BENEATH THE SURFACE

Chapter 2: For a Friend

The door of Reggie Mantle's house muffled out the booming bass of music that would otherwise disrupt the eerily quiet streets of Riverdale. It bombarded Betty and her boyfriend as they walked through it, struck by the scent of liquor and the heated bodies of lustful teenagers. It reminded her of the night she sat feeling powerless and hurt as Veronica and Archie made out in the closet. It made her feel nauseous. She grabbed a shooter of mystery liquor off of a tray in Reggie's hands and poured it back in one quick swoosh.

"Woah, Betty Cooper did not come to play," Reggie said, raising his hand for a high five –she obliged. 

"What was that?" Jughead asked, brows furrowed in their usual way. He looked unimpressed, which he typically was with most things. He was a cynical boy, raised to be such because of his rough home life, unlike his red-headed best friend who was sanguine no matter the situation.  He would never admit it, but it was hard for him not to feel green-eyed when it came to Archie.

Betty licked her lips and shrugged her shoulders. "If I'm going to enjoy even a minute of this party with all of these jocks and this obnoxiously loud music, Juggy, I'm going to need a few drinks," she laughed, lying through her teeth. She had always been good at hiding things, it was a Cooper family specialty.

Jughead smirked, amused, unknowingly, by her lie. "Well, in that case," he said, stepping around the corner and reaching into a case of someone's beer, "here." He pulled out his Serpent blade to pop the cap off and then handed it to her. 

"Thanks," Betty said, pretending it didn't upset her that there was a weapon zipped away in her boyfriend's jacket. As she took a swig, she heard her name called out. 

"B! You came," Veronica shrilled, emerging from the kitchen. 

Watching her glamorous friend strut towards her, cloaked in a black satin slip dress and heals, made Betty feel inadequate in her high-wasted jeans and maroon long-sleeved turtleneck. She surveyed the room and noticed she was underdressed. 

'At least my hair is down.'

"V," Betty grinned, giving her a hug. Archie appeared behind her, dressed more casually than Veronica and everyone else, a relief for Betty. "Arch," she said and he gave her a nod.

Betty quickly stepped back and placed her hand in Jughead's, keeping her eyes on the floor. Everything felt tense. Archie felt it too; he remembered the last party they had attended. He wondered if Betty still thought about what he did, and if it still caused her pain. 

"Well, if it isn't Betty and her delinquent 'bf,'" Cheryl remarked, flipping her hair and pursing her lips. Betty internally rolled her eyes. "We're playing truth or dare in the living room, if you and wannabe Jim Stark over there want to join."

"Thanks for the offer, Cheryl, but Betty and I aren't interested in playing your games," Jughead said, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close.

Cheryl lifted a brow and lowered her glass, revealing vodka-cranberry-stained lips. "I don't know what's more sad, the fact that she needs you to speak on her behalf or the fact that she can't play a game because she's still torn up over the last one she played." 

"That's enough, Cheryl," Archie spoke up, his eyes watching Betty carefully to make sure she was okay. 'If she wasn't thinking about mine and Veronica's indiscretion before,' Archie thought, 'she is now.'

"No, it's okay, Arch," she stated, stepping away from her boyfriend, eyes staring at Cheryl intently. The darkness in Betty sometimes gave her the confidence to do things she was normally afraid to do. She wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. "Lead the way."