Work Text:
Betty looked white as a ghost after Cheryl was escorted out of the classroom in handcuffs. Veronica wanted to reach out to her, comfort her. She ached to run to her, to bridge that gap between them, only a few feet but so far away.
She knew that was inappropriate, though. They were in class, it was a little different than an impromptu kiss during cheerleading tryouts. Distracting from the bombshell news about the bombshell wasn't her intention. She just needed to hug Betty at that moment, feel her soft sweater, smell her light and flowery perfume, her shampoo, feel her lips again.
Veronica tried to focus on Cheryl's arrest. She was shocked too, after all. But this wasn't her town, not really. She didn't know these people. It was tragic in abstract, and her empathy was reserved for the stunned look on her crush's face.
Plus Betty loves Archie... and Archie loves music maybe? But maybe Veronica. Veronica hoped that wasn't really true, because Veronica did not want Archie. Veronica wasn't entirely sure why she kissed Archie in that closet. Maybe she wanted to understand Betty's infatuation, maybe she wanted to sabotage her relationship with Betty before it even began. Ugh.
But Cheryl has been arrested, and has admitted her guilt. And Betty looks terrified now, like her world has been upended. Veronica pledges to herself to hug Betty as soon as she can. She has to.
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Betty felt like she'd seen a ghost. Cheryl apparently killed Jason, but why? And why was she interrogating Betty then? Was she trying to find something to pin on her family? Betty wouldn't put it past her...
More than that, Betty was spooked by the fact that she had threatened to kill Cheryl, while alone with her. Cheryl, an apparent murderer, had been threatened by Betty. But none of it made sense. Why was Cheryl so adamant that Betty's family had something to do with Jason's death if she was guilty?
Betty was vaguely aware of Veronica's gaze on her. She looked curious, concerned. But Betty couldn't unwrap her brain from thoughts of Cheryl, and Jason, and replaying the fight she and Cheryl had over and over again. "I will kill you." Betty had felt like such a badass. She felt that now, even more, but she also felt chastised by reality. You don't threaten to kill murderers, Betty. You don't fucking do that.
If Betty was being realistic, she was glad for the reprieve from her obsession over Archie. There were bigger things to worry about right now, even though she ached to be near him, to hug him and tell him how scared she was.
But Betty could not turn to him emotionally anymore, maybe she couldn't turn to anyone emotionally anymore. Betty is a badass now. She has to embrace that. She has to.