Bughead Oneshots

It's Nice To Have A Friend

Alice (my mom) fixes my (me, Betty) hair for the fourth time that morning. She smooths my ponytail down tighter and I want to wince but don't dare make a sound or move. That will only make her restart.

Earlier she said I had to look perfect for my first day of school. I couldn't get a stain on any of my clothes, mess up my hair, or ruin anything. If I did, I'd get in trouble. Big trouble. I was never told what the chosen consequence was that day.

We (my mom, dad, and Polly, my big sister) all moved to Riverdale (a town I've never even heard of. Not even on TV. All towns are supposed to be on TV!) last weekend. Something about our old house was "too small" and this one was "perfect for us". I only overheard a little of the conversation before I fell asleep a few nights ago.

Boxes are everywhere. They have words on them like kitchen, bedroom, Betty's room (my room!), Polly's room. Some boxes are empty and folded down by the door that leads to our driveway. Others are full and heavy. Then there are some that are only halfway unpacked. Those ones make mom mad. 

My room is finished. It's my own room this time, so I got to decorate it just how I wanted to. I even have my very own bathroom! I don't have to always be the last one to use it in the morning! Now I can use it whenever I want.

Polly had said my room was stupid. I retorted that hers was stupid. It wasn't much of an argument. Polly rolled her eyes and walked away afterwards—like always.

I don't care what anyone has to say about my room. I love it very, very much. My bed sheets are pink (my favorite color!) and I have a desk and nightstands and a dresser with a TV! I've never had a TV before. I can only watch movies on it, and can never go to sleep with it on, but I am still excited nonetheless.

"Okay," my mom sighs, shoving my chair closer to the table. It causes me to jerk and grab the table to stable myself. "Here's your cereal."

She places the bowl in front of me, tightening my hair again. My head is starting to burn a little.

Polly comes walking downstairs, phone in hand, texting away with someone. I watch as my mom plucks it from her hands and powers it off. "You need to interact with your family more," she states and Polly rolls her eyes. "Drop the attitude."

"I don't have one," she argues back loudly. My eyes widen and stay glued to my older sister even as she turns to look at me. Polly narrows her eyes and crosses her arms over her chest. "What are you looking at, creep?"

My face is now burning, much worse than my head.

"Be nice to your sister," our dad says as he walks behind my chair. He kisses the top of my head and loosens my hair a little. I feel blood flow become a thing again and smile my thanks.

My mom sits down at the head of the table in the chair closest to the kitchen. My dad sits at the head of the table in the chair closest to the living room. Polly and I are on either side of the table, facing each other.

"Are you girls excited for your first day of school?" my mom asks, smiling large as she stirs her coffee.

I look over my shoulder at the snow outside. It was nice days ago.

"I don't understand why we had to move now," Polly complains. "I'm a freshman and it's the middle of the year! Everyone knows where they're going and who they can be friends with by now, but I'm going to be stuck wandering. This is going to be humiliating."

"Don't worry so much," my dad pipes in, flipping a page in his paper.

"That doesn't help!" she exclaims angrily. "This is going to be the most stressful day of my life. I'm going to have so many things I need to be on top of. And I can't join clubs or sports. It's too late in the year."