Arabella didn't sit with her friends — she didn't even leave yet and Veronica was already replacing her. Arabella wasn't really interested in sitting them, either; Eric asked her so she was going to sit with Eric. He hasn't appeared yet.
Arabella was sitting alone at a packed table. While almost everyone in the room starting their lunch, Arabella just couldn't seem to spot Eric. He better not have ditched her. She went to text him, but a boom that usually came from a speaker caught her ear.
"You're just too good to be true," a man's voice hummed out of the speaker, "can't my eyes off you."
Arabella tried to find where the voice was coming from, but everybody was doing the same as her. It was when one of the main doors in the room flung open that Arabella had to stifle a snort. Eric had found a microphone for the P.A. system, with the help of some of his football friends.
He continued to harmonize into the microphone — his eyes set on Arabella. "You'd be like be like heaven to touch, I wanna hold you so much." He sang.
Eric's friends followed him in with balloons and two band kids behind them — one playing the trumpet and the other on the drums. Other kids began to cheer Eric on as he danced his way over to Arabella.
"At long last love has arrived
And I thank god I'm alive
You're just too good to be true
Can't take my eyes off of you," he sang, his voice cracking from inexperience.When he stood in front of Arabella, he held out his free hand for her to take and she accepted. Eric pulled her into his figure and began dancing with her in his arm. Arabella laughed when he put the microphone lower for her to sing with him.
"I love you, baby
And if it's quite all right
I need you baby
To warm the lonely nights
I love you baby
Trust in me when I say
Oh pretty baby
Don't bring me down I pray
Oh pretty baby
Now that I've found you stay
And let me love you, baby
Let me love you."When they finished singing, Eric took deep breaths before kissing Arabella's head. She grabbed her water bottle for him to drink.
"Arabella Queen — will you go to homecoming with me?" Eric asked. Arabella's cheeks became hot. She didn't even have to think about her answer for long.
"Of course." She said.
Everyone cheered and Eric's friends with the balloons rushed over to the two and crowded them into a group hug. Everyone dispersed after they all congratulated Arabella and Eric, leaving the two to their lunch; the table adorned with the bouquets of balloons.
"Also," Eric said, swinging his backpack to sit next to him. "I got lunch."
He reached in and pulled out a white paper bag with Pop's logo printed on it. Arabella's smile didn't dwindle.
"Chicken tenders and fries with ranch and honey mustard for two." Eric said, grinning cheekily.
"The most romantic dish ever." Arabella said. She had planned to end this formerly dreadful day by beginning to pack Sirius's things, but she couldn't deny that what Eric had done was definitely a pleasant surprise.
"How'd you even find time to get Pop's?" Arabella asked, slipping a French fry into her mouth.
Eric smiled so wide that his dimples adorned his cheeks. "My ma dropped them off for me." He said.
"God, I love your m-" Arabella began to say, but somebody familiar walking up to their table interrupted her — Cheryl.
"Hello, Eric. Arabella." She said, seemingly very calm.
"Hey, Cheryl." Eric said, putting down his food so he could give her his attention. Arabella did the same. "What's up?" He asked.
Cheryl raised her chin as if she forgot to upon arriving to the table. "That was a nice gesture, Eric. Arabella, may I speak to you for moment?"
Arabella looked at Eric whose face didn't change, but his eyes were showing plea. Arabella didn't want to talk to Cheryl after last night — she didn't want another fight, she was drained.
"Sure," Arabella said, getting up from her seat and following Cheryl to the student lounge, where there were few people.
"What's going on, Cheryl?" Arabella asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Cheryl turned to Arabella and that's when she saw it — the same amount of drain as Arabella mapped in her eyes.
"I wanted to thank you." Cheryl said.
"For what?"
"Defending me last night."
Arabella inhaled. "Veronica crossed a line. She had no right to talk about your relationship with Jason like that."
Cheryl nodded. "You and Eric actually knew Jason and I. None of these fuddy-duddy bitches know the first thing and they try to weasel their way into my life."
"You just surround yourself with all the wrong people, Cheryl... look, you know Jason would want you to surround yourself with people who care about you. Find someone who treats you the way Jason treated you." Arabella said.
"It's not that easy."
Arabella pressed her lips together, thinking of the one person who has been treating her like Jason did and how much she hated it — but honestly, she rather he be close to Cheryl than Veronica.
"You have Eric," Arabella said, placing her hand delicately on Cheryl's forearm. "And me."
Strands of Cheryl's red hair fell in front of her eyes when they met Arabella's; Arabella used her free hand to move it behind her ear.
"We've got your back, Cheryl."
With a smile, Cheryl pulled Arabella into a hug. Arabella's heart somersaulted as she had no idea what it was like to hug Cheryl until now and it was comforting, as if this were supposed to have happened many years ago. Maybe Arabella had been caring about the wrong friends this whole time — the one's who didn't appreciate her or take her side or have her back. Betty and Veronica, mainly. Jughead would always be like her brother and Archie, that unusual relationship. And Kevin, who actually still cared enough to let her know what was happening.
Arabella needed to stop putting so much effort in those who have no intention in putting in the same amount.
Cheryl pulled away from the hug. "I'll see you at homecoming, I'm assuming?" She giggled.
"Yeah," Arabella smiled, getting an idea that she began to get riled up for. "Cheryl, do you want to meet at Pop's tonight?"
Cheryl was a little confused at first, not expecting them to become instant besties like that, but she nodded. "Of course." She said.
"Great. I'll see you there at six." Arabella grinned before they left to go back to the cafeteria. Cheryl went to sit with her "fake" friends once again as Arabella hopped back into her seat.
"Eric, I have an idea." She said.
Later that afternoon, Arabella went shopping for a homecoming dress. It wasn't hard to find one that she could dress up with jewelry and accessories she already had at home. A royal blue dress that was to die for.
When it came time to meet Cheryl at Pop's, Eric and her got there early so they could prepare for what they had planned. Cheryl — being punctual — showed up fifteen before six and Arabella and Eric kind of had to rush a few things, but they got it done.
Arabella sat on the bar counter and Eric sat in front of her on a bar stool, long paper in their hands. When Cheryl walked in, they pulled the paper to unravel a banner that read — HOMECOMING?
Of course Cheryl said yes.
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𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕕𝕒𝕝𝕖
Fanfiction"who's that?" Veronica Lodge asked, subtly pointing at the girl standing at the end of the hallway. She was talking to Archie Andrews. Betty smiled slightly when she saw the girl then looked back to Veronica. "That's Arabella," the blonde girl said...