Veronica had sworn to be a changed woman when her family encountered financial scandal. She knew what kind of person she was beforehand, when her father was free and not imprisoned. But if there was one thing that never changed for Veronica was the communication with her soulmate. She admired and took solace in the anonymity of soulmates, and everyone knew that it was impossible to communicate with names. The universe wouldn't let you, it would simply know the second you wrote on your arm if you were going to include your name, and it would never appear. A good friend of hers had tried, it went something like this:
She wrote on her arm: My name is Erica, what's yours?
Veronica had seen it, the ink dark and legible, but when the words from Erica's soulmate appeared, it read: I couldn't see it. But my name is
Nothing else. 'My name is' and nothing else. It simply wouldn't transfer.
People said it was the universe's way to urge everyone to embark on a journey to find each other, using critical thinking and following clues. It was about the chase.
Veronica, on the other hand, believed a deeper theory. It was simply because perhaps souls don't have names. People get their names from their parents at birth, when the universe creates a soul, there is no name. You just are.
She didn't tell her soulmate exactly about her family's downfall when it happened, she didn't want to repel whoever they were.
When she arrived at Riverdale, she didn't even tell them she had moved from New York.
"So you're from New York?" Betty Cooper asked on Veronica's technical orientation day.
"Yes," Veronica nodded.
"That's interesting, I know someone from New York."
"Oh yeah? Maybe I know them, what's their name?"
At this Betty stalled, as they kept walking down the hallways. "No, I don't think you do, it's a pretty big place."
Why Betty stalled was obviously because she was mentioning her soulmate, but did not want to go deeper in it. It's just that, when she heard Veronica mention New York, it made her think about the happiest part of her life- the one thing that never changed: her soulmate. She shook her head; it was bad manners to let her mind drift to her soulmate when she should have been giving her attention to welcoming this new student!
In class, Veronica wanted to be a focused student, she really did, but in all honesty, behind that confident persona, the Lodge heiress was overwhelmed. Looking for a small dosage of comfort, she took her ballpoint pen and scripted on her arm softly: When do you think we'll ever meet?
It took a few minutes for her soulmate to inscribe back, reading: Fate is always working towards that. Veronica smiled to herself, chuckling. Her soulmate was always like this, and by 'like this', Veronica meant serious… and right. The universe really did gravitate lovers together, it was just up to everyone to be vigilant.
What if it was tomorrow? Veronica wrote back, indulging in her inner-romantic. But there was no response. Maybe she was moving too fast? Everyone loved the idea of finding their soul mate, but commitment was still a fear for many people.
Class went by agonizingly slow, but when she was free, Betty was outside the room waiting for her.
"Betty!" Veronica beamed politely, "Pleasure to see you again."
"I'm going to be escorting you all day," Betty smiled, speaking with a matter-of-fact tone. "Let me see your schedule again? I wanna see what your next class is so I can show you how to get there the fastest."
Veronica dug in her purse and pulled out the folded piece of paper and handed it to her Riverdale ambassador. Betty unfolded it and read over the chart, trying to remember the whole day so she wouldn't have to keep asking for the schedule each time she came to pick Veronica up.
"Alright, come on this way," Betty said, handing the paper back. And Betty had escorted Veronica all day, as she had said, and Veronica felt herself becoming more and more comfortable with walking down the halls with her, feeling safe and normal beside Betty. She looked forward to it. In fact, she was thrilled that Riverdale ran off of a block schedule- she had certain classes today, but different ones tomorrow. She wouldn't return to this schedule until the day after that. Perhaps she would pretend that she needed Betty once more that day, saying she just wanted one more refresher.
It was only a week that Veronica was in Riverdale, and Betty had invited her to lunch at Pop's on a Sunday evening with Archie and Jughead. Before Veronica left her residence to join them, she scribbled on her arm: I bet, whoever you are, you look beautiful today.
The lunch was heartwarming, and everything Veronica needed to feel finally welcome in this new town. She could safely say she had real friends for once in her life. And as she took a sip of her thick chocolate shake, Jughead teased Betty gently, poking at her arm with his unwrapped straw.
"More words from your long, lost lover, Betty?" he said with fake snide, causing Archie to smile supportively. Everyone had a soulmate, so Betty never knew what she was always taunted about having one herself. She knew the boys were just playing, but still.
"Stop," Betty defended, a blush spreading under her cheeks rapidly. She gently caressed the words on her arm, "No one talks to me like they do…"
"Hey, I talk to you like that," Archie retorted, actually seeming a bit offended.
"You're different, Arch," Betty laughed.
"Well let me see, exactly what they say but I don't." Archie held out his hand waiting for Betty to surrender her arm. She did reluctantly, yet a little proud to show off that she had a lover somewhere in the world. Archie rolled up her sleeve as far as he could, and read what he saw.
"'I bet, whoever you are, you look beautiful today'," he recited, and Veronica's heart exploded and she choked.
"My God, Veronica, are you okay?" Betty asked, watching Veronica try to stifle her sputtering and finally breathe.
Those were her words on Betty's arm.
"Yeah… yeah," Veronica tried to respond, dabbing her mouth with a cloth napkin, just in case she had embarrassingly spit some of her shake up in her coughing fit. "Just went down the wrong pipe."
But while they went back to discussing Betty's mysterious, complimenting soulmate, Veronica's heart drummed in her ears. She had to tell Betty. The universe finally brought them together, this was the beginning of the now or never moment. She wouldn't do it here, no, she owed it to Betty to reveal herself in private, not around her "bro-friends". So she tried to go about the lunch as normally as possible, doing her best to change the subject.
When she got home, her mind raced on how to do this. In the midst of her planning, she felt her arm tingle, and saw words forming. I could never speak like you, I wish I could. Veronica smiled meekly. Poor Betty, so shy, but acknowledging that she was trying to be on the cusp of boldness.
Influenced by anxious impatience, Veronica wrote back. There's something I need to tell you.
Veronica did not give away her identity- it was literally impossible to do so, but she knew she couldn't keep their destined relationship private for long. Better for Betty to know and then proceed how she felt best, then to secretly pine for Betty, her soulmate who was within arm's reach the majority of every day. So she sent flowers.
Yellow roses made their way to the Cooper household. Dozens upon dozens. Then dozens of pink, and dozens of red. Betty's living room practically turned into a flower show. Betty was overwhelmed and completely enamored, never feeling so extraordinary in her entire life. She touched all the delicate petals with fingers, filled with the life created by her delicate heart.
"Who sent these?" Alice asked, completely bewildered, as her husband sat in his favorite armchair, hiding his frown behind his hand. He was like any loving father, not ready to see his daughter about to be swept away.
Tied to one of the many vases was a rolled up piece of paper, and Betty's heart picked up in pace as she unraveled it.
"A note?" Alice asked, noticing Betty holding the piece of paper. "Does it say who it's from?" She was making her way towards her daughter, and in a moment of possessiveness, Betty leaped over some of the vases and ran to the bathroom, clutching the note. Before Alice could catch up, Betty had locked the door.
Dear Betty,
I can't tell you how scary it is for me to write this. I know that's not how one should start a love letter, but it's true, I have never been more terrified in my entire life. I know one would say I shouldn't be, given the circumstances of who we are to each other, but rejection is still very real.
I decided to write this letter, which was drafted at least seven previous times, because I wanted you to find out, but in a way that did not put you in an obligating situation. I didn't want you to feel like you had to respond a certain way if I had told you in person, I believe you deserve to react how you purely feel you want to.
As you know, the color of a rose has significant meaning. I've sent you three: yellow, pink, and red. I guess I could have just sent you one vase of each, but my heart got away from me. Yellow is for friendship, and pink is for gratitude; I sent you more of these in gratitude for the lovely friendship you have gifted me. For some, pink can also represent love, especially in the first stages of a romance, but for me, that's what red stands for. Red stands for love, deep romance, undeniable true and unconditional love. I have only sent you one bouquet of these, not because my heart bears no love for you, on the contrary my heart is overflowing. I sent one because I do not know if there will be a need to send more.
To answer the question you must be asking yourself, Betty, I am writing this letter to let you know that I am your soulmate. I found out at lunch in Pop's with you last week. I wanted to tell you earlier, but like I said, I felt you needed to be alone when you found out, and I was afraid. I will keep my distance from you if you wish, I understand if you need time to think, but when you are ready, please see me as soon as you can.
With destined love,
Veronica Lodge
Betty's mind was racing out of control as she devoured the sentences over and over, screaming internally at the reveal. Veronica. Veronica Lodge. She felt like her mind's eye had tunnel vision, and couldn't think about anything but this young woman who was proposing herself. She opened the door to the bathroom, keeping the letter protectively to her chest. Alice watched her daughter silently make her way back to the living room and knelt by the vase of red roses. She reached over and pulled a couple of yellow roses out of a vase and inserted them among the red roses, and then repeated her action with some pink roses. When she was done, she had a vase full of the mosaic of colors. Betty then picked up the colorful vase and pulled out her phone, skillfully texting with one hand.
She hoped Veronica didn't receive a confirmation yet that her flowers were delivered and wanted to play it coy, just for now: Can you come over? I want to rehearse some cheer moves.
It only took a couple of seconds before Veronica texted back: Of course, I'll be right over.
Betty wondered if Veronica was nervous, or curious that there was no mention of flowers or declarations of fate. The youngest Cooper daughter waited patiently in the minuscule foyer of the suburban house, ignoring her inquiring mother.
And then Betty's ears picked up the sound of someone walking on the porch, and stood up and opened the door before Veronica could knock. There Ronnie was, dressed in one of her signature beautiful dresses, yet carrying her gym bag. She probably had her PE uniform in there to change out.
"Good evening, Betty," she said, gripping her bag. She didn't take a step forward because her eyes dropped down to see what Betty held in her arms.
"The roses…" Veronica began. "So you… Betty…" her voice began to betray her fear, and Betty could tell that Veronica was fighting the urge to panic.
Stepping forward, Betty held the vase out to Veronica. "I want it all," she said calmly, wanting to sooth her soulmate. "I want your friendship, your gratitude and appreciation of me, and your love."
"You aren't upset about who I am?" Veronica asked, caution heavy in her voice.
"Why would I be upset?"
"Because I'm a Lodge. My family has been disgraced."
Betty stepped closer to the heiress, extending her arms further, indicating that she wished for Veronica to take the vase from her hands. Veronica did so, and waited for Betty's response.
"You're my soulmate, we'll build our own lives, Veronica." Betty smiled, hoping her words would thaw Ronnie's fears. Wrapping her arms around Veronica, the flower vase pressing gently between the two girls, Betty placed a kiss on her forehead. "Wanna come inside?"
Veronica looked up at Betty, still held in her arms with the roses against her heart. Her eyes began to well with tears.
"Yes," she whispered.