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I wiped lipstick from the corners of my mouth before letting out a little breath and taking a few steps forward. I glanced around the large gym. There was a picture of Jason hanging at the entrance. I saw the new girl Veronica, Archie Andrews, and Betty together.
I walked around aimlessly, through people making out, drinking from the flasks they had snuck in, or dancing. About a dozen guys had already asked me, but I turned them down. I didn't want them to expect anything after the semiformal, and besides, I had my eye on someone else.
I felt a tap on the shoulder. I turned to see Josie McCoy. "Oh. Hey," I beamed.
Josie was cool. I could talk to her about nearly anything, since I was one of the few people she was always nice to. She was popular, like me, so my social status wouldn't go tumbling down if I spoke to her.
"Hi, Leah." She smiled back. "Did you come here with anyone?" I shook my head. "No, I was going to, but I decided not to at the last minute." I played with the fabric of my black dress between my fingers.
"Oh." She murmured, and started blinking furiously, her long eyelashes fluttering. "I didn't come with anyone either."
"Uh...are you okay? I have some drops in my purse for dry eye, just in case." I stated, opening my small strapless purse and looking through for the drops.
"No, I...just forget it." Josie muttered, her face dropping. "Are you sure? Did I do something?" I asked. Before she could reply, I felt a hand drag me away. "Let's dance!" Reggie exclaimed. He did a little jiggle.
"I'm not dancing, Reg." I giggled. "C'mon, you have to. It's a semiformal." He complained. I shook my head stubbornly. "For me, your best friend?" He sniffled, wiping away a fake tear. "Fine!" I said, trying to do anything other than cause a scene. He grabbed my hand, spinning me into his chest and back out again.
You see, anyone else watching would think Reggie and I were a couple, or maybe crushing on each other. Well, that wasn't the case. Reggie and I had been best friends for 8 years. He used to live next door to me when I lived in Louisiana, until he moved here, to Riverdale. We kept in contact. He helped me get through all the moving and packing up and leaving I did. Then, I moved to Riverdale, and we were reunited. We were Betty and Archie before Betty and Archie were Betty and Archie.
As we continued dancing, I spotted Cheryl from across the room. She made direct eye contact with me, sipped her punch, and gave me a death stare. I narrowed my eyes.
She strutted up onto the stage, her red dress hugging her body but not being too tight.
"Good evening, friends," She spoke. "Are you all having a good time?" Everyone cheered. "As honorary chairperson and de facto queen of tonight's semiformal, it is my great pleasure to introduce is evening's main entertainment. To know them is to be obsessed with them. Though they usually perform their own material, tonight, they're making an exception and debuting a cover of the song my parents claim they were listening to the night Jason and I were conceived. This one's for you, JJ. I give you, Josie and the Pussycats!"
|-/
"It's game time at Chez Blossom, kiddies." Cheryl spoke as we sat or stood in a circle around the coffee table, which had a bottle on it. We being Reggie, Archie, Betty, Veronica, Cheryl herself, and I.
"We're going old school tonight. Seven Minutes In Heaven. Who wants to tryst in the Closet Of Love first? My vote is 'A' for Archie! Anyone care to second it?" She smirked.
"Well actually-" Archie started. "Yes, Andrews! Yes!" Reggie bellowed, causing me to move away from him on the loveseat. Cheryl let out a little sigh of satisfaction. "All right. Gather round, kids. Let's see who's riding the ginger stallion tonight."
We all leaned over the bottle, watching closely as it wobbled before coming to a stop at Veronica. Her and Betty glanced at each other, both in panic. Then it hit me - Betty didn't just like me, she liked Archie too. Holy sh-
Reggie's loud, obnoxious laugh brought me out of my thoughts. "No way! It's clearly pointing to the new girl." "This should be fun." Cheryl wiggles her eyebrows.
"Um...I'm not doing this." Veronica retorted.
"But, if you don't, house rules decree the hostess gets to take your turn." I admitted. Veronica looked at me. I stared back at her, pleading with my eyes. She reluctantly got up and walked over into the closet along with Archie.
I cleared my throat and stood up. "I'm going to get something to drink. Anyone want anything?" I asked. "I d-" "I know you do, Reginald." I looked at Betty and Cheryl. Betty had tears in her eyes as she sat in silence for a moment before letting out a pained sound and running out of the house.
Cheryl looked at the place she had been sitting. "Freak. Anyways, I'll have a Cherry Cola." She purred. "Second rack in the fridge!"
I reached the kitchen, managing to pour Cheryl's Cherry Cola into a red cup and Reggie's root beer into one before I was grabbed by the waist and pulled against someone. I struggled against their grip as they moved their hips against me. "Let go of me." I demanded, trying to stay calm. They didn't let go. "Get off!" I spat, elbowing them. It didn't work.
"Didn't she tell you to get off her?" A sharp voice asked from the doorway. The arms, dropped me, causing me to fall forward against the marble countertop, catching myself by grabbing the counter with my fingers. "Yeah, yeah, whatever." The voice grumbled. "Get out of here." Cheryl instructed. "You're not welcome."
The guy scoffed. "Bitch." I turned weakly. I was about to mutter a thank you to Cheryl, but she came up to me until her face was no more than two inches from mine. "Get the hell out of my house." She snapped, her voice trembling. I went to move forward to leave, but she pushed me back against the countertop, and suddenly her lips were on mine. It lasted about 30 seconds, but felt way shorter. Too short.
She kissed me. Cheryl Blossom kissed me. I looked down at the hard floor, not knowing where else to look. She brought her hand up and gently lifted up my chin. "Go." She insisted. This time, she let me go.
So, I did. Even if I didn't completely understand what had just happened. But I was too wrapped up in my own state of nirvana.
