lola | JUGHEAD JONES ✔

t h r e e

"How was it working for your dad?" Betty asked, twirling the straw in her milkshake.

"It was pouring concrete. Every day, all day long. To pass time, I'd compose these poems in my head and I'd go home and write them down," Archie replied, his eyes lighting up and his hands moving animatedly as he spoke, "But they weren't poems. They were song lyrics."

I could imagine Jughead's snarky reply and I so desperately wanted to say it but I bit it back, placing the straw of my milkshake in my mouth instead.

"I felt like I'd finally broken through to something real. Music. Starting this year, tomorrow," Archie finished his eyes alight and Betty leaning forward on her elbows hanging onto every word.

"That's amazing," Betty replied, her smile growing, "will you ask Mrs Grundy to tutor you?"

Archies eyebrows furrowed suddenly, all the excitement drained from his features, "I'm not sure. Maybe."

"How was your summer, Lola?" Betty asked turning to me, clearly attempting to pry some answers out of me.

"Pretty. Sacramento is lovely in the summer," I replied, resting my chin on my palm.

"Sacramento? Wow," Betty began, nodding at her milkshake, "What were you doing there?"

I chuckled at her sudden brashness, "A lot."

I turned to Archie, begging for an out of this conversation but his gaze was fixated on a cloaked figure that had walked into the shop. The figure pushed back its hood revealing an unfamiliar and strikingly beautiful girl. Betty's head spun around to see who the both of us were watching so intently and then whipped her head back, an eyebrow quirked.

The girl came to halt in front of out table, Popps beside her, "I called in an order for the Lodge."

Popps nodded, "Two burgers? Yeah, almost ready. But you gotta wait."

She nodded in reply as Popps walked past her. She must've noticed our eyes on her, with the exception of Betty who seemed not at all impressed by this mysterious girl, because she smiled softly, "Hi."

"Hey," Archie replied, a pink tinge coloring his pale cheeks.

"How are the onion rings here?" She asked taking a step toward the table.

"Great," I replied.

She smiled and turned back toward Popps, "Can we get some onion rings too, please?" she called.

"My mom and I just moved here from New York." She explained, her cherry red painted lips curved into a smile, "Do you go to Riverdale?"

"Yes, well, Betty and I do," Archie amended gesturing to Betty and himself.

The girl turned her inquisitive gaze on me and I smiled, extending my hand, "High school dropout, nice to meet you Little Red Riding Hood."

She grinned and shook my hand, "Veronica."

"Lola."