Chapter 25

As the sun started to go down it was getting colder Betty pulled her coat closed a little farther. FP and Jughead came outside and everyone gave them their attention. There was a small deck on the back of the bar that gave them a little elevation over everyone standing around and that is where Jughead posted himself as FP went down into the crowd. Betty stood up and went over to him as it seemed they were ready to begin. Initiation was going to be a simple enough ceremony; most Southsiders didn't want anything filled with stuffy grandeur. Betty was feeling exhausted. She was running on fumes by this time between the walking, the camping, and what had really been an emotional roller coaster. Jughead addressed the crowd and he talked through the laws with a booming voice. Betty was able to recite them all with vigor and he gave her a half smile. She looked out at the people watching. Sweet Pea and Toni stood together with the other younger Serpents. There were more people there now than at the start and they were all intently observing her. But as she glanced around, there was one person in attendance that she had not expected; her mom. She was so shocked she didn't notice that Jughead was holding out her jacket. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked trying to speak inconspicuously.

"My mom is here."

He nodded as he understood at how confusing that probably was for her. Betty's mom had not been a fan of the Serpents in recent years and had been pretty vocal about her not joining. Yet there she was, standing next to his dad with a resigned look on her face.

"Breathe. It's almost over."

Betty closed her eyes and took off her rain coat. A couple of the boys her age whistled at her in her dress and she smiled shyly. She put up one arm after another for Jughead to slip sleeves around her and then she shrugged the leather garment up onto herself. She straightened it from the front and felt that it was tough in her hands. This was not like wearing Sweet Pea's worn in jacket where the material was supple and smooth. This was something rough and smelled almost sterile. It was perfectly clean which was right for a new start.

The crowd of people around her clapped and Jughead shook her hand and said, "Welcome to the family." He pulled her in for a hug and she put her arms around him. She hand her head on his shoulder for just a moment just she could smell his scent, like sweat and oil, and memories of them flooded her mind. She looked up at him wide eyed and he stepped away. She could sense it in him that he wanted to kiss her. He had this tell where the corner of his mouth would twitch when he was thinking about it. They just stood there staring at each other until a voice called out, "someone get this girl a drink!" The clapping got louder and lot of the men were laughing and it took Betty back to reality. Toni had run up to them to help Betty down from the deck and yanked her into a hug of her own. "You did it, girl! You're one of us for real now." Betty squeezed her friend back. The younger Serpents all came up around her to congratulate her but out of the corner of her eye it looked as if her mom was leaving and she knew she had to talk to her.

"Hey guys, give me a minute. I want to catch my mom." She broke away from the group and went and called after her.

Alice turned around and Betty could see her mom was tearing up.

"Mom... you came?"

"Yes, well," her mom said trying to blot her eyes with her sleeve, "what kind of mother would I be if I didn't?"

"One that is disappointed in her daughter. I know this is not what you wanted."

Alice took her daughter into her arms and put her head on top of Betty's. "You're right. I want what is best for you. Everything I have ever done was so that my family would have something better than I had." She stepped back from her. "When I was your age, I felt like I had no choice but to join the Serpents. If you were from the Southside you were going nowhere. But it got old fast and I saw an opportunity to get out and I took it. I swore my kids would never live like I did or make the same mistakes. But you, Betty, you have a choice and you chose this. Watching you up there, it was looking at myself in a mirror. I am so scared that you are ruining your life."

"Mom, I-"

"But if this is what you want, I can not stop you. You are just like me at your age. A fighter, passionate. Maybe I lost some of that when I married your father but it doesn't mean I have stopped caring about you. I will be accepting of this because I don't want to drive you away like we did your sister. But I've got some rules of my own."

"Really?"

"Really," she said hugging her again. "You have to promise me, you will stay in school. And you will not touch drugs."

"Mom!" Betty said surprised.

"Promise me."

"OK, I promise."

"And no staying out all night. If you aren't coming home you have to tell me where you are going."

"Yes, Mom."

"And do not let any of these boys disrespect you. You are my daughter and they need to remember that."

"OK!" Betty said. "Anything else?"

Her mom shook her head

"Thanks. I will see you at home?"

"Bye, Elizabeth," her mom said heading to her car.

Betty walked back towards her friends and they headed inside. Sweet Pea came up next to her and squeezed her hand down low where no one would see. She looked at him and smiled. They sat at a table near to the bar so they could still talk to Toni who had to work now that the bar was packed. A drink magically appeared in front of Betty and she looked around until she saw one of the older Serpents toasting her from across the bar. She picked up her drink and tilted it towards him before taking a sip.

"I'd remember to go slow if you want to able to make it through school tomorrow," Sweet Pea said and she giggled remembering the last time people bought her drinks.

"Yeah, I've never been much of a drinker."

"Don't say that too loudly; Fangs over here might take that as a challenge."

"Too late," Fangs said from across the table. "Next one is on me for sure." He winked at her and sat back in his chair.

Betty just blushed and continued sipping on her drink.

"So, Betty. Why don't you tell us about yourself?"

"Um well, I don't know. What do you want to know?"

"What do you do for fun?"

"Well, I spend a lot of time reading or writing for the school paper. I work on cars with my dad. And I'm a River Vixen."

"Oh, a cheerleader. Super hot."

"Watch it, Fangs" Sweet Pea butted in.

"And things are over with you and our fearless leader right? So you're single?"

Betty looked over at Sweet Pea. They hadn't exactly talked about this. Were they telling people that they were dating? He had sort a reputation and she didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable around his friends if he wasn't ready to talk about it with them. She saw absolute terror in his eyes so she thought of what to say quickly.

"Things are over with Jughead but, things are complicated. I'm not really looking for anyone right now."

"Pity," he responded. "You should let me buy you that drink though."

"Yeah, OK."

"A dark shadow approaches," Fangs said putting his glass down on the table. They watched a blank faced Jughead walked behind their table and over to the bar where he sat down in front of Toni's work station. "You were smart to dodge that bullet. You are way too pretty to be dating dark and moody."

"Thanks, I guess. He's not always like that. It just seems lately."

Fangs shrugged and went to the bar to get another beer.