Home sweet Home

Chapter 2

*5 years later*

Betty's POV
"Home sweet home" I whispered as I drove past the Riverdale sign. 5 whole years away from this place. My course actually finished 2 years ago but I stayed for longer just to finish everything up. Plus it took a while to find a house.

I pulled into the driveway of my new house. I got the keys and opened the door walking in. The house was basically bare with a few shelves and carpets. My stuff was being moved tomorrow by a removal truck. Guess I'm sleeping on the floor tonight. Thank god I packed some blankets.

I decided to take a walk and get some lunch at the still running infamous diner Pop's. As I walked down the streets memories consumed my mind of the past. The white picket fences, the perfectly mowed grass, the colourful flower patches and the beautifully designed houses. Riverdale's perfect exterior masked the secrets and sins we all held to our grave. The reality shunned away and trapped underneath the dirt.

I got to Pop's and was met with the same friendly face.

"Well I never! Betty Cooper?" Pop's cheered.

"That's me. Pop how are you?" I said hugging him.

"Better than ever Coop. How can I help?"

"I've just moved back and have missed your burgers. I mean New York has some great places but nothing reached your standards" I explained.

"Oh that's very kind of you Betty. I'm sure I can get you your usual order. If I recall correctly it's one beef burger with fries and a vanilla milkshake" he grinned.

"Still on point" I smiled.

"Coming right up" he said and walked to the back kitchen. I sat on one of the stools and scrolled through my phone.

"Hi Pop, can I get mine and Ronnie's usual plus some extra onion rings." I heard a familiar voice.

"Certainly Archie." Pop said. I looked up and saw my best friend. Archie Andrews, the red-headed boy from next door. He looked across the diner and our eyes met. His face was blank and his eyebrows furrowed. I stood up and walked over to him nervously.

"Hey...Arch" I mumbled nervously.

"Betty?"

"Yeah, it's me" I said shyly, awaiting a reaction. He smiled and pulled me into a hug. I melted into it and we stayed there for at least a minute.

"I'm so glad your back! But why?" He asked pulling away.

"I finished the course in those 3 years but stayed on for advanced work and then for the past two years I've been sorting my financials out and I've been trying to get a house. I wasn't in a place to move back for a while" I explained.

"Ronnie will be so excited. She still misses you and well you know... You kinda lost contact with us" he said.

I looked down in shame "I'm so sorry Arch, I was just so busy and I know it's not an excuse-"

"Don't worry about it. I'm glad you're here now" he said making me smile.

"Maybe you could come back to ours and eat with us? Maybe suprise Ronnie?" He asked.

"I've got about 2 hours before I have some furniture delivered. So definitely" I said. We picked up our food and left the diner.

"So you and V are still going strong?"

"Yeah, we started living together a few months after you left." he confirmed.

"I can just imagine the house. Mixtures of purple and cream, velvet and leather and of course only the best specially designed furniture" I laughed.

"As you can guess Ronnie picked most of it out." he laughed.

"So what did I miss in these 5 years?" I asked.

"Toni and Cheryl are still together. Kevin and Fangs became an item a few months back. A year after you left, Sweetpea met a girl called Carrie. She was a new serpent, her and Toni are basically best friends now" that kinda stung. Me and Toni were best friends as we were the two young girl serpents. I guess she replaced me.

"Jug and Mel are-" he starts but stops himself. Who is Mel?

"Betty..." he sighs.

"Just spit it out" I demand.

"Her name is Melanie. They've been dating for a few months now. He only got over you last year and he was ready to start dating this year. It took him 4 whole years" Archie explained.

"G...good for him" I smiled, trying to be happy for the guy I still loved so dearly.

"Let's just change the subject. Cheryl and Toni live together now and adopted a daughter, her name's Bianca and she's as sassy as Cheryl" he laughed and I giggled.

"Of course she is. Do you think people will be mad at me?" I asked worriedly.

"No of course not! Betty, everyone accepted that you had to go. It was your dream course, it would be stupid to turn it down" he encouraged. I nodded and continued to walk. We arrived at his house shared with Ronnie and it was as grand as I thought.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be" I nodded and he opened the door.

"Ronnie?" he shouted through the house.

"In here!" he walked to the kitchen where she was.

"Archiekins I-" but she froze when she looked up.

"Betty?" she choked out, tears welling in her eyes.

"Hey V" my mouth hurting from my big smile and the tears in my eyes were evident. She sobbed and ran up to me hugging me so tightly.

"Oh my god!" she cried and pulled away.

"My baby B is home!" she squealed and engulfed me and Archie in a group hug.

"Oh my god B! We have to go see the serpents! I bet they'll love to see their queen! Oh and Toni! And Cheryl!" she rushed.

"Ronnie, Ronnie stop smothering the girl" Archie laughed and seperated the two.

"I would love to see my old gang" Betty smiled.

"What about Jug? He's there" Archie trailed off.

"B, do you know about..." Veronica sighed.

"Yeah I know and it's fine. I told him to find someone" I smiled softly. Here we go...