candy | betty cooper || DISCONTINUED

okay, falling in reverse

juniper sat next to jughead in class as archie walked in. juniper tuned out everything as she read her book.

"seats, everyone. pair off, gloves on, scalpels up," said the teacher. "can i be with cheryl," asked archie. "and i wanna be with betty," said veronica.

juniper looked at veronica, slightly glaring at her, remembering what betty had told her. "oh, uh, i was thinking i'd partner with kevin," said betty. "actually, uh, keller's with me. we, like, talked," said moose. "oh, god," juniper hears kevin say.

she turns back around to see veronica sitting next to betty as she says, "once again, fate throws us together." juniper didn't even realize it but she was slowly pushing the scalpel into her thigh.

"jun," jughead says. she looks at her thigh, seeing the blood roll down her thigh. "sorry, jug. just.. i dont want veronica to hurt betty," juniper muttered.

"you can't be subconsciously hurting yourself because you want to protect your 2nd best friend," reasoned jughead.

"2nd?"

"yeah. im your first best friend," jughead says, nudging his sister playfully. "ok, emo," juniper grabs her bag and heads to the nurse's office but not before hearing jughead chuckle.

•••

juniper followed archie after hearing his suspicious talk with weatherbee. she peeked through the window of the music room door at him and ms. grundy. she then saw them get suspiciously close to each other. in a way no teacher or student should ever interact.

jughead was walking towards her as she ushered him towards the door and whispered to look. they stared in horror as ms. grundy held archie's hand.

•••

juniper plopped down on the floor with her inhaler and patting next to her for betty to sit down. "after this practice, i'll totally need a pedicure. you?" veronica stretched.

"i'll have homework," betty dryly responded. juniper wanted to just slap the hell out of veronica in that moment. betty told her what happened.

"i know everyone grieves differently, but cheryl's hosting a pep rally to cope with her loss. that's either brilliant, or psychotic, or both," said veronica.

"yeah, well, at least cheryl's not putting on an act. pretending she's a butterfly when she's really a wasp," said betty. juniper smiled at betty's rebuttal.

"for the record, the only reason i went into that closet with archie was so that cheryl wouldn't," reasoned veronica. "oh, so you did it to protect me," asked betty. "damn straight," said veronica.

"okay, so nothing happened between you and archie in the closet then." betty cut veronica off before she even started speaking. "yeah, that's what i thought. you know, archie and i were fine before you got here."

"if by, fine, you mean he was oblivious and you were pining after him in quiet desperation," said veronica. juniper quietly said, "fight, fight, fight!"

"we were friends, at least," said betty. "you were walking on emotional eggshells around him, scared to tell him the truth," said veronica. "okay, you dont know me, veronica," betty retorted.

"it is not my fault he doesn't like you," pushed veronica. juniper had had it with her, though she didn't get to take a first step before veronica corrected herself.

"if that's what you're thinking. it's not anyone's fault. it's not even stupid archie's. it's just how it is. most of the time the people we like don't like us back. romeo and juliet are the exception, not the rule," explained veronica.

betty looked to the side, irritated. "look, never speak to me again. if that's what you want, i'll accept that. but what, exactly, did archie do wrong," asked veronica.

"are you seriously taking his side," asked betty. juniper had slightly calmed down at the fact that they were arguing.

"the pussycats are in! oh, sorry, ladies, am i interrupting," asked cheryl. "as a matter of fact...-" betty cuts veronica off. "no, you're not. actually, i was about to come and find you, cheryl. i have a gift certificate for hers-and-hers mani-pedis and blowouts at chez salon. do you want to come with me," betty asks cheryl.

"don't do this," said veronica.

"butt out, closet monster. you have forfeited your right to take the high and mighty road," said cheryl, as juniper laughed, "as pour moi, betty, but of course. i never say no to a pedi. and i was just about to suggest the same thing. can i steal her for a second," asks cheryl. cheryl grabs betty's hand and walks off with her.

juniper looks at veronica, "you are such a bitch."

a/n

WOW THIS WAS A LONGER ONE
my fingers hurt :(
EAT AND DRINK WATER AND SLEEP OKAY BYE