Sweetpea texted her telling her to meet him at pops after school. Or to be more accurate after she got out because they both knew he never stayed the full day. She promised to be there as fast as she could and she kept up her promise.

She got there only fifteen minutes after school let out. She could see him in a booth facing the door but not really looking in her direction. He had on his jacket as always, arms spread behind himself on the booth. He looked just so effortlessly beautiful just sitting there.

"Can I sit?" She asked already moving into the seat.

"Do I get a choice?" He didn't say it in a mean way just being playful.

"Nope." She leaned on the table top interlocking her fingers. "What's up?"

"I have a surprise." He calmly stated. Betty's heart flipped, she didn't know why he was giving her a surprise but she couldn't deny the giddiness she felt.

"Why? What is it?" She was eager to find out why.

"You'll have to wait. First food." She sighed but was happy enough to get a shake and some fries while Sweetpea ate a burger. They weren't even her fries she kept stealing them off his plate but he never stopped her.

The food was gone, the shake was drained, and she still didn't know what the surprise was but she didn't care. They just sat and talked and it didn't matter anymore because she was happy with him. He was the surprise she cared about.

It was nearing sunset when Sweetpea stood up abruptly, walking to her side of the booth. He stuck his hand out wordlessly and pulled her along when she grabbed it.

He walked her outside but as soon as they stepped outside the doors he told her to close her eyes and she did as such.

Slowly he guided her to his bike and then let her stand for a moment while he rifled through something.

She couldn't stop smiling at his ridiculousness. He was putting in so much effort for something so small. She could tell he moved back to her but she had yet to put her hands down and open her eyes.

He laughed slightly before speaking. "You can open now."

She did so slowly. The first thing she noticed was he had a huge smile. She couldn't help but smile back even wider. Before she knew it he was moving his arms from behind his back and holding something out to her.

"Surprise." He sounded cocky but nervous all at the same time. Like he knew she'd want it but he wasn't sure how much.

She looked at his hands only to see black leather.

"Wha-?" She didn't get all of the words out before it hit her. "Is this? Sweetpea!" She grabbed the leather slinging it over her shoulders.

It fit perfectly. The jacket was absolutely perfect and she had an idea how he managed to make it so perfect for her. She just looked up into his eyes smile wider than the oceans. She leaped up wrapping her newly leather-clad arms around his neck.

"I figured you needed one since you're apart of the gang now." He held her back just breathing in her sent, listening to her laugh.

"I love it. How did you manage to get me one though? I'm not REALLY a part of the gang." He scoffed at her comment.

"The only person who doesn't think you're apart of the gang is Jughead and he's not in charge. Yet anyway." He whispered the last part to the ground. "Plus FP likes you a lot so he jumped at the idea to get you one for real." His smile was starting to match hers.

They stood by his bike for a while just talking about nothing and everything all at once. It was cold but the jacket kept it out mostly. When she couldn't stand it anymore she shoved her hands in her pockets as deep as they would go to hide them from the cold when her hands were stopped by something inside.

She pulled the items out to find pale pink fingerless leather gloves with a black 'B' embroidered on them. She stared at them for a moment going silent. When she looked up at Sweetpea he was quiet too but his face was lighting up.

"I tried to mix some serpent with some classic Elizabeth. I hope I did ok." He was apprehensive, he had absolutely no idea if she would even like them let alone wear them. Before he could dig himself farther into his worry pit she slipped in the gloves flexing her fingers.

"Much better." She leaned up and kissed him quickly. "I love them thank you."

They talked for another ten minutes or so before hopping on his bike so he could drive her home.

It may not have seemed like much to an outsider but to her it was everything. It meant she was in. She was accepted and liked. It was all she could ask for.

Betty stood on her front porch staring at her door like what was behind it would eat her alive. Granted Alice Cooper was somewhere behind that door so it was an all to real threat. Her mother may have been a serpent once upon a time but she was no fan. She definitely didn't want to be caught wearing or even possessing serpent gear.

All the lights in the house were off so Betty silently prayed as she shrugged the jacket off for safety before opening the door.

She closed the door behind her quietly and was just about to sigh in relief when a voice vibrates through the air.

"Elizabeth Cooper," her mother spoke sternly, "where have you been?"

Betty just stood there in the dark hallway trying to think of something to say. She had the jacket over her arms covering her hands and hopefully not showing how small it was so she could say it was Sweetpea's if need be.

"Umm, I was out with friends. I'm not even that late," she shifted her eyes away from where her mother was walking towards her arms crossed. She knew it was past curfew but couldn't bring herself to care until she pulled up to her house.

"Well, then why did I see Sweetpea and his god awful motorcycle outside just a few minutes ago?" She tilted her head slightly to put her face back into Betty's view. "And why are you holding a leather jacket that I know doesn't belong to him?" Betty started to feel nauseous. She wasn't used to lying and wasn't that good at it either.

"Look, mom, I know I've been MIA for a while and I haven't been a good daughter lately but I'm happy," She finally looked her mom in the eye as she talked, "after Jughead I was devastated and I finally don't feel wrong for being me. Can't you just let me be that for a while?" Alice dropped her hands back to her sides as Betty spoke.

Alice walked closer to Betty putting her hands on her arms in the most motherly way imaginable. "Sweetie I know how alluring the south side and the Serpents can be better than anyone. I'm just trying to keep you safe because I also happen to know how it can turn your life upside down really fast better than anyone." Her eyes were pleading, looking into her daughter's eyes.

"I am being safe mom I promise." And with that Alice let go and let her daughter walk up the stairs to her room to get much-deserved rest.

The next day at school she had her gloves tucked into her bag to scared to wear them out and about at Riverdale high just yet, they weren't the most open-minded and heartwarming people. Even though she wouldn't dare wear them she sure as hell wanted to keep them close, they meant too much.

She was almost tempted to take them out when she was sitting in the student lounge during her free period but then Weatherbee made an announcement that shook Riverdale high to its core.

South Side High was shut down.

It was as though the entire school went stock still and silent as the revelation.

Betty's heart sank. The first thought that ran through her head was that Jughead Jones would be once again going to school with her and due to recent events she really didn't want to deal with him any more than strictly necessary.

She spent a couple minutes thinking of ways to avoid him when in school before another, much better, thought popped into her head. Sweetpea would be going to school with her. He'd be one hell of a way to avoid Jughead.

So I hear you're going to be coming to my school.

And I couldn't be happier

Wanna celebrate tonight about the victorious occasion?

Always ;)

With that, she met him after school prominently showing off her gift if only for a short period of time considering all of their coverage was lost soon after meeting.

Sorry it's been a while I just didn't want to write and *SPOILERS* then Jughead and Betty got back together on the show so I was even less motivated but I figured if the writers weren't going to do it I would so here it is the next chapter, short but here. hope it's enjoyed!