Chapter 3: First Days, First Impressions
In the old days, there was enough
The card games and ease with the bitter salt of blood
I was in but I want out
My mother's love is choking me
I'm sick of words that hang above my head
What about the kid? It's time the kid got free
The Love Club by Lorde
Luminescence.
It was the name of the song Rosie had just written.
She sang the lyrics in her head as she played the chorus on her laptop in Archie's garage.
"In the space between is where I stand.
Like a crack in the wall or
a narrow valley winding round.
Nobody can tell what is my sound.
But some see my glow.
And I'm found.
My luminescence reaches out.
All it does is reach out."
She sat back in her chair, smiling as she crossed her arms over her chest. She was excited to show Archie later when he came back from his dinner with Betty. She was hoping they would be able to record more of Archie's songs. His writing was excellent.
Fred Andrews still hadn't figured out Archie was so invested in his own music and helping Rosie with hers. Rosie wasn't sure exactly what he thought was going on whenever he saw them arrive and exit together from the garage, but he didn't question them outright, which was fine with her.
She knew her parents were happy to have her out of the house playing music. And she had an inkling Will was even more ecstatic than her mom or dad. Rosie had noticed that her younger brother had a strange grudge of some sort against her. She did her best to ignore it, but it was getting more difficult to avoid his begrudging comments. Archie always defended her if Will said something around him. But Will had caught on to this method and evaded the ginger whenever he showed up at the house – which had become quite often.
But it was now the night before the first day of sophomore year for them. Rosie was too invested in her music to feel anxious. Not to mention she was friends with at least one person already. Archie told her that he'd introduce Betty to her that night, anyways, and Betty had been assigned to show her and another new girl around school. Archie had mentioned that two new girls at Riverdale High in one year was practically a record.
As she filtered through the songs she and Archie had recorded on the system, the side door to the garage opened and two sets of feet stepped through.
Rosie turned to see her redheaded friend and a blonde with her hair in a high ponytail. She had a kind smile and bright eyes.
Archie immediately walked over and introduced them. "Rosie, this is my best friend, Betty Cooper. Betty, this is Rosie Green."
Betty held out a hand for the brunette to shake. She grinned as they shook hands.
"It's so nice to meet you, Rosie," she said warmly. "I've heard so much about you."
"All good, I hope," joked Rosie. "I've heard quite a bit about you, too, actually. It's nice to put a face to the name."
"Always," Betty agreed. "Honestly, it's so nice to see a new face. Riverdale's residents get a little stale after a while."
"Thanks," Rosie replied, grateful. "It's just nice for me to make another new friend. Don't get me wrong, Ginger here is great company, but I've missed any caliber of girl talk."
"I'll have you know that I am excellent at girl talk," Archie defended, jokingly pointing fingers.
The three teens laughed together.
"Archie tells me that you're a fantastic songwriter," Betty mentioned. "We've got a great music program at Riverdale High if you're interested."
Out of the corner of her eye, Rosie noticed Archie suddenly go tense in the shoulders at the mention of the music program. He flexed his jaw, making his chin stand out even more.
Rosie's eyebrows raised, trying to keep focus on Betty. "Really? That – that sounds spectacular. I'd have to see what kinds of classes that are offered and such, but yeah…that's spectacular."
"You should hear her stuff, Betty," Archie rerouted the conversation back to Rosie. "Honestly, it's amazing."
"I would love to," the blonde nodded.
"We've got a couple right here on the laptop if you're up for it," Archie said, gesturing to the technology.
"Is that okay?" Betty asked Rosie kindly.
"Fine with me," Rosie smiled back, then turned to Archie. "Which song should we play?"
Archie was already scrolling through the short list of solo songs Rosie had recorded. His head snapped towards her. "I don't recognize this one. Is it new?"
Rosie nodded. "I wanted to show you that one, actually, so that works perfectly." She addressed Betty. "It's called Luminescence."
Archie hit a key and the soft ukulele intro began over the speakers.
Rosie held her breath as the song played, unable to watch Betty and Archie's expressions. Instead, she stared at the floor, leg shaking up and down anxiously. Even with Archie's wonderful encouragement, which was new to her, she was still nervous to show him and his best friend her new song.
As the last chorus faded, Betty and Archie clapped fervently. Archie even made a big deal about giving her a standing ovation. Rosie's cheeks grew warm as the two applauded and cheered.
"That is an amazing song, Rosie," Betty complimented, grinning.
"I think it's going to be huge someday," Archie added on excitedly. "It's really relatable."
"Thanks so much, you guys," the songwriter said gratefully. "It means a lot for you to say so. Just spectacular to hear, honestly."
"Your parents must be so proud of you," gushed Betty, completely unaware of Rosie's situation.
Rosie bit her lip, holding back a sigh. Archie's eyebrows furrowed as he noticed the brunette's expression.
"As proud as my parents can be," she replied, her smile not reaching her eyes. But Betty didn't see that as she patted her new friend on the shoulder.
Archie, however, did notice. And the more he thought about how her parents treated her the night they met, the way her brother addressed her, the more worried he became. This girl had been severely neglected by her own family. Who deserved that? Definitely not Rosie.
Rosie was oblivious to these thoughts, of course, but had a few thoughts of her own.
They're not proud, she thought bitterly. They're anything but proud of me and my music.
Rosie turned back to the laptop and shut it down quickly. She was happy to meet Archie's friend, but she had been there too long.
"Hey, I think I'm going to head back to my house. First day of sophomore year tomorrow and all…" she told them.
Archie stood quickly. "Need a ride?"
Betty suddenly felt a rush of jealousy, but it quickly faded as she realized that Archie was just being himself; a kind person. Besides, she had just met this girl, and as had he. They didn't know each other as well as she knew Archie. There was nothing to feel emotionally distraught over. Instead, Betty smiled.
"I should probably be going home, too. You know…my mom."
"Overprotective mother?" Rosie wondered jokingly.
Archie's eyebrows shot up, amused.
Betty smirked slightly. "You could say that. What about you?"
"Mine is worried that me being out late will make it so that when I come home and bound up the stairs to my bedroom, I'll wake up the athlete I have the pleasure of calling my brother," Rosie responded somewhat sarcastically.
"Ouch," Archie murmured, thinking of the consequences Rosie would have to face from her mom. He had seen the way she treated her own daughter in front of strangers, and wasn't keen on making Rosie survive what went on in the privacy of their own home.
"We'll walk you home before we leave, Betty," Archie told his best friend. He turned to his new friend. "She just lives across the street."
Rosie nodded. "Wow, you really have known each other your whole lives, haven't you? Classic small-town friends and all."
Betty nodded as the three exited the Andrews' garage. "Yeah. We've been friends since preschool."
"That's spectacular," Rosie acknowledged kindly.
Archie chuckled. "How is that spectacular, Rosie?"
"I've been moving around my whole life," she defended good-naturedly. "I always wished I had a lifelong friend that moved with me. A small-town, across the street friendship; just like yours, really."
"It's been a pretty great life," Betty grinned, glancing shyly up at Archie.
Rosie's attention was instantly diverted to the atmosphere between the two Riverdale natives.
Betty is completely and utterly in love with this boy, she thought, amazed. And Archie is, of course, completely and utterly oblivious to it all.
"It has," the redhead agreed, smiling as he looked ahead.
"It was great to meet you, Betty," Rosie said genuinely as they came to a stop in front of Betty's porch steps.
The two girls hugged briefly.
"It was great meeting you, too, Rosie. See you tomorrow at school?"
"You're giving me that tour, remember?"
"I am!" Then the blonde turned to Archie and gave him a bear hug. "See you tomorrow, Arch."
"Bye, Betty," he replied.
Betty waved over her shoulder as she walked up the steps and into her house.
As the door closed, Archie and Rosie spun on their heels and went back to the Andrews' truck.
Rosie thought about what she had just discovered about Betty and chuckled slightly.
Archie glanced over, puzzled but amused. "Why are you laughing?"
"It's just funny how much you can learn about a person from only knowing them a few minutes, that's all," she clarified, smiling to herself.
"You mean Betty?" Archie wondered, still confused.
Rosie nodded.
"And what did you learn about her?" joked Archie as the two climbed into the pickup.
"She has feelings for a certain redhead I might know," Rosie hinted, slamming her door shut.
Archie turned the keys in the ignition and the vehicle growled to life. He sent her a skeptical glance.
"You're kidding."
Rosie smirked. "Oh, but I'm not."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely one hundred percent."
"I don't believe you."
"Why not?"
"Because Betty is my best friend. She would've told me if she liked me that way."
"She might surprise you. You never know."
Archie just shook his head in disbelief, a grin gracing his features.
Rosie changed the subject as they drove towards her house. "I've been meaning to ask…are there many other local artists in town?"
"There's this girl band called Josie and the Pussycats," Archie replied.
Rosie's eyebrows scrunched. "That's the name?"
Archie nodded. "Yeah. They won a competition last year. They're pretty good."
The brunette still was put off by the title. "But why Josie and the Pussycats? Why not something like Josie and the Panthers? Josie and the Rockets? But…Pussycats? That's setting them up for numerous dirty jokes as well as the mockery of the entertainment industry as a whole."
"I'm not the biggest fan of the name either, but they've been dominating the music scene here in town," he explained. "I've actually been thinking about asking them whether they would sing a few of my songs. I wanted to show them what I've been working on and see if they're interested."
Rosie raised her eyebrows, thinking. "I've always wanted to write for other artists, too. Do they go to Riverdale High?"
"Yeah, they usually practice in the auditorium before school. I kind of want to talk to them tomorrow. Want to come with me?"
"Sure," she agreed. "That sounds great."
As they pulled into the Green's driveway, Rosie's face fell.
Archie frowned at his friend's expression. "Are you going to be okay?"
Rosie turned slowly towards him, face unreadable.
"Do you ask this to all your friends all the time?" Rosie wondered.
Archie was puzzled at the question. "Well…yeah. I want to make sure my friends are happy."
A smile slowly crept over Rosie's mouth, making Archie smile back. She laughed slightly as she opened the passenger side door.
"I'll see you tomorrow, dork."
"Hey, you're a dork, too!" he called back through his open window as she walked towards the house.
As Archie drove away, he realized something – Rosie had never answered him.
Rosie walked to school alone. Will had biked ahead, not wanting to be associated with his 'uncool' sister. But Rosie didn't care. She liked the time she had alone with her thoughts.
The air was crisp, a slight breeze sweeping her brunette bangs back and forth. The familiar feeling of butterflies whirled around in her stomach. Being a new girl in school was never easy. However, the thought of there being a second new girl made her less anxious. No matter how many times Rosie had transferred schools, she had never been as nervous as she was entering Riverdale High School's front doors.
As soon as she entered its hallow halls, the befuddled stares began. Her face had never before been seen around, and most of the students had been with each other since elementary school. She soon realized that she and the other new girl, whose name she was completely clueless about, would be in for a lot of ogling later in the day.
There was one gaggle of girls in particular that seemed unnecessarily concerned with scrutinizing her fashion choices, especially the ginger-haired girl who seemed to be the ringleader. A red flannel, gray t-shirt with the words 'cute AF' on the left side of her chest, ripped black skinny jeans, and pearl white Doc Marten-knock off boots were stylish in Portland, but apparently, as Rosie was judging by their unimpressed glares, not as popular in Midwestern America; and, specifically, in a small town like Riverdale.
Rosie stumbled around, trying to find the office. When she did, she was greeted with a nice secretary who shoved a schedule in her hand and showed her the way out.
Rosie adjusted her glasses as she walked, squinting at the small print on the paper. As she carefully studied the class names, more nerves melted away. She was satisfied with the class choices in the school, despite the size, and was actually looking forward to a few of them.
World History, Biology, English Literature/Creative Writing, choir… Rosie read. English Literature will certainly be interesting. I have a hard time reading quickly so –
BAM!
Rosie thought she had run into a wall. She caught her balance as she tripped backwards, putting a hand out to steady herself.
She glanced up from her schedule to see that it wasn't a wall she had crashed into, but a boy. And that boy just happened to be her friend, Archie Andrews. It had taken a second for her to really see who it was. She wasn't used to seeing him in a varsity jacket.
"You should watch where you're going, Ginger," she joked.
Archie looked relieved. "I'm so sorry, Rosie! Did you get hurt?"
"Just my pride," she joked. Then she noticed two other teenage boys standing slightly behind Archie. Her eyes flickered between them.
"Hey, guys, this is my friend Rosie," he introduced. "This is Moose and Reggie."
The two boys eagerly greeted her.
"Hi," she said warmly. "Nice to meet you."
The taller one, Reggie, punched the redhead in the shoulder, smirking as if he and Archie shared a deep dark secret.
"Nice going, Andrews!"
Both Archie and Rosie shared a confused frown.
"What are you talking about, Reg?"
Reggie and Moose also shared an expression, but it was an unconvinced grin.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," he said again.
"Uh, from the looks of it, he doesn't at all," Rosie noted. "But I think I know. So, no, Reggie, Archie and I did not have sex."
Archie's face immediately was fire engine red, brighter than his hair. His eyes went wide.
Moose laughed as Reggie gulped.
Rosie smiled sweetly at them as they backed slowly away.
"Yep, just…hustle on to your first class, kids. Don't make assumptions about people you just met, okay? Yeah, I think you know what I mean now, don't you?" she chuckled.
Archie turned to the brunette. "Wow…you really are honest with people, aren't you?"
"They would have just kept bothering you about it," she replied truthfully. "I'm sure that would have gotten annoying. Besides, it's not true, so why be embarrassed about it?"
He nodded distractedly, looking around the hallway. "I guess so. Hey, we should find Josie and the Pussycats."
Rosie immediately agreed. "That sounds spectacular."
Although Rosie was comfortable defending her friendship with Archie, the topic of conversation was slightly awkward for the both of them. Doing what they had planned the night before was a nice distraction from the uncomfortable conversation.
Not that I would have minded if that were true… Rosie thought casually. Her heart stopped and she snuck a peak at Archie as they made their way to the auditorium. He was focused on their destination, not making eye contact with her at all.
Her eyes went slightly wide and she felt her cheeks grow a little warm.
Where the hell did that come from? She thought, completely and utterly baffled. Sure, Archie's cute for a redhead, but…what on earth…? You're new, Rosie. Archie is the popular, football-playing, perfect boy-next-door type that's a secret, tortured musical genius. That would, and will, never happen. Besides, he's not even your type! You're friends. And having even one friend is a good thing for you. Don't screw it up by being weird!
Rosie shook herself out of those strange thoughts as they carried on.
Archie came to a sudden halt in front of a closed door. He pointed.
"They should be in here."
Rosie said nothing as he opened the creaky door and stepped inside. She glanced around at the space backstage as Archie shut the door behind them. They both looked ahead to onstage, where three girls sat.
One girl in the middle held a guitar, strumming and singing the lead as the girls beside her sang background vocals and harmonies. Rosie smiled slightly as she and Archie quietly walked forward.
"…we won't back down.
Write this in the sky.
We own the night and we fear nothing.
Call us outrageous, rockin' out phases.
Lost in the moment, clawing our cages…"
Rosie's eyebrows shot up. Those lyrics were fire. They knew how to write real songs, for sure. She was positive her and Archie's lyrics would fit their sound and label just fine.
Suddenly, the main girl stopped singing. She glared exhaustedly at the two figures before her. She cut off the other girls.
"Excuse me," she said, holding up a hand, "this is a closed rehearsal."
Archie took the lead. "We're sorry, we just…Josie, right?" He gestured to the outspoken singer. "We were hoping we could talk to you about some songs that we wrote?"
Before Rosie could add anything, Josie interjected.
"Let me just stop you right there." She set down her guitar and stood, striding confidently forward. "You're staring at our pussycat ears, which is rude, but let me break it, and them, down for you. The Pussycats are building a brand; creating a signature look, okay? We're telling a story."
"And we get that," Rosie interrupted kindly. "I love that you're being unique and doing what you need to do for your image and publicity and such. I get it. It's just that we think our music could help with that. I think you'll love what Archie here as to offer in terms of lyrics. He's amazing and I think they'd fit what you're going for really well."
Josie crossed her arms and smirked, sending a scoff to the girls behind her, who merely giggled in amusement.
"You're obviously new to Riverdale, so let me tell you why that's impossible to agree to. Last year, we won Rockland County's battle of the bands," Josie explained, cocky.
"That we did," added the girl on the right.
"This year," continued Josie, "we'd like to build on that success, continue telling our story with songs we write."
"We get that," Archie emphasized. "It's just…"
"Read my glossed lips Justin Gingerlake," she scoffed, pointing at Archie. She turned to Rosie. "And Hipster Zoey Deschanel…Not. Gonna. Happen."
She waved condescendingly at the two of them.
There was a moment of awkward silence.
"So that's it? You're not even willing to listen to one song?" Rosie pushed.
"What did I just say, Deschanel? Hit the road. We've got songs to write," Josie fired back.
Archie pulled on his friend's arm. "Let's just go. They're not interested."
Rosie's stomach churned as she and Archie left the auditorium.
"What a bitch," she muttered.
The two walked out the door and paused.
"That was annoyingly frustrating," Rosie commented.
Archie sighed. "Yeah, it was. Hey, I've got to talk to Coach Clayton about football. I'll see you in class?"
"You sure will," Rosie agreed. "See ya."
"See ya later!"
Rosie's shoulders slumped as she watched her friend stalk away.
Little did she know, as her conversation with Archie concluded, another one began at the end of the hall.
"There's the hottie I saw you with last night! The red-headed Ansel Elgort…and who's that girl?" Veronica Lodge commented, grasping tightly to Betty's arm.
"Yeah, who's that?" Kevin Keller added.
"That's Rosie Green. She's the one Archie wanted to introduce me to. She's new, too, and she's really nice," Betty relayed. "She writes songs and is absolutely amazing. Archie said they've been working together on music a lot this past week."
Kevin cocked an eyebrow. "Is that the effervescent green monster of jealously I hear?"
Betty rolled her eyes, denying it to be so, as Veronica asked a very important question.
"Is he your boyfriend?"
Betty and Kevin replied in unison, each saying something different.
"No, we're just friends."
"No, he's straight."
The two shared an amused glance as Veronica watched Archie walk away from Rosie.
"In that case, mind putting in a word? I've tried every flavor of boy but orange."
"Actually, to clarify," Kevin explained, "Betty and Archie aren't dating, but they are endgame."
This is where Rosie joined the conversation.
After watching Archie walk away, Rosie turned to see three people staring directly at her. One, she recognized, the other two were complete strangers.
"Hi, Betty," she greeted.
Betty smiled kindly. "Hi, Rosie. How's your first day going so far?"
"Well, I kind of got shut down by Josie and her band of Pussycats, so, um…so far? Not great."
"Let me make it better for you then. Rosie, this is Kevin Keller and our other new Riverdale High resident, Veronica Lodge," Betty introduced.
"Thank god, another newbie like myself!" said the dark-haired girl. "I love your style by the way. Very Pacific-Northwest hipster. Like an amped up Jess from New Girl!"
Rosie grinned widely. "Thank you! It's so nice to meet you."
But the name Lodge sparked something in Rosie's memory. Where had she heard that name before? Then, it clicked into place.
"Oh, Lodge? Like…New York City Lodges?"
Veronica's face fell and she crossed her arms. Rosie's mood immediately dropped. She knew that that probably wasn't the best thing to say, especially because what happened to Veronica and her family was so publicized.
"Great. Even the other newbie is in on the crap-fest. Hear all about it on E-news? Or did you bring it up because you thought it would help you feel better?" she snapped.
Rosie quickly tried to cover up the mess. "Oh, geez, I'm so sorry! I just…I knew I had heard your name before and I was trying to deduce where I'd heard it from…I'm so sorry."
Rosie was shocked to see that Veronica somehow adjusted herself and backed down.
"It's okay. I understand. It's probably strange seeing someone in person that you've heard so much about."
Rosie shook her head. "No, really, I just…I remember seeing the reports on snapchat, but I just…I knew I that had heard of you from somewhere. I'm not the type of person to try to shame anybody, especially someone I've just met. I apologize for the word vomit."
Veronica's eyes softened and she uncrossed her arms, putting a hand on Rosie's shoulder. "It wasn't right for me to jump to conclusions. Let's try this again. Hi, I'm Veronica."
"Nice to meet you, Veronica. I'm Rosie."
"And I'm Kevin," the taller boy jumped in. "I love your whole vibe, by the way. Very Portland."
"Funnily enough, that's where I'm from," Rosie told them.
"Are the donuts from Voodoo really as good as everyone says?" he inquired.
"Uh…they're good donuts, don't get me wrong, but there are better donuts out in that vast community for sure," she said, amused by the question.
She noticed Betty looking around the halls.
Maybe she's looking for a certain redheaded jock? Rosie thought.
"So…Betty," Rosie addressed the blonde as they all began to walk down the hallway. "I heard something about you and Archie being…endgame?"
Betty's gaze slid the floor as she blushed profusely. "That's what Kevin says."
"I ship it so hard," he agreed, nudging her with his shoulder.
"Then you should ask him to the semi-formal then," Veronica commented.
Rosie nodded. "I agree. That would be a spectacular opportunity for you to tell him!"
"She should," said Kevin, "but I heard it might be getting canceled. Because of what happened to Jason. They're going to tell us at the assembly."
Rosie shook her head. From the very few details Archie could spare, it sounded like a horrific situation. She was disappointed to hear that the town had lost someone so involved in the football and, apparently, someone who was respected by a lot of the student body.
Betty went quiet when Jason was mentioned. Veronica, on the other hand, was still in the dark about the Blossom boy's tragic demise.
"Who's Jason and what happened to him?" Veronica mentioned casually.
Betty and Kevin shared a cringe while Rosie sighed. They all looked at Veronica, whose expression quickly changed to one of concern.
"Was it really that bad? It's not like he died, right?" she giggled uncomfortably, trying to dispel the nerves.
Rosie's face scrunched. Eek. Very wrong thing to say.
"Uhhh…actually, that's exactly what happened," Kevin announced, breaking the silence.
Veronica's eyes widened. "Really? You're not kidding?"
Betty and Rosie shook their heads.
"Wait, how do you know about Jason?" Betty asked curiously.
"Archie mentioned him a few times. He said that it was pretty shocking to everyone. Something about…drowning in a river?" Rosie replied.
"Oh my gosh," Veronica exclaimed, obviously in shock. "Does he have any siblings here at the school?"
"One," Kevin replied, as if disappointed.
This time, it was Rosie and Veronica that shared a confused look.
"Why do you sound like that one sibling killed your cat?" Rosie joked.
Kevin seemed bitter. "Because knowing Cheryl, she probably did."
"Thank you for that moment of silence."
Rosie sat next to Archie during the back-to-school assembly. His football friends, Moose, and Reggie, sat on the other side of him. She was glad he served as a barrier between them. She wasn't fond of Reggie's carefree attitude about girls.
Veronica and Betty had invited her to sit with them, but Archie had already found her during first period English and made her promise to join him at the assembly. Rosie had noticed that Betty's cheeks went pale at the mention of Archie asking Rosie to sit next to him. She really had it bad for this boy! Rosie apologized to Betty after informing them, saying that she only saw Archie as a friend and music partner. Betty had told her she wasn't bothered by it, but Rosie could tell that it was tearing up the blonde inside.
Rosie frowned at the bright, redheaded girl at the front of the gym. It was Cheryl Blossom, the twin sister of the late Jason Blossom. Rosie had realized that it was her and her crew this morning that had seemed so judgmental of her fashion choices. She felt bad about assuming the girl's character so quickly. But what Kevin had said about her capability of murdering his cat had troubled her slightly.
"Many of you were lucky enough to have known my brother personally. Each and every one of you meant the world to Jason. I loved my brother. He was and always will be my soul mate. So, I speak with the confidence only a twin could have. Jason wouldn't want us to spend the year mourning. Jason would want us to move on with our lives. Which is why I've asked the school board not to cancel the Back-To-School semiformal."
Cheering erupted from the section below us.
"But rather," Cheryl continued, "to let us use it as a way to heal, collectively, and celebrate my brother's too, too short life on this mortal coil. Thank you all."
As the Blossom twin spoke, Rosie noticed Archie staring down into the teacher's row of chairs. She followed his fixed gaze to see a young, female teacher with glasses gazing back. Their stare was relentless, as if they both were reliving a shared memory.
Rosie put a hand on Archie's hand as the rest of the school applauded. The physical contact seemed to snap him out of whatever trance he had been in.
"Are you okay, Arch?" Rosie wondered, troubled by the intensity in his eyes.
Archie shook himself into reality and looked over at Rosie with an unconvincing smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was staring into space."
"Right at the teacher's row?" Rosie asked cautiously, testing the waters.
"There's a weird scratch on the floor next to one of the chairs," he lied. "I was just thinking of some song lyrics and just…kept looking at the scratch, I guess."
The other students began standing. The assembly was over.
Archie stood, and so did Rosie.
"Hey," he told her quickly, "I've actually got to talk to one of the teachers about class later. I'll see you in Bio?"
Rosie let him believe she was completely buying into his fibs. "Yeah, I'll catch you later."
"Great."
And with that, Archie rushed off into the crowd. Rosie saw he was making a beeline for that bespectacled teacher, who was doing her best to work her way through the mob of students.
Rosie had trouble with curiosity. It got her into trouble.
But she couldn't help but give in.
She followed Archie through the horde from a distance. He had a harder time getting through because he was so tall, but Rosie didn't have a problem. Sure, she was somewhat tall for a girl, but people parted ways because they didn't recognize her. They stepped back when they realized they hadn't seen her before.
Maybe being a new girl today has its advantages, Rosie thought contentedly as she finally got through to the doorway.
She stalked Archie until he bounded straight up a staircase, calling out the teacher's name. She waited at the bottom behind a wall, peering around the corner; straining her ears for the slightest snippet of conversation. Thankfully, the halls had excellent acoustics, and she was able to hear every single syllable of every single word.
"Geraldine!" Archie cried.
Who calls their teacher by their first name? she thought.
"What can I do for you, Mr. Andrews?" she asked formally.
Rosie didn't realize how big those glasses were on her tiny frame until then.
At least my glasses fit my face shape and size, she commented. Wait, what? Just listen, you idiot!
"Can we talk, Ms. Grundy, please?" pleaded the ginger.
"It depends. About what?"
There was a strange lapse in dialogue for a moment.
"Music," Archie finally concluded. "You're the music teacher. Can we talk about music?"
"Of course. Make an appointment. During my office hours, my official office hours."
And with that, Ms. Grundy rushed away up the next flight of stairs.
It was hard to see from down below, but, to Rosie, it looked like Archie had wanted to say so much more to the music teacher.
She slumped up against the wall, sighed, and put a hand on her head.
What the hell was going on between Archie Andrews and Ms. Grundy?
That took me so long to write! I apologize for making you wait so long, but I got so stuck at the beginning of this chapter. It was so hard to get through! But we made it and I'm so excited to keep writing more. It's going to keep getting more exciting and more interesting with each chapter.
I hope I stayed true to the characters! If any of them seem a little OOC, just let me know kindly, please! I want to stay true to the CW's depiction of these classic characters.
Also, THANK YOU FOR SO MANY REVIEWS, FOLLOWS, AND FAVORITES! It's insane how much you all seem to be enjoying the story. You all are wonderful! Here are my responses to all of you lovely people:
lovelymvf: Thank you! Not going to lie, I totally ship Barchie on the show. Here…? Not so much! 😊
xxDreamWalkerxx: Thanks so much! I hope this fulfilled your expectations!
Raging Iron Thunder: Haha it's funny you say that because I'm very American! I'm from the Pacific Northwest. Maybe it's more of a Pacific Northwest thing? And thank you!
Naruhina1519: Thank you so much! 😊
strangerthanfanfiction713: Thank you! I agree! There's actually another Archie/OC story on the site that I've yet to read, but it's got a solid following, so I'm actually super excited to read that soon. 😊
marvellove: SAME ahhhh!
Sanati: Thank you! I hope this is enough of a chapter for you!
thebestpeopleinlifearefree: First of all, LOVE your username. Taylor Swift is one of my favs! Secondly, thank you so much! I really appreciate your comments. 😊
Fancymuffinsandwannabecakes: Thank you! Cakes and muffins sound really good right now for some reason… 😉
LapisLazuliRose: I love, love, love that you reviewed! Thanks so much!
gabrielle: You are so kind! And I'm so glad you picked up on that reference! 😊 I actually don't know a site that has a lot of Archie/OC fics on it, so I'm sorry! That's honestly why I started writing my own. Not to mention, KJ Apa is a beautiful man. 😉
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I don't know when the next one will be out, but I'll do my best to write when I have time. You all are lovely!