It was always Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones.
That was the first thing that Max learned, right after learning that Archie Andrews ran through girls like a getaway car ran through stop lights, and that Veronica Lodge was a force to be reckoned with.
These were the laws of the land here at Riverdale, and every resident here lived by them. They weren't questioned, or argued. They just were. She continued to learn more things, like how Pop's Chock Lit Shoppe was the place that all the kids went to hangout, and Cheryl Blossom was a total bitch but everyone felt sympathetic for her because of her dead twin brother. That all the parents were psycho, and it was the job of the kids to learn from their mistakes and become the people that their parents never could. It was always rainy, and usually cold, and it was miles and miles until you reached the nearest beach.
This was how it was, and everyone accepted it.
So who was Max to argue?
Her first day of school was slightly different than the rest of her days at Riverdale would be. She was the talk of the town, because the town was small and she was new and had a pretty face. Her mother made her a breakfast of toast and fruit, and she dressed slightly nicer than she usually would. She walked through the doors of the high school and caught many stares that continued throughout the day. Betty Cooper gave her a tour of the school, and Max learned three things: 1: Betty Cooper was the kindest girl in Riverdale, and often was nice to people who didn't deserve it, 2: She dealt with a ton of drama and mystery sophomore year that has something to do with dead twin of Cheryl, and 3: She was utterly and completely head over heels for Jughead Jones. Whoever he was.
"So, how do you feel about Riverdale so far? Be honest." Betty was smiling over her shake, a classic vanilla.
"Being completely honest, its dreary appearance and negative publicity really lowered my initial judgement," Max states. "But you've really given it some positive light, Betty Cooper. That and the fact that it hasn't disappointed me yet." She smiles, scooping a bite of her root beer float as Betty laughs.
"I think you'll come to find that Riverdale has it's own little taste of magic." They both smile, and Betty opens her mouth, but her eyes betray her, locking glance at the door. Her words never form; instead her mouth forms a smile and her hands excitedly wave over the visitors who just entered Pop's. Max meets Betty's gaze to discover the red and raven haired boy and girl she would be later introduced to as Archie Andrews and Veronica Lodge.
"Arch! Ronnie! Over here!" Her voice is like music, and the two are drawn to it. Max stares, her eyes slowly tracing Archie's figure up and down, and then Veronica's. They are both beautiful in their own ways, Archie toned and chiseled, obviously an important member of the football team, while Veronica soft and sweet, covered head to toe in midnight. Max takes interest in both of them, smiling softly as they slide into her and Betty's booth.
"Veronica Lodge, nice to meet you," Veronica greets with a smile, taking a seat next to Max. "The ginger here is–"
"Archie Andrews. Happy to meet you." He is smiling as well, with a glint of attraction in his eye as he eyes Max. Anything half attractive with a pulse and Archie is all over it.
"Maximum Salvatore, but I go by Max. Really nice to meet y'all!"
"Y'all," Veronica laughs, at the same time that Archie whistles.
"Maximum, huh. That's an interesting name. Looks like Jughead's not the only odd name we know," He nudges Betty playfully, the light in her eyes when Jughead was mentioned clearly evident.
"Oh shut up Andrews." She laughs, nudging him back just as playfully. "Let me out? Have to pee." She slides over him, rolling her eyes at the "oh!" he makes as she escapes.
"Who is Jughead? I keep hearing about him, but I haven't seen him anywhere. Does he go to Riverdale high?" Max is genuinely curious, because his name has been brought up in more than enough conversations, but his face always fails to make the picture.
"Jughead is, as you probably guessed, Betty's boyfriend. He used to go here, but he had some issues and…now he goes to South Side. But he's coming back, right Arch?"
"For sure." Archie is diving into Betty's shake, almost inhaling the thing. "No doubt in my mind. We'd miss him too much to let him stay there."
"Hey, did Pop's redo the bathroom, because there's new–Archie! Stop that right now!" Betty reenters the picture, rushing towards the redhead and his messy slurping.
"I mean it Arch, get your own!" She is in the middle of trying to pry it from his steel fingers and wipe the mischievous grin off his face, when the door rings and someone enters. The shake is forgotten in an instant.
Max can't breathe.
There, in midnight glory and topped with a beanie for a king, was–
"That's Jughead Jones." Veronica whispers, but Max knows, she knows because who else would Betty look at with hearts for eyes.
Jughead Jones.
It hits her right away and all at once, this–this feeling that must be the feeling that soulmates get when they see the one. It must be, because her chest is imploding and exploding all at once, and her breath is gone and her stomach does flip after flip. She can't stop looking at him, even after Veronica and Archie stop. Even after Jughead has hugged Betty, and his eyes have ran around the room. Even when he takes notice. They make eye contact and her chest burns, and she wonders if he feels any of this. If there's any chance that her life won't simply be a one sided mope story. But then he's looking at Betty, and she realizes that the chances are very likely.
"Max, this is Jughead. Jughead, this is Max." Betty introduces them with a grin, unaware that Max just experienced something beyond comprehension. Jughead meets her eyes and smiles. Her heart is turned liquid from warmth.
"Nice to meet you, Max."
"Her real name is Maximum!" Veronica mentions, and Jughead raises his eyebrows.
"Almost as weird as Jughead, dontcha think?" Archie comments, stuffing his face with fries that somehow appeared.
Max smiles. "My parents did a lot of drugs. They were on shrooms at Woodstock when they thought of the name."
"No way!" Veronica gasps, and the table erupts into shocked laughter.
"What's your excuse?" Max directs the question at Jughead, trying her absolute best to pretend that this was a normal conversation and she didn't just have a revelation that he might possibly be her soulmate.
"My head was in a jug looking shape when I was a kid, and my mother and father teased me all throughout my childhood." He smiles, and it's directed at Max, which makes her heart sing.
Secretly though.
"But they didn't refrain from using your real name when you were in trouble," Archie states, shooting a glance at Veronica.
"Which is…" Veronica states suspiciously, staring at Jughead and waiting for him to finish the sentence.
"Which is 'none of your buisness'," He smirks, causing the two to scowl angrily.
"Dammit!" Archie grumbles, looking at his shoes.
"You're gonna tell us one day, Jug." Betty smiles, leaning into his shoulder. He puts his arm around her, smiling.
"We all have a bet," Veronica whispers to Max. "Seeing who will get Jughead to confess his real name. Or find it out somehow."
"It's never going to happen, don't quit your day jobs." Jughead smirks.
Max stares him straight in the eyes, smirking. "I want to join the bet. Sign me up."
Time grew, and when it reached a month of Max in Riverdale, she faced herself with the facts. 1: Jughead Jones was her soulmate, and 2: She would forever just have to accept it but never do anything about it because 3: It was always Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones.