Reverie

"Betty, you look fine."

Kevin sat on Betty's pastel yellow duvet, watching as she altered her outfit once more. Kevin considered himself a loyal guy, he was loyal to whoever he needed to be loyal to at least. He had known Betty for the better part of his life, their friendship was going on to fifteen years. Archie didn't join their circle until he moved in to the house in front of Betty. He had been friends with Archie for nearly thirteen years. Was he jealous that Betty gave Archie more of her attention when he arrived? Maybe. But he was used to it, he was more of the wall flower where as his friends were the main characters. He didn't mind.

But now, his whole circle was being broken into factions and he found it harder and harder to deal with it. Veronica, he didn't owe much loyalty to. She was only added because of Betty, and now Betty and she weren't on speaking terms. Once Kevin really thought about it, Betty was the only thing that pretty much made everyone like Veronica. Without Betty flanking Veronica, Veronica didn't seem too appealing.

"Ok, ok, I'm done. We can go."

Kevin sighed in relief and stood to his feet.

Cheryl Blossom was throwing a Halloween party, and he knew it was going to be the biggest party of the year. She didn't often throw parties, but when she did they were a blowout. "Finally, let's go. We have heads to turn." Betty shot him a look and he only gave her an accusing look, "Well don't try to be modest for me, B. Do you see what you're wearing? You're clearly trying to garner someone's attention," he called her out. Betty dressed up as a cop, it was classic but you couldn't go wrong. She was in a black skin-tight leather skirt and a dark blue corset that pushed up ample cleavage. Her stomach showing and her legs were a mile long. She had on black suede thigh-high heel boots, and a fake cop badge on her chest and a black cop hat on her head. Her eyes were smoky and her lips were as red as possible.

Betty blushed, "Ok. Maybe I am, but it's only Jughead's attention. I couldn't care any less for anyone else's." She told him firmly, she couldn't have people thinking she was trying to get Archie's attention still. She wasn't. If Betty was being honest, she was over him. Jughead showed her what it felt like to be loved and to be treated like a Queen, she understood what her worth was and realized she was only settling for less when it came to Archie. She wouldn't make that mistake again.

She wished Veronica and Archie all the best, but she couldn't forgive them for their betrayal. At least not yet.

Riverdale wasn't a very cold place, it rained sometimes, but it was mostly warm throughout the seasons. The worst it ever got was in January and February, the winter months. So, Betty was ecstatic the walk to Cheryl's house was pleasantly warm. Especially for her costume. "I can never get over how big the Blossom manor is," Kevin said more to himself than to anyone else. Betty still nodded in agreement. Cousins or not, she couldn't ever get used to it.

She looked as Kevin put on his masquerade mask, "I still don't know what you're supposed to be." Kevin just chuckled, "I'll just tell them I'm supposed to be a masked man. Simple." Betty smirked, "Classy."

Taking her hand Kevin led them into the large house. The bass of the loud music immediately surging through their bodies. Strobe lights, and fog machines making it difficult to see, "She really went all out, huh?" Betty shouted over the music. Kevin didn't reply. "Where is your boy-toy supposed to be meeting you?"

Betty shrugged, "He said he'd be here later. He had to deal with some business before he came." She informed him, "I don't mind. You can go find Joaquin, I'll be fine. Besides, Cheryl and I are going to be making our speech soon." Kevin saluted, "Find me if you need me, B."

Betty nodded and watched as he ran off.

A lot had changed within the last week and a half. After she asked Jughead to come to the party and he agreed, things seemed to move in a routine. She'd go over to Jughead's house after school, he even gave her a spare key of her own. They'd chat and maybe indulge in some less than innocent acts, and then fall asleep. He'd drive her home in the middle of the night, and she'd wake up and go to school the next morning.

They'd meet up at school –everyone was used to their relationship by now. Some still stared, and some females were crushing on Jughead a lot more noticeably now, but no one ever did anything. Archie and Veronica would glare from their table in the corner, alongside Reggie and Chuck and whoever wanted to join them. But they wouldn't care. Betty enjoyed the Serpent's attention and friendship a lot more than she did Veronica's. They were really nice people.

The only one who threw her off was Toni, she started to actually listen to Toni now. She'd participate in conversation, and whenever Toni spoke it was some fact about Jughead or she was asking Betty a personal question. Every time Betty tried to ask Jughead what her deal was, the topic would change. She knew something was between them in the past, and she knew she shouldn't pry but she couldn't help it.

Veronica was on her best behaviour. She showed up to each practice, ten minutes early and was already warmed up when it was time to start and she hadn't bothered Betty since she confronted her at her house. Betty liked it better that way, she didn't enjoy fighting Veronica but she would if she had to. She and Cheryl –despite being cousins, had become really good friends as well. On multiple occasions, they had gone shopping together or went for manicures. They really bonded over conspiring over Veronica. It was almost evil.

"I see you decided you were brave enough to show your face, huh?"

Betty rolled her eyes as she heard his voice, "Nice to see you too, Archie." She didn't really expect him to approach her, she thought he would've steered clear from her. Though, she realized Jughead wasn't around so he felt like it was safe. He only cemented her thought with his next sentence, "Oh, no attitude now that your bodyguard isn't around?"

Betty just chuckled and continued to sip on the drink in her hand, "Do you have something to do? I don't know, like Veronica maybe?" She asked sweetly. Archie frowned, he didn't like the fact he didn't bother her anymore.

Lately he felt confused, he didn't like Betty. He loved her at one point, but over time it faded. She was too safe. But now, he saw her and she was completely changed. A complete one eighty. This Betty turned him on, this Betty intrigued him. "Jealous, Betty? Don't you wish it was you underneath me?" Betty laughed, she really didn't mean to but she couldn't help it.

The ginger was offended, what was so funny?

"Wow, you can't help yourself, can you? You're just some self-centered pig." She spat in amusement. "I'm so glad that bullet was dodged." She smiled to herself. She refused to let him get to her.

"You're one to talk, look at you." He started, hell bent on hurting her feelings now, "You start hanging out with a criminal and all of a sudden you think you're some sex kitten. You really think we don't see through your act, Elizabeth, well we can." He said harshly. Betty just smiled widely, "It really bothers you that I'm not the girl you once knew, huh?"

Archie glared daggers at her but then softened his face, he stepped closer to her. "Betty listen…" he trailed off, "I'm sorry."

She couldn't lie, he threw her off. Why was he all of a sudden apologizing? Wasn't he just trying to shred her to bits? "What do you want Archie?" Archie just sighed, "I want to apologize for saying what I did." He stepped closer to her. He placed a hand on her waist and immediately Betty felt her skin crawl, "Don't touch me!" She shouted and tried to push him away but his grip steeled.

"Archie, let me go." She said sternly.

Archie didn't listen. "I know you came here to get my attention, well, you have it. Let's go somewhere quiet, V is around here somewhere. She won't notice I'm gone for a few minutes. Let's just…" he trailed off, "Let's just bang it out for the last time."

Betty's mouth fell, what was wrong with this man? Was he delusional? "I would never dare to be in a room alone with you, Archie!" She shouted as she thrashed around in his hands trying to get away from him. Before she could though, Archie smashed his cold chapped lips on hers.

"You're so damn beautiful."

Betty blushed as she stood in the sunlit room, covered in only Jughead's black button up shirt. He lay perched up against the headboard of his bed, only in boxers as he bit on his lip and admired her beauty. She had spent the weekend at his place, and he couldn't remember the last time they left the bedroom.

Jughead never saw himself as a domestic type of guy, but once he met Betty he knew everything in his life was going to change. Including this. Once he had her, he never wanted her to go. She was going to be his for forever. "Come here." Betty knew to follow his instructions without question, unless she wanted to be difficult. She crawled over to him, slowly taunting him with the cleavage that peeked out of his shirt.

"You look better in my clothes than I do, Cooper."

"Yeah?"

He nodded and guided her to straddle his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and flipped her hair over her shoulder. Her neck fully exposed to the hungry man. He licked his lips once he saw the fading marks on her neck, he traced one specific one. The memory of the night he made that mark etched into both of their brains permanently.

"You remember when I gave this to you?" Jughead asked her, his voice husky and deep. Betty nodded slowly, "Yes," she whispered. "It was the best night of my life," she admitted shyly, looking away from him. Jughead captured her chin and turned her head to look at him, "It was mine too, Betty."

Of course, Betty remembered the night it was the most special night of her life. She came home –to Jughead's house, from hanging out with Kevin and when she thought she would be met with an empty house because Jughead told her he would be out all night, she was instead met with rose petals on the floor and soft music playing throughout the house. Following the petal path, she found Jughead dressed a casual black shirt and black jeans that didn't look too worn. Her eyes watered at the sight.

Their—his bedroom, was decorated romantically. And in the corner, was a hot dinner for two. That night, Jughead made love to her for the first time. That memory would forever be burned in her brain.

"I'm the only one that can touch you like that, from now on." He told her, "Only I can kiss you here," he touched her soft lips. "You'll always be mine, Elizabeth Cooper." He told her sincerely. Betty's eyes watered at his words, "I'll only ever want to be yours, Jughead Jones."

"What the fuck?!"

Betty saw Veronica before Archie did, and when he saw her his face turned red. Not only was the attention of nearby partygoers now on the threesome, but he saw motorcycles starting to gather at the front of the house. Indicating the Serpents arrived. "What, Ronie? Let's go." He tried to push her away.

Veronica glared at him, "Let's go? What do you mean 'lets go'? Why were you two just kissing?" She yelled in a shrill voice. Betty felt anger and sadness and she couldn't hold it in, she felt her fingers curling into a tight fist but fought against it. Instead she slapped Archie in the face and grabbed his collar, not really budging him but still shaking him up, "Don't you ever try that shit again, Archie. I will literally let Jughead kill you."

Archie glared at her. His choice now creeping up on him, realizing what he had done.

"So your boyfriend isn't around and then you decide to try to attack mine, Betty?"

Betty looked at Veronica, the irony in the situation not lost on her. Veronica couldn't be serious, "Oh really, V?" She spat the nickname out like it was poison, "You of all people are talking about backstabbing best friends? Can we take a minute to realize what really happened here? If anyone here is a slut it's you, don't you dare try to bring me down to your level."

Veronica was quiet for a moment, taking in what Betty had said and also embarrassed at the fact everyone at the party was now watching. She saw the leather jacket gang approaching and knew she was out numbered. "Looks like your trash collector boyfriend is arriving right on time. Lucky for you, huh B? Now you can put up this act you always do when he's around. You would like to think you're important but you're not. You're only important until you attach your name to someone else's. Without me, without Archie, and even without this fucking snake," she pointed to Jughead who was now by Betty, "You're nothing." She smirked in finality.

Betty felt the tears in her eyes. She couldn't let Veronica get to her anymore, she didn't deserve this. She took a shaky breath and nodded her head. Her wavy hair bouncing as she did. She didn't get this dressed up for it to only go to waste.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Jughead's voice boomed. Betty shook her head and put a hand to his chest, "Nothing, don't worry." Betty walked away and towards Cheryl.

At one point she felt bad for what they were going to do, but now, she didn't care. Veronica was a bitch and she deserved whatever she got. Betty grabbed Cheryl's arm and dragged her towards the small stage in the room. It was time.