The trio spent that Saturday together, just like all others that preceded it during their friendship, thoughts of Veronica Lodge removed from their brains as they acted how they always have around each other, as themselves. The three best friends had an unlikely alliance, that began when Jughead and Archie defended Betty and fought Reggie Mantle when he was bullying her in kindergarten, and they have been best friends ever since.

As they have grown up, Betty's mother has become increasingly suspicious about the bond shared between the three, suspecting that she likes one of them, which explains why Alice is so hostile towards them, being increasingly protective due to not being able to do anything about Polly's relationship with one Jason Blossom. The one problem in Betty's mind is that she doesn't like either boy more than a friend, despite how hard she pushes herself into wanting to like Archie because surely the girl and boy next door are supposed to end up together, right?

The arrival of Veronica Lodge does not help how Betty feels, only adding to the confusion as any spare minute her brain is not occupied with conversation or taking in some shenanigan or another her boys are getting up to, it is focused on that beautiful mysterious stranger. "But that is just because of how Archie was looking at her, it must be," Betty thinks "There's no way it could be anything else".

That's why when they are in the tree house that night, and her phone beeps from next to her as a text from 'Hot Brunette ;)' ("I really need to change that" flashing through Betty's mind, although she doesn't entirely disagree) asking what the trio were up to because she is bored in a new town, Betty thinks it wouldn't be a bad idea if she came and joined them, seconded by Archie and a grunt of acknowledgment of the question from Jughead. So Betty responds with where they are and how to find them and waits patiently, nerves taking over her body as she chats with the boys hoping to distract herself from the suddenly sick feeling filling her stomach.

Along with the sound of rustling beneath them at the base of the tree, came mutterings that could only belong to Veronica, as she climbed the haphazard ladder to -somehow- gracefully enter the treehouse, smiling at the three friends as she settles "Well this is cozy and very cute" Veronica smiles looking around the small yet perfect treehouse. Of course, its Archie that replies, the crush the ginger boy has obvious to all,

"Mine and Jug's dad's made it when we were like seven, it has been our place ever since" He smiles.

Betty laughs "We might need to get an extension put in if you two keep growing," she says as she kicks Archie's outstretched leg beside her grinning at him. What the blonde and ginger do not notice whilst they are messing around, is Veronica's eyes taking in Betty Cooper like this, different than how she was in the diner, enjoying the girls smile and her presence lighting up the treehouse they are in.

But Jughead notices because Jughead notices everything. He knows that Betty has been practically forcing herself to want to like Archie, how Archie has been oblivious to it, how this new Lodge girl stares at Betty as though she is the best thing she's ever seen. He has even noticed how Betty stares at the other girl, how she tries to hide it because she doesn't understand it, but Jug isn't going to involve himself in the feelings of the trio he watches, he has always been the outside force. If they need advice they will go to him, but until them Jughead Jones will simply watch and take in all that occurs between Archie, Veronica and Betty, hoping to all hope that whatever it is that happens does not affect their practically lifelong friendship, because he isn't sure he can start again with new friends.

So he ignores what could be, and decides to enjoy what is, tuning back into the conversation of his friends smiling as he hears the new girl joining in with the teasing of the two, wondering if maybe there was always supposed to be four of them. If that weird feeling he shared with Betty that morning was that maybe finally, everything would fall into place and be right.

Little fliller chapter I wrote late last night and this morning. Hope you enjoy it and a full one should be up later :)