(Jughead)

I hadn't slept well last night. Actually, I hadn't slept well in years, but last night was especially difficult. I'd left Betty at the Whyte Wyrm after breaking it off with her for the final time. I knew I'd made the right decision, what I didn't feel good about was leaving her there with her mother.

As much as she tried to hide it, I knew what it looked like when you lived in a dysfunctional home. In her case though it was more like an abusive home. Mental abuse is harder to spot, but Alice's manipulation wasn't. Some days I found myself wondering what the real Betty Cooper would be like if she had the freedom to become her own person.

I'd gone through most of the school day wondering how much everything was going to change now. Betty gone, dad back in charge of the gang after my fuck up, and all of the young serpents looked like they were closing rank. Talking in whispers about I didn't know what, until I'd purposely hung outside the door to my last class listening.

Toni and I had calculus together, we had other classes together but I knew she'd been on the job most of the day for the club. What I didn't know was what kind of job.

"How was helping out the prospect this morning," Fangs asked her, sounding genuinely curious instead of razzing someone for having to babysit.

"It went pretty okay, I think she'll fit in better than we could have imagined. Bitch is hardcore," she said, laughing slightly.

I made my grand entrance at that moment, making it clear I'd heard what they said.

"When was anyone going to tell me we have a new prospect?"

"Didn't come up," Fangs mumbled, walking back to his desk.

"Well I've been gone all day so it's not like I've had a chance," Toni added, "besides, you'll meet the new prospect soon enough, he should be waiting for me outside with Sweet Pea."

I furrowed my brows then. Was Sweet Pea really the best person to show around new blood? He was always rude, abrasive and when he wasn't being disrespectful he barely spoke at all. Hardly the front man I would use.

I zoned out through most of the class, staring out the window and wondering how I would ever get the inside scoop for my book without Nancy Drew in my back pocket.

As the bell rang I watched Toni sprint out of the room. Curious as to why the new prospect warranted this kind of response I moved as fast as I could and followed her out.

As she walked up to her car I could see Sweet Pea standing next to a girl in skinny jeans and a crop top. Her back was to me but I could see she was a blonde, dirtier than Betty's colour, and kinked where hers was straight. She was just as petite and I couldn't imagine how someone so small and fragile was going to be a good asset to the Serpents.

As she turned around to greet Toni I felt my heart drop into my stomach. She didn't so much as look my way as I walked up and I could feel rage simmering where my heart had just taken up residence.

"Betty, what are you doing here?" I spat out, pushing my way into the centre of the group of young Serpents that had gathered around. Where I was seething mad, everyone else looked eager to greet her. From the way they were all acting I'd say they'd known about this for a while.

"Jughead, I wasn't aware I had to explain to you why I was attending school," she said, acting as if being here was the most natural thing in the world.

"You attend Riverdale High, you know, the school on the north side that preppy, entitled teenagers have taken over?" I barked, knowing that if I hurt her just enough she'd high tail it back to the north side, where she belonged. Or…that's what I'd assumed.

(Betty)

Hearing that venom come out of Jughead's mouth I could feel my hackles rise. Who did he think he was, talking to me like that in front of our crew? Did he think I'd just go running back to mommy and daddy if he was mean enough to me? He had another thing coming if he thought I was just going to let him disrespect me like that.

"Look, Jones, I don't owe you an explanation as to why I'm here, I answer to FP, not you." I bit out, keeping my cool as much as possible, trying not to let him get under my skin. "I go to this school, I live on this side, and I'm a part of this crew so you will not speak to me like you're better than me."

His silence and glare didn't bode well for future interactions, but he could see based on the looks of disgust aimed his way that he wasn't going to win this battle. Somehow, even though he'd been here longer, I had the respect he clearly couldn't gain from the younger group of Serpents.

Turning away on his heel he made to head off to his bike, but I couldn't let him leave that quickly, not without saying one last thing.

"Oh, and Jones," he stopped, but didn't turn around as I spoke, "I did the dance, I'm a legacy too, I belong here and I never want to hear you say otherwise."

With my last parting words he started off again, probably off to his dad to try and make him change his mind, but I knew I belonged here, and nothing could make me leave. I'm pretty sure I had the support of our core group anyway and they'd fight for me if I asked them too.

Sweet Pea clapped me on the back and the rest of the group returned to ragging on each other and just hanging out until rent-a-cop made it clear we weren't welcome on school property anymore.

Some of the guys offered to help get my stuff unpacked and into my new place but I didn't really want anyone else to see where I lived just yet…having Toni and Sweet Pea know already felt like too much.

With some hugs and waves farewell, Toni and I got into the car. As we headed off Sweet Pea followed behind on his bike…and as I watched him I noticed a few more bikes pull up…and then a few more! It looked like the whole crew was coming to my place whether I wanted them or not…