sleuth ≀ jughead jones

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Noah came to tryouts, she wore her yellow and white old baseball tshirt and workout shorts. It felt weird being in them. She used to love cheerleading, just not the kind of stereotype the girls had become. She watched on from the doorway of the gym as Betty and Veronica took the floor.

"We're blue! And gold! We're dynamite! We'll take you down, and fight the fight! Whoo! Go, Bulldogs!" The two girls did the classic cheer. But Noah could tell, Cheryl wasn't happy Betty actually came.

"Hmm. Ladies, where's the heat? Where's the sizzle?" Cheryl asked, her arms folded. Trying to find a logical way to cut them from the team. Even though they were the most coordinated girls that had come in today.

"Well, you haven't seen our big finish yet." Veronica shrugged, turning to Betty. Then after quietly whispering to Betty, Veronica kissed her. Like full on, lesbian kiss. Which was interesting, but Noah knew it wouldn't please Cheryl.

"Check your sell-by date, ladies, faux lesbian kissing hasn't been taboo since 1994." Cheryl rolled her eyes, "So let's see if you do better with the interview portion of our audition. Betty, how's your sister doing?"

"Um, Polly's fine, thanks for asking." Betty shifted, her hands folded together in nervousness.

"Veronica, has Betty told you about her sister yet?" Cheryl smiled. Noah wanted to step in so badly.

"Uh, no." Veronica questioned its relevance.

"Go ahead, Betty. Tell Veronica about your sister and my dear brother." Cheryl urged her.

"Polly and Jason dated." Betty said quietly. Hoping that would be it.

"I wouldn't say dated." Cheryl scoffed. Noah started grinding her teeth.

"It didn't end well." Betty added.

"In fact, Jason's probably why your sister had a nervous breakdown and now lives in a group home, isn't it? That's what my parents think. What do you have to say about that, Betty?" Cheryl asked, Noah had just about had it, this was bullshit. "Go ahead, the floor is yours. Whatever you've been dying to spew about Jason and how he treated Polly, unleash it. Destroy me. Tear me a new one. Rip me to shreds. Annihilate me."

"You don't have to answer that Betty." Noah finally spoke up. The other girls in the room turned their heads to the door to look at her.

"No, no it's fine." Betty shook her head.

"No, it's not. Cheryl, what does this have to do with cheerleading?" Noah asked, stepping in front of the two girls.

"Like I told you, the Vixens are all about good reputation. Something you know nothing about, right?" Cheryl cocked her head, excited to win this fight, "There's a reason you were kicked off the Vixens. We're lucky your ex-boyfriend let everyone know. Oh and how's your brother doing? Oh... wait.."

"Yeah? And how's your brother doing for that matter? You wanna talk about reputation Cheryl? We can talk about reputation all you want."  Noah started walking forward slowly, "How 'bout the fact that I know you're about to cut Betty from the team just because you can't bully her into being a bitch. I know that because I was like Tina last year. You like your spot Tina? Enjoy it while your morals die. And I know that bullying someone to fit into exactly where you want them never really works."

"It worked with you." Cheryl said, Noah was caught. She was exploding like she used to and immediately regressed to holding back. She started walking out. "Right. Veronica, welcome to the River Vixens. Betty, better luck next time. Noah, I want you out of this gym."