AFTERLIFE :: Riverdale

X: Until Dawn

The day I met Betty... was an amazingly awesome day filled with awkward adventure.

Archie had invited me over to play video games when we were in the fourth grade. We were just starting to hang out because our fathers had started to kind of push us together. I'm thankful that they did, but their intentions of making carbon copies of themselves was a little less flattering.

It was a particularly cold, December day during our Christmas Break. We had been snuggled up in blankets, playing the games we got for Christmas and drinking hot chocolate. Eventually, Archie had left to go to the bathroom, so I paused one of our games to wait on him.

I figured I'd walk around and examine his room. By then, I'd been in there an innumerable amount of times, but he got new and interesting things almost everyday. For example, I specifically remember him having a miniature Eiffel Tower that I really liked. He gave it to me when my mother and Jellybean left. I think I left it back at the trailer.

While Archie was gone, I heard a faint voice. Frantically, I searched for it. Then, I was face to face with a small, blonde-headed girl who appeared to be my age. She was outside the window, leaning out of hers. Her house was nearly right up against Archie's.

She must have screamed pretty loudly, because Archie's window was shut. I opened it to talk with her. I greeted her meekly.

She smiled funny and pointed at my head. "What's that on your head? A crown or a beanie?"

I blinked, dumbfounded. I'd never heard that before. Most people just didn't question it. "It's both." I answered.

"What're you doing over there?" she asked. She had the curiosity of a puppy.

"Archie and I were playing video games." I replied.

"Why's your voice so high pitched?" The girl dangled her arms off of the windowsill boredly.

"I don't know. Why do you ask so many questions?" I asked, my snark showing itself early.

We were silent as I stared at her and she looked down at the ground which was coated in a thick blanket of snow.

"Can I come over?" she asked without looking up at me.

"Sure. I don't care." I shrugged, not thinking of Archie at that moment.

Then, she did the unthinkable. She climbed up onto the windowsill and crouched, staring straight ahead at me with the glint of devilishness in her eyes. Fear clutched my heart. I'd never seen someone attempt something so dangerous.

"You'll catch me, right?" she asked.

"Of course, but—"

With the grace of a newborn duckling, she leapt from her window, over to Archie's. Not knowing what else to do, I leaned over and held my arms out to catch her. We both screamed, and I closed my eyes, fearing the worst. I heard her panting, and I opened them, realizing she was still alive. She had grabbed my upper arms, and I pulled her up and into Archie's room.

We were both breathing heavily. Neither of us had ever done something so crazy. I knew right there and then that I wanted to be her friend forever. She was just the right amount of daredevil that I needed in my life. We looked at each other with a knowing glance. We knew we'd be friends forever.