Sharing is Caring
This is a work of fanfiction, no copyright infringement is intended. I own nothing pertaining to the Archie Comics/Riverdale Universe.
…~*~...
It was a spur of the moment outing; Betty didn't want to be stuck in the house with her parents fighting yet again. So she sent off a couple of texts, crossing her fingers with hopes of a decent response. The text that came through was from Cheryl. Her cousin would be on her way promptly with Toni and Veronica in tow.
Betty scrambled from her bed, flinging her bedroom door open, she clambered down the stairs to tell her Mom she'd be spending the night at the Pembrooke. Heaven forbid she tell the parentals about going to the Southside. She was already getting flack from her Father about her brief relationship with Jughead and the Snake bite on her ankle.
Alice was in the middle of a heated discussion with Hal, waving Betty off half heartedly, she turned back to her enraged husband. Not waiting to hear the string insults being flung at her, Betty ran back up the stairs to hurriedly get ready.
Already having taken her hair down, she had just enough time to pack her overnight bag. She grabbed her makeup, Serpent's jacket and plain jacket just in case, then ran down the stairs at full speed. Narrowly escaping the ever increasing voice of her Father, Betty almost jumped into the waiting car at the curb.
"Jeez Betty, I didn't mean to injure yourself upon my arrival. Is that what you're wearing?" Cheryl made a face, her top lip curling in disgust.
"Not even close, I had to make a run for it, my Dad's on one of his rampages again. Do we have time for me change at least?" Betty was out of breath, she started rifling through her bag.
"We have time, I have to stop off at my place. You can change there." Toni popped her gum with a smile at Betty in the back seat.
"Maybe you could tell us where we're going? I don't think I wore the right shoes." Veronica pulled at the delicate straps over her ankles.
"I have some better ones you can borrow. We're here." Toni jumped out of the passenger door, pulling keys from the bag slung over her shoulder.
Taking all of her stuff with her, Betty got out of the back seat, walking toward the duplex door where Toni was wiggling the key around in the lock.
"It alway does this. I think I broke in too many times." The lock finally gave and Toni pushed the door open, revealing a dark living room area.
The four girls poured through the door, each going in a separate direction. Betty to the bathroom to change, Toni to her room with Veronica and Cheryl to the kitchen.
They collectively met in the living room in front of the threadbare second hand couch when they had finished.
"We're going somewhere new. Sort of. Some of the girls at the Wyrm said this place was sicc. They won't I.D. but just be careful, it's Ghoulie territory." Toni had a smile plastered to her face. She was super excited for this night.
"Wait a second. Ghoulie territory? What, are going to the club side of The House of the Dead?" Crossing her arms over her chest, Veronica laughed.
"Yeah. Duh. Let's go." Cheryl swung her red curls as she turned toward the door, not even waiting for a response from the other girls.
Leaving her things in Toni's room, Betty knew they'd be staying the night on the Southside. She was pretty amped for this night too. She'd only ever been to The House of the Dead when her and Veronica had stalked the Jingle Jangle pusher kid.
"Oh. Well, okay then." Veronica didn't bother questioning it, she knew there would be no point.
…*...*...
It wasn't what any of them had imagined, nothing at all like the Whyte Wyrm, or any kegger they had attended on the Northside. True to Toni's statement earlier, the girls weren't carded, nor were they patted down. They paid their five dollars to the large, no necked man sitting on the wooden stool just inside of the door. He placed a multi colored wrist band on each of them and waved them on to the huge black swinging doors.
Smoke billowed out when they pushed through to the other side, flashing lights and a D.J. came into view. Cheryl and Toni immediately tugged Veronica and Betty toward the bar, pushing studded leather and skulls out of their way.
"Ladies! What'll it be?" A tall male, with quite the athletic build, leaned over the peeling lacquer bar top, his smile exposing his straight white teeth. His Ghoulies vest hadn't been lost on them. "Don't I know you from somewhere?"
"Ah, it's a small town. We've all seen each other in some capacity. We'll take four beers, whatever's on tap. You don't take American Excess, but I'm sure good old fashioned cash will do." Realizing she'd outed herself, Veronica shoved a twenty into the muscle guys hand and smiled seductively at him.
"Right. I think I do remember you. No Jingle Jangle this time, just the beers?" Tugging the crumpled bill out in front of his chest, Muscles shoved it into his pocket and got to work on pouring beers from the tap.
"Great. They know us V." Betty leaned her elbow on the counter, huffing her frustration when she felt eyes on her back. She tried to look like she wasn't searching, and she would have been successful had the culprit not been two feet away.
"Holy cow." Toni was closer to Betty than she had originally thought, the two of them doing their best not to stare back at the one staring at them.
"Four beers and a twenty dollar bill. Your drinks are on the house tonight." Muscles set down a glass in front of each girl. His long meaty fingers lay flat over the bill on the counter. "Serpent girls drink free, courtesy of our King." His fingers lifted from the money, motioning toward a smiling Malachai. The one who sat, eyes glued to Betty's backside, two feet from the bar.
Cheryl took her glass, lifting it in the air with a smile to say thanks. Taking hold of Toni's arm, she tugged her girlfriend out toward the dance floor.
"Come on." Betty mirrored Cheryl's actions, tugging Veronica over to the table that Malachai sat at with one of his friends. Reluctantly, Veronica followed Betty.
The smile on Malachai's face could rival the sun when he realized that Betty was coming over to him. He couldn't help that he needed to adjust his jeans, nor could he help his tongue darting out to trace over his own lips.
"Ladies. Please, have a seat." His exposed arms were far more muscular than the Ghoulie tending bar, Betty bit her lip when he raised one over the back of the booth top.
Veronic sat across from Malachai's Ghoulie sidekick, uncomfortable to say the least. More so when Betty nestled into the space next to Malachai.
"How did you know?" Betty leaned in close to ask Malachai. She was still holding the beer, more for her own comfort than to actually drink it.
"I remember you, both of you. Your money's no good here." He cocked his eyebrow at her, then leaned over to his friend and whispered something in his ear.
The younger looking Ghoulie stood on the booth seat, and climbed over the back, disappearing from view.
"Should we be on our way then?" Betty made a move like she was going to stand up. Malachai instantly caught her free hand with his.
"I didn't say you weren't good here, I said your money isn't. You can come 'round anytime you want." The crook of his finger came up and nudged her chin up. He smiled for her and only her.
"This wouldn't have anything to do with Jughead would it?" Veronica asked, completely perplexed.
"Not at all Miss Lodge. Although, I wouldn't mind if he shared."