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Ch. 3 || One Night Can Change Everything

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On the night of the dance, the girls and I had decided to get ready at my place so we could carpool together. It had been decided the day before that my brother Teddy would be driving us, because as he put it "I don't want you idiots on the road wearing those heels" which if I'm being honest is a well-founded argument. Especially since last year Ginger Lopez totaled her mom's car because her heel got caught under the pedal.

My bedroom was full of laughter, heat from hair curlers and straighteners, and 2000s throwbacks on Pandora.

After finally getting ready, we walked down the stairs to meet my brother in the living room.

"Damn…you look ugly."

"Shut up."

"You shut up, gremlin."

"Don't say words you can't even spell."

"Don't say words you can't even spell." He mocked, "And you're one talk about spelling when you almost got held back for being unable to learn the alphabet."

"I was five, all I wanted to do was go play kickball not learn!"

"So you're not just ugly you're stupid."

"Whatever and fix your tie it's crooked."

"This is why I'm glad, I'm an only child." I overheard Nance say to Minnie.

Opal laughed and walked up to my brother, "Hold still I'll fix it."

He smiled at her as she redid his tie, "Thanks Oh, I'm glad someone's nice to me."

I throw up my hands, "You started it!"

"Guys," Opal said looking between us, "Relax Eff, and Ted stop antagonizing your sister."

"Whatever," we both replied with reluctance.

My mom came around the corner, she smiled brightly. "You all look so beautiful!"

I could help but look at my friends and couldn't agree more.

Opal in a long bohemian style dress with loose long sleeves the color of a soft maroon with simple pattern that had slits on both sides revealing her little brown booties that she had on. Her long blonde hair had been curled and put in a very messy ponytail, that I had done for her, with minimalist make up expect for mascara and lip gloss.

Minnie wore a something I doubted a lot of girls would wear tonight: a romper. The romper was a mint green color that was short and showed most of her bare back (it took us a sold 45 minutes to tape her down and make sure she wouldn't flash anyone) plus being paired with some nude ankle strapped heels made her look much taller than 5'6. Minnie decided to pin part of her bangs behind her hair and then leave the rest in waves around her face, add that with her mint green eyeshadow and nude lip. And she looked playful and free.

Nancy decided to wear a dress that was long as well hitting her right on the ankles, the navy colored maxi wrap dress made her look statuesque, her decided to opted out of heels and instead wore sandals. She also decided to leave her beautiful curls alone and just wear a little bit more make up then she normally does. Her brown eyes were smoked out, with black and blue, and her lips were colored with a pink lip.

While I wore a just past the knee length, burgundy spaghetti strap two piece body con dress with a pair of gold suede lace up heels. My hair which was an awkward middle ground between curly and straight, was flat ironed curtesy of Nance, plus my vampire like make up made me much more intense. Or as Nance described, "ready to stomp on the hearts of men".

"Thanks Momma West." The girls chorused. My mom never allowed people to call her Mrs. West she thought it made her seem old, something she highly despised. So either the girls called her by her first name or Momma.

"You guys have fun." She then turned her attention to Teddy and I, "And remember Theodore, Euphemia if you go anywhere other than the dance text me where you're going."

"To be honest, Cheryl's probably going to have a part after the dance is over, so we'll most likely be there." I replied.

Cheryl and Jason, before he had died, always had a party after every party we had at school, or just had parties in general.

"Either way," she looked between us, "text me."

"Yes ma'am." Teddy said, mom kissed his cheek, although she had to reach since Teddy was now at Dad's height of 6'2.

I gave him a side eye, before hugging mom. She said her goodbyes before leaving out the door, she was supposed to go pick up dad from the airport. "You might want to rub your nose you got a little dirt on there."

"Shut it and get in the car."

It took only a 10 minutes for us to get to the high school, it took longer than that for the five us to get situated in the car. Upon walking into the gym, Teddy immediately ditched us at the door to go hang with some of his football buddies.

"Wow," Opal started, "I wasn't expecting this to be so…"

"Jason filled?" I asked, while staring at the football posters all over the dance.

"Yeah."

"Me too," I wasn't happy with seeing all these posters. I didn't understand why Cheryl was doing this, as much as we might mourn him, forcing other people to mourn him too wasn't healthy.

"Cheryl made the student council put them all up this morning. Last minute design addition." Nance explained. "I'm guessing she didn't tell you."

"Cheryl and I have never been close." It was never a secret about Cheryl and I's relationship. We might be cousins, but we definitely didn't see eye to eye on things. Both Teddy and I had always been closer to Jason.

"Alright Debbie Downers, enough sad talk let's dance!" Minnie pulled us, Nance and me toward the dance floor. Opal seemed to avoid Minnie's proclamation and told us she was going to talk to a few people.

We dance, laughed and shout the lyrics with no thoughts of those around us. At one point we seemed to have somewhat of a dance battle with a few of the varsity men tennis team. Which caused Minnie to bust out the robot. One of the varsity boy, I believe is name is Robby, countered with the sprinkler. Nance jumped in with Walk it out and then the Quan, and then another boy started doing the Dougie, and then another boy did the Whip and Nae Nae. I stepped forward knowing it was my time, I waited they all stared at me. Then I dabbed right on the drop.

The boys started laughing and conceded the dance battle stating we're too good. Laughing and high fiving each other we went to punch bowl.

"Oh my gosh that was so much fun!" Minnie said over the music while grabbing some punch for all of us. "We need to go out like this again."

"There's no good nightclubs here though." I replied accepting the drink, and then turned to face the gym looking for any sign of Opal.

"Then we'll go out of down then, maybe we'll make a weekend of it."

"I'm down," Nancy said easily.

"Same," I nodded.

"Sweet all we need is Opal to say yes, and well go maybe next month. Anyway I've gotta go find Moose, I'll see you guys later."

I shook my head as I watched her disappear into the throng of people. I took another sip of the punch when I heard a gasp from beside me.

I turned to Nance, "What?"

She didn't say anything and just nodded her head toward the entrance.

I felt like someone had slapped me across the face. I shouldn't have been surprised, they were after all childhood best friends. It still didn't ease the fact that the one girl I didn't want to see on his arm was there.

The thing is once upon a time, Betty and I had been best friends. When we were younger I was Betty's only female friend, mainly because of her need to only be around Archie. We had sleepovers and everything, but when we hit puberty something changed in our dynamic. Betty had always been quiet, the girl next door, while I had been the tomboy in school – who due to unfortunate incident in the 4th grade, with a certain devil child – even looked like a boy. And my forwardness in sports made me outgoing, while Betty seemed content on being in her sister's shadow. And soon enough we started drifting apart, our once close friendship was gone, I began hanging out with other people: Midge, Nancy, and Opal, while Betty became friends with the new Sheriff's kid Kevin Keller. We might have shared the same classes but we operated in different worlds. This of course changed last year when Archie asked me out in the summer before our freshman year.

" – I mean it's not really suprising that she would show up on his arm."

"Huh." I turned back to Nance apparently I been zoning out, because Betty was now speaking to Kevin and Archie was by the food table.

"She's been waiting for this moment since last year, I mean the only one who's ever been blind to her unrequited crush was Archie."

"Yeah." I watched her. Her blonde hair curled, her pink dress that all together screamed good girl.

"Hello ladies," Reggie said while walking up to us with Moose in tow. Reggie leaned against the drink table right next to where I was standing, his dark suit complimented his ebony locks giving him a dangerous edge.

Moose simply glanced at us before taking out a flask and poured most of it in the punch. And then took a large gulp and then passed it to Reggie. I watched him make eye contact with Kevin as he was pulled through the crowd by Veronica, he then sighed in almost defeat and then finally turned his attention to the stage where Cheryl stood addressing the crowd. Something was definitely up, but exactly what I couldn't tell.

While I was supposed to be listening to Cheryl, Reggie decided to lean toward me and talk directly into my ear, I could faintly smell the alcohol on his breath mixed with mint. "You look beautiful to night."

"You don't look so bad yourself." I looking at him out of the corner of my eyes.

He put a hand over his heart, "Why, I do believe that's a compliment, doll."

"Don't get used to it." I said softly before leaning away and turning my attention back to the stage as Cheryl finished her speech with the introduction to Josie and the Pussycats.

"Jesus," Opal said, walking up to us, "I hope this is their only song their playing. I can't listen to Josie's voice for too long."

"Be nice," Nancy said decided to get a drink from the recently spiked punch. "I like the Pussycats."

"Yeah I do too, I like the Pussycats just not the Josie."

I shook my head, not wanting to get in the middle of what I already knew would be a rant when I felt a hand on my arm. I turned to Reggie, a questioning look on my face.

"Wanna dance?"

In my head I was thinking, "no" but for some reason when I opened my mouth, I said the complete opposite, "I'd love to."

I walked past our shocked friends, even Moose appeared to have been kicked out of his depressive state, when I accept Reggie's offer instead of flat out rejecting it. I wanted to just forget for a little while, I just wanted to be a girl who was dancing with a cute guy at a school dance. Not the girl whose cousin died, and whose other cousin clearly wasn't handling said cousin's death well, not the girl who's ex-boyfriend was currently dancing with the girl she knew had been the cause of their break up. Just a normal girl dancing with a handsome football player.

Reggie stopped us and pulled me close, his hands brushed against my midriff before settling on my hips. My hands went up to wrap around his wide shoulders, even in heels he was still taller than me despite the fact the heels I was wearing made me 6' feet. We swayed to the beat, I couldn't but help but let out a chuckle at the situation.

"What are you laughing about," Reggie said softly, causing my green eyes to meet his brown.

"Us. Could you ever imagine us dancing like this before?"

"No," he said with a shake of his head, "you wouldn't even speak to me."

"More like you wouldn't speak to me."

"I couldn't." he turned away, his eyes glazed as though he was recalling something unpleasant.

"Why?" I asked, my question seemed to bring him back to the present.

"Because you would never look at me the same way you looked at Archie."

I opened my mouth to question him, more on what he was talking about when the Pussycats ended the song. He let go of my waist and I dropped my arms, he faced the stage and began clapping with the rest of the crowd. I stared at him, trying to understand what he meant by that.

"Reg –"

But he didn't give me a chance to say anything before he walked away from me, and disappeared among the crowd of people.

I walked back up to Nance and Opal, still by the drink table Moose was gone however and Midge stood in his place.

"What the hell was that about?" Opal questioned, gesturing with the cup full of punch toward the dance floor.

"I have no idea." I muttered still confused. I shook to clear my mind of all the questions and directed my attention toward Midge, "By the way, did you find Moose?"

"Yes and no. I tried talking to him but then Chuck pulled him aside. He said it was 'important football stuff I wouldn't understand". I don't get, what would be so important they would need to talk about it now."

"Chuck?" Nancy said looking up in confusion, "I didn't think Moose and Chuck were that close."

Minnie nodded, "Right, I didn't think so either until Chuck pulled Moose aside with a couple other upperclassmen. I think something's going on."

I looked over toward Chuck and a couple of his buddies; Ross Stevenson was one of them. He was a well-known player, similar to Chuck, they were both alpha males who believed everyone should bow before them however unlike Chuck's on-and-off again relationship with Nancy. Ross normally single, and very willing to mingle. They all seem to be taking urgently about something, "Yeah something is definitely going on."

"Do you think Teddy might know anything?" Midge asked watching the boys as well.

"I doubt it, ever since Jason passed he's been chilling with Trev." Opal replied.

I raised an eyebrow, "How do you know he's been hanging with Trev?"

"I just saw him with Trev, a while ago before I talked with Ms. Grundy." She looked away from me.

"Yeah but – "

"Uh oh, incoming Hurricane Cheryl."

Cheryl wearing a beautiful red dress, strutted toward us followed by her to lap dogs. "Ladies, you're coming to my after party correct?" Although it was supposed to be question, Cheryl made it sound like a demand.

"We'll be there."

"Good." She smiled wickedly, "You also should bring popcorn, because there's definitely going to be a show."

Then without leaving us a chance to say anything, Cheryl marched away followed by Ginger and Tina.

"What did she mean by 'show'?" Midge asked confused.

"I don't know but knowing Cheryl. I would say Veronica or Betty should expect trouble." Opal tilted her head in a knowing manner.

Opal had told us the day after tryouts of the faux lesbian kiss thing that Betty and Veronica had pulled. Opal said the kiss wasn't the most interesting part however, it was the show down between Veronica and Cheryl.

"It wouldn't surprise me if Cheryl wasn't going to try to embarrass Veronica at the party," Opal continued, "it would be Cheryl's MO."

"True," Nancy agreed, "this is the same girl who made that girl, Ruby I think, move towns when we were in junior high."

I looked over at Betty, her eyes were downcast and her face read discomfort. "Oh perhaps she's settling a score from before."

. . .

Cheryl Blossom despite being known as a mean girl did have a heart. And she did keep promises, especially those regarding her brother. She was the only one who knew Jason wasn't dead, though she had a feeling Effie knew she was hiding something. She would protect her brother's secret, and in his place would watch out for Effie. Although Effie and her weren't close. Effie had always been sporty, and thoughtful. Conflicting with Cheryl's own girly, commanding presence. Despite this she did feel fond of her, Effie was younger than Jason and her by a couple of months, which didn't make her that young but to Jason and herself, they treated her like a younger sister.

That's why when Jason made her promise to look after Effie, Cheryl knew she had to get back at Betty Cooper. She didn't know what Betty's connection was with Archie and Effie's relationship ending. But she knew Effie didn't like Betty, thus she didn't like Betty. That wasn't really hard for Cheryl, since she never liked Polly and she certainly didn't like goody-two-shoes Betty.

After watching Betty getting rejected at the semi-formal by Archie, she immediately set the plan in motion. As everyone walked into her home after the school dance, sitting down in the living room area. Betty and Veronica sitting right next to each other. She knew the show was about to begin.

"It's game time at Chez Blossom, kiddies."

. . .

I had a bad feeling about what was going to happen. Cheryl had never, and I do mean never invited Betty Cooper to any party she threw. It was like a silent rule around the upper circles, even when Jason dated Polly. So as I sat across from Betty and Veronica, next to Reggie on the couch, I wondered what exactly Cheryl was planning.

"We're going old-school tonight. Seven Minutes in Heaven. Who wants to tryst in the Closet of Love first? My vote is 'A' for Archie."

Opal was seated next to me, leaned in close to whisper in my ear, "What the hell is going on?"

"I don't know," I whispered back. Unfortunately although I said I didn't know, I had a feeling where this might be heading.

"Wait, actually…"

"Yes, Andrew! Yes." Reggie interrupted him, laughing and smiling wide.

"All right. Gather round, kids. Let's see who's riding the ginger stallion tonight." Cheryl leaned over to spin the bottle.

I heard Opal mutter on her breath, "That's freaking disgusting, I'd rather choke on vomit."

As the bottle spun around, did I worry it would land on me? No. Because I knew the rules of the game, if I didn't want to Cheryl could kiss him. But I didn't have to worry, the bottle landed between the two girls opposite of me.

Which Reggie drunk as hell, summed up what we were all thinking. "Oh, no way!"

"It's clearly pointing to…The new girl. This should be fun." Cheryl said gleefully.

"Um…I'm not doing this." Veronica said after giving Betty a look.

"Oh no," I overheard Nancy mutter from her seat on Ginger's arm rest. We all knew what that meant.

"That's up to you." Cheryl walked purposefully back to stand in front of the fire, "But, if you don't, house rules decree the hostess gets to take your turn."

We watched as Veronica and Archie walked over to the closet and disappeared inside. The moment the two went into the closet, Betty was up and running out of the house like Cinderella when the clock struck midnight. Cheryl and her bitches laughed, and a small part of me laughed with them too. Like this was karma for her, for what she had done toward me. However a larger part, felt tired. Was it really worth it being angry at her like this?

It was only a few minutes later when Archie and Veronica came back. Their appearances a little more rumpled then before.

"Where's Betty?" Veronica's eyes flickered from each one of us to the empty spot on the couch where Betty had sat previously.

"Gone." I said everyone's attention on me. I got from the couch rising to my full height which in heels made me taller than most of the people in the room besides Reggie and a few of the football players, "With friends like you, why would she need enemies?"

I saw Veronica's lip tremble before she turned on her heel and left the room with Archie on her heels. I turned to Cheryl, I knew she was upset with me for ruining her chance of prodding at Veronica. "I'm going home, this party is dead anyway."

I walked out, Opal and the girls followed after me a few minutes later. My brother was outside smoking a cigarette when he saw us. "Hey. You guys done?"

"Yeah. I think we're done for the evening."

"Cool I'll grab –" Teddy's phone started ringing. He shrugged and took the call, "Yeah?"

The girls and I waiting for him to finish, and then I saw his face drop. "They found him?"

The girls and I all shared a look. "Teddy what's going on?"

He held up a hand, listened for a little long before saying "he will" and ended the call. "Opal, Nancy, and Midge would you guys mind getting a ride from someone else?"

Opal, Nancy and Midge all looked at each other before Nancy nodded, "Yeah I can ask Trev."

"Thank you." He said before turning his attention to me, "Effie I need to grab Cheryl and tell her to end the party now."

I was growing more worried, "Why, what's going on?"

"There's not enough time to explain."

"Of course there is. Just tell me."

Teddy took a deep breath, "They found Jason's body Eff."

Hello once again my lovelies.

I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Once again this was a long one, over 6+ pages on Word. I didn't intend to have Cheryl's POV put then it came out and I liked it so I kept it. I think Cheryl's a very complicated character, which makes me like her a lot. Also this chapter saw a little bit more into the whole Betty/Effie/Archie situation of a year ago, as well as Effie's current thoughts. As well as a possible confession from Reggie?

Once again please vote and comment. They make me really happy.

Next time on Querecia:

Truths will be revealed.

An apology will be made.

And a mysterious playbook…?