Betty had found it odd that Veronica mentioned the locker room once more on their way to her third class. And then to her forth. And once more when they had parted ways after school hours. I mean, how many times did Betty need to tell her "it's a public locker room, who hasn't stumbled upon another person changing?"
"Hey, Betty!"
Betty turned at the sound of her name, seeing none other than Archie Andrews trekking a light jogging pace towards her.
"Hey, Archie," she smiled, her cheeks brightening. "What's up?"
"Ah, you know, just had a 'meh' kind of day," he said tilting his palm back in forth for emphasis.
"Why's that?" Betty asked, as she resumed walking home with him beside her.
"Because my best girl wasn't there with me!" he reached over and pulled her close, pretending to ruffle her tight ponytail.
"Stop," she laughed, pushing herself away from him, her face now brighter than before.
"How was your day?" He asked, smiling at her like a model.
"Well it was-"
"I heard you're the escort for that… I think her name was Veronica Lodge?"
Betty's enthusiasm of seeing her best friend dissipated as she recognized his attempt of hiding his ulterior motive. "Yeah, I am… what about it?"
"Well, uh… is she cool?" He asked, putting his hands in his letterman jacket and shrugging his shoulders.
"She's okay."
"That's it? Just okay?"
"Yeah, well, I only speak to her about five minutes at a time, and like… just a total of five or so times today. Don't know how much of her character I'm supposed to get from that." Betty began to walk a little faster, not wanting to participate in this conversation further. "You're interested in her?"
"uh- uh" Archie tripped over his tongue, "I mean, she's just new. Not a lot of new things happen in this town, just wanted to be… around the hype, you know?"
"Please," Betty exasperated, as they made it to her doorstep. "You're just like all the other guys at school. They're all just climbing all over each other to try and get a shot with her."
"Listen, Betts," Archie stepped up with her. "Why are you so upset about this?"
"It's just disgusting." Betty began to unlock the door to her home, not looking at Archie as she spoke.
"I'm sorry, Betty. Just, just forget I asked. Look… you going to Cheryl's party this weekend?"
"I never understood why she holds parties on the first weekend of school…" Betty reminisced.
"She likes to christen things, I guess," Archie explained, a cautious smile on his face. "So you going? Want me to pick you up?"
"Fine, sure, but it'll be the only one I go to all year."
"That's just fine!" Archie did a couple of steps backwards as he waved, making his way towards his home next door. "See you around!"
The week went by dangerously slow for Veronica. Much to her displeasure, she had to law low. Cheryl played a powerful hand, and any great strategist knows that you can't win every battle, so Veronica bitterly let herself be conquered for the time being. The redhead never had to say what the video was: it was Veronica watching Betty dress. Just gawking there like a pervert. Veronica normally wouldn't care. So what if she liked girls? … its just that she didn't want Betty to find out- find out she was peeking, that is. And she didn't want Betty to be harassed about it. The best thing she could do for Betty at this point, after violating her privacy, was to at least keep the video contained from others- the whole school- from seeing her naked. Betty didn't deserve that.
Cheryl pretended to groom Veronica, pass compliments to her in public, and do anything a typical alpha personality exhibited over new conquests. Veronica couldn't take it. It seemed that all her experience in playing against bitches in New York wasn't enough in this new setting. She never really, well, she never really cared about someone else being in the crosshairs. Veronica knew she had an attraction to the blonde girl, who was an unsuspecting victim to Cheryl's video, but it was nothing more than hook-up sensations. Veronica never cared about people she was just planning to screw. She chewed her lip as she thought this over. Maybe if after she got Betty under her she'd feel differently. Just needed to get the girl out of her system.
"So, don't forget, bitches," Cheryl announced as everyone stood outside by the queen as the end-of-day bell rang, "first party of the year- senior year- will be the start of the best parties you'll ever experience. Blossoms never let Riverdale down… Tonight. Bring everyone you can, I want everyone to see. Well- seniors only, obviously. I don't want minors there."
"For alcohol reasons?" Veronica asks, confused at the stupidity of the request.
"Uh, no, because I don't want a sex scandal in my home," Cheryl said rudely.
All the girls giggled and shared how excited they were, truly being this would be the revolutionary to-die-for party of the year. They all dispersed in the directions they needed to in the parking lot or to the bus line, leaving just Veronica and Cheryl behind.
"You'll be coming tonight, won't you?" Cheryl asked, beaming her typical bureaucratic smile. Cheryl hadn't mentioned the video in two days, and Veronica was hoping that Riverdale's dictator had forgotten all about it- with all the selfies she takes, that video must be somewhere deep down in her digital gallery.
"Of course," Veronica replied, playing the game, sharing her own mastered smile.
"Bring someone, if you want. If you've made any other friends. How about a girl?" Cheryl's smile was malicious. "Oh- that actually probably won't be necessary. I forgot to tell you that I invited Betty Cooper. Thought that would make my new best friend happy." Veronica grimaced with rage. "Why so sour, V? I thought you liked the girl?"
"That won't be necessary, I told you, I wasn't watching her that way."
"Oh please!" Cheryl laughed. "I know what that look was when I caught you. Yeah, sure, I'll give it to you- you genuinely were shocked at first, but once you realized exactly what was happening, you didn't remove yourself. Like a normal person would."
Veronica simply stared at Cheryl, appalled. "Normal?"
Cheryl seems to backtrack in her mind. "Uh, you know what I mean. I'm not talking about your sexuality, I'm talking about your perversion, not knowing it's wrong to stare at someone in such a vulnerable state."
Veronica shook her head in disapproval, making a mental note to steal Cheryl's phone tonight and delete the video and any evidence from whatever digital cloud the bitch used.
The party started off as a typical success, everyone entering the Blossom manor in flocks and herds. The Top 100 songs of the summer were blaring from every sound system, and Veronica could feel the bass of every tune pounding on her lungs, like an everlasting taiko drummer. She had to play the part of Cheryl's followers for the start of the party, but could break off when it just felt unbearably hot inside. Taking a bottle of water outside, she felt relieved at the cool night air practically freezing her body. It was an oddly chilly night for September on the East Coast.
"Veronica! Hey!" cheered a happy voice. Annoyed by habitual reflex, Veronica looked toward the source of the voice, eyebrow raised. It was Betty. And some redheaded boy behind her.
"Hey, B, how are you?" Veronica dropped her guard willingly, reaching out for Betty as she come closer. The girls hugged and V placed a greeting kiss on B's cheek.
"I'm good," she smiled. Something about Betty seemed very positive tonight, her aura was spilling with happiness. "This is, this is my best friend, Archie Andrews."
Oh right. Veronica remembered his name among Cheryl's normal gossip. Apparently, she found him quite attractive, but never bothered to make a move. "Pleasure," Veronica said, reaching her hand out. Archie shook it enthusiastically.
"Likewise," Archie smiled, his cheeks pink. Betty's were too, and Veronica assumed they had walked quite a bit in this chilly night to make it to the door. The front driveway area of Thornhill was packed with cars, so it made sense that they probably had to park some ways away. "Hey, listen, Veronica, how do you like Riverdale?"
If Veronica had a dime for every time someone asked her that question- she wouldn't even need to be Hiram's heir. "It's just fine. Kinda basic," she replied, with contempt in her voice. Archie was still smiling as he nodded at her response. Veronica sized him up without shame. She knew an interested boy when she saw one. She then cast her eyes onto Betty, who was now just standing there awkwardly. "Did he come here with you?" Veronica asked.
The two were startled by the question. "Wha- what? No, no, Archie is just my friend," Betty cleared, pushing Archie away from her, playfully shoving his chest with an open palm.
"Good," Veronica said. Veronica Lodge may have been a notorious bitch from her escapes in New York, but she had some respectable manners: such as cheating. Social class and the game be damned, affairs were disgusting.
"Why's that good?" Archie asked, his voice flared with hope.
Veronica purposely ignored him and link her arm with Betty. "Let's go inside, huh? I'll get you a drink."
"Oh, I'm not drinking tonight," Betty explained, "I'm driving Archie home. Someone's gotta be the DD." She said this with a laugh, and Veronica frowned at how delicate this girl seemed to be.
"That's fine, I'll show you to the water bottles, then." Veronica began to take the lead, Betty securing her arm with Veronica tighter, not wanting to be left behind. Archie was left behind though, walking quickly behind them.
When the three of them entered the grandiose home, Veronica felt something alarm her intuition, and she looked around the crowded spaces. When she couldn't discern a threat, Veronica ignored the alarm until it disappeared within her. Into the kitchen they went and Veronica lifted the lid of the cooler that stored all the bottled water and canned sodas. Beers and such were all over the counters. After inspecting the tamper band of a bottle, Veronica deemed one safe and handed it to Betty, who accepted it graciously.
"Thank you," she whispered manneredly, breaking the bottle open with a twist.
"You're welcome," Veronica said. She watched Betty take a few chugs of the bottle, before speaking once more. "So tell me about yourself, Betty. Girl talk…"
Archie stood next to them awkwardly, hoping to still be able to be a part of Veronica Lodge's bubble. Thank God Betty got the hint though, and cast a look towards her friend, and after a few seconds of searching each other's eyes, Archie frowned and excused himself. He'd go look for some fellow football teammates.
"There's not much to know about me, I'm afraid," Betty chuckled. "I'm kind of just a lame, average girl."
"I find that hard to believe," Veronica urged friendly, leaning against a kitchen counter and ushering her to stand next to her. When Betty did so, she continued.
"I mean, what is there to know about me? Do you have any specific questions?"
"What do you like to do?"
"Umm," Betty looked up as she thought, "I like to fix cars, play some sports every now and then, like, you know, softball and judo…"
Veronica's mouth dropped with entertained disbelief. "That's incredible." Incredible and incredibly gay. Betty blushed at the compliment and waved it off. "No, for real, so can you like, flip Cheryl out of her own house?"
Betty laughed, "Oh, I guess- but that's not what judo's really about. It's more about pinning than flipping." Pin me, please, Veronica thought. "Well, uh, what about you? Do you do any sports?"
"No, not really. I mean, I'm good at some cardio exercises, but I never really applied myself to a sport."
"That's a shame, I believe everyone should have some kind of physical outlet."
"So do you have muscles?" Veronica immediately changed the tone of the conversation, and Betty looked like she felt it.
"Well, yeah, I'd say so," Betty answers genuinely, letting the tone fly over her head.
Now, Veronica didn't want to make Betty uncomfortable, but she just had to make sure that Betty really was getting the signals she was sending. "Can I feel some?"
Betty laughed, her face flushing again. "I mean, I guess? I can't really roll up my sleeves…"
"Oh, that'll be fine." Veronica says lowly, stepping closer to Betty as the girl giggled some more, raising her arm and flexing it. Veronica reached up with both hands, sliding her fingers over Betty's bicep. It was actually quite impressive. Well-formed and firm. Veronica moved her hands up and down Betty's arm slowly, testing the rest of her arm.
"I feel like you're looking for a seam or something, like you think they're fake," Betty chuckles. Veronica looks up at the commentary.
"Oh no, that's not what I think at all. I was actually thinking that it's quite sexy."
Betty's gaze was held by Veronica's. Veronica wondered how Betty was taking it. Yes, it's what you think, Veronica hoped Betty could read in her eyes.
"Veronica, there you are!" Whatever atmosphere Veronica was building, it immediately cascaded at the sound of Cheryl's voice. "Oh? And Betty, too?"
"Hey, Cheryl," Betty greeted automatically. She pulled her arm away from Veronica's tentative fingers.
"Was I interrupting anything?" Cheryl asked, fake concern worn on her face.
"A little," Veronica answered.
"Oh, and what was that?" Cheryl continues.
"Nothing," Betty mutters. "I'm gonna… I think I'm gonna go home."
"But you have to drive Archie home," Veronica blurted.
Betty frowned for a moment, then shook her head. "I'll come back and get him when he's ready. I'm going home. I'm uh… not feeling well."
"Bye, B!" Cheryl said cheerfully, waving by pressing her fingers up and down.
"Betty, hold on," Veronica said quickly. Veronica didn't know why, but she didn't want to lose sight of her. Cheryl stopped her as she tried to follow after, with a hand on her chest.
"Copping a feel?" Veronica snarled.
"Why are you running after Betty?"
"What's it to you?"
"Oh, V, I thought we discussed this. This is my town, and I control you."
"The hell you do," Veronica seethed, tearing Cheryl's hand from her chest.
"Want me to share the video? I don't tolerate insubordination, you know."
"This isn't a fucking business, Cheryl," Veronica retorted.
Cheryl held up her phone, shaking it in a no-no fashion.
"Fuck you," Veronica muttered, and wound her arm back and smacked her hand forward, sending the phone flying from the girl's hand and smashing into the wall.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Cheryl shrieked. It was a good thing that the music was so loud because not many people noticed the commotion in the kitchen.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Veronica emphasized, getting really close to Cheryl. She didn't have time to fight Cheryl, but Cheryl didn't have to know that she was dying to run out of this house and chase Betty. "Trying to control me. Trying to blackmail me because I like a girl. What year is this?"
"It has nothing to do with your orientation!" Cheryl shouted back,
"Then what's it about? You jealous or something? You don't like how I look at her? Want me to look at you like that?"
Cheryl flushed madly.
"You got a problem that I just wanna fuck her? Is that what you wanna hear every time you ask why I'm with her? Because that's all I'm after; you over here acting like you've got some emotional advantage over me." Veronica knew she was getting too heated, these things didn't need to be said. But Veronica Lodge was no caged beast, and being locked up made her corrosive. "Go ahead and act like you're in power. All you are is a cock-block."
"And you're obviously just a whore," Cheryl gritted.
"Are you telling me you don't just sleep with people? That you, Cheryl Blossom, 'queen' of Riverdale is a prude? I find that hard to believe. Go ahead and share the video, you think I care about Betty?"
Yes, Veronica's inner monologue informed herself.
Cheryl looked at her with her dark eyes, studying for a second before she responded: "Yes."
"Wha-"
"I could tell the day I first saw you. You care, and not just about Betty. You're not like me. You may act like you are, you might have convinced yourself that you are, but you're not. You care about everyone, and it's your defining trait. You're a protector… a fierce one. But you're not me."
Veronica was so confused. Was she being complimented? "I'm going. Enjoy your party."
Leaving Cheryl in the kitchen, Veronica ran out of the house and into the massive driveway area of Thornhill, painfully jogging in her heels to find Betty. Her heart sparked when she saw the blonde just now opening the door to Archie's truck.
"Took you some time to get to the car," Veronica spoke up. Betty turned around, surprised to see Veronica there.
"Well, I had to let Archie know that I was leaving and to call me when he was ready. It took a bit to find him…"
"Listen, Betty, did Cheryl make you uncomfortable?"
Betty shrugged, "I'd be lying if I said no, but that's just how it's always been between us, I don't think too much of it anymore."
"You obviously think enough of it if you had to leave…"
Betty yanked open the truck door. "Yeah, well… old habits die hard. Do you… do you need a ride home? Are you done with the party too?"
"Yeah, I think I am," Veronica responded, thinking back to the argument she just had with Cheryl in the kitchen.
"Come inside, then." Betty presses a button on the fob that unlocks the passenger side door and Veronica climbs inside. "Do you wanna go straight home?" she asks as she turns the key in the ignition. The truck engine rumbles like a beast.
"I have an option?" Veronica asks, as they take off from the gravely road to a paved one.
"Well, yeah, I mean, its not like I'm calling it a night completely. I still have to stay up to get Archie eventually. We can go to Pop's or we can go to my place…"
"Let's go to your place."
Betty doesn't say anything else, and the trip to her home is silent, but not altogether uncomfortable. Veronica figures the girl just needs this right now, a bit of quite time. When they go inside the Cooper home, all the lights are off, and Betty turns off the appropriate ones to make their way to her room, turning them off when they're no longer necessary. Veronica almost feels charmed at following Betty through the house, as silent as possible, with complete consideration for her slumbering family.
She lets Veronica into her room and closes the door behind them.
"Oh," she says all of a sudden, "Did you want anything? I should have asked when we were downstairs."
"No, that's alright," Veronica replied, genuinely. "You have quite the library," she mentions, running her fingers down book spines that she recognizes. "Never took you as a lover of the classics. Not many people give them a try outside of homework assignments."
"Yeah," Betty sighs contently. "They're just very different, so they're good distractions from time to time. You like to read?"
"The private schools I went to encouraged reading, like, all the time. These kinds of books grew on me when I started to develop appreciation for them," Veronica explained. "I like to reference books a lot, but not a lot of people catch them."
Betty nodded in understanding and sat down on her bed. "Hey, Veronica?" she asked.
"Yes?" Veronica turned away from the small bookshelf to look at the inquisitive girl.
Betty looked away from her for a moment, seemingly entranced in the individual threads of carpet below her. "Don't be offended or anything, but, I kinda get an impression that you like me?" Veronica is silent for a moment, stunned for being asked. No one ever really asked her when they figured they were the object of her attraction, they just simply gave into her. "Its okay if you do, or if you don't, I just would really like the air to be cleared…"
Veronica walks over to the bed and sits down next to her. "Yes," and Veronica wonders why her heart is beating so fast. "I do like you, Betty…"
Betty nods again, considering this. This isn't really how Veronica thought this was gonna go down. She was gonna swoon the girl somehow, get her in bed, and then go home. Plain and simple, quick and clean. But now she got the sense that feelings from Betty might be involved, and this made Veronica panic inside.
"I kinda like you too…" Betty replies, taking Veronica by surprise. Well… after the sports background told earlier, not too surprised. But Veronica takes this cue to put things back on track.
"It's that why you offered to come back to your place?"
Betty goes red. Like bright primary color red. "I, uh… I don't do this kind of thing," she chuckles, trying to excuse her embarrassment.
"It's okay to be nervous," Veronica offers, reaching out to touch Betty's arm.
Betty smiles, and it stings Veronica's heart. "I'm just stupid," she confesses. "I'm influenced by my friends. Archie and Jughead keep telling me that its senior year… it should be the year of no regrets. We're young, why not act like it…"
Veronica is lost in translation, and Betty reads this on her face. "I really like you Veronica, and it's strange because we have only just met this Monday. But I'd really like to put prudence and shyness behind me…" This is so formal, Veronica wonders how she fell for a girl so different that her usual taste. She stops Betty's explanation with a kiss, pressing deeply. Betty seems to lean back in slow motion, but eventually presses back.
"You don't have to explain yourself, Betty," Veronica says, as they separate. "I'm interested, and I'm okay with this."
That's all Betty seems to need to hear, and she embraces Veronica as she brings forth another kiss. Veronica welcomes it, taking the time to feel Betty's hips, and travel up, enjoying the curve of her sides. They kiss fervently, falling to lay on the bed, with Veronica leading and climbing on top of Betty, her hands reaching Betty's breasts, and something clicks in her brain when she feels the fabric of her bra. She works on pulling Betty's shirt off, and Betty helps, especially when it comes to unclasping her bra. Veronica suddenly feels the need to reciprocate and reaches behind her own neck to pull down her zipper. Betty sits up, with Veronica straddling her, her dress somehow hiked high up her thighs so she could be in this position, and reaches around the girl, taking the zipper for herself. She pulls it down, making eye contact with Veronica, feeling her body in the process as well. When the zipper is down far enough, Betty peels the dress off of her, emerging Veronica out of the garment. Veronica is now the one on her back as Betty finally frees her of her clothes, and all that's left is the removal of their panties.
But Veronica Lodge has a bad habit of control, and finds a way to be on top once more, kissing Betty down her neck, over her breasts, down her core, and lastly pressing on her waistband. Betty is moving her legs sluggishly in anticipation, and Veronica reaches up to catch the band under her fingers. She places slow, noticeable kisses down each centimeter of skin, it seems, as she pulls the panties down. She has to slide her fingers a bit closer to Betty's ass as the girl lifts her hips for a moment so Veronica can pull the underwear off easier. Betty's breath is shaky. Veronica drags the panties down her legs and flings it somewhere in the room, she doesn't give a fuck. She brings herself to kneel in front of Betty, and parts her legs gently, making room for her to nestle between her thighs. She returns to Betty's mouth, paying her attention in kisses as her hands begin to knead and massage and caress, touching everywhere she could. She can feel Betty's readiness against her lower stomach when she pulls herself a bit higher to kiss Betty's forehead. She doesn't know why she did it, she just did.
Betty reaches around Veronica's hips as the dark-haired girl is still keeping her legs open with her body, and starts to pull Veronica's panties down too. Veronica gives her attention to this, and pulls them off her own hips and kicks them off when they're far enough down her legs. When Veronica places herself back down in between Betty's thighs, she can feel the girl beneath her push her hips up, starting a slow and needy grind.
Veronica found herself now to be shaking, too, and it excited her. She was usually very composed when it came to sleeping with girls, but there was just something about Betty that made her feel new to it all. She slipped her hand past Betty's stomach and cupped her, her fingers instantly wet upon contact. She began kissing Betty's neck as her fingers traveled further down Betty's sex, parting her lips teasingly. Betty was rolling her head against her pillow, her eyebrows knit together, overwhelmed. Veronica felt herself smile, proud of the sensation she was creating for her, and then pushed two fingers inside Betty. She reacted with a combination of a gasp and a groan, but began rocking her hips at her desired tempo, and Veronica followed what she set, stroking as deep as possible.
Veronica loved women, it was known by everyone in New York, but what made her desirable was that it was all about their pleasure for her. She enjoyed seeing them in passion, she enjoyed knowing that she was the reason why they were in ecstasy. And it was the same in Betty's case, as Veronica's own passion and pleasure was rapidly built at the sight of Betty gripping her bedsheets, fighting to keep her eyes open as the pleasure became more and more paralyzing. Veronica was okay with getting her own by riding Betty's arched leg, as long as she kept getting to hear Betty mutter her name the way she did. That was something Ronnie knew she would never get tired of: hearing her name breathed by beautiful women.
She knows Betty is reaching her climax now, she's seen that moment of realization in eyes before. Betty reaches up for Veronica, and Veronica obeys, leaning down to kiss her and let her hold her. Betty presses herself against Veronica's moving hand, even harder than before, and soon she's trembling, literally shaking as tremors pulse through her. Veronica wishes that Betty's family wasn't hear, she wishes Betty didn't have to bite her pillow. But what can one do in situations like these?
Betty is breathing hard when Veronica withdraws her hand and rests beside her, leaning on a propped elbow. Betty looks at her with her sea-filled eyes as she tries to catch her breath.
"What about you?" she asks.
"Oh, don't worry about me," Veronica smiles, completely proud of herself and her work right now. "I kinda got off some time before you. Had to keep quiet too, and, well, you had your eyes closed a lot."
"It was hard to keep them open," Betty laughs lightly.
Veronica studies the girls face for a bit, appreciating her beauty, and that's when Veronica feels different. She feels like she should stay, like she should join Betty for the night under her blankets. But that's not Veronica Lodge's style. Veronica Lodge doesn't stay the night. Doesn't do the walk of shame. So she gets up, despite a voice in her mind begging her to stay for just a bit longer.
"Where are you going?" Betty asks, finding strength to sit up.
"Back home," Veronica says simply.
"That's… that's it?" Betty asks, and Veronica swears she hears pain, but focuses on dressing instead.
"Well, what would your family think tomorrow morning?" Veronica offers, trying to make it seem like she didn't just use her. She's putting her heels back on as she says this, and Betty is silent.
"… would you like me to drive you home?"
"No, that's okay, I can have my bellman pick me up."
"But it's the middle of the night…" Betty tries to argue.
"It's okay, I'll be safe…" she's texting Smithers right now. "He should be here in a few, I'm gonna get some air. You stay here and rest, okay? Thanks for the night," Veronica winks and heads out, leaving Betty looking dismayed on her bed.
Veronica feels guilt, but kills it. This is what Veronica Lodge does. She takes what she wants and then moves on. When they make it back to the Pembrooke, where she's staying with her mother, she immediately locks herself in her room and turns on some music. As much as she didn't like to admit it, something was happening to her. She thought she killed it half an hour ago, but the guilt had returned. And everything was bringing attention to it: the feeling in her chest, the bachata music playing on shuffle, the conscious in her head.
Veronica Lodge didn't catch feelings.
Veronica Lodge never cared.
Her phone buzzes, and she sees its Cheryl.
Enjoy the fruits of your labor, reads her text, and attached from it is the video of her and Betty in the locker room. Veronica doesn't need Cheryl to tell her that she sent it to everyone else. Her heart drops.
Veronica Lodge doesn't care…
… right?