Best Friends (Prequel)

Halloween Party

(Saturday morning)

"Morning honey. You got plans today?" Mal's mom greeted her as Mal came down the stairs. 

"I don't know. Ben wants us to go to this girl, Audrey's Halloween party, but I don't know if I really want to go."  Mal confessed.

"Why not? A Halloween party sounds like fun." Her mom replied.

"Yeah, but... I don't know." Mal shrugged. "I might just want to stay home and watch scary movies. And I'll help hand out candy." 

"Mal..." Her mom was saying.

"I'll be okay Mom." Mal cut her off. 

"I just want you to have a good Halloween." Her mom told her.

"I know and I will. By staying here I'll have a good Halloween." Mal said, then smiled and walked into the kitchen.

(A couple hours later)

"What do you mean you're not going?" Evie asked over the phone.

"I mean like what I said." Mal repeated herself.

"But why? Don't you want to go to the party with Ben?" Evie questioned.

"Yeah, but I just don't really feel up to it." Mal answered.

"What are you gonna tell Ben?" Evie asked.

"I'm just gonna tell him I'm not up for the party." Mal responded.

Evie sighed. "Okay."

(Later)

Mal was coming downstairs as the doorbell was ringing. She quickly ran up and opened it to find Ben standing there in his costume.

Ben was smiling, but then stopped when he saw Mal wasn't in her costume. "What are you doing? Why aren't you in your costume?"

"I'm sorry Ben. I forgot to tell you, but I'm not really up to going to the party." Mal told him.

"What? But I need the Betty to my Jughead." Ben argued.

"I know and I'm sorry. I just don't really want to go." Mal apologized.

"So I have to go by myself?" Ben asked and Mal shrugged. "I don't even watch this show. It's gonna be weird if I show up alone wearing this."

"You could change." Mal suggested.

"No this is the only costume I have because you said you wanted us to go together wearing these costumes." Ben explained.

"I'm really sorry Ben." Mal apologized.

"Whatever. It's fine." Ben brushed it off. "I'll see you later." He slightly smiled, then turned around and walked down the steps.

Mal watched him for a little, then slowly shut the door.

(At the party)

"Yo! Jughead Jones in the house!" Chad shouted as Ben walked in.

Ben walked in looking around and smiling at people awkwardly. "Hi. Hey." 

"Bro, you came here alone dressed like that?" Chad questioned laughing a little.

"Well I did have someone who was matching with me, but they decided not to come." Ben told him.

"Who? Mal?" Chad checked.

"Yeah..." Ben was nodding.

"Well I can see why." Chad said looking up and down at Ben's costume.

"It was her idea." Ben defended himself annoyed.

"Whatever man. All I trying to say is aren't you too old to be matching with your best friend? You do that kind of thing with your girlfriend. Oh that's right. You don't have one." Chad was saying.

Ben was taking deep breaths and glaring at Chad. 

"What? Did that upset? You gonna cry about it?" Chad was teasing Ben.

"Chad!" Evie stepped up between them. "Just leave him alone." 

"Oh you need a girl to stand up for you?" Chad continued to tease.

"Just leave him alone!" Evie repeated.

"Whatever." Chad rolled his eyes and walked away.

"You didn't have to do that." Ben told her.

"I know, but Chad was really annoying me. Plus you look cute in your costume and you should show it off and not be stuck in a fight with Chad." Evie explained.

"You think I look cute?" Ben checked smiling.

"Just in this costume. Don't push it." Evie responded.

(At Mal's)

Mal was sitting on her couch watching a scary movie, then the doorbell rang. Mal got up and grabbed the bowl of candy before answering the door. 

"Trick or Treat!" The kids yelled holding their buckets up.

Mal slightly smiled. "Great costumes." Then she put the candy in their buckets.

After they left Mal sat back on the couch, then got a text from Evie. 

Evie: You gotta get down here Ben and Chad got into a fight.

Without responding Mal turned off the tv and ran upstairs.

(A few minutes later)

Mal rushed into the house wearing her costume. She ran around till she found Evie.

"Evie what's going on? Where's Ben?" Mal was asking.

"Well when Ben first got here Chad was picking on him and being rude, but I was able to stop him. But then later I couldn't find Ben, then there was loud yelling coming from outside and they were fighting." Evie explained.

"Are they still fighting?" Mal questioned.

"No Jay broke them up." Evie answered.

"Well where's Ben right now?" Mal asked.

"I don't know. After Jay broke them up he walked away and went into a room." Evie told her with a shrug.

"Okay thanks. I'll find him." Mal said, then walked away to find Ben.

After a couple minutes of searching she opened a door to a bathroom and Ben was just sitting on the floor against the bathtub holding a wet cloth on his face.

"Taken." Ben said not looking up.

"Ben it's me." Mal spoke.

"Mal?" Ben looked over at her. "What are you doing here? I thought you didn't want to come?"

"I didn't, but Evie texted me and told me what happened so I came." Mal explained.

"I'm sorry you had to come because of me." Ben apologized.

"Don't be. You can't come to a party dressed as Jughead without your Betty." Mal told him. 

Ben slightly chuckled. 

Mal smiled and sat down beside Ben. She take the cloth from him and cleans him up herself.

"Now you want to get out there and enjoy the party for real?" Mal wondered.

"Definitely." Ben stated. 

They both stood up and Mal threw the cloth in the sink, then they walked out back to the party.