*Betty's POV*
She had been afraid that she'd have to tell Archie that his newfound passion for music wasn't a good idea. I mean nobody else would and although she was his best friend, she was also a realist, if she thought Archie was chasing a dream, he'd never achieve she'd tell him. Thankfully after no more than two lines it was clear that Archie had a real talent. His song was awesome, how had she never known what a good singer he was? Even John the self-confessed enemy of the music industry was nodding his head and smiling. Kevin was just sat in stunned silence.
Out of nowhere Archie shut his laptop.
"Can I Join?" Betty turned to see Veronica stood behind her, tray in hand.
"Yeah" Betty said, disappointed that she'd once again lost her moment with Archie.
"What are we doing" Veronica asked expectantly as she slid onto the bench opposite her and Archie, making Kevin and John move over much to their annoyance.
"Listening to one of Archie's songs" Betty replied, turning to Archie to shoot him a smile.
"I thought we were going to have to pretend to like it but its actually really good" Betty shot Kevin a glare and John laughed
"Resounding praise as usual Kevin" John patted him on the back for good measure "Honestly Arch it was really good and you know that if I'm saying that it's a big deal"
"Thanks John" Archie smiled but wouldn't meet his brothers' eyes.
"Wait that was you, singing something you wrote?" Veronica asked
Archie's smile faded "It's rough"
"No, it's great" Betty reassured, she wanted to squeeze his arm but she thought better of it.
"Its incredible actually. The little snippet I heard. Is that your thing? Music?" Betty didn't like the way Veronica looked at Archie as she said that.
"So, are going to be doing something with that?" John asked.
"That's the plan" Archie replied still not meeting Johns eyes, she made a mental note to ask Archie about that later when Veronica and John weren't around.
"So, how's your first day going" John asked Veronica
"Not to be a complete Narcissist, but I thought people would be more..."
"Obsessed with you?" Kevin finished the sentence for her "any other year you'd be trending number one for sure. This year though it's all about Cheryl trying to win the best supporting psycho Oscar for her role as Riverdale Highs bereaved red widow"
Betty noticed Archie looking away from the conversation and followed his gaze to see Cheryl walking towards the table.
"I should go I've got that meeting with Grundy the football tryouts" Archie stood up to leave.
"You play football too? What don't you do?" Veronica sounded genuinely impressed which Betty didn't think was possible for a girl like her.
As Archie walked away Kevin sighed "Before you ask Blue Jasmin no Betty has not asked him to the semi-formal yet"
"No not yet and don't talk about Archie" Betty barely managed to get the warning out before Cheryl arrived at the table.
"Veronica Lodge" Cheryl said, her voice dripping with fake interest "I'd heard whisperings. I'm Cheryl Blossom. May I sit? Betty would you mind?"
It wasn't a question which was proven by Cheryl sitting right next to her and forcing her down the bench.
"So, what are you three gossiping about? Archie's Efron-esque emergence from the chrysalis of puberty?"
Shit she must have caught the last word. Well that was her life ruined, Veronica was going to let slip not knowing what Cheryl's like and by the end of the day Betty would be the laughing stock of the whole school.
Veronica shot her a look. It was a question. Betty shook her head fiercely.
"Extracurriculars" Veronica said with fake enthusiasm, Betty could have hugged her right there "Weatherbee wants me to sign up for a few"
"Cheerleading! You must" Cheryl beamed at the chance to recruit another crony "I am senior captain of the River Vixens"
"Is cheerleading still a thing?" Kevin asked with mock surprise.
"Is being the gay best friend still a thing?" Cheryl shot back.
"Dude she's got you there" John laughed.
"You're not allowed to exist in my presence" Cheryl said pointing at John but not looking at him "or did you forget"
John did a mock bow and busied himself with his lunch.
"Some people say cheerleading is retro, I say it's eternal and iconic"
Veronica shrugged "At Spence I sat at the top of the elites pyramid. I'm in. Betty you're trying out too"
Betty knew what was coming.
"Of course. Anyone's welcome to try out but Betty's already got so much on her plate right now and being a vixen is kind of a full-time thing"
"But open to all right" John chuckled
"I swear to god Andrews if you so much as breath again"
"Shutting up" John said, taking a bite out of an apple.
Cheryl got up to leave "Follow me on twitter and I'll do the same. My handle's @CherylBombshell"
With that Cheryl walked away.
"God she's annoying" John said with an exasperated sigh
"So why did you ask her out?" Kevin asked incredulously
"You know, cos she's pretty and all" John shot back with a sheepish grin as he got up to leave as well.
"Didn't she tell you to die in a fire" Kevin asked standing up with him
"That's how I know she likes me dude"
The boy's argument faded as they walked away and Betty noticed that Veronica was staring at her
"What?"
"Hate on cheerleading but if Hipster Prince Harry- "
"Oh, I'd love to be a cheerleader" Betty blurted cutting Veronica off "It would look great on my college applications but last year when I tried out Cheryl said I was too fat"
"Well you're a total smoke show now, I mean it! As hot and as smart as you are you should be the queen bey of this drab hive" She smiled at Betty "if you want to be a River Vixen, I'll help you prep. I have moves"
Betty considered Veronicas proposition for a moment before smiling back at her.
"Okay you know what? Show me your moves"
*Geraldine's POV*
Listening to Archie's music was like reliving the whole summer all over again. He was only sat a foot away from her and yet she yearned to be closer to him, then her usual composure and self-control resurfaced. She knew Archie Andrews and she knew that he wasn't just here to show off his new talent.
"They're...very real" She said in a measured tone "Very personal"
"I took your advice and wrote them down, polished them but I was wondering maybe if you could help me"
Here we go she thought.
"With what Archie?"
"You went to Julliard Miss Grundy! There is no one else I can take lessons from. Believe me I've looked"
Those last words hurt her and she didn't know why. Well she knew why, the thought of him going to another teacher hurt her but she was the one trying to push him away. Why did things have to be so complicated.
"Well I don't think that's a good idea" She looked around before whispering "I don't think we should be alone together"
She let that sink in before continuing "if this is you trying to restart something that never should have started in the first place"
"No, it's not" Archie shot back, his voice pained "It is about the music but it's also...Come on I need to be able to talk to someone. We heard what we heard and afterwards we didn't do anything and we didn't say anything!"
Geraldine's mind was cast back to that warm morning in July, to them lying on a blanket by the river and of course to the mystery gunshot that they'd both heard. She often wondered about whether it was the gunshot that had made this situation so awkward but as always, she chided herself. It was always going to be awkward, he's your student but you just couldn't help yourself could you.
"We heard fireworks" She insisted
"Who's lighting fireworks at 6 in the morning?"
"How would we explain why we were together at Sweetwater river at 6am on the fourth of July? And you're right we didn't say anything. We're both going to have to live with that choice. Do you understand?"
She loved his moral sense but if he kept insisting on saying something, she'd have to get drastic fast to save her job and more importantly her life. Please just let him agree she thought.
When he didn't reply she spoke instead " I think you should pursue your music but not with me"
With that she got up and walked away, the tears prickling at her eyes as she struggled to regain her composure.
*John's POV*
John and the rest of the basketball team were stood at the edge of the gym waiting for the last of the vixen tryout's to finish up. He'd tried explaining to Cheryl that this was their time in the gym but as usual she refused to even acknowledge him. Sometimes he wished he'd never taken the plunge with Cheryl. When you ask someone out you normally can't gauge their reactions but John had always known that she would be like this, he'd just hoped otherwise.
He was shaken from his thoughts by whistles from his teammates, he looked up and almost did a double take. Betty and Veronica were up next, he honestly didn't think anyone would be able to persuade Betty to do that again after last time. Veronica was one special girl.
They performed their act. It was pretty standard cheerleading stuff that would pass at any other high school but John knew what Cheryl was looking for.
"Hmm ladies, where's the heat? Where's the sizzle" Cheryl said in a bored tone.
"Well you haven't seen our big finish yet" Veronica said before pulling a surprised Betty into a full-on kiss. The guys behind John cheered and whistled and Cheryl just sat there looking deeply unimpressed.
"check you're sell by date ladies. Faux-lesbian kissing hasn't been taboo since 1994. So, let's see if you do better in the interview portion"
Oh no.
"Betty, how's your sister doing"
"Come on Cheryl" John called across the gym "Lighten the fuck up"
Cheryl ignored him and looked expectantly at Betty for an answer.
"Um, Polly's fine. Thanks for asking"
"Veronica has Betty told you about her sister?"
"Uh no"
"Go ahead Betty" Cheryl's voice was dripping with venom "Tell her about your sister and my dear brother"
"Polly and Jason dated"
Cheryl laughed "I wouldn't say dated"
"It didn't end well" Betty said dejectedly.
"In fact, Jason's probably why your sister had a nervous breakdown and now lives in a group home isn't it?"
"That's what my parents think"
"What do you have to say about that Betty? Go ahead the floor is yours"
"Cheryl come on, stop this now" John shouted desperately
"Whatever you've been dying to spew about Jason and the way he treated Polly, unleash it. Destroy me. Tear me a new one. Rip me to shreds. Annihilate me."
Betty gasped "I just...I just wanted to say I'm sorry, about what happened to Jason. I can't even imagine what you and you're family must be going through"
John tensed, waiting for Cheryl to unleash hell on Betty but she just sighed.
"Right...Veronica! Welcome to the River Vixens. Betty, better luck next time"
John was about to walk over and give Cheryl a piece of his mind but Veronica stepped forwards before he could.
"Wait. What? Why? Because you couldn't bully Betty into being a bitch?"
"I need girls with fire on my squad"
Veronica visibly tensed up "I know what you need, Cheryl because I know what you are. You would rather people fear than like you so you traffic in terror and intimidation. You're rich so you've never been held accountable but I'm living proof. That certainty, that entitlement that you wear on your head like a crown? It wont last. Eventually there will be a reckoning or maybe that reckoning is now and maybe that reckoning is me. Betty and me are a matching set, you want me you take her too. You want fire? Sorry Cheryl Bombshell my specialty is ice"
John laughed out loud as Cheryl's face went from cherry red with anger to ice white with fear. Veronica certainly was a reckoning and things around here were about to change.
The Vixens fled the hall pretty fast after Veronica's speech and in no time at all training was well underway, after a while coach ordered us outside for one of his endurance runs. John had always been brilliant at running, it was clear to see in the gap between him and the group of tired students behind him as they ran laps of the school complex. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Archie on the field with the football squad staring at a jersey in his hands. He figured he could be there and back before the other kids even caught up to him so he ran over, calling Archie's name.
"Yo Arch, what's up?"
"Hey John, you look tired"
"Funny, you look like you've seen a ghost"
Archie held up the Jersey "Clayton wants to give me Jason's number"
"But that's varsity, that means more hours, less time with your music and on the construction site"
"Truth is I don't think I'd be able to do my music at all... so I told coach that dad need me"
"Okay fine, then you focus on the business and your music"
"I told dad that I can't work with him because of football"
"Archie you can't just go all in with this music thing, it's a shot in the dark! Football-"
"Football gets me to college I know and the business gets me paid but I don't want to do either of those things"
John sighed.
"Look John just don't tell Dad yet, I'll figure something out I promise"
"You better Arch, things are gonna start happening really fast, you've gotta be ready"
Archie didn't answer him but John knew he'd figure it out. He'd just need some help and that was something he was always prepared to give his brother.
*Betty's POV*
Veronica was strange. She had all the makings of a spoilt rich bitch yet back there when she could have let Betty drown, she'd dived in and saved her instead. She had to know why.
"Veronica why did you defend me? I know the crowd you ran with in New York. Why are you being so...nice"
Veronica sighed as they exited the sports hall and started to walk towards the fields.
"When my father got arrested it was the worst thing ever. All these trolls started writing horrible things about us. We'd get letters and emails saying that my dad was a thief, my mom was a clueless socialite and that I was this spoiled, rich bitch, ice princess and what hurt the most about it was... the things the trolls were writing were true. I was like Cheryl, I was worse than Cheryl. So, when my mom said that we were moving to Riverdale I made a pact with myself. That I would be better, that I would be the new Veronica"
"That's a lot of pressure" Betty said in amazement, she paused for a moment before deciding that if she was going to open up then Betty might as well join her.
"When Jason and Polly got together it meant everything to her and nothing to him and things got super intense and weird and toxic and my mom turned on Polly saying that she wasn't her daughter anymore. Jason hurt Polly but it was my mom who broke her"
There was silence between the two for a while, until Veronica broke it by shouting out.
"Andrews!"
Betty turned to see John and Archie standing in a field together talking. At Veronica's shout they both looked around in confusion.
"You're so doing this Betty" Veronica said to her in a low voice before shouting again "I meant the fit one, come over here"
"Doing what?" Betty hissed.
"Slaying your dragons, Betty Cooper, one by one"
John and Archie jogged over to them, Archie was clutching a jersey.
"yeah I didn't know which one of us you meant so I came too" John joked
Veronica gave him a judging look before turning her attention to Archie "Betty here has something she wants to ask you about the back-to-school dance"
Veronica looked at Betty expectantly as did Archie while John cringed in the background with his face in his hands.
She shot Veronica a look before looking up to Archie "I was wondering if you wanted to come...with both of us
"huh?" Archie did a double take
"What?" Veronica rounded on her, confused.
"Fuck sake" John put his head in his hands and turned around
Betty turned to Veronica "It's your first dance in Riverdale. You should have someone to go with even if it's just a friend and John will come too, then we can both laugh at him trying to chat up Cheryl"
"A night with the awkward patrol, how could I resist" John said sarcastically before turning to Archie who looked conflicted about the whole idea "If I've gotta go as the entertainment then you have no choice but to escort these ladies, don't you dare back out"
"Fine" Archie said reluctantly "It could be good fun"
"That's the spirit" laughed Veronica and John in unison as the four all shook hands on a deal well done.
*Johns POV*
"You know you can't just back out every time you get close to telling him, one day you will have to go ahead"
Betty gave him a piercing look before carrying on with her makeup. After Veronica had been picked up, he and Archie had walked Betty home and unable to contain his confusion anymore John had asked to come up to her room with her.
"It's just never the right time, John"
"What is THAT" The voice of Betty's mother flooded the room with an immediate tension.
"Mom not now, Johns here"
Alice cooper turned to look at him "Hi John, what are you wearing Betty"
"I made the cheerleading squad"
"I didn't by the way" John said sheepishly "they said I was too good"
Alice ignored him "After what Jason did to Polly!? No, I'm sorry, I won't allow it. Take that off right now"
"No"
"What did you say to me"
John slowly held a pillow up to his face.
"I do everything for everyone. Everything. To be perfect. The perfect daughter, the perfect sister, the perfect student. Can't I do this one thing just for me?" Betty started to stalk out of the room but her mom grabbed her arm.
"Where are you going?"
"To buy a dress because guess what. I'm also going to the dance with Archie and Veronica"
"And me" John piped up
"And John" Betty a brief smile playing over her angry features.
"Wait Hermione Lodge's daughter?"
"She's actually really nice and trying to be a good person"
"You think so? You think she's gonna be your friend? Well let me tell you something, girls like Cheryl and Veronica don't like girls like you"
"I don't wanna hear it mom, it's happening. I'm going..." Betty stormed out of the room leaving John and Alice in stunned silence.
*Hermione's POV*
"Thank you, Smithers, as always, you're a godsend"
"Happy to help Miss Hermione" Smithers replied as he carried her bags up the Pembrooke's stairs behind her.
"Unlike the rest of Riverdale" she retorted "What's that?"
She was pointing to a large leather bag on her desk.
"Oh, a spot of good news, the car service found and dropped off your missing bag" Smithers smiled at her before returning downstairs to bring up the rest of her shopping.
Hermione knew she hadn't left anything behind, she certainly wasn't missing anything, so how could this be her missing bag. She walked over to the bag and opened it only to find it full to the brim with cash.
"Oh Hiram" she said aloud "What have you done"