Chapter Text
The church was tall, with white wood paneling and hauntingly high stain glass windows that consumed most of the upper parts of the building. The concrete walkway leading up to the tall double doors was broken in different spots, an expense the church never could afford to take care of. Betty found herself standing in the middle of the walkway, her eyes peering up at the stain glass as if she was trying to understand them. The sun shone brightly on her face, her eyes squinting ever so slightly.
A loud crash caused Betty to turn around, her eyes wandering to find the cause. She sighed when she realized it was just two young boys wrestling in the grass outside of the church, positively getting mud all over their Sunday bests.
"Elizabeth, would you hurry up?" Her mothers fingers enveloped her upper arm, tugging her towards the church entrance. "We need to give these to Pastor Edgar before the service begins."
Betty rolled her eyes, her mother walking unknowingly beside her, and followed Alice's lead.
The inside of the church was large, with ceilings that seemed to stretch for miles. Artwork of different points in the Bible coated the walls and high ceilings. The pews were full of people sitting and chatting, some laughing, some serious. Some held their bibles closely, others seemed to have no interest. Betty fit in with the latter, but her mother expected much more.
"Alice, Betty!" A tall man with shaggy blonde hair and a beard to match approached the two women, his body draped in a well-tailored blue and gold suit. "What a wonderful blessing to have you two in today."
"We're overjoyed to be here, Pastor." Alice said through a wide smile. "We've brought some things to donate as well." She held up a paper bag full of the items Betty had decided to donate, as well as some clean linen. One item in particular was missing from the bag.
The wig.
Betty had contemplated throwing it into the donate bag, knowing that it would be reused for Halloween for years to come... but something kept her from tossing it. Instead, she had stuffed it and a comb into her purse. She wasn't sure why she'd done it, but her mind kept going back to the way she felt as she stared into the mirror the night before.
Powerful.
Confident.
Sexy.
Dangerous.
The thought of being dangerous sent shivers down Betty's spine, like she'd never felt before. She craved it. Her body seemed to call out for danger, begging anything interesting to happen in her boring life. She-
"Elizabeth, answer him."
"Huh?" Betty blinked at Pastor Edgar, her mind adjusting to the safe environment around her. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you asked." She apologized. As her hands fell to her sides, her fingers brushed against her purse and the need for danger coursed through her veins yet again.
"I was just asking how school has been going for you, our star student." Edgar's smile was large, and took up most of his face... yet, it was comforting. Kind.
"It's been great. Easy." Betty lied.
"And you're still running the Blue and Gold?"
Betty nodded. "In charge of all two of us." They shared a chuckle.
As Edgar turned away to greet a few more of his attendee's, Betty noticed a familiar fiery head of hair standing just a few pews done. She knew Archie went to church with his family, she'd just hoped he would skip this one time.
Her mother grabbed her arm yet again, this time causing a bit of pain, as she pulled Betty towards the group where Archie stood. As they neared, she recognized Veronica standing across from him, a serious expression coating her face as she spoke to him. Veronica was Catholic, so it came as a surprise to Betty to see her standing in a Christian church.
She couldn't quite make out what Veronica was saying, but Archie seemed to roll his eyes at her and cross his arms over his chest. It was that moment that Veronica caught wind of Betty staring her down, and her expression immediately changed to shock, and then excitement. "B!" She exclaimed, quickly walking from Archie to Betty. Archie dropped his arms when he saw Betty, biting his lip nervously as he turned to walk away.
Veronica grabbed Betty's arm, pulling her in the opposite direction of Archie. "I had no idea you were coming to church today, why didn't you tell me?" She asked eagerly.
"I didn't realize you came to this church," Betty answered, her brows furrowing in confusion. "I thought you were Catholic."
"You know what Pastor Edgar says... All religions are welcome." Veronica shrugged, her eyes darting around the room before landing on Betty. "Plus, I don't typically come. My parents are out of town this weekend and I didn't want to go to their church alone... Those old ladies are brutal."
Betty laughed, nodding her head. She'd heard the stories from Veronica many times before. "Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, genuine curiosity in her eyes.
"I guess I just know you're uh," Veronica lowered her voice, making sure no one could overhear her. "You're not the biggest fan of this place."
Betty couldn't argue with her there. "You still should have told me. We've barely spoken all weekend. I had a huge fight with Archie, and-"
Betty was interrupted by the sound of a beautiful hymn being played from the stage, signaling the beginning of the service. Veronica looked at Betty with apologetic eyes, and mouthed the words, "we'll talk later" as she found her way back towards Archie and his family. Betty felt a tinge of sadness watching her best friend choose to sit with him over her, but she gulped it town and took a seat beside her mother, mentally preparing herself to deal with the two hours of service she had in front of her.
"That was a truly beautiful service," Alice reached her arm out, placing her manicured fingers on Pastor Edgar's bicep. "You've blown us away yet again."
Betty could barely contain a laugh. Her mother had been on her phone throughout the entire service, completing different work tasks. Her job was like her other child, and Betty was the forgotten one.
"I appreciate your kindness," Edgar smiled. "I do hope we'll see you next week?" His gaze found its way to Betty before going back to Alice.
"So long as work isn't calling!" Alice gave a flirtatious laugh before replacing her grip on Edgar's arm with Betty's. "Let's go, Elizabeth." With a jerk that could easily be mistaken as Betty tripping over her own two feet, Alice pulled Betty towards the doors. Others would think she just slipped a bit, but Betty knew the truth. She knew how her mother was.
They had almost made it to their station wagon when a shorter, brown haired male stepped into their path.
"Fred, what can I do for you?" Alice asked, the slightest tinge of annoyance in her voice.
Fred offered a gentle smile, the type he always seemed to flash at Betty and her mother. "We're having a little get together in our backyard today, and it just wouldn't be right not to invite my boy's girlfriend and her mother."
Oh god, he doesn't know about the fight. "Uh, I-"
"We'll be there." Alice interrupted Betty, as if she could somehow tell that Betty was going to find a way to turn down the offer.
"Great, see you there." Fred began to turn around, but he quickly flashed another smile in Betty's direction. "Ronnie will be there too, so you won't get too bored."
Betty nodded with fake excitement before climbing into the passenger side of the car. As she buckled her seatbelt, she could only think one thing.
This is going to be so awkward.
And it was. Betty was all-too correct. She and her mother had been there for an hour and a half, and Archie hadn't said a single word to her. Veronica had gone back and forth between talking to her and talking to Archie, giving them each five minute intervals so not to leave the other alone for too long.
Betty had given up trying to confide in her best friend about the fight she'd had with Archie. Veronica had found a way to shut the subject down each time it was brought up, and Betty had no energy left to keep trying.
She sat in an old off-white lawn chair, sipping from an old fashioned root beer. Her eyes ambled around the yard, full of adults from the neighborhood, including her own mother. Alice sat across the yard from Betty, sipping red wine with Mary Andrews and Sierra McCoy as they gossiped about whatever neighborhood gossip was new this weekend. Fred Andrews and Tom Keller stood at the barbecue, cold beers in their hands as they reminisced on their high school days. A few teenagers sat with Archie at the wooden picnic table, all laughing at whatever jokes he seemed to be telling.
The Andrews had held these gatherings many times before, and Betty had always found herself at Archie's arm at the same picnic table, but she'd never felt like she belonged. Her best friend was a popular cheerleader, her boyfriend was a star quarterback, but outside of cheerleading, Betty had never felt like she fit in with the popular crowd. Sitting alone, enjoying the sunlight and the cold soda, alone for once, felt right. She was at peace when she wasn't staring at Archie, thinking back to their fight.
Just then, Veronica rose from the picnic table. Seems it was Betty's turn for social interaction.
Veronica walked in Betty's direction, but turned her pace towards the house instead. "I'll be back B, I just need to freshen up." She said with a smile, before disappearing up the deck stairs and into the house. Betty pursed her lips and sat back, sighing. She couldn't help but let her gaze wander back to Archie, who's face held a smile that could brighten an entire room; but for her, it seemed to just darken up the space. She was still so angry at him and the way he'd spoken to her the day before, but she knew she was expected to forgive him. He'd probably make her some mac and cheese and bring it to her at school tomorrow, and she'd smile and kiss him in acceptance... but would she be happy?
She didn't know anymore.
Archie suddenly rose from his spot, his gaze meeting hers for the tiniest of moments, before quickly looking towards his house. "I'll be back," he seemed to say to the others before he jogged up to his deck and fled into the house.
Betty sighed, gazing up at the house. She'd entered their kitchen many times before from that very door, typically when she'd snuck out of her bedroom window to come see Archie. Fred had always been Betty's favorite of Archie's parents as he would often "forget" to tell Alice that Betty had snuck out. She'd made great memories with Archie in this very backyard. When they first started dating, Archie had put together an entire picnic for Betty just because she'd have to miss a school-wide one because of her other commitments. Not wanting Betty to miss out on the fun, he made all the same food and even had a few of their friends FaceTime her so that it felt like she'd gone to the other one. It was romantic, and it was kind. Archie was romantic and kind. Who he was yesterday was completely out of the norm for him, and Betty suddenly felt awful for avoiding him. There had to be an underlying cause to explain his behavior.
I've got to talk to him. Betty quickly stood from her chair, root beer in hand as she headed up the same stairs she'd walked up a thousand times over. She took a deep breathe at the door, her hand reaching slowly for the handle. She and Archie would talk all of this out, and they'd be fine. Everything would be back to normal, as if they'd never had the fight in the first place. She turned the handle and stepped into the kitchen, heading for the stairs that led to Archie's bedroom. She heard a familiar voice as she reached the last stair, stopping to see if she'd heard correctly.
"No, Archie." There was no doubt who's voice that was: Veronica.
What business did Veronica have in Archie's bedroom?
Betty couldn't help herself. She leaned up against the wall so that she could hear the two of them better.
"You really fucked up with Betty." Betty smiled to herself as she heard her best friend stick up for her. Turns out Betty didn't need to tell Veronica about the fight, because Archie had done it himself.
"I don't care." Archie was noticeably annoyed, as he spoke. "She's a prude, and I can't keep dating this girl that everyone thinks I should be with if she's not going to at least put out a little."
Betty's chest tightened. Ouch. She was ready to throw in the towel on her apology and run home, when she heard his next words. "I don't feel whatever it is I'm supposed to feel about Betty."
As much as the words hurt, Betty realized that he'd just explained exactly what she was feeling. She knew she was supposed to feel something for him; everyone told her so. But she didn't feel it anymore, and she wasn't sure she'd ever fully felt it at this point.
"I know, Archie, but-"
"But I do feel those things for you."
Betty's jaw dropped. No, this couldn't be happening. She was going to get dumped just so he could be with her best friend? Her entire plan included him. She was willing to forgive him for his atrocious attitude, just so she wouldn't mess up her routine. He couldn't just rip that away from her. He couldn't. She couldn't let him.
"You know I feel the same." Veronica's voice was soft and quiet as she spoke her words, and yet they cut through Betty's skin more than anything Archie had ever said. "But it was a one-time, excitement induced decision fueled on elated emotions from the Bulldogs winning. It was amazing, but I can't do that to Betty."
Betty's eyes widened. The anxiety she'd thought she'd never feel was suddenly there. Her heart was beating hard against her chest, her palms sweaty. Tears slowly begun to escape her eyes, finding their way down her cheeks.
"We can keep us a secret." Archie said in an amorous tone.
"I can't." Veronica audibly sighed. "This secret is big enough as it is. If it gets out that you and I had sex-"
The bottle in Betty's hand lost traction against the sweat, slipping from her hand and loudly rolling down the stairs before crashing and bursting into a thousand tiny shards.
Just like her heart.
"Shit, shit, shit," Betty whispered to herself, panic racing through her body as she tried to run down the stairs before the two emerged from Archie's room.
"Oh fuck," She heard Veronica gasp. It was too late. "Betty?"
Betty looked back at Veronica and Archie, standing less than an inch from each other. With tear stained eyes, Betty just shook her head at them. She had no idea what to say, or what to do. "I-I have to go."
"Betty, please, just wait." Betty ran towards the kitchen, but she could hear the click of heels against Archie's stairs as Veronica chased after her. Betty couldn't be bothered to stop. She swung the porch door open and flew down the stairs towards where her purse was.
As she grabbed the purse, she caught a glimpse of Veronica jogging down the stairs. "Betty, let me explain!" Veronica shouted across the yard. The entire crowd seemed to stop what they were doing and look in the direction of Betty and Veronica, who had made her way to the grass and was stomping towards Betty.
Betty erupted in a fire of anger, pain, and disgust. "No!" Betty roared. "You don't get to explain yourself! You don't get to explain yourself." She repeated. She could see Alice stand from her seat, her facial expression clearly dumbfounded by how her daughter could be acting this way.
"Betty, please-"
"Just shut up!" Betty burst into sobs. "I don't want an apology from you or Archie. In fact, I don't want to talk to or see either of you ever again. Tell Cheryl she can keep the top of the pyramid, because I quit."
With that, Betty took her purse and disappeared. Alice tried to chase after her, but Betty was faster. She was halfway down their block before Alice had reached the front yard.
She didn't know where she was running, and her shoe's weren't made to run in, but she knew she had to get away. Away from Archie and Veronica, away from Alice, away from her home... away from her perfect life.