𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 ⚢ beronica

【 nine. 】

As promised by Alice Cooper, Betty receives her cellphone back that afternoon, just as she's completing one last check of her make-up and dress-the latter a marine-blue piece she's wearing specifically because it was the only one in her closet through which she could fit her inconveniently-sized cast and which could also pass for something influenced by a notoriously gaudy decade, the 1980's. Polly had decided against shopping for a maternity-friendly dress to attend the school event, so Betty is alone when she meets Kevin and Jughead outside her home to head to Riverdale High's "Your Parents' Prom" themed dance. And it's while she's being squeezed into the middle seat of Kevin's pick-up truck that she finally turns her attention to her phone, impatiently watching the small apple-shaped logo appear on the screen to indicate that the device is powering on.

"Archie texted that they're just leaving Veronica's place now," Jughead comments, adjusting his beanie with one hand while scrolling through his phone with the other while Kevin speeds off. "I guess they're taking her town car instead of his... she must have not been too fond of the idea of being driven around in a pickup currently being held together by duct tape." At the mention of Veronica's name, Betty disguises her wince-a tense reflex-by glancing down at her phone again, blanching when she catches sight of a screen brightening into life to reveal numerous unread notifications-among them, 5 text messages and one missed call from Veronica, all from last Sunday.

Even with the possibility that there are more emergent notifications she should prioritize, Betty notices the low battery percentage and chooses to read Veronica's texts first, momentarily tuning out Jughead and Kevin's conversation around her.

The first text was sent at noon, a time during which Betty estimates she had just found Polly at Quiet Mercy.

V_Lo: I'm guessing you had to rush off to your parents... once you've convinced them that you spent the evening in your own bed, perhaps you could return to mine :)

Immediately, Betty lowers her phone face down onto her lap and clears her throat, trying to disguise the hitching of her breath. There's no way she can count how many times she had been tempted on Sunday to do just that-make her way back to Veronica, to the warmth and softness of her body, and stay.

Cautiously, she ensures the two boys are still engaged in conversation and returns to her phone to find that closer to the evening, Veronica sent her another 3 texts:

V_Lo: Was it Faulkner who said that man is the sum of his misfortunes? Apropos that dictum, I've been practically strong-armed into attending a sleepover at Cheryl's tonight. Her brother's memorial service is approaching, and a mix of blackmail and guilt have convinced me to attend it. At least her minions will be there to distract from my unwilling presence. Did you make it home in time to catch your parents?

The sleepover. Betty swallows down a pang of anxiety as her eyes sweep each word and she remembers with painful clarity what her reaction was when Veronica attempted to broach this subject with her. This is the incident that managed to pull rashly at all the most sensitive parts of Betty: her propensity for self-doubt, her lingering insecurity stemming from Archie's rejection, and her resentment of the Blossoms.

V_Lo: Is Thornhill haunted? This is a serious question

V_Lo: Cheryl may or may not have grossly exaggerated the number of girls who would be in attendance at this sleepover. And by that, I mean I'm the only one here. And by the way, her family is absolutely deranged. If you are unable to reach me tomorrow, assume I've been taken hostage by the Riverdale Medicis and report my disappearance to the authorities

Late into the evening, Veronica sent her one last text. And this is the one that Betty stares at for an indefinite amount of time, reading and re-reading, unable to look away.