework and milkshakes, Veronica would understand. But it was hard to even think of branching out just yet. Because would she understand? Would she want to break apart from the sweet confines of Riverdale's niceties?
It was, after all, Betty's first day.
"So where did you come from again?" Kevin makes an inquisitive face, sitting by a pile of books and his laptop, "Texas?"
"Arizona." She replied with a smile. She'd rehearsed this question a million times in her head on the plane, thinking of the outrage or the excitement or the curiosity and the answers that could join that: whether it was a lie or not.
"No way." Veronica looked aghast, "You're far too pale. And you don't … Seem like you're from there." She looked her up and down, as if Betty should have been clothed in a cowboy or trucker hat, adorned in daisy dukes and a bikini top. Yet what she saw was a pale, blonde girl with a pastel smile in lace and scalloped collars.
Betty scanned her textbook, pretending to be reading the last sentence. Really, she was just trying to maintain composure. "Well, I'm not from Arizona. I've been moving around for awhile, my dad just got a job there two years ago."
"Then why come here?"
She smiled, "Well, mom has lived in Riverdale her whole life. She moved back here after the divorce a few years ago and missed me, so I thought I'd come back for my last year."
Kevin grinned, eyes alight with inspiration, "And I hear you're a ballerina?" Veronica's smile widened, if that were possible. Betty's jaw clenched tightly. Without waiting for any confirmation and simply trusting the blonde's physique, he continued, "Well, the talent show is coming and I would love for you to get involved. It could really raise the standards of what is usually a night of sub-standard singing and Josie's Pussycat's stealing the limelight." He rolled his eyes, clearly miffed his beloved show followed a clear pattern.
"Yesss!" Veronica cheered quietly, gripping Archie's hand affectionately drawing a smile from the red head. They were obviously in a relationship. Betty's eyes enviously drank their closeness up, attempting to hide it by shining a modest smile as she turned her gaze to the raven haired woman, "Bring some variation to our final show! In New York, mother and I would always watch the ballet! I'm in love with Giselle!"
It was almost embarrassing to have this much focus on her. "That would be nice, but don't any of you have any… Creative talents?"
It went a bit silent, Kevin casting a dark look at Archie, before looking back at his books. "Well," Kevin bitterly sighed, ignoring Archie's rolling eyes, "We have talented singers right here." Veronica 'tsked', "But, Archie maintains his claims he'd rather play football- and Ronnie here would rather be a Riverdale Vixen."
Betty gave them a confused look. Vixen?
"Cheerleader." Kevin explained. Betty nodded and gazed at the couple. It was obviously a thing of contention between the three friends. One desperate for the two to sing, the two iffy and obviously irritated with the constant asking. Betty almost awkwardly let the silence fold over them, but she simply flashed them a curious and optimistic look.
"Aw, well, I'm sure you're talented." Just get the attention off of her, just end the awkwardness- please.
With a prim fold of the arms, Kevin continued, definitely fed up, "I've begged them. And when they got together, you'd think, bingo, a perfect duet. No, they refuse."
"Well, if Archie were to get up…" Veronica trailed off promisingly.
"No, no way." Archie laughed.
And suddenly, Betty could feel an inch of relief as they laughed over each other, dragging her in as the attention fell on the two love birds. The tense feeling in her thighs left, her fingers loosened on her books and pages. She definitely liked them: far nicer than the friends in Arizona… Yet understandably curious about her and… Well… terrifyingly perfect.
...
...
She'd wondered in to the parking lot, promised a ride by Archie as they lived in the same neighbourhood. The ginger had spoken animatedly about the upcoming spring dance, Veronica adding her own flare of drama about what she would wear and how they would put their names in for Spring queen and king and who they knew who would vote for them. Betty looked on, smiling the entire time, following the two closely as the clouds grew above their heads.
"Would you come?" Veronica tentatively asked, standing by Archie's Jeep. As Betty pursed her lips in thought (although she already made up her mind), she skipped close to the blonde, clutching her hands, "Come onnn! It's your first Riverdale Spring prom, and your last one as well! And it would be awesome to see you there, you're so pretty- and, you're a ballerina, I'm getting serious pink, dramatic ballroom vibes from you." She teased, carrying on while the blonde inwardly winced. And it felt nice to know someone wanted her to be there. Although they'd known each other for a grand amount of a few hours, Betty felt slightly better. Yet, god, sbe seriously thought Betty wanted all that grandiose lace and poof. But who could blame anyone for having that illusion? They took it from what she looked like, who she seemed to be, she hadn't given them any other image of who she was.
Though she was definitely one for proms and dances, Betty loved them, she felt awkward. "Well…" She began, battling a smile, "I guess a king and queen need their support."
Veronica looked to Archie, "Yes! This is going to be wonderful. It's in … Six weeks, but we should start looking for your dress ASAP."
"asap?" Betty quirked her brows, "I think-"
A heavy rumbling interrupted her and silenced her ramblings, shaking her to a standstill. Archie, however, was not silenced, and instead swore loudly as the loud sound got increasingly louder and louder. It vibrated the ground, the air, it had many groaning and jumping into their cars or clearing away from that area of the carpark. "What's that?" Betty had to repeat herself so Veronica could hear. She shouldn't have been shocked to see the kind woman's face suddenly turn to a look of irritation. Betty swallowed.
"That's Jughead."
"'Jughead'?" Betty repeated the name.
Archie motioned to look behind her with a nod of his head, eyes narrowed in a glare, "It's him."
'Him' wasn't much of an answer. Betty turned around casually, expecting perhaps a parent or an old bikie (because she knew this sound was from a motorbike- a Harley, maybe? She knew nothing about bikes but she KNEW that sound from the travelling bikies in Arizona) trying to cause shit… Her heart thumped a little bit louder as she saw him, though. He was definitely not an old bikie with an oily, long beard and a big gut with an awkwardly fit leather vest, nor was he a parent going through some mid-life crisis. He was… Well… Betty gazed, breath taken away.
He was young, feet planted on each side of the giant, onyx monstrosity that hummed a growling sound. Combat boots, ripped jeans, a white singlet and suspenders hanging uselessly by his hips- a large, black leather jacket shone in the Riverdale sun. And his face… She licked her lips, her mouth feeling suddenly dry and ashen. He had a sharp face, dark hair that flopped around and misbehaved with the wind and stark, light eyes. He looked… unlike anyone in the town. Mysterious. Angry. Rebellious. As if he didn't belong among the peaceful, retro figures swamping the carpark.
"Who is he?" She asked, turning back to face Archie. His face was pulled in a snarl. Obviously this guy was bad news, Betty thought, yet that didn't put any amount of fear or revulsion in her body. The aura and atmosphere was a murky one, with Archie's clear anger and the fear from students mingling in the air. It washed over her, swallowing her. And she let it. She liked it. It made her body tingle.
He unlocked the Jeep, "He's bad news, Betty. He's a dropkick. He's in the Serpents. Son of the leader. What's worse? He goes here, not THEIR school in the south." Veronica climbed into the front seat, hurriedly. It seemed she was in need of protection from his presence.
"Does it matter if he's from the south-" Betty had no idea who the Serpents were. She had no idea what it was, and for the first time that day, she truly felt intrigued.
"It's not same hatred of land, Betty," Archie explained, placing a hand on her shoulder to pull her into the car, "It's who he is. He's dangerous. Not like a…" He took a breath, silence greeting his ears as the bike was turned off, yet he had to quieten his voice, "you know, he's not swell kind of bad. As in, He will cut you up dangerous."
Swallowing, she gave one last look at Jughead before she was ushered in to the car. He was staring at her with a smirk on his full lips. Whether it was one of interest to see someone new or a look of humour (perhaps he knew Archie was talking about him), she didn't know, but when she turned to face him, time had ceased to exist. Seconds stretched into minutes and hours, the two gazing at each other, questions popping up between them.
Who are you?
Why do you look so sad?
Why are you staring?
Do you need fixing?
Do you want a ride?
Fate was something Betty didn't believe in, the thought of anything magical or superstitious made her fists clench, but she felt at that very moment she needed to see him again. And she would.
...
...
When Archie dropped her home, Veronica, he and Betty were excited to see Archie and her were next door neighbours. "I'm thinking movie nights." Veronica excitedly called, "And study groups and – Ooh," She excitedly gasped, "I can always sneak to you for some gossip. Do you have a car?" She twisted in the front of the car, gazing at Betty with such a kind gaze it made the blonde's heart hurt. How can she be so trusting? Because Betty looked the part of this pastel world. But she liked it.
Betty shook her head.
"Shame, well," Veronica turned to Archie with a devious smirk, "We have a chauffeur now."
"Seriously? Can't you take the bus? Or your limo?"
Betty's eyebrow quirked. A Limo?
Yet she wouldn't hear of it. "No, no- Archie, that is out of the question. You are Betty and my official driver. If you want reimbursement be a good boy." It shouldn't have been a shock to see them flirting, sharing little gazes of lusty promises, yet it made Betty feel… Squirmy. Again. She looked away. Archie sucked his lower lip thoughtfully before placing his hand on her thigh.
"Well, if you insist."
"I do!" She laughed. "Well, Betty, we're here. At Archie's home, too, do you want to join us for dinner? Fred," Archie's dad? "makes a mean lasagne."
While the promise was definitely tempting, the blonde couldn't help but stare at her home. The contrast between the Andrew's home and the Cooper's was vast. Architecturally similar, yet she felt dread staring at what was her now 'home'. She felt the constraints of pink walls and disappointing gazes and insisting yells 'study, study, study' 'this is for your own good' 'follow the rules'. It would have been nice to eat with the Andrew's. Turning back to the two, she gave them a brief smile, "Maybe another night. I've just moved in, I think mom wants to catch up."
"If you say so. The offer's always on." Archie was warm, through and through, grinning sweetly. It matched Veronica's trusting smile. They looked as if they should be on some Christmas card sold at Hallmarks: so perfect, so beautiful, so great. Betty flashed her own smile, climbing out of the Jeep before making her way up to the house, sparing the two a wave before shutting the door behind her.
Alice Cooper was always house proud. A prolific journalist, homemaker and control-freak, she was always doing something. The inside greeted Betty with the beautiful sight of neutral tones and spotless surfaces. Photos of Betty and Alice, or just Betty, or just Alice, greeted her eyes as she wondered down the halls and into the Kitchen. The smell of dukkah and rich spices greeted her. "Oh, Betty, you're back."
"Yeah. Well, I got a ride back."
"Oh?" Alice's face looked a bit perplexed, "From who?"
"just some friends I made." Betty replied, sliding into her seat. "Archie and Veronica- and Kevin."
"Archie Andrews?" her mother pursed her lips, thinking about it for a second. "He's … Interesting. Nice boy. Nice dad." Another way of saying He won't influence you badly. "And… Veronica Lodge?" Betty nodded, "Ah- She's … Archie's boyfriend? Well… I can't say I like her parents, but … If you stay on top of your studies." It was laughable to think she was bargaining who her daughter befriended, but Betty knew it would happen. Her mother was so terrified of her final year being a flop. She just wanted to see Betty take the world, as most parents do, but the way she went about it- it had Betty internally screaming. "And Kevin… Is that Kevin Gough?"
"Kevin… Mueller?" Betty thought about it, she was never good at names.
"Oh! The Sherriff's son!" Alice clapped her hands together, "That's nice! He's good at his studies!"
"Yeah." Betty smiled, "That's why they're my friends." Bullshit. They were her friends because she wanted friends and they were the only ones willing to talk to her. If they'd been the worst at school, total weed lovers or more interested in sex than anything else, she'd have done it. Who gave a fuck about them being 'good'?
Oh yeah, mom does. And so does Riverdale apparently.
"Well, I'm glad your day was good. See, Riverdale is going to work." Alice smiled, "come on, dinner's almost ready. Why don't you do your homework and I'll dish it out?" Betty nodded with pursed lips, already tugging out her folders.
"There's not much to do."
"Doesn't matter, just do it." Alice sung, yet she was a bit stern. She was always stern. A bit stern. Very stern. Edging on stern. Withholding a roll of the eyes, she went about re-writing notes and answering a few maths questions. It was easy, as was most of the schoolwork given to Betty. If it were hard, all that money poured into tutoring and extra lessons would have been a waste. But while Betty re-wrote words, her mind returned to the burst of vibrancy that day.
It were as if the entire day were a pastel bomb, with soft pinks and blues- some white and sunny yellow thrown in. Sweet, soft, beautiful. The people were nice, typical teenagers, yet a certain standard- need- for normality. As if anyone who were to show up in a cold tone of navy or tropical red were going to wreck the balance of Riverdale. And yet, while it was nice, Betty knew it was… unsatisfying. She'd seen vibrancy in Arizona just out of her reach where rules and curfews kept her away… And now, being launched into a sweet, rosy town had bleached any dreams of seeing parties at night and loud music and flashing lights- but … that man. Jughead.
It were as if a punch had slammed itself in her gut, forcing her to stare upon golden dunes, lusty reds and painful blues. He'd appeared like a devil among angels, leather shining in a field of cotton and polyester. And he was handsome. He looked as if he could dish out a punch, as if his smirk could mesmerise the holiest of nuns, as if he could make Betty spin. "Elizabeth?"
"Hm?"
"What are you doing?" Alice snapped, laying down a tray of steamed greens. The young Cooper was unsure of how long she'd daydreamed of him, but she saw her page was filled with repeated math equations.
"Ah-" She flushed. "I'm trying to memorize this equation. It's hard." She hastily explained, a bit embarrassed. That was a first. A guy had never taken her away from her studies. But this guy wasn't just a guy- He was more than that. Alice returned to the stove top, stirring a pot of mushrooms in a creamy sauce. "Hey…" She began.
"Heya." Alie flashed a smile.
"Mom.."
"Yes, Betty? Is your homework done?"
"Oh- yeah. I was just wondering." When Alice hummed, Betty continued a bit uneasily, "Who are the serpents?"
"Serpents? Southside Serpents?"
"Yeah."
Alice stopped, turning to face her with a frown, curious, "How did you hear them?" It were as if Betty had said a swear as a curious child, "I hope no one spoke of them positively."
Definitely not positively. Quite angrily, in fact, when she remembered Archie's snarl, "No, it was the opposite. I just mean- who are they? Archie acted as if they were… Like…" She picked at a steamed piece of broccoli, chewing it, "dangerous or something."
"Trust me, Elizabeth. They probably don't sound as terrifying as say… the Yakuza or the crips- but they're a violent, disgusting group of men and women."
"So they are a gang?"
Maybe that leather jacket held some gang emblem. Maybe he was the headkicker of them all. Betty should have felt disgusted but she was entranced. "Oh yes. They were here when I was born, they've grown since I returned. They've even spread their disgusting reach into New York." Alice's face scrunched up, "They're a horrid bunch. Spreading their drugs, their violence- their lack of morals. They belong in the south. If you heard the amount of bodies found in the south, the drugs taken in to the North- you'd be shocked."
Perking in interest, her back straightened. It wasn't as if she liked the idea of people dying or drugs being carried, she was sure this Jughead guy wasn't like that- wasn't a murderer, was simply … Bad. Different. Misunderstood. A flash of soft, noir hair and bright eyes flashed in her mind. She tightened her jaw. Alice would never understand- she'd never want to! She barely understood how Betty felt most of the time. Would anyone?
It felt as if she were stuck in a tight straitjacket, unable to move and being toted around by everyone for the different things: spring proms, ballet recitals, study sessions and promises of chastity. If it weren't for the tight clenching of her fists, the nails digging in to her flesh, she'd have held her breath until she was dizzy in some attempt to stop the outrage and the sudden onslaught of tears. "Are you okay?" Alice asked, pouring the mushrooms into a bowl. Her eyes were concerned. Because it made sense for Betty to be shaken by ideas of blood and fearful gangs- not Alice's actions, not Betty's life.
"What?" Betty asked, fists still tightly clenched below the bench, "Yeah. Of course. Just weird to hear that's happening here of all places."
Taking the chicken out of the oven, Alice motioned for Betty's books and textbooks to disappear, pulling out plates and cutlery. Betty sucked on her lower lip, feeling the awkward, painful cramping of her fingers relaxing. She hadn't broken the skin. But it was slightly relieving to feel that pain. "Oh, trust me, Betty. If I could wipe them out of here, for you- for every other girl and boy here- I would." And that was the gospel truth. As Betty cleared the table and set Alice's plate at the marble bench, she just wanted the conversation to end.
"Well, it doesn't matter." Betty smiled charmingly, already serving herself, "I'll… Be…" God, god, god, yuck- yuck- she hated being here and speaking and god, let her disappear, let her leave- "in University soon."
"Studying Law? Or Journalism? Have you chosen?" Alice dropped the serpents talk, pulling a healthy serving of greens and mushrooms onto her plate, "I honestly believe you have a knack for journalism. Like me."
"Yeah." Betty smiled, "I was thinking journalism." And she was. But not that hard. She wanted to go to university, of course, otherwise trying so hard would have been a waste! And she wanted to disappear into New York, to be consumed by the skyscrapers and fluoro advertisement and the mass of colourful, different people. But she hadn't thought about what she wanted to do. It was just… a big lie for Alice and Hal and the Principal and the guidance counsellor and the tutors and friends. "Write about crimes and current affairs." She added. The cherry on top. Alice drank it up, pleased her daughter was following in her footsteps.
As they continued eating dinner, Alice eagerly discussed Betty's future as a serious journalist. Where to go. Who to see. What extra work to do for professors. It was … Boring. But it wasn't controversial, it wasn't harsh, it wasn't full of yelling and screaming and crying.
But really, as Betty continued humming and expanding and repeating the same thing over and over again, all she could really think of were blue eyes, black hair and a snarling motorcycle.
...
...