Author's Note:
From the "Writing Prompts" list, prompt 52: "I think I'm in love with you and that scares me half to death."
This was her happy place, Veronica decided, walking down the quiet hallway with Betty, back to their lockers after River Vixens practice. The school year was nearly over, so all of the afterschool clubs had had their final meetings; the end-of-the-year tournaments of Riverdale High's sports teams were almost all played out. Even the Vixens were approaching the end of their run, not that anyone would've guessed it by Cheryl's regime of training them as hard as ever.
For certain, there wouldn't be many more days like this. Veronica was running out of chances. There was sweat on her palms when she gripped the strap of her duffle bag, dumping it on the floor in front of her locker, and it wasn't from the extra lap of the gym Cheryl had made them do.
"You're quiet today," Betty remarked with a smile, clicking her lock open and reaching inside, beginning to fill her backpack. "Is it just from practice?"
Veronica took a deep breath, not opening her own locker, but standing with her hands clasped nervously in front of her instead.
"Actually," she divulged, keeping her eyes on the side of Betty's face as her friend retrieved and packed her Chem textbook, "it's not. B, can I talk to you about something?"
Betty whipped around to face her.
"Are you ok? Is it your dad? Is it the History exam on Thursday? Do you need notes? Did something happen with Archie? Do you need a tampon?" She lowered her voice for the last inquiry and Veronica smiled, amused. Of course, this was Betty. Betty, her best friend. Betty, who cared. She would listen and understand, like she always did. Maybe.
Veronica exhaled and shook her head.
"No, to all of the above." She raised a finger, contemplatively. "Except the first question because, yes, I am ok."
"Alright." Betty still looked worried, tugging the elastic from her hair and fixing her ponytail. "Do you want to talk?"
"That would be… perfect," Veronica decided. "Why don't we sit in the lounge for a minute?"
"Whatever you want, V," Betty readily agreed, pushing her things back into her locker for the moment.
Veronica hurriedly stowed her own gym bag, making the lock rattle with her trembling fingers. Wow, that was so not Lodge of her.
"So… let's go?" Betty suggested. Veronica could only nod, then they were making their way to the student lounge.
Without consulting one another out loud, both girls headed for the couch, central seating in their usual school day gatherings. Yes, this was good. Betty would feel safe here. With Jughead, Kevin, and Archie there, it would've been an ordinary day. Except that Veronica really didn't want to think about Archie right now.
"Betty," she said, sounding too serious.
"Veronica," her friend replied, matching her tone. They both laughed. "Seriously, V, the suspense is killing me. What's up? You can tell me."
Innocently, Betty reached for Veronica's hand. Well, Veronica thought, her mistake because she wasn't getting it back now. Veronica held on securely, feeling the delicate ridges of the bones in the back of Betty's hand.
"You know that I don't like lying," she began, catching Betty's attentive gaze, "and secrets, between friends, are almost as bad as lies."
Veronica paused. It felt like things were getting a little dizzy, a little surreal. Should she just close her mouth now and forget this attempt had ever been made? No, that would never work on Betty, Queen of persistence and closure. Veronica needed to catch not her breath, but her heart, surging under her ribs.
"Whatever it is," B insisted, rephrasing her care, "I'm listening."
"It's so hard," Veronica admitted at a whisper.
"Then tell me gently," Betty suggested with a generous smile.
"I think…" Veronica breathed the words, letting them float and die in the stale air. She focused on Betty's pale green eyes, saw that she was being heard. "I think I'm in love with you, and that scares me half to death."
Betty kept staring at her, head coming forward a little like she was peering through a telescope. Veronica knew she was deciding a few things. Was Veronica telling the truth? Had she heard the words correctly? Was she capable of a response that wouldn't completely shatter Veronica's heart? Veronica was hoping for a universal yes to those questions.
"You are?"
This was a fair question too, Veronica thought, coming from a girl a little uncertain of love since Jughead had dumped her and left her for the half-living realm of the heartbroken. Betty had come back to herself since then, blooming again and even accepting Jughead gradually back into her life―just not in the same way.
Veronica nodded.
"You know me," she kidded. "Once I get an idea in my head, I'm pretty hard to dissuade."
Betty nodded back.
"It's hard to change your mind."
"This is even worse," Veronica confessed, "because the idea's not in my mind, it's in my heart."
They sat quietly for a minute, not looking at each other; Veronica didn't want to make it weird by trying to catch Betty's eye.
"What about Archie?"
Poor Archie. Veronica did care about him, deeply, but once there was the idea of Betty… her mind was made up.
"I'll break up with him tomorrow. He's strong in more ways than one."
"Wow," Betty sighed. "V." She turned her face and Veronica could look in her eyes again. "I never thought…"
"I know," Veronica assured her, "but there's no team like you and me."
"Can I think about it?" Betty asked shyly. Veronica smiled.
"Please, yes. Please think about it. I could really use your brilliant brain on this one."
"Ok," Betty promised, sounding a little dazed. "I'm going to go back to my locker now. You wanna come?"
Veronica nodded and they stood at the same time.
"I do have one more thing to say though," Betty stated suddenly, stopping Veronica from leaving. Veronica waited. "I don't want you to be scared."
Betty leaned in and kissed her cheek. Veronica wanted to hold her close, keep her longer.
Maybe tomorrow.