Hello everyone! Another chapter released in two parts because I cannot write short things anymore. There's too much story going on. So you're just going to get written episodes.
Boris Yeltsin, as always, thanks so much for continuing to read! Alice does have a lot to make up for. Hopefully she's on her way to that :)
AvidMovieFan16, thanks for continuing to read as well! Getting notes from everyone makes my day. I'm so glad you liked that part! It was really intense to write. There's so much that's been unsaid between them!
LukeSkywalker2567, Thank you also for the continued notes! I've got all my documents (and redundancy) locked down now, so no more deletion problems! I love that you continue to look forward to each chapter! So here's two!
ButtonMashr, Life is nutso, is it not? I'm so so glad you loved the lead-in to the last chapter, it was for sure one of the more intense scenes to write (well, these past few chapters have had a lot of intense and heavy scenes between characters as people finally start to open up) and I'd been waiting a while to write it. Betty (and everyone) really do have a great support system and I'll be damned if I don't showcase it and write for it! The Veronica/Betty scene was probably my favorite to write out of the bunch, there's so much going on there in that conversation! And yes, the government and bad news... Thank you for your always kind and thoughtful in-depth notes! I truly enjoy getting them and seeing what everyone gets out of the chapters. No worries that you were late, it takes me a while to write these, and I hope you are happy to find that when you come back there will be two chapters waiting!
Enjoy everyone!
Chapter 20 – Friday Night Lights Pt. I
"What do you mean you don't like football?"
"Hailee, when have I ever given you the impression that I like football?"
Betty thought it a harmless question to end their check-in time with - whether or not Charles was coming to the football game tonight.
"I don't know, I've just always pegged you as one of those guys that secretly knows the stats of every college bowl since the dawn of time."
"I collect comic books and Star Wars bobbleheads."
And now two federal agents were squabbling back in forth in floating Facetime squares on her phone, looking as though they were about ready to break through the screen.
"So? Those things aren't mutually exclusive from football. Sports are just another form of fandom."
"Well, it doesn't matter." Charles crossed his arms like a toddler losing an argument. "I'm working tonight, I won't be at the game."
His face had grown exceptionally red in the time since the question was asked, and Betty couldn't help but think that it really did matter to him what Agent Lance thought.
Hailee shook her head, a small contented smirk on her face, before turning her eyes back on Betty.
"Sorry about the tangent, Betty, but I am so glad you get to go tonight and feel comfortable doing so. Keep me updated if any other surprises come your way so I can help you work through those, and let me know how the game goes!"
Betty nodded, grabbing the phone off the table from where she had propped it up against her drink glass. "I will. And we'll talk about the best approach to school next week?"
"Yes." Hailee nodded, as did Charles this time. "We'll talk about that, but for now, enjoy your Friday!"
"And I'll enjoy a good book," Charles added in. "High school football is not something I'm sad I missed out on."
Betty gave him a poignant grin and she thought she could see Agent Lance's face fall just slightly.
Despite the rather unbothered disposition Charles carried himself with, Betty knew he still harbored a lot of heartache for the things he never experienced growing up, yet he approached it all armed with a joke and a smile.
"Alright, we're signing off," Agent Lance said, "Good to see you again, Betty."
"Good to see you, too. And Charles, let me know what book!"
Charles winked, and Betty gave a small wave to the FBI agents before the screen went black. She placed her phone back down on the table with a sigh, staring down at the textbook and papers in front of her.
"What, the FBI won't let you sleep in on your day off? And you're doing homework?"
Betty turned around at the playful questions, finding Veronica standing in the doorway of her bedroom dressed in her Vixens uniform, her purse and school bag in hand.
"Well, you know the saying – only three hours' worth of rest for the weary."
Whoops. Guess the coping with humor ran in the family.
Veronica pursed her lips as though concentrating. "Hm, you know, I don't think I've heard that version of the phrase before."
Luckily it ran through all her friends as well.
But then Veronica gave Betty a timid frown, placing her bags slowly down on the table. "Was it hard to sleep in the cabin?"
Betty tapped her pencil against the table, clenching her jaw. "It was a lot easier to sleep during the day than at night. Sometimes I managed to sleep for an entire day, sometimes I couldn't at all. I think I'm still adjusting to getting back to a normal schedule."
Veronica's lips remained pursed, though this time in more of a fretful way.
"Hey, at least I didn't make you watch people getting terrorized by dinosaurs again last night," Betty quickly added with a grin, sarcasm instinctually flowing out of her now.
Veronica seemed to understand that she didn't necessarily want to get too deep into a conversation at the moment, as she gave Betty a sympathetic frown and nod. She turned toward the mirror on the wall and began smoothing out her uniform, fixing the sleeves on her thermal undershirt. She reached around to her back, reaching for the zipper, but couldn't quite get it latched.
Betty noticed and rose from her seat, walking around the curve of the table. "Here, let me help." She pinched the bottom of the zipper lane with the hand in the sling and pulled up with the other until it fastened into place with a soft snap.
"I don't miss having to dress up on game days," Betty remarked as Veronica turned away from the mirror. "You know, I don't even really miss being a Vixen."
Veronica crossed her arms. "Not even a little?" she pried.
Betty glanced into the mirror. The small cuts and bruises that had speckled her face and neck when she had returned were now almost completely healed, and she gave herself a gentle smile.
"I miss the idea of it, I think," she sighed. "I just wanted something for myself, a way to be seen, known outside of my parents' shadow of control."
Betty leaned against the table, her hand curving around the edge of it as she looked back at Veronica. "But I know now how different the idea of being known and actually being known are. Being a Vixen, if only briefly, helped me realize that."
"Oh, B with the sarcasm and the ethos this morning," Veronica beamed, shuffling her hands against her arms. "Don't make me cry, it's too early for that."
Betty gave a soft chuckle as she straightened up. "No, no crying, we've all done enough of that lately. But seriously, I'm proud of how far we've come. Despite everything we've had to endure, we've still been able to make a path forward for ourselves, you know? We've found our strength."
Veronica squinted her eyes as her head angled, a slow grin spreading across her face. "Well, there's the Betty I know. That's a far cry from what I heard the other night."
Betty shrugged, not wanting the moment to get too gushy. "It's up and down. But I know for a fact now that one of his lies was always that; I've never been alone."
"Okay, now you're really going to make me cry," Veronica teased as she pulled her coat on.
Betty glanced at the clock, noticing what time it was. "Now go and enjoy being a River Vixen today." She did a shooing motion toward Veronica.
"And you enjoy a nap at some point today." Veronica stepped forward, grabbing her purse off of the table. "You get sentimental when you're tired."
They both laughed and Betty went back to her homework, picking up her pencil. "I'll try, but no promises."
Jughead shoved a piece of toast in his mouth as he stuffed his books inside his bag, traversing around Archie's kitchen in an attempt to not trip over Vegas, who kept swarming between his legs. The dog whimpered imploringly, staring up at the dangling food. Jughead looked down, taking the piece of toast out of his mouth and staring at it, then down at the pup.
"Fine." He ripped a piece off and threw it, watching Vegas catch it and chew greedily. "But only because you're cute."
"Oh, why thank you," Archie chimed in a bubbly voice as he rounded the bottom of the steps and strolled into the kitchen, a puckish smirk on his face. "But I'm taken."
Jughead blew through his nose, chomping into his breakfast. "Ha-ha." He latched his bag and dropped it back against his side. "You excited for tonight?"
Archie opened the fridge, pulling out a bottle of juice. He looked down at the glossy blue jersey he was wearing, brushing out the wrinkles over the large number 10. "Yeah, I am. You'd think I would be nervous with it being such an important game, but I'm just pumped."
Vegas barked and hopped up on Archie, who bent over and rubbed the dog's ears. Jughead grinned. "You know, I may joke and groan about the general hierarchies and archetypes of high school, but I don't jest when I say – and I don't say it enough – but I've seen how hard you worked to get here despite everything that's gone on. I mean, leading a winning football team while the town is exploding? I'm proud of you, and I know your dad would be too."
Archie leaned against the island, his face growing heavy with the weight of love that didn't know where to go. But he also smiled and clicked his tongue. "Thanks, Jughead." He sighed, lowering his eyes down to the counter. "He came to every game sophomore year, and then last year I missed the whole season because of juvie." He shrugged, crossing his arms. "After I got out, I thought we'd have this year to make up for that lost time. Never thought I'd have to do all this without him."
"I don't think any of us did," Jughead remarked softly.
If he were being honest, Jughead thought that, if anything, he'd be the one doing life without his father. As morbid as it sounded, he always expected his dad to be the one to go first by some gang deal gone wrong or having one too many drinks some night. He always figured that a part of him joined the Serpents and stayed as long as he did just to keep his dad from joining back once he was out of prison, to try to keep from losing him.
But never did he think he would lose the man that was like a second father to him.
"Hey." He patted Archie on the shoulder, smiling to diffuse his own thoughts before things got too heavy. "I know no one will ever replace your dad, but we've all got your back, man. Even if it is sweaty and full of grass stains."
Archie snorted, a smile returning to his face. "I know you all do. And I have yours." He pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Now, if we don't get to school soon, I won't be able to kick some Raven ass."
"Slow down, we have to kick the English test's ass first," Jughead retorted as they headed for the door.
"Oh shoot," Archie grated as he grabbed his jacket and slung it around him. "Mind giving me a few pointers about Shakespeare on the way?"
"Ah, cry 'havoc' and let slip the dogs of war," Jughead smirked as Vegas attempted to block the door, giving a small yip. He turned to Archie, seeing the utter look of confusion on his friend's face.
He took another bite of his toast. "That was a yes."
The look remained on Archie's face but he nodded as they walked out onto the porch. Jughead slapped him on the back. "And then maybe you can give me a few pointers on how to have some semblance of a normal teenage existence."
Charles groaned, leaning back in his desk chair, stretching out his back and arms before snapping forward, his hands rubbing his face. He peeked through his fingers at the glaring computer screen and open stacks of files in front of him, his phone buzzing on top of the papers littered around his desk.
Glamourous, they said.
Become an FBI agent and life would be glamourous and adventurous, they said.
Charles moaned, his head still in his hands as he thought about the mythic misconceptions that got him to this current mountain of paperwork, and exactly who the hypothetical 'they' were in his head.
He knew that Betty had expressed interest in joining the FBI after college and a part of him wanted to tell her to save herself now from the bane of bureaucracy that would make up her future (he should have known it was a trap when 'Bureau' was right there in the name) and stick to her writing. Though writers were stuck in front of computers and papers all day long too, so maybe the looming intimidation of constant desk duty would be nothing to her.
Nah, who was he kidding? Writers have illusions of grandeur of going on big adventures, too.
Betty and Jughead were just as restless as he was, and would always be yearning for that 'something more' despite the plights it could bring, knowing those were all a part of the cost of really living.
A knock on the door snapped Charles out of his professional woes and he turned his head, finding Kane standing in the doorway of his makeshift office.
"Hey, it's after noon, what are you still doing here?" Agent Kane asked briskly.
"Oh, just dreaming of all those grand adventures I was promised in the Academy brochure," Charles sighed, swinging his body around in his swivel chair, leaning his head against a hand as he placed an elbow on his desk. "I think my pair of sexy sunglasses got lost in the mail. How do they expect me to stand all mysterious and aloof at the edge of a crime scene without them?"
He grinned and looked up at Kane, who stood, remaining unamused, an eyebrow raised.
Charles cleared his throat and swallowed, his arm falling as he tapped the papers on his desk. "I'm just finishing some things up."
Kane grunted, rapping a knuckle on the door. "I gave you a half-day. Go take it. Get a jump start on that weekend you actually have."
Charles nodded, giving Quinton a curt smile. "I will."
Kane lingered for a moment, then nodded before walking away, his booming voice still trailing as he called from the hall, "And do something fun! Go buy those sunglasses!"
Charles gave an absent wave toward the now empty doorway before swinging back around in his chair. He stared at the mess of files on his desk and the documents open on his computer.
His hand drifted down to his pocket, wrapping around the baggie inside, and he let out a deep sigh.
All a part of the cost of really living.
Fridays were something of a sacred day to the high schooler; the end of a week full of classes and semi-edible lunches, and the beginning of two days of freedom before the cycle repeated itself. During the days between summer and snow, Fridays also hosted the most hallow of events on the most hallow of grounds – the football game.
Having to pay attention to classes at school on a normal day felt like a drag, and even more so on game days. Each tick of the clock felt a torturous countdown until the final bell, the evening's festivities the only thing on anyone's minds.
"Come on, where are they? Where are they?" Veronica muttered to herself, rifling through the various dressers and drawers in her bedroom.
She hadn't intended to come home after school, but Cheryl had sent all of the Vixens a cryptic message about bringing a picture from their time on the squad to their huddle before the game, and she didn't have one in her locker, so here she was.
She knew she had some photos tucked away somewhere, just – aha!
Veronica pulled a sleeve of pictures out from underneath one of her jewelry boxes, a pleased grin on her face. She sat down on the edge of her bed and began to flip through them as a knock rang through the apartment.
"Betty?" Veronica called without looking up, continuing to flip through the photos. "If that's you, it's open!"
Another knock. Veronica furrowed her brow, looking up and walking out of the bedroom toward the door.
"Betty, you don't need to knock. I said it was op-, oh."
Veronica stopped as she opened the door, staring at who was standing in the hallway.
"Hello, Veronica," Alice said. "May I come in?"
Veronica hesitated for a moment but ultimately stepped backward, waving her hand forward. Alice briefly nodded and walked into the apartment, standing uncomfortably in the middle of the living room. Veronica closed the door and turned, crossing her arms. "Betty isn't here if you're looking for her."
"I know," Alice said simply, clasping her hands together as she continued standing. "I actually came to see you."
Veronica's arms slowly lowered, her eyes narrowing as she flipped them to the clock.
"I won't take long-," Alice held up a hand. "I know you probably need to go soon." She walked in front of the fireplace, sinking down into a chair and placing her purse on the floor beside her.
Alice was still speaking in a low, modest manner, which was so unlike her usual blow-in-like-a-storm self, and Veronica hesitated for a moment, her heart strangely pounding as she tried to parse out what this was. Perhaps she knew that Betty had confided in her and was attempting a bait and switch to get it out of her.
She stood for a second longer, her eyes narrowed, observing. Alice was wringing her hands, and her eyes weren't on Veronica but rather flitting around the room. Which was also so unlike Alice.
So perhaps she was truly being sincere and this was an olive branch.
Veronica drew in a deep breath and lowered herself onto the couch, coming to eye level with Alice.
"I'd like to thank you for letting Betty stay with you the past few days," Alice began a bit clumsily. "And I'm sure for all the times she did over the summer."
"Of course," Veronica answered guardedly, crossing her hands over her knee. "She's always welcome here."
The two women blinked at each other as neither spoke next.
That is until Alice let out a deep, resigned sigh. "Veronica, it's no secret how much vitriol I've spouted about your family over the years, and in turn about you."
"No. Decidedly not a secret." Veronica returned to crossed arms as she straightened her back.
She really wanted to get back to the school right now.
"I assumed you were exactly like your parents based solely on what I remembered about them from our shared days in high school, and from your father's criminal enterprise. Not to mention your ties to the mob underworld."
Veronica cleared her throat, hoping it would speed Alice along to the point she was trying to get to.
"But I was wrong, and I want to apologize."
Veronica's mouth slightly fell open. Alice was now staring directly at her, candid remorse in her eyes.
This was not a bait and switch.
"I saw you and the others up in Canada," Alice continued. "You showed up for Betty in a situation where your own life was at risk and I know it wasn't the first time. I also heard from FP that it was your idea to throw a rally and raise money for my daughter's cause."
Veronica nodded, her body relaxing as her defenses were starting to come down.
"I prematurely judged you based on your family name and I'm sorry, Veronica."
The apartment was quiet as Veronica processed what was just said. The first introduction she had ever had to Alice Smith had been Betty's stories of how controlling she was, including how she sent her pregnant daughter away without even letting her own sister know where. Veronica had seen slander after slander of her family appear in the town newspaper, some of it not without basis, but all accompanied by a particular name in the byline.
And now here she was, nervously apologizing to a teenage girl that wasn't one of her daughters, something she most likely hadn't done since she herself was a teenager.
"Thank you," Veronica affirmed, softening her posture. She may only be 18, but she had enough experience watching her own parents' behavior to understand how hard and how rare this conversation was. "While I'm hesitant to say I forgive you in light of how I've seen you hurt my family and hurt Betty, I do want to say thank you."
Alice shook her head and raised a hand. "I'm not asking for your forgiveness. I can't take any of it back, but I just need you to know that I'm sorry. I've seen how good of a friend you've been to Betty and how much you've done for her."
Veronica sat silently, unsure if her words were necessary right now. The two women sat across from each other, unmoving, their eyes going from their faces to the floor.
A buzz suddenly snapped Veronica back to the present, and she reached for her phone. Alice drew in a breath and gathered up her purse, standing to her feet. "I know you need to get to the game. I'll see myself out."
"Ms. Smith," Veronica called after, standing as well. Alice turned back around. "Thank you for taking the time to stop by." She thumbed at the pictures still in her hand. "Have you talked to Betty yet?"
Alice swallowed and shook her head. "Not yet. I've been trying to find the right words."
"Don't," Veronica said quickly. A perplexed expression crossed Alice's face and Veronica continued to explain, "I mean, don't try to find the right words. My parents tried to sanitize and construct the perfect façade with their words and I wish they had just been real with me. Don't worry about the words, just talk."
Alice raised her chin and looked away, her forehead crinkling in the act of consideration. She grabbed the knob and opened the door, but before walking out, turned back toward Veronica.
"I like that top picture. It's a nice one."
Veronica glanced down at the picture before raising the whole stack to her chest, a small smile on the edge of her mouth. "It is, isn't it?"
Cheryl stood in front of an open display case, inattentively swinging a lanyard with the key to it around in her hand as she stared at her reflection in the glass, the murmur of the gathered Vixens behind her white noise in her ears.
She traced the edge of the sliding door with a finger, her eyes roving over the trinkets and trophies laid out in the bottom of the case. A golden River Vixens banner hung at the top, while a blue velvet backdrop had been draped on the back wall, old pictures hanging along the top half. Goosebumps rose on Cheryl's arms as she brushed her hand against the fabric and prints, breathing in the memories that stirred with the lush touch.
A chill crawled over her back as she felt an arm slip around her waist, and she looked over, finding Toni had come up beside her. "You okay?"
Cheryl caught the key as it swung, letting the lanyard wrap around her hand. "The longing ache of nostalgia is already beckoning and I haven't even said goodbye to being a Vixen yet."
Toni's eyes shone as a kind smile spread across her face. "It's okay to feel it, it's completely natural. Even if the season doesn't end tonight, it is the last home game." The edge of Cheryl's mouth gave a weak twitch and Toni angled her head. "There's something more. What is it?"
Cheryl swiveled around and settled against the edge of the display case. "Even before we all became ensnared in the chaos of this town, even before JJ died, I had the Vixens. In the times where everything felt out of control, the Vixens were my constant." She looked out at the girls gathered in the school hallway. "An anchor in the storm. I don't want to lose that."
"You have to let an anchor go for it to ground you." Toni leaned up against the wall, joining Cheryl in staring out at the rest of the squad. "You're not losing it, you're just honoring it to prepare for what's next."
Cheryl sank against the glass, giving her girlfriend an uneasy look.
"What?" Toni asked, her smile falling. "Are you afraid of what's next?"
"Aren't you?' Cheryl tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "This is all we've known."
"Hmm," Toni posited, propping her foot against the wall, looking down at the floor for a moment. "Of course I'm nervous. But then-," she grabbed Cheryl's hand. "I guess we'll just have to face the unknown together."
As the two kissed, the sound of creaking metal resounded through the hall, the front door swinging open. Veronica came bounding in, jogging up to the rest of the Vixens, a bit out of breath. "Sorry! Sorry, I'm late."
Cheryl and Toni simpered, leaning their foreheads against each other as they came back to reality. "But for now, you've still got a squad to run," Toni breathed. "And the rest of the year before the unknown comes, okay?" She slipped out of Cheryl's grasp and walked back out into the crowd of Vixens, going to stand next to Veronica.
Cheryl adjusted her uniform, smoothing her skirt out and throwing her shoulders back, clapping twice until the chatter died down and the team gave her their attention.
"River Vixens." Cheryl rested her hands on her hips. "As you know, tonight marks the last home game of the season and, while it may not be the last time we don our Bulldog blue & gold, for some of us, it is the last time we walk on the sacred, sometimes lopsided, ground of our own football stadium."
The falling winter light adorned the group through the high glass windows of the school, illuminating the sad smiles a few of the girls, including Veronica, sent the floor.
"Now-," Cheryl clapped again. "Seniors, step forward."
Veronica, Toni, and two other girls moved toward Cheryl.
"Seniors, as your captain, it is my great honor to welcome you into a legacy generations in the making. Today we weave ourselves into the fabric of this school's and this team's history."
"First-," Cheryl pulled a small drawstring pouch out from the case and opened it, walking to the first girl in line. "A River Vixen pin to each graduating senior as a commemoration for your time on the team. To all the hard work, sweat, and tears, which at times, I will admit, may have been my fault." Toni and Veronica looked at each other, light smirks on their faces as Cheryl fastened pins to their jackets.
Cheryl put one on herself and backed up, heading back to the display case. "I also asked that each of you bring a photo from your time on the squad."
The seniors held up their photos as Cheryl passed her eyes over each.
"Good." She paced in front of them, a cutting smile on her face. "Those pictures will live on amongst ones of those that came before us, their memories alive and ablaze with that true Vixen spirit. These pictures will preside over all who walk through these halls for all the years to come, maintaining our eternal sway over this school."
Veronica resumed her eye-rolling, though her smirk remained heartily on her face.
"To all the future Vixens that pass by, to those who look to these faces as family, let in these find women of inspiration with whom they can turn to as they walk into the unknown of their high school journey." She stepped aside and revealed her HBIC shirt already laying on the middle shelf of the case, a photo resting on top of it. She grabbed the picture, lifting it in her hand, summoning the other seniors to the case.
"Let us become history and memory to those that came before and to those that will come after."
Cheryl grabbed a tack from a small container on the lower shelf, pinning the photo of her in Vixen uniform and Jason in his football uniform, both smiling, to the back of the case wall.
"To being able to share the field with family, even after they're gone."
Toni stepped beside her, placing hers up next – one of her and Cheryl in a final pose during one of her first games as a Vixen. "And to the family we found along the way."
Veronica walked up next, grabbing a tack and sticking her photo below Cheryl and Toni's.
"And to realizing what it means to be seen, and finally being known."
She stepped back, smiling at the picture of her and Betty in their uniforms, looking bright-eyed and baby-faced, taken right before the pep rally sophomore year.
The friends stood in front of the display case, watching as the other students placed their photos. However trivial it may seem to some, their experience was a constant, a reminder of the youthful hopefulness they had managed to keep alive while weathering the wild storms and winds that had swept through Riverdale.
An anchor to those who lived through the storms, now a guiding light to those who would come long after the rain.
Archie dropped the bag of footballs down next to the bench with a thud, watching as the pigskins tumbled around each other before settling on the turf. He picked one up and turned around, moving his eyes over the field, the grass and bleachers glowing a radiant hue under the blaze of the shimmering setting sun.
A few other players were jogging down the field, doing their own warm-ups before the formal ones began. The marching band was tuning their instruments while setting up in the stands, some stray horn blows and drum beats sounding as they did. He could even smell the deep fryer starting up at the concession stand, the volunteers getting ready for the spectators to arrive.
Archie took a deep breath, drinking in the atmosphere that he knew would soon be nothing more than a memory.
He came alive on this field; there was kinetic, pulsing energy he felt whenever he was playing, a crowd thundering around him. It was like nothing else existed during a game – it was just him, the ball, and the field; an entity of its own.
A small breeze rustled through his hair and he shifted his weight between his feet. He was afraid he had taken it for granted for too long, now that it was most likely about to end. Even if they won tonight, this would be the last time playing on this field seeing as the championship had to be on neutral ground.
This was like another home to Archie, one where the rest of the world could just fade out for a bit, one where he didn't have to face the quiet and emptiness of his actual home.
"What are you thinking about, quarterback?"
Archie heard the gate to the fence swing open and he turned toward the familiar voice. Veronica was walking onto the field toward him wrapped in her blue and white Vixen's jacket.
But at the same time, he was building new homes, too.
They grabbed hands when they got close enough and Archie leaned down to plant a kiss on Veronica's lips. "Just wondering when we suddenly became seniors."
Veronica smiled. "I think it was when we finished junior year."
Archie snorted. "Ha." He rolled his head, swinging their arms outward together. "Seriously, even with everything that's happened, I can't believe we're already here, already having all these… lasts."
"You getting weepy on me, Andrews? You'd be like the hundredth person today." Veronica asked, staring up into his face. Though, despite the sarcasm, Archie could see she looked a little off-kilter as well.
"It's just…" He moved his eyes up, staring out at the sinking ball of light just beyond the stadium, the red of the dying sun seeping across the sky. "I thought I'd still be in juvie right now, missing out on everything with you guys. I mean, the only reason I caught up after missing so much of last year was summer school and Betty's relentless tutoring. This moment, right now – it's because of my friends. I don't know what I'd do without you all."
Veronica stopped their arms mid-swing, pushing herself closer to Archie. "So you are getting weepy on me."
"Killing the mood?"
"Oh no, setting it." She smiled underneath another kiss, lifting herself up on her toes to reach his face. He felt a hand slip underneath his jersey and run up his chest, a warm tingle flowing down his spine. "I don't know what I would do without you too, Archie Andrews."
The couple stood in the middle of the field for a while, enjoying the warmth of the others' embrace that cut through an otherwise cold evening. The golden rays of the sun were catching the gloss of Veronica's hair, and Archie couldn't help but notice how beautiful it was.
"How about you? How are you doing? I see you may have had a last of your own," Archie eventually asked, eyeing the pin hooked to her jacket.
Veronica nodded. "I'm doing fine. But, something weird did happen earlier. I got a visit from Betty's mom just before coming here."
Archie knit his brow, his mouth a thin line. "Really?"
"Mmhmm." Veronica pulled her arms away from his, crossing them instead. "And get this – she actually apologized. For everything she's said about me, about us over the years."
"Was it a trap?" Archie asked skeptically.
Veronica shook her head in earnest and raised her shoulders. "No. She was actually being sincere."
"Huh. Wow." Not in Archie's fourteen years of knowing Betty had he ever seen her mom worry about what one of her friends thought of her, much less be apologetic to. Maybe things really were changing. "That would be a first."
Veronica ran a hand through her hair, looking away from Archie, then tilted her head, a churlish nod coming from her. "And you know what else would be a first?"
Before Archie could even attempt a response, a giddy grin flashed onto Veronica's face and she seized the football he was holding, quickly bounding away down the field. "This!"
Archie cracked a smile and ran after her, slowing his pace so that he trailed behind her until they reached the endzone. As soon as Veronica spun around to gloat in his face, he gently tackled her, circling around so she landed on top of him as they hit the ground.
"Lodge with the touchdown!" Veronica giggled and the two of them crumpled into a laughing mess, lying in the grass of the endzone. The incandescent flare of the stadium lights blinked on above them as the sun continued to set, its vivid colors spreading across the evening sky.
When game days rolled around, Riverdale really did become the town with pep, mysteries and crime notwithstanding. The day of a playoff game even more so, the buzz coming off the students as strong as the electric buzz of the stadium lights overhead, a spotlight that washes over player and fan alike.
As twilight fell and the town was taken over by a sea of blue and gold, even I had to admit that I was feeling a bit of the buzz. Who knew that the thought of spending your time like a regular teenager could be so exhilarating? Everyone was out and about, celebrating their own way before they all just became another face in the crowd.
"Betty!"
Pop Tate shuffled out from behind the counter and pulled her into a big hug, wearing a smile that stretched from ear to ear.
"Hi, Pop." Betty grinned back, her face growing a light shade of red as other customers stopped and turned toward them.
"It's so good seeing you safe and sound, kid." He squeezed once more before letting go and took a step back, his grandfatherly nature in full force tonight. "Whatever you want, on the house tonight."
"Does that offer extend to boyfriends?" Jughead wrapped his arms around Betty from behind her shoulders, resting his head on top of hers as he looked up at Pop expectantly.
Pop narrowed his eyes, angling his head in a jovial grin. "We'll see." He waggled a finger toward the teen then chuckled to himself. "You kids going to the game?"
Betty nodded, pulling at the blue Riverdale High hoodie she had on underneath her coat. Most of the customers around the diner were donned in similar school colors as well.
"Good." Pop nodded a hearty approval. "I've got to be here tonight, otherwise I'd be cheering the Bulldogs on right along with you all. Cheer Archie on for me."
Betty concurred as she and Jughead settled themselves down onto stools at the counter. "Did you play back in the day?" she asked curiously. The older man liked to recount tales from his youth every now and then, of Riverdale and the diner throughout the decades. Betty especially liked some of the obscure ones of travelers he'd met in the middle of the night, and the one about how the staff tried wearing roller skates at the diner at one point during the 60s.
Despite the accounts they could occasionally sidetrack out of him, Pop Tate still might be the biggest mystery in town.
Pop drew in a thoughtful breath at Betty's question, his gaze off in the distance. "Football, no. But baseball-," he tapped his hands together, "that was my game. I wanted to be the next Willie Mays but my dad got sick and I had to take over the diner." He looked back at Betty and Jughead, a glossy look in his eyes. "But all the people I've met here… all the regulars and the wayfarers just passing through looking for a meal and a story-," he was shaking his head wistfully, "I wouldn't trade it for the world."
He smiled to himself, staring down at the counter, and Betty smiled too. Pop tapped the counter and pointed at her. "You feeling a milkshake tonight, kid?"
"Always, Pop." She answered as she laid her arm on the counter. He snapped and nodded, beginning to walk back toward the kitchen.
"And make it a to-go!" Jughead shouted after. "We can't stay long, just waiting on Kevin."
Pop disappeared behind the door to the kitchen and the two teens swung around on their stools, facing out into the rest of the diner. Betty noticed that a few customers were staring her way but quickly averted their glance once she made eye contact. One was even trying to hide the fact he had his phone pointed at her from behind his drink glass, but Betty cocked her head and stared him down until he sheepishly lowered it onto the table.
"Since we're getting our fill of Friday Night Lights tonight," Jughead puffed sarcastically, rolling his head toward Betty. "Movies tomorrow?"
"Maybe," she answered, looking over at him. "I have a lot of catch-up to do and I want to get more of my missed assignments done before break."
Jughead crossed his arms. "You sure you want to go back to school on Monday? There are only two days next week, you can just wait until after Thanksgiving and have an even more extended break."
Betty shook her head. "No, I've already had an extended break," she said disdainfully. "That's why I want to go back now. Everyone will have the holiday on their minds, I'll blend right back in, there won't be a big show of it." She glanced back over at the booth where the man who had his phone up earlier was, checking to see if he was still behaving. He was.
Jughead searched her face, obvious hesitancy and concern in his eyes, but he nodded back, dropping the subject.
The bell above the door to the diner sounded and Kevin strolled in. He was wearing a big blue sweater and had gold streaks painted across his cheeks. He roved his head around the diner briefly before spotting them, then ambled over to the counter. Betty saw that he was also holding a blue beanie in his hands, twisting it between his fingers in what she assumed to be a nervous tic.
"Hey, guys!"
The pitch of his voice confirmed that assumption.
Betty knit her brow but Jughead didn't seem to notice, popping up from his seat. "You ready to experience the epic highs and lows of high school football?"
Kevin looked at Betty, his mouth open as a puzzled expression crossed his face, and she rolled her eyes. "He's been doing this for days, don't spur him on further."
Kevin cocked his head, sending a teasing look toward Jughead. "How did you and Archie become friends again?"
Jughead pointed at Betty, and Betty pointed at herself.
"We ready to go?" Jughead asked, a cheeky smirk on his face.
"Not without my milkshake." Betty pointed a stern finger at him.
"Well, actually-," Kevin started, returning to fiddling with his beanie. "I was wondering if I could talk to Betty for a bit. Before the game."
Betty and Jughead looked at each other then back at Kevin. "Sure, Kev," Betty answered, glancing back at his shaking hands. "What's up?"
The sun was rapidly setting over the town as Betty and Kevin walked quietly beside each other up the sidewalk. Kevin was staring forward, his shoulders tense and his hands shoved in his pockets. It looked like he was giving himself a silent pep talk and Betty figured he might be sweating underneath his coat.
She sipped her milkshake slowly, glancing back and forth at Kevin and the ground. There was a slight anxious nag in the back of her head and she was trying to shake it away, knowing full well that it was a remnant of recent events, but she just couldn't help it when Kevin was leading her onto a dirt trail that headed into the darkened trees.
"Uh, Kev-,"
"Betty, I just wanted to say that I am extremely sorry for not believing you about The Farm and for contributing to some-, no all, okay maybe not all, but a good chunk of your stress last year and for hurting you and still sticking by Edgar for so long."
Kevin's declaration interrupted her, coming out in a rushed and jumbled run-on sentence as he stopped and swung around to face her.
"I know that I've said I'm sorry already, but, Betty, I don't want it to be an empty promise. Words only mean so much and I know they've been used to hurt us in the past, so I want you to know that I truly mean it when I say I'm sorry and I'm on your side."
He looked rather breathless, his eyes big and round, yet undeniably sincere under the climbing moonlight.
A few bullfrogs began to chirp around them and Betty took a breath. "Kevin, I've already forgiven you. You were being manipulated and taken advantage of, you can't blame yourself for everything." He had already apologized incessantly while she was stuck in the hospital.
"But that's the thing, actions mean more than words, and my past actions-," he shook his head as he and Betty began to walk again, "-those said a lot. I know I was hurt by Edgar too, but I also made my own choices."
Betty walked quietly beside him for a moment, swirling her milkshake in thought, a question that she'd never gotten a chance to ask rising in her mind. "What was it that made you want to stay in The Farm?"
Kevin turned his face down, his eyes piercing the trail underneath their feet. "I may not always be entrenched in investigating or hunting down killers like you are, but my family, my life, has been just as touched by everything. My dad losing his job, Joaquin dying, Moose leaving…" Kevin shook his head. "I looked around one day and saw everything that was going on and I just retreated into myself, especially after what happened with Moose's dad."
He kicked a rock down the path and Betty watched it dribble away. The sun had fully set and the path was growing darker as they were walking further. The trees around them housed thick shadows and Betty's shoulders shuddered involuntarily, the sensation of the branches closing in around her starting to take hold, and she picked up her pace to match Kevin's strides, making sure to stay next to him.
Kevin Keller had always carried himself with an air of easygoing optimism, as though he had managed to keep himself a degree removed from the madness of the rest of the world. Sometimes that's just what artists were like, real head-in-the-clouds type, but Betty also knew that there had always been a quietness to him ever since they were kids.
And well, the retreating into one's self she could relate to. It's part of the reason they became friends in the first place; they understood what the silence meant for each other.
Though that connection had been growing fainter as they had been growing older, and the past year had threatened to completely sever it. She was glad there were still threads left, and that it seemed both of them were willing to do some patchwork.
"So," Betty began, looking over at Kevin. "You went to Evelyn, and then to Edgar because they were the only ones that took the time to notice what you were going through." She met his eyes, a regretful frown on her face. "Then they offered you the surgery. And you thought it could finally be the answer you had been looking for?"
He took a crestfallen breath. "I guess I did. Deep down I'm sure I knew nothing had changed, but if it was seemingly working for other people, it was worth a try." He sniffed and wiped a hand across his face.
"And you thought that if it worked for you, it might work for me, even if I had to go into it kicking and screaming?"
Kevin stopped at Betty's question, looking down at her with an intensely remorseful expression.
"And that's why action has to make up for action." Kevin slipped the beanie over his head, ending his restless fidgeting. "Come on, I want to show you something."
He turned and jogged toward the tree line, giving Betty a chance to finally take in her surroundings, noticing with a start for the first time where they were.
"The middle school playground," Betty murmured, looking around at the obscured swing set and slide that were standing guard like metal sentinels in the dark schoolyard.
Kevin nodded from where he stood, a reflective tic in the smile he wore. "The climbing wall where you, me, Jughead, and Archie used to play King of the Hill." He pointed to his left. "And over there is where Cheryl pushed me in the mud once after she said she didn't like my shirt, and then Archie pushed her back. Oh how far we've come." He shook his head, swinging it back around toward Betty. She shot him a quiet yet still slightly puzzled smile, a bristling flicker of sentimentalism starting to worm its way inside of her.
"And then over there, by the monkey bars-," he angled his head toward the middle of the playground, his voice growing thicker with the influence of memory. "That's where I came out. To you." When he turned his head back, his eyes were visibly misty and Betty couldn't help but feel her chest begin to well up too.
"This was a safe space to us," Kevin said. "We were a safe space to each other and I want us to be that again."
He brought his hands up in front of him, revealing the extension cords he had been fiddling with, and plugged them together.
A soft whirr sounded, and suddenly a white glow sparked to life, spreading through the trees circling the playground as dozens of strands of string lights blinked on around them. Betty momentarily shielded her eyes, blinking against the unexpected brightness as the shadows in the yard were swallowed up by the glittering wave, the light reflecting off of the metal playsets she stood between.
She sucked in a breath, letting the unexpected light show fill her vision as she gazed around the yard. Lights snaked through the bare branches, wrapping around the two teens in a brilliant display that shimmered against the winter night.
Her mouth gaped as she stared back at Kevin. He watched her watch the lights, a soft smile on his lips. He stepped forward, joining her in the middle of the playground.
"We can feel safe again, and be safe for each other. You're not alone in this." He looked down at her, the reflection of the lights twinkling in his eyes as he gestured around the shining yard. "The things and places that were meant to harm us can be beautiful again."
Betty continued to take in the lights that twisted through the trees, the blue and white pulsing against the black that usually settled amongst the branches. The lights mingled with the stars above them, and a few palliative rustles signaled the forest waking to life around them along with the illumination.
She looked up at Kevin and he gave her a small smile. "The woods are just trees, and the trees are just wood."
Betty's cheeks flushed, and a smile of her own crossed her lips as she spoke under her breath. "I have no fear, nor no one should."
Kevin faced her, his mouth turned up earnestly, the dimples on his cheeks showing. "I promise to be a safe space for you again."
Betty felt a warmth rush through her, spreading through her chest and up into her cheeks, and before she knew it, she was wrapping Kevin as best she could in a hug.
"You are, Kevin. And I promise to be one for you too." She embraced her oldest friend a bit tighter, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes. "Thank you."
They moved to sit down on the swing set. Betty took a small sip of her now-melted milkshake, the flavor a bit flat, but she didn't care. "So how many times did you practice this?"
A laugh echoed around the playground. "So many," Kevin balked playfully, grabbing the chains and swinging lightly as his feet dragged along the tanbark. "Had to write it out and everything."
Betty chuckled, the straw still between her teeth. "For a second there, I thought you were going to start singing."
"Oh, I thought about it." Kevin bobbed his head as he spun around, wrapping the chains together above him. They both snickered and Betty rocked on her swing, kicking her feet against the ground.
The two sat on the swing set, swaying together as they continued to talk as old friends into a new night, the ring of light that encircled them holding the darkness - something that had felt so threatening and sentient for far too long – at bay.
The sharp shriek of a whistle sounded over the field, and the football players turned their attention to the noise, circling up around Coach Clayton. Archie fidgeted with his shoulder pads as he jogged into place, Monroe and Reggie beside him.
"Listen up everyone!" Coach Clayton dropped the whistle from his lips and clapped on the clipboard he held. "Now, I know you all know how important tonight's game is. Riverdale hasn't been this close to a championship for a decade. You boys win this one and the next win, you'll all go down as Riverdale High legends."
"Before we get out there though, just a few things about tonight." Clayton glanced down at his clipboard. "We're on our home turf, so we have the advantage, but as you can see, it's not in the best shape. So watch your step."
Reggie leaned toward Archie and whispered, "What's up with that? Our practices have been a bit rough the last few weeks."
"Don't know, man." Archie shrugged. He looked around the field, happy to know he hadn't been the only one to notice how overgrown certain parts of the turf were. "Mr. Daniels is usually on top of everything but I haven't seen him around for a bit."
"I hope he's not sick," Monroe added to their hushed conversation, as Coach Clayton was still talking. "He really helped us out with the repairs at the community center."
"Maybe he got fired," Reggie muttered, cocking his head toward the track. "Looks like we have new facilities staff."
Archie looked toward where he was motioning and saw two maintenance workers lugging salt buckets and shovels around the stadium. He scrunched his eyebrows, his fingers twitching slightly within his gloves.
That felt a bit odd. Mr. Daniels loved his job, he was always helping out when he could and was meticulous about the school's landscaping, which is why Archie was really glad when the repairman had reached out to him to see if he could help at the community center too. Come to think of it, Archie hadn't seen him since Halloween, when he had fixed the second window TJ had broken.
He really hoped that Mr. Daniels hadn't gotten blamed for what had happened since he was the groundskeeper and Betty was taken on, well, school grounds. That wouldn't seem fair at all.
Archie shrugged it off, trying not to think about what other fallout may have occurred they still had yet to uncover, and he turned his attention back to what could be his last ever high school football game.
Coach Clayton looked at the players circled around him, a hard, determined expression settling on his face. "Now seniors-," he pointed at individuals around the huddle. "Chuck, Mantle, Andrews-," the other boys started whooping as they shoved spiritedly into the trio. The smile that crossed Archie's face was wide as he bounced excitedly along with his teammates.
Reggie wrapped his arm around Monroe's shoulders. "And let's not forget the Bulldog's very own Mad Dog!" He howled in his face and all the guys grew even rowdier.
Clayton clapped his clapboard against his knee, letting out his own lively hoot as he stalked around the circle. "That's it, boys! That's the kind of energy I'm looking for!" His eyes stayed momentarily on each person as he slowly walked the huddle, an air of reverie and pride lingering within them. "But first, let's take a moment."
He folded his hands behind his back, his face growing solemn. "I know how tough the road here has been and I'm not just talking about on the field."
The team grew silent, the weight of those words not lost on them.
"There's been a lot of hurt the past few years. Some of you have lost friends and classmates. We've lost teammates." He glanced back at the sidelines, the team's eyes following his lead toward a frame that sat against their bench, a blue and gold jersey sporting the number nine within it.
Archie took a deep breath, and he and Reggie threw each other a quick glance. Coach Clayton cast his eyes toward the ground before looking back at the players. "And I know some of you have a seat warming up in those bleachers for someone who can't be here tonight."
His eyes landed on Archie, who swallowed, a small pang in his chest as he turned his own eyes down to the grass.
He glanced over his shoulder toward the stands that were steadily beginning to fill up. He caught Veronica walking along the track with the rest of the Vixens, and he could see Jughead in line at the concession stand. There was even a small group of kids from the community center hanging around the fence, his mom amongst them with TJ leading the pack in his blue ball cap. Archie smiled at that, but he noticed there was no sign of Betty yet.
"We've had our hits and our losses, there's no doubt about it, but we've also had our victories. And tonight we're going to go out there and add one more to the list!"
The team bellowed and started into a chant, Archie joining along. The boys eventually began to sway back and forth together, growls and hollers coming from them as their coach hyped them up from the middle of the mass.
"Who's bark's as bad and as worse as their bite?"
"Bulldogs!"
"Who's not going down without a fight?"
"Bulldogs!"
A/N:
Thanks for reading! I've got the second half ready to go and up for you all (because once again, word count be damned.) I've written so many characters and stories, they can't help but be large chapters, and not even everything going on in the background of this story is even on the page. There's still so much only I know *evil laugh*.
As always, drop a note and let me know what you think and what you liked! Have a good week!