Another Love~J.J. {1}

~41~

To Riverdale and Back Again

* * *

        Lia smiled at herself in the mirror. She was getting ready for the Homecoming and she had to give props to Archie, she truly love the dress he picked. She had paired it with gold jewelry and a pair of golden heels that wrapped all the way up to her knees. She had put on light makeup so that she wouldn't sweat it off but she still had an elegant look to her. She didn't have anything to cover her arms from the cold but she figured she'd be fine as she spun around her room, loving the way the dress flowed around her. 

        There was a knock at her door and she turned to see the awe struck face of her father. 

        "You look gorgeous, Oph." Fred stated and Lia giggled, looking at herself and smiling sheepishly.  

        "Thank you, Dad." She replied and soon Fred was joined by Mary who smiled.

        "Let me get a picture of you two." She said and the other two obliged. Fred entered Lia's bedroom and stood beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist while she did the same. The two smiled as Mary took a picture of the two and she sighed. "You look beautiful, baby." 

        "Thank you, Mom." Lia repeated before the two adults looked at the time. 

        "You sure you don't need a ride?" Fred asked. 

        "Even if I did I wouldn't tell you because i'm not riding with you two with Mrs. Lodge." Lia countered with a smirk.

        "Alright, we'll see you there." Mary said and kissed her daughter's cheek before Fred did the same and soon the two were gone. Lia sighed, fixing her hair which she had curled and thrown up in an elegant bun before looking outside for Kevin who was supposed to be there by now. Lia checked her phone, not seeing any texts or calls from him and deciding she'd call him instead. 

        The phone rang and rang until it came up with his voicemail. She sighed and hung up the phone, looking outside again before making her way to Archie's room to look through his window. She looked out and the only thing she saw was blurred figures in the Cooper household and Lia got an idea. 

        She shut her and Archie's bedroom doors before making her way downstairs, holding her dress up so it wouldn't drag while she walked to her next door neighbors house. She knocked on the door and soon it began to sprinkle. She looked up at the rain and felt it fall on her face before the door to the Cooper household opened, revealing Betty who looked almost relieved to see her.  

        "Hey, B, is Archie or Kevin there?" Lia asked.

        "Uh, no, why?" Betty replied. 

        "Well I haven't heard from Archie and Kevin was supposed to be my ride but he's not answering my calls or texts." Lia answered with a sigh. "I'll uh, see you at the school I guess. I'll just walk." 

        "No!" Betty exclaimed and grabbed hold of Lia's arm as she tried to turn away. Lia turned back in shock and saw the pleading face of Betty who began to whisper. "Please come in, i'm begging you."

        "What's going on?" Lia whispered back. 

        "Betty? Who is it?" Mrs. Cooper's voice called and before Lia knew it she was being dragged inside the Cooper's house by Betty. 

        "It's Lia, Mom. I invited her as well, We have to have Jug and I's best friend, right?" Betty responded and Lia looked at Betty and Jughead in confusion while Betty forced her into a seat beside her. 

        "Of course." Mrs. Cooper gritted. Lia shifted in her seat, putting a piece of her red hair behind her ear as Betty filled a plate of food for her and set it down. 

        "You look beautiful, Lia." Mr. Cooper's voice sounded from beside her and Lia looked at him with a smile. 

        "Thank you, Mr. Cooper. Archie helped me out a bit." Lia responded, motioning to her dress. Mr. Cooper nodded with a hum and Lia sighed, picking up her fork and stabbing some ham and shoving it into her mouth. 

        "Oh FP, I'm hoping maybe you have some vacancies down at Sunnyside. You see, I've been sleeping in my office down at the paper, and it's just getting a little chilly at night." Mr. Cooper said and he seemed to be eyeing Mrs. Cooper. 

        "I bet your office beats the trailer park." FP chuckled. 

        "I wouldn't be so sure. You see, Alice here, she's been redecorating the Register. The other day, she threw a brick through the window." Mr. Cooper said, making Lia raise her eyebrows.

        "Is that so?"

        "Keep talking, Hal, and the next brick I throw may not be at a window." Mrs. Cooper snapped. Lia let out a breath, the tension was slowly getting thicker and thicker by the second and she began to realize why Betty wanted her there. 

        "You remember our Homecoming, Alice? Hal? Back in the day? Castles in the Clouds? Your mom ever tell you about that night?" FP asked Betty. 

        "Just that she and my dad were king and queen." She answered with a forced smile.

        "Yeah, they were. Of hell." FP responded.

        "Dad, please." Jughead whispered but FP brushed him off. 

        "No, this is a fun story, I promise." He said before beginning his story. "Me and your Dad, Lia, we were all set to play at the dance. I was backstage, dropping off our gear when I heard these voices yelling. It was your mom and dad. They were fighting about...About I don't know what. But it sounded like life or death." 

        "Shut up, FP." Mrs. Cooper ordered.

        "Happy to oblige if you are." FP replied as the two glared at each other. "I don't care what you think of me, Alice, but don't jerk me around. Not in front of my son or my best friends kid."

        Lia felt herself shrink under everyone's gaze at FP's mention of her and all she could do was smile at him and eat another bite of the cold food. 

        "This was such a nice idea, Mom, but I think it's time that we get to the dance. So, is it okay if we skip the peach pie?" Betty asked as she stood up, Jughead and FP following her. 

        "Lia, we'll give you at ride." FP said as he laid his large hand on her shoulder and she gratefully stood, picking up her dress and following after them.