Something about Her: Cheryl and Billy

Good Morning

Billy groaned and rubbed his eyes as he awoke from a restless nights sleep in the back seat of his Camaro.

He had asked Pop Tate if it was alright for him to park his car at his diner overnight, and he had no hesitation giving Billy his blessing.

Billy stepped out his car and stretched in the early dawn, enjoying the freedom from the cramped automobile.

He yawned as he drowsily entered Pop's ChockLit Shoppe, then took a seat on one of the bar stools.

Pop Tate appeared from the kitchen.

"Good morning Billy!" He greeted, immediately fixing up a cup of coffee to hand to him.

"Sleep well?"

Billy took the mug.

"As good as sleeping in a car gets Pop."

Pop shook his head solemnly before going to the back and bringing out a stack of pancakes drizzled in hot syrup.

"On the house," He said while setting the plate down in front of Billy.

Billy smiled, something that rarely happened.

"So," Pop started, grinning mischievously, "You and Cheryl."

Billy looked up from his platter of pancakes.

"Yeah, what about it."

"Nothing," Pops said, fixing up some more coffee, "It's just that I was starting to believe no one was going to be up to her standards."

That made Billy grin.

He had wooed Cheryl Blossom, the unattainable vixen of Riverdale.

And he felt good.

Suddenly as he digested his third pancake, he heard,

"Hey Billy!"

He turned his head to see Archie entering the diner with a girl with him.

She had dark black hair and wore a short pencil skirt and a long sleeved purple shirt with her arm around Archie.

"Hey Archie," Billy replied, then looked to the girl next to him.

"Oh, Billy this is my girlfriend, Ver-"

"Veronica Lodge," She took Billy's hand and shook it, "Pleasure to meet you."

"So what're you doing here so early?" asked Archie.

"I could ask you the same thing myself."

"Well we just wanted to grab breakfast together," Archie turned to his girlfriend, "We have some things to talk about."

"Sounds fun," Billy said sarcastically, noticing some tension between them, "I'm here because Pop has let me use his parking lot as my residence for the time being."

"What do you mean using the parking lot as your residence?" Veronica questioned, confused.

"My car. I've been sleeping in my car. I didn't exactly have a plan when I came here from Indiana. I just knew I wanted to leave."

Archie and Veronica exchanged an uneasy glance with one another.

"Dude you're welcome to stay with me if you need to," Archie offered, "It's just my dad and I and he wouldn't mind."

"You don't have to do that-"

"I'd be happy to."

Archie smiled reassuringly.

Billy looked to the ground, considering the proposal. Archie's house would definitely be better than a confined back seat.

Billy turned back to Archie, stood up in front of him and stuck out his hand.

"You've got a deal Andrews."

Archie took his hand.

"Anytime Hargrove."

. . .

When upon entering Archie's house a sense of stability came over Billy, something he wasn't used to.

"Uhm the bedroom's upstairs, I'll go ahead and get the air mattress out," Archie said before disappearing to the second floor.

"Alright if I get a drink?" Billy called up to Archie.

"Yeah, make yourself at home!" He answered.

Billy opened up the fridge and poured himself a glass of water and sat down at the kitchen table.

Archie reappeared fifteen minutes later and told Billy his sleeping arrangements were done being prepared.

He took a seat at the table next to Billy and fidgeted with his fingers.

"So..." Archie began.

Billy looked at him with a questioning countenance.

"You're fine with staying here?"

"Yeah that's why I accepted the offer," Billy responded somewhat dryly.

"Yeah, right. Sorry," Archie laughed nervously at his mistake.

It was uncomfortably quiet; obvious that they both didn't know what to say to one another.

"Just you and your dad aye?" Billy stated.

Archie, somewhat startled at Billy's abrupt question, answered,

"Yeah. Just me and him."

"Divorced?" Billy questioned.

Archie looked at the table.

"Yep."

"Me too."

After some more waning silence, Archie pronounced,

"It sucks."

"At least you're dad's not a dick," Billy stated, touching the condensation on his glass of water.

"You don't know that."

Billy observed him.

"Well is he?"

"No."

"That's what I thought."

Billy gulped down the rest of his water and then Archie took it and put it in the dishwasher.

That night, as he lay on his air mattress, Archie muttered his name.

"Yeah?" Billy asked.

"Wanna come to school with me tomorrow?"

Billy smiled to himself.

Cheryl went to Riverdale High.

He rolled over onto his side, and mumbled,

"See you in the morning Andrews."