reputation //sweet pea//

//nine//

"So you're saying that the last moving truck won't be here until Thursday!" 

Eric had been screaming into the phone for almost an hour. My mother had spent most of that hour trying to calm him down and most importantly, keep Will, Blaire and I out of the way. 

After the news of the engagement broke, the rest of the news followed. We were moving. Where? None other than Riverdale. Mom and Eric decided they weren't going to keep our new family apart. So Mom took her business digital and swore she could keep an eye on her skin care business from home. 

Eric worked as a District Attorney, allowing him and my mom to buy an entirely new house. One that just happened to sit across the street from Betty Cooper. They were the first ones out to inspect all the commotion going on in the street. Specifically Eric's yelling. 

A blonde woman had marched over, determination in her step and a fury in her eyes. She was very obviously Betty's mother. She walked right up onto our drive, and tapped on my mom's shoulder, no doubt wanting the yelling and truck noise to stop. But when my mom turned around, she gasped. 

"Ranjo?" It was the first thing that flew out of her mouth, my mom's maiden name. 

"Ali?" My mother's tone was equally as surprised. Then the two embraced like they were old friends, and it was unnerving. 

At some point Betty had walked up behind her mom and she looked just as confused as I imagined I looked. "Uh, mom? You know them?" 

"Hush Elizabeth, don't be rude," Mrs. Cooper laughed nervously. 

"Mom?" I added. 

"Wait, do you two know each other?" My mom asked gesturing towards Betty and I. 

"Yeah, we met this summer. I think we're all very confused," Betty said taking a step towards me. 

"I think she's right. You wouldn't mind having Grace and I over? I'd invite you in, but um." My mom said pointing at Eric who was now threatening to sue the moving company. Blaire and Will, who I now considered friends, had gone to see their own friends. 

"Of course!" 

The pair linked arms like they were school girls. They clearly had a past, and I was hoping to get insight into my mom's life. She was never one to share her childhood, especially with the divorce. 

"Okay, what is going on?" Betty giggled taking hold of my arm. 

"No clue. I've never seen her like that," I commented. 

"Me either," Betty agreed. 

We followed our moms into the house directly across the street, and took a seat at the island at the center of the kitchen. Glasses of wine were poured and then we started explaining. 

"Gracie over here decided to skip out on vacation with the Brants and skipped on over to Cal's place," Mom told Mrs. Cooper. 

"Guilty," I muttered into the glass of water Betty had gotten me. 

"Over on the Southside I presume," Mrs. Cooper grumbled, nudging my mom's arm. "Which makes me wonder how you two met. You weren't over at that place, were you Elizabeth?"

"No! I mean, no. I met her and Kevin Keller at Pop's. We hung out a couple times after that. At Kevin's house," I quickly defended Betty and tried to keep her out of trouble. This seemed to work as Mrs. Cooper backed off. 

Betty cleared her throat to ease the tension, "And you two?" 

Smiles returned to both of the women's faces, "Ali and I grew up next door to each other. We were best friends in high school," My mom gushed.