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You're just too good to be true
Can't take my eyes off of you
You'd be like heaven to touch
I want to hold you so much
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
Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
"Can you believe it's been six years since we were sophomores here?" Veronica ran her fingertips over the worn metal lockers. "I can't believe they finally decided to redecorate."
"They probably just got tired of hearing you complain about it." Betty was walking the halls next to her, their arms linked. "And I liked it the way it was."
"You're just being sentimental."
"Hey, you were the one who suggested we come down here before classes started. Most people wait ten years for their reunions."
Veronica waved her free hand in the air as if the very idea of waiting that long was absurd. "Cheryl's back from Europe, Archie and Jughead flew in from LA, and Josie's back from touring. All the important people are here now."
"You say that like you haven't been organizing the whole thing for months."
"It was merely a very fortuitous series of events."
"I see that English minor is paying off." Veronica stuck her tongue out in reply. "Just what are you planning, anyway?"
"Curiosity killed the cat, you know."
"And satisfaction brought him back."
"Patience, kitten." Veronica booped Betty on the nose with a finger. "All will be revealed. And I think you'll find it very satisfying."
Betty rolled her eyes. "Well could we at least be patient over a milkshake at Pop's? You haven't let us go yet and we've been wandering the halls for hours."
"It's been like thirty minutes, but fine." Veronica checked her watch. "It's about time anyway." Veronica still remembered the building like it was the back of her hand and easily guided them out the double doors to the football field. The sun was just going down, and the lights over the field blazed as people began filtering in, eating hot dogs, laughing, preparing for the homecoming game that night.
"A football game, Ronnie? You really know how to show a girl a good time." Betty cut her teasing short, though, when she saw their group of old friends standing near the edge of the stands. She'd missed them more than she realized, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes in the chilly fall breeze. Archie spotted them first, running over and pulling Betty up in a bear hug as the others gathered around. Jughead, Cheryl, and Kevin each greeted her with hugs as well, although granted Cheryl's was still a bit malicious and Jughead just put an arm around her and avoided as much body contact as otherwise possible. Taking a hand, Kevin pulled her away from the group.
"Betty, doll, you look gorgeous."
Betty blushed, still a little insecure about compliments even after all those years with Veronica. "Blame Ronnie. I said there was no reason to wear heels when we're all just going to end up at Pop's anyway, but she insisted on dressing up." Speaking of..."Actually, she was right behind me..." and now the other girl had totally disappeared.
"I'm sure she'll be here soon." Kevin smiled secretively, which made Betty narrow her eyes in suspicion. No good had ever come of Veronica and Kevin conspiring together, and it usually meant Betty had to clean up their messes as well.
Before she could interrogate the boy further, a crackle of static over the speaker system made her wince and look around. She suddenly noticed that Kevin had led her almost to the middle of the field, where they were standing alone, and each and every person she knew was smiling that Kevin smile at her. Nervous fear began to rise in her throat.
Badahhh Bada duh da dada duh da.
She nearly jumped out of her skin when the Riverdale High band began marching onto the field, trumpets blaring. Oh my god...
There, at the top of the stands, Veronica Lodge was holding a microphone and singing 'Can't Take My Eyes Of You.'
To her.
Elizabeth 'Betty' Cooper.
The ground seemed to buckle a bit, or maybe that was just her knees, and she clasped her hand around Kevin's arm.
Somewhere to the left of them Josie and the Pussycats were harmonizing on the bridge, but Betty, fittingly, couldn't look away from the sight of her gorgeous girlfriend, in black dress and pearls, gradually coming closer until she was standing right in front of her, eyes deep and sparkling as she sang the last few verses.
"Ronnie..."
Veronica shushed her with a wink as Kevin handed the brunette a small black box.
Ohmygodohmygodohmygod.
"Betty, since the first day I met you I've known we were destined to be together. I think I knew about half-way through the second day that I was in love with you, and I definitely don't deserve it, but somehow you loved me back. You've forgiven me when I thought I'd fucked up everything, and you keep forgiving me, and supporting me, and loving me, which just proves how much better you are than I am. But I will keep trying until the stars fade to be everything you need." She opened the box to reveal a diamond ring, the lights from the stadium and camera flashes and the stars above caught forever in its facets.
"Elizabeth Cooper, will you marry me?"
Say yes, her brain urged, but somehow the connection to her mouth wasn't working. She could feel the hundreds of eyes on her, the faint electric hum of the microphone and the crowd and the expectation all stealing her breath.
Then she focused on Veronica, and it all fell away.
It seemed like she would be waiting forever, but Veronica didn't look nervous. Her eyes were calm, patient, lips crooked in a small smile. She looked like someone who believed, totally and completely, that she was right where she was supposed to be. They were destined to be together, Veronica had said.
Maybe she was right.
"Yes, you ridiculous dork. Of course I'll marry you." Betty laughed, pulling Veronica off the ground and into a kiss. It was actually kind of hard to focus on kissing when she was smiling so hard, but Betty didn't let herself get carried away. They had all the time in the world.
"You didn't dance on the bleachers." She pointed out when they finally pulled apart.
"What?" Veronica grinned back at her. "In these heels?"
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