Dynasty || Betty Cooper [1] [COMPLETED]

||FOUR - FORGOTTEN BIRTHDAY||

Tatum's POV

The morning of my birthday, I came out of my room, to the usual set up. 

"Tatum, get dressed. You're going to be late for school." Mom told me. I turned around, before rolling my eyes.

I got dressed into a grey sweater, and black jeans.

I came out of my room, and noticed that Veronica was waiting at the front door for me. 

"Come on, we're going to be late." Veronica stated, checking her watch. I ignored her, and turned to where Mom was sitting at the table.

"Mom, what day is it?" I asked her.

"Monday." Mom replied. I scoffed. Of course, I knew she would forget my birthday. So did Veronica, I'm guessing.

"Veronica, shall we go?" I asked, and fake smiled. As we exited the apartment, I sent a message to Mom.

To: Mom

BTW it's not Monday. It's my birthday.

"Come on, T." Veronica pressed.

"Yeah, let's go." I replied. We got to the lobby, when Mom came up behind us.

"Tatum, I'm sorry." She insisted.

"I don't care anymore, not like I expected any different." I shrugged, and left the building.

-----

When we got to school, everyone was talking about the fact that Kevin and Moose found Jason's body last night, and the fact that he'd been shot. And, he didn't drown.

At lunch, I walked over to the lunch table where Archie was with Betty, Kevin and Veronica. No one had mentioned my birthday.

"So, what did Moose want?" Veronica asked Kevin.

"Oh, my God. I don't even think he knows." Kevin answered. "I mean, I am devastatingly handsome in that classic pre-accident Montgomery Clift kind of way. And sexuality is fluid, but, can someone named 'Moose' really be that fluid?"

"Okay, well, I ship it." Veronica stated.

"Well, of course you would. You're a big-city girl with loose morals." Kevin agreed. Everyone looked confused. "I just meant that Moose has an official girlfriend, Midge. Anyway, it's terrible to say but part of me wishes he would just stay in the darn closet."

We'd reached the table, and everyone was awkward because of what Kevin had just said.

"Obviously, I didn't mean literal closet." Kevin stated.

"Archie. Any new material you want to try out on a very forgiving audience?" Veronica asked, after sitting down at the table.

"I..." Archie trailed off.

"Please?" Veronica pressed.

"Would you?" Betty asked him. "I'd love to hear it." I took my seat next to Archie, and everyone else sat at the opposite side of the table.

"I'm still working on the lyrics, so..." Archie started. Archie sang his song, and as he sang, Betty looked like she was about to cry.

It was obvious that she was remembering what happened on Friday night. Kevin, Veronica and I clapped, but Betty stayed silent.

"Betty?" I asked her.

"You okay?" Archie asked as well.

"I'm supposed to say 'yes.' That's what the nice girl always says, but..." She answered, she stood up, and she was holding back tears. "No, I'm not. I--I want to be. I thought I could be, but it's too much, too fast. Archie--"

She began walking away.

"Betty." Archie called after her. "Betty, wait." Archie grabbed his jacket, and ran after her. They had an intense conversation, then Betty walked away.

Archie was going to go after her, but, Weatherbee stopped him so they could talk. I then was left with Kevin and Veronica on the lunch table.

"So, why did Mom apologise this morning?" Veronica asked me.

"Oh, just the fact that she forgot my birthday." I answered. Veronica's smile faded. "Yeah, you forgot too." I packed up my lunch in my bag, and began to walk away.

"Tatum, wait!" Veronica called after me. I turned around, and she caught up with me.

"What? You're going to apologise. You do it every year." I snapped. "You don't care about me, you only care about yourself." She stood there. 

I rolled my eyes, and took off into the school. I walked through the corridor, until I bumped into someone.

"Sorry." I apologised. 

"It's okay." The boy replied. 

"You're Jughead Jones, we've met before. I'm Archie's sister." I told him.

"Right, I haven't seen you in a while." Jughead replied.

"Yeah, just moved here with my mom and sister." I responded. "Anyway, I should get going." I walked down the hall, and then we both passed the music room.

We both did a double take, and went back to the door. Only to see, Archie and the music teacher really close together.

"The fuck." I stated. 

-----

That night, I headed to my dad's, because he always remembered my birthday. I knocked on the door, and it was Archie who answered.

"Oh, hey, Archie." I greeted. "Can I come in?" He nodded, and got out of the way of the doorway. I noticed that Dad was in the kitchen, and I went in there.

"Tatum, happy birthday, kid." Dad said to me, and hugged me. 

"Thanks for remembering." I smiled at him.

"Of course I remember, I'm your dad." He replied.

"Well, three other people who should've remembered forgot." I responded. He gave me a sympathetic smile.

"Shall we order Pop's?" Dad asked me.

"That would be great." I replied. We put in the order for us and Archie, and then Archie and I went to pick up our order.

We stepped into the diner, and the two people I didn't want to see were there. I rolled my eyes, and went over to the counter.

"I'm picking up an order for Andrews." I stated. 

"I'll see you at home, Mom." I heard Veronica say to Mom after an awkward conversation between Mom and Archie.

"I'm sure Archie will happily escort you." Mom said.

"No, he won't, we were just leaving." I answered for him. Veronica went out alone, and Archie waited behind me, until we got our order.