𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕕𝕒𝕝𝕖

2

The four new friends walked down the hallway, but stopped when Veronica spotted someone that they all knew.

"There's, of course, the Back-to-School - semiformal dance this weekend-" Betty explained but was cut off by the black-haired girl.

"Oh! There's the hottie we were with last night! The red-headed Ansel Elgort. Is he your boyfriend?" she smiled, pointing subtly at Archie.

Not really know who she was asking, all three of the close friends answered.

"No, he's straight," Kevin said.

"No, we're just friend," Betty said.

"Not anymore," Arabella finished before the three looked between each other with furrowed eyebrows, which is also how Veronica looked at them.

"In that case, mind putting in a word? I've tried every flavor of boy but orange," Veronica swayed as they group began to walk again.

"Actually, to clarify, Betty and Archie aren't dating, but they are endgame," Kevin smiled as Arabella nodded.

"But...," Betty continued, "Arabella and Archie promised to get married after college."

Arabella's nodding changed quickly to a disapproving head shake, "no. Nope. No, thank you. I love Archie, I really do. But I've realized that I love him more as a friend than a boyfriend. Besides, Archie and Betty were made for each other."

Veronica nodded slowly, like she was thinking before Kevin spoke again, "when they date, they'll be the most perfect couple in the school."

"Agreed," Arabella nodded.

"Well then, Betty, you should ask him to the semiformal," Veronica said simply, still checking out Archie.

"She's not going to be able to if it's cancelled," Arabella interjected quickly.

"Why would it be cancelled?" Veronica asked.

"Because Jason Blossom is dead," Arabella said bluntly.

The three looked at the short girl as if she was crazy because of the way she told the news.

"What? He is. There's gonna be an assembly today for him that his bitch sister's gonna be speaking at. I'll check you guys later, I gotta get to class," Arabella said quickly to get the fact off of her chest before walking away and adjusting the strap of her holographic backpack on her shoulder.

There may have been a lot of sympathy for the Blossoms that Arabella felt on the inside, but she had to be an asshole about it on the outside. That was how they treated Arabella after her father died, with disrespect and hate.

The feud between the Queens and Blossoms was indescribable; everyone just knew that there was one and it began when the Blossoms and the young Queen began school. By refusing to actually be friends with their neighbors, the Queens, when the family offered, the Blossoms wanted a feud. So that's what they would get.

The short girl roamed the halls until she reached the entrance of her first class of the day.

•••

During the assembly, Arabella found herself drifting in thought when Cheryl Blossom began talking about her brother.

Despite wanting to sit alone, Arabella decided to sit with Veronica, Betty, and Kevin and apologize for storming away earlier.

The four tried their best to keep silent during the moment of silence... actually, it was mostly just Arabella and Kevin, but they finally got control of themselves.