Chapter 11

When Betty got up in the morning, the first thing she realized was she did bring a toothbrush. Then she realized she hadn't packed a bag at all so she had no clean clothes to wear. Toni was accommodating and lent her some jeans and a tight black t shirt. She grabbed a long sleeve checked shrt as well and just tied it around her waist. It wasn't her normal look but she felt comfortable. After their bus dropped them off in the center of town, Toni and Betty decided to stop at Pop's and get food to go before heading to school. Jughead had told Toni that he would be back at school today even though they were exhausted so she thought it would be a good idea to bring coffee in with them since a few guys had been up all night working. When they got to school they headed to meet them at the student lounge. Jughead didn't look too happy to see Betty there but he he didn't say anything to her besides a thanks. Sweet Pea came up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder and said "Good job, Cooper. You guys were a life saver. Love this outfit by the way," as he laughed.

"You are welcome. Surprisingly I missed having you around."

"Back at you. Can I walk you to class? I have to talk to you."

"Sure," she said waving goodbye to Toni. She picked up her own cup off coffee and the two walked away together. Jughead looked their way for a moment but joined into the conversation Toni and Fangs were having.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Betty asked.

"Well while we were on the job I had a little heart to heart with your man. I think I have an idea of how you can get him back. You gotta join the Serpents, Betty. If you want him, I think it's your only shot."

"It's funny you say that. Toni and I came to the same conclusion."

"So. Are you going to do it?"

"Definitely."

"Wow, he said putting his arm around her neck, "Betty Cooper, Southside Serpent."

"Yeah. So after school I was going to go talk to FP. Will you maybe go with me? Jughead's dad has never really scared me but I'm super nervous, he could tell me no."

"Hopefully not. But yeah, I'll be there. Do you maybe want a ride to the Wyrm?"

"That would be awesome. Thanks, Sweet Pea," she said as she stopped and gave him a hug. He scooped her up in a hug and picked her up off her feet. "You're welcome." He put her down and whispered in her ear, "you can pay me back however you like." That made Betty blush. "I'll think about it," was all she could say. She walked into her class and stopped to look back but he was gone.

After the last class of the day Betty headed out to where she would meet Sweet Pea for a ride. He was already there with no Jughead in sight. Thanks goodness he wouldn't see them leaving together. Once they got to the bar they went inside to look for FP. They didn't see him around so they sat down at a table to wait. He pulled out a deck of cards to occupy his time. When he saw FP coming from the back he motioned to stood up so quickly that the chair she was sitting scraped loudly across the floor. FP noticed and spoke to her, "well, Betty. Two times in a week, you are getting to be a regular fixture around here."

"Um, well I wanted to speak to you about that. Can we talk Mr. Jones?"

"I guess I have a few minutes. You want to come back to my office?"

"Yeah, OK." When Betty got up Sweet Pea grabbed her sleeve and whispered if she wanted him to go with her. She shook her head and kept going.

Once in FPs office he said down in a chair behind his desk. The light was low like in Sweet Pea's room and it smelled of mold and beer. The desk was covered in piles of papers.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Well I wanted to talk to you about what I did last weekend. Here."

"You don't have to worry about that. As a favor to you and your mother I can forget that it happened."

" I kind of want the opposite. I want to become a fully fledged member.

"Betty I don't think you know what you are saying.

"No, FP I do. I have been thinking about this, I want to be a Serpent."

He looked at her as he sat back in his chair. "Tell me why," he said with a sigh, "and I'll consider it.

"Betty took a breath. This was going to be a lot. "I know I don't have to give you a history lesson on the Serpents but someone recently gave me one. This club was founded for people who were outsiders. I feel like I don't belong in my pastel life. When I am with my friends, my family, I feel like I have this darkness in me that no one understands. I can't be who I really am. But when I am here, I feel like I can be. No one in my life ever let's me make my own decisions. This time I want to make one for myself,"

Now FP leaned forward in his chair and put his elbows on the desk and rubbed his eyes hard."You know this isn't like an after school club, right? If you are in, you are in. When we need you to work, you do the job, no question asked. We support and protect ourselves and there is real this what you really want?"

"Yes. I'm smart and capable. I think I would be an asset to the Serpents."

FP let out a sigh. "OK, we can put it to a vote."

Betty smiled."When?"

FP stood up, "How about right now?

They left the office and FP tried to round up anyone with membership that was at the Whyte Wyrm.

"Hey all- We need to have an an impromptu vote on a prospective new member, Betty Cooper. " All of the people around murmured. "As you know last week she completed one of our traditions at my Welcome Home party. She has come to me to ask if she can be a fulled pledged member. If the vote is in her favor today, she may continue with other initiation task."

"Why should we let her in?" a man from the crowd yelled.

Toni came through the crowd. "Firstly, she is a legacy. This vote should be a formality." More murmurs. Sweet Pea came and stood next to Toni. "Second she has already started pledging and has a sponsor."

"Betty, who is your sponsor?"

"Toni Topaz."

"I'm afraid that isn't going to work," an angry Jughead butted in, one who seemed to appear out of nowhere. "She is my sponsor and I'm still in my probation period. She can't sponsor two people at once. It's in the bylaws.

Betty looked at her friend in panic.

"Will someone else step forward to be Betty's sponsor so we can get on with the vote?"

People looked around in the crowd but no one stepped forward. As Betty thought she was going to give up a hand went in the air. "I'll do it." When Betty saw who it was she smiled. Sweet Pea. He went over to Betty and FP. "You really owe me now, Cooper," he whispered.

"OK, please raise you hand if you are in favor of Betty Cooper being a Southside Serpent." Toni and Sweet Pea raised their hands first and a couple others did as well. Not majority. FP sighed. He did not want to hurt his son like this, but he was not going to be another person in Betty's life taking away her choice to make a decision. He rose his own hand the rest of the room, save one, went up. "The vote has passed. Thank you all."

Toni hugged Betty and she herself beamed from ear to ear. For the first time, in a long time, things felt right. She looked over at Jughead to see how he was taking the news. He was storming over to her. "Why did you do this. And why are you two helping her?"

"It's what I want, Jug. Just like where this is where you belong, it is where I belong."

"No! You belong on the Northside, with your mom and Veronica and Archie. "

"Why? Why can't you accept I belong here?"

"I just don't want you to be. I don't like to think of you this way."

"I'm sorry, this is just how it is. I'm getting in."