Chapter 16: Sticky Maple, Part 3

Betty glared at Cheryl. "Your brother hurt my sister."

Archie glanced at Cheryl. He could tell she was upset and probably was about to start crying.

He then decided to intervene.

"Betty, this is not Cheryl's fault. She is not responsible for any of Jason's choices. She shouldn't be held accountable."

Betty glared at Cheryl for a few more seconds. Then she took a deep breath.

"Fine. But don't think this means anything, Cheryl."

"So, what do we do now?", Veronica asked. "Do we turn this playbook over to Principal Weatherbee?"

"I've got a better idea", Betty said. "We need to concoct a plan for revenge. To teach Chuck a lesson."

"And how do you suppose we do that?", Jughead asked.

Betty thought for a few seconds. Then, suddenly, it was like a lightbulb entered her head. She had a clue on her scheme.

The next day…

It went without saying that Ethel Muggs wasn't very popular at Riverdale High School. In fact, she was pretty much an outcast. Hardly anyone had tried to get to know her. Archie couldn't even recall the last time he even spoke to her. He could have sworn he had talked to Cheryl more times than he did to Ethel in elementary school, and that was saying a lot, considering that Archie and Cheryl didn't interact that much before their tenth-grade year.

So, when Betty suggested that they talk to Ethel, Archie was confused and surprised. He didn't see how talking to Ethel would contribute to their cause. He had seen Ethel a handful of times at Riverdale High, but he had never really been interested in hearing more from her. Not everyone at Riverdale High shared his interests, and that was totally fine. He was okay with simply remaining acquaintances with a good number of the student population at that school. A person could only have a few true friends, anyway.

Regardless, Archie figured that maybe Ethel knew something that they didn't. Why else would Betty want to speak to her?

Betty led the way to where Ethel usually chose to sit in the library. Archie, Jughead, Veronica, Reggie, and Cheryl watched from a close distance.

"Hey, Ethel", Betty said. "Can we talk for a few minutes?"

"Sure, Betty", Ethel said. "What do you need?"

"I want to talk to you about Chuck."

Ethel fell silent for a few minutes, not saying anything.

"What do you want to know?"

"I know that you had an altercation with Chuck last year. Can you tell me about it? You don't have to tell me, but it might help me understand."

Ethel took a deep breath, then she explained what had happened.

"Chuck asked me for some help with his history homework", Ethel said. "He asked to meet him in the library."

Archie was listening to this conversation from where he was standing. His fists were clenched. It was typical of Chuck to take advantage of random girls at Riverdale High in addition to their vulnerability.

"Chuck and I were working on a few questions and then he offered to take a selfie of me and him. This surprised me, as I wondered why a popular jock like him would want to be in a picture with me. I just said yes, because I didn't expect what he would do afterwards. It was just one picture, it didn't seem like such a big deal. So, he took the picture, and I didn't think anything about it for a few hours. It was only when I got onto social media sites and saw that picture that I realized what his intentions were."

Ethel's lip quivered. Archie could tell that what happened to her was pretty bad.

"Chuck had given me a sticky maple. My face had been blurred by an orange circle in the edited photos. Chuck had been bragging that he had been doing things with me, that we had sex multiple times, very disgusting stuff. Horrible to brag about."

Ethel looked down at the ground. Betty reached for her hands with one of her own.

"It's okay, Ethel", Betty said. "We're going to make Chuck pay for his lies. But we need your help."

"I'm listening."

"Are you or your parents going to be home tonight?"

"No, we're supposed to be seeing some movie."

"All right, then. You wouldn't mind if we used your house for our plan? We're just going to utilize the bathroom. We're going to trap Chuck."

A few hours later…

The plan seemed to be going well. Archie could confidentiality say that without any doubt. Chuck's arrogance would be his downfall. Betty had talked to Chuck at Pop's and invited him to Ethel's house when the Muggs family were all out of town. Chuck agreed with a smirk, thinking he was going to get some action.

You have no idea, you scumbag, Archie thought.

Chuck apparently thought that he and Betty would be intimate at Ethel's house. Little did he know what would await him.

Archie and Reggie would both be hiding in the back of the Muggs residence, only coming in to help if something went wrong. It would be four against one. Chuck, despite all of his strength and cockiness, would be outnumbered. Jughead had opted not to come, rather choosing to wait and hear about the incident.

"You could come too, if you want", Archie told Cheryl.

"I don't want to mess things up", Cheryl said. "Besides, Betty clearly doesn't want me there, anyway."

"Well, stay safe, then", Archie said, hugging Cheryl.

Archie and Reggie both hid in the bushes in the Muggs' backyard. Archie was watching the scene unfold with his binoculars.

He saw Chuck walking towards Ethel's front door.

Oh, this will be fun, Archie thought.

But it what he saw afterwards that blew his mind.

Betty opened the door, but Archie could see that her hair had been dyed black.

Interesting, Archie thought.

"We both think it's time that I moved on from pining over Archie", Betty said.

"A good choice", Chuck said, laughing. Archie growled, but them realized that Betty no longer having feelings for him was a good thing. He wouldn't have to worry about that, at the very least.

Betty and Chuck walked into the house together. Archie and Reggie both crept out of the bushes and carefully snuck up next to the house so they could watch the entire incident. The two boys crept next to the window so they could hear all the interactions between Betty, Veronica, and Chuck.

Betty led Chuck to the hot tub that Ethel had. He gave a cocky grin, thinking he was going to be entertained. He had no idea how wrong he was.

Betty and Chuck sat in the hot tub for a few minutes.

"I feel so…luxuriated", Chuck said.

"You know what would be even better?", Betty asked. "If you had a drink."

"Don't mind if I do", Chuck said, laughing.

Chuck didn't know this, obviously, but Betty had spiked his drink with muscle relaxer. This would cause him to lose some inhibition and cause him to be weak and unconscious for a few minutes.

Betty had borrowed some handcuffs that Kevin had given her from his father. She immediately handcuffed and gagged Chuck. Chuck was cuffed to the sides of the hot tub, with no chance of escape.

Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Reggie all waited. Then, a few minutes later, it seemed like Chuck was waking up.

This is going to be good, Archie thought.

"What the hell?", Chuck screamed, realizing that he was unable to escape.

Veronica had started recording the scene with her cell phone. Betty then ripped the gag from Chuck's mouth, causing him to moan in pain a little.

"Tell the truth, Chuck. Tell everyone what really happened between you and Veronica."

"I'm not saying anything", Chuck said.

"Do it or I'll boil you in hot water", Betty said.

Chuck seemed nervous for a few seconds, seemingly contemplating his options.

Finally, he gave in.

"All right, I give!", Chuck shouted. "I'll tell the truth. Veronica and I only made out. We only kissed. I never gave Veronica a sticky maple. Now, will you please let me go?"

"Not so fast", Betty said. "We're not done yet."

Betty then pushed Chuck's head into the boiling water with her heel. Archie and Reggie then rushed into the house.

This wasn't part of the plan! Archie thought.

Chuck screamed at the top of his lungs, clearly in excruciating pain.

"What the hell is going on?", Reggie asked. "We got what we wanted, didn't we?"

"I know", Archie said. "This is going too far."

Archie and Reggie both arrived in the bathroom to see that Betty had started pouring a bottle of maple syrup all over his head. Chuck was now moaning in pain from the hot water and the syrup that had entered his eyes.

"Apologize, you pig!", Betty screamed.

"Okay, I'm sorry", Chuck shouted. "I'm sorry for the photos, I'm sorry for lying, please stop!"

"Apologize for ruining Polly, Jason! Apologize to her, Jason! Say you're sorry for destroying me!"

Archie could tell what was happening now. This seemed like Betty's way of getting revenge for what had happened to her sister.

"Stop it, I'm not Jason!", Chuck shouted.

"Betty", Veronica exclaimed. "That's enough. We got what we wanted."

Chuck took a few deep breaths, trying to regain some sense and vision in the midst of what had just happened. Then, he spotted Reggie and Archie watching in the background.

"Andrews! Mantle! You'll both pay for this betrayal!", Chuck shouted.

"Let's get out of here", Archie said to Reggie. As the two boys left, Betty uncuffed Chuck, who was looking furious.

The next day…

Veronica, Betty, Archie, and Reggie all went to Principal Weatherbee with the evidence they had accumulated. Chuck's actions regarding the sticky maples causes six players from the Riverdale football team to be suspended and banned from the team, Chuck himself included.

Hermione Lodge had come to the office to see how Veronica was doing.

"Next time, come to me if something like this happens", Hermione said.

"Yes, Mom."

As the four students left the office, Reggie asked if he could speak to Veronica privately.

"What is it, Mantle?", Veronica asked.

"Veronica, I just wanted to say I'm sorry this happened to you", Reggie said.

"It's okay, Mantle", Veronica said. "You've more than made up for it."

"Still", Reggie said. "No one should ever treat you like that. If anyone gives you any more problems, you let me know, okay?"

Veronica looked at Reggie for a few minutes, seemingly thinking about his offer.

"Fine", Veronica said. "I guess I can trust you, Mantle. You seem decent."

Reggie smiled at Veronica before heading off to find Archie.

"Well? How did it go?", Archie asked.

"Nothing is guaranteed, but I think Veronica is interested", Reggie said.

"That's great", Archie said.

Archie and Reggie went to their next class. On the way, Archie winked at Cheryl for a few seconds.

That night…

Betty was feeling ecstatic that justice had finally been served regarding Chuck and his stupid challenges.

Serves the moron right, Betty thought. The guy is a scumbag.

Betty then tried to go to sleep. But while she was laying down, she could have sworn that she heard something from the attic.

Not wanting to disturb her parents, Betty then crept towards the attic to see what it was. She walked up the attic stairs, not sure what she would find.

Betty looked around for a few minutes, then decided to head back to bed. As she did, someone grabbed her mouth and held her back from leaving.

Betty couldn't make a sound. But then, the person who was holding her twirled her around. The person said, "Shh."

Betty looked at this person in the face. She couldn't believe her eyes when she saw who it was. It was almost like she had jumped out of her skin.

It was Polly!