In the entirety of their experience at Riverdale High, Betty Cooper, Archie Andrews, Veronica Lodge, Kevin Keller and Jughead Jones shared a table at the cafeteria. And this year, junior year, not much had changed. Except for that Jughead Jones left, and Maximum Salvatore simply joined them instead. Max could tell that even though she brought some new charisma to the table, the absence of Jughead Jones was forever in the back of their minds, especially Betty's. And so, Max felt that it was especially her duty to fill in the hole he left in the best way she could, distracting them from their friend on the other side of the tracks.
"I am beyond tired right now." Max says, putting her tray down on the cafeteria table.
"Did you wake up in the middle of the night. Again." Veronica states, feigning sympathy with a cherry lipgloss smirk.
"I don't need your sardonic humor Ronnie, it's actually such a problem!" Max whines.
"I can't get any of my REM cycles." She takes a bite of an apple in remorse.
"Hey Max, Ronnie, whats up?" Betty sits across from the pair, smiling.
"Hey Bets."
"Hey g."
"Okay is it just me, or is there a severe shortage of meat in Riverdale High." Veronica comments, looking around the room solemnly.
"What? They always have enough turkey and ham in the cafeteria!" Betty states, confused.
"No, Betty," Veronica laughs. "I mean meat as in male material. There is almost none of it available."
"Agree. This town is too small and the boys are lacking too many necessary hormones." Says Max. Of course, she only had her eye on one boy, but no one knew or needed to know that. "And if they are attractive, there is something that completely knocks them off the table."
"That is not true. What about…Reggie? He's cute." Betty suggests wholeheartedly.
Veronica and Max look at each other.
"No thanks." They say simultaneously.
"You're just not miserable because you have your own knight in shining armor." Veronica nudges Betty playfully, as a rush of pink runs through Betty's cheeks.
"There really isn't any guy I'm DTF. I'm honestly pissed." Max comments, shoving her fork into her salad.
"You guys will find someone soon enough! I know you will," Betty's sympathetic comment doesn't help much, but Max smiles anyway. It's nice that she's trying.
"Hello ladies, what conversation are we having today?" Archie swings his feet over the bench and takes a seat next to Betty.
"How this school is currently lacking any sort of boyfriend material." Veronica informs him.
"Alright, you say that like I am not right here and perfectly available," Archie teases with a golden smile.
For the second time, Veronica and Max share a look.
"Definitely not."
"Frankly I'm shocked and offended." Archie pretends to pout, but they all know he isn't the least bit offended by their remark.
"Look I'm sure you guys will find your dreamboats one day," Betty comforts Max and Veronica. "I mean, we still have so much of our life left, and I heard college is when things really get crazy."
"Mmmm…college," Max grins.
"That is so far away from now. Ages and ages." Veronica complains, taking a bite of her pasta mournfully.
School passes by quickly but miserably, as it always does. It's as soon as the bell rings that the gang gathers together once again, to make their way home. Junior year means cars, and driving, and so they head to the parking lot to find their designated cars in their designated spots, before taking the designated route home. Archie in his Tahoe, Veronica in her Porsche, Betty in her Jeep and Max in her bug. Usually. Except today was different, because Max's bug was in the shop, leaving her without transport and forced to hitch rides.
"Anyone want to drive me home today? Two more days until Junebug is out of the shop." Junebug was the embarrassing yet suitable name that Max gave her car.
"I would Max, but I have to go straight to the music shop for my guitar. Supposed to be in today." Archie grins, and Max high fives him.
"Sick Arch. Send me a pic."
"Sure thing, Maximum overdrive." He parts ways to his car, waving goodbye to the rest of the assembled members of the group.
"I'll drive you!" Betty's tone is dripping with sweetness, as always, and Max shoots her a huge grin.
"Betty! I owe you a huge one. Bye Ronnie!"
"Bye Ron!" The two girls yelled goodbye to Veronica, who was diverting course to her own car. Betty gets a text, which she opens vigorously and reads.
"Oh my goodness I almost forgot that Jug is picking me up today!" Max heart picks up a little at the sound of his name, her mind screaming at it to knock it off. This is no time for feelings.
"Ah well, I can always get a ride from Kev or something," Max smiles, pulling out her phone to shoot him a text.
"No no no, it's totally fine. I'll just ask him to drop you off! You live like a block away from me so it's honestly no biggie. I'll just text him."
"Betty, it's fine. I can totally get a ride." Max is lowkey trying to avoid being the third wheel, but Betty is not having it.
"Absolutely not. You are not going to be stranded here! We are taking you home."
Max sighs. "Alright, well thanks Bets. I owe you and Jug one." The two girls take a seat on a bench outside of the school, waiting for their knight to come on his black stallion and pick them up.
"Don't worry about it."
"No forreal girl. You've honestly made my experience as a new kid so easy and convenient, and I literally cannot thank you enough for that." Max is genuine, because without Betty she wouldn't be friends with anyone.
Betty smiles at Max, pure and honest. "It was no trouble at all, you fit right in. We all love you Max." A beep goes off from her phone, and she looks down, reading it.
"Alright, Juggy's here." They both stand, looking around for a car. But of course, Jughead Jones does not drive a car.
He drives a motorcycle.
What else? His hair rustling in the wind, calloused fingers tightly gripping the handlebars. Even with the helmet his grin was visible.
"Oh my god." Betty is in shock and for good reason. Max erupts in laughter.
"Jughead Jones the third. What else, but a motorcycle?"
He pulls up to the girls, pulling his helmet off in a fluid motion. Jughead Jones isn't normally seen as sexy attractive, that's normally Archie's job. But not this time. He pulls off his helmet and it's hot. It's really sexy, and the two blondes know it. Max gets the tingly feeling that takes over every time she sees him. He is grinning.
"Like the ride?"
"I love it." Max states, the same time that Betty says "Is this safe?"
"Of course it's safe. Thank you, Max." His grin is for her, and she feels it in her very being.
"Only problem is, I think two's the limit on this thing."
"You don't mind waiting a bit, do you Max?" Betty is nervous with this question, guilty for making Max wait, since that was the one thing she tried to prevent in offering to drive Max home. Max shrugs.
"Not at all. Seriously y'all, I can get another ride –"
"I will be back here in five minutes for you." Jughead declares. "If not, you can find another ride. Deal?"
Max smiles. "Deal."
It's four minutes and thirty-two seconds when he pulls up, and this time Betty is not seated behind him.
"My time?"
"Four thirty-two. Cutting it close," Max warns, standing up from her spot on the bench.
"Hey, I still made it. Here," He pats to the space behind where he's sitting, a smile on his face. Max hesitates.
"Hop on," He readjusts his helmet.
It's a blur of thoughts, because someone with a girlfriend should probably not be driving a girl on the back of his motorcycle. But Betty said he could, and it was going to be a short ride, and so Max says 'fuck it' and throws one leg over the seat.
The distance between them is large; Max does not wrap her arms around his waist for support because he is strictly off limits, and she has to keep himself that way in her mind. Instead her hands rest on the seat, and her mind prays that she will not fly backwards because her stubbornness and her inability to let herself touch Jughead Jones.
"Where do you live again?"
"3498 Northgreen Ave."
"Alright," Max could tell he was smiling. "Let us go then."
He begins to drive.
He is a terribly reckless driver.
The third stop in she flies forward, her arms flinging out of control and grabbing the only thing that was able to steady her, which happened to be him. So long to her plan of no touch. She allows her arms to tighten around his waist, pretending that she is unaware that he is NOT scrawny and instead has a large amount of concentrated muscle in his abdomen. 'This is for safety', she tells herself, but it feels so much more than that and her heart knows it. It's racing, a mile a minute. She grips his t-shirt hard.
He laughs. "Sorry, not super used to driving this yet."
She snorts. "I can definitely tell. Tell my parents I love them if I don't make it to my house?"
He chuckles. "You can tell them yourself, because you are going to survive." And with that, he takes off again. Max holds on to him like she loves him. Because she does.