That Girl: Betty Cooper

Lunch Time

It didn't take long until it was time for the assembly everyone was talking about. Zachary sat right in the middle with Veronica on his left and Betty on his right. He didn't mind sitting next to Betty, although throughout the speech he would glance over at her. "Thank you for that moment of silence." A fiery red-headed girl began to speak. "Many of you were lucky enough to have known my brother personally. Each and every one of you meant the world to Jason. I loved my brother. He was and always will be my soulmate." Zachary sent a confused face towards Betty and she started to giggle until Kevin shushed them. "So I speak with the confidence only a twin could have Jason wouldn't want us to spend the year mourning. Jason would want us to move on with our lives. Which is why I've asked the School Board not to cancel the Back-to-School semiformal." The whole gymnasium started to erupt in cheering and clapping. "But rather, to let us use it as a way to heal, collectively, and celebrate my brother's too, too short life on this mortal coil. Thank you all."
     It was lunch time now and Veronica and Zachary hadn't found a place to sit. That was before Veronica spotted Betty and Archie, looped her arm through Zachary's and strutted over to the table. "Can we join?" "Yeah." Archie spatted out. "What are we doing?" Zachary asked, taking a bite out of his lunch, a salad after taking a seat across from Kevin next to Archie, Veronica on the other side of Archie. "Listening to one of Archie's songs." Betty said, obviously smiling at Archie because she liked him. Zachary put his head down and played with his food. "I thought we were going to have to pretend to like it, but it's actually really good." Kevin spoke, making Zachary chuckle lowly. "Wait, that was you singing? Something you wrote?" Veronica said, Zachary shook his head, she knows Betty likes him. "It's rough." Archie said, sadly. "No, it's great." Betty said trying to lighten the mood. "It's incredible, actually, the little snippet I heard. Is that your thing? Music? Are you doing something with that?" Veronica asked, since when was she so interested in music? "Yeah, that's the plan. So how's your first day going? Good?" Archie asked both Zachary and Veronica. "Not to be a complete narcissist, but I thought people would be more-"  Veronica was interrupted by Kevin. "Obsessed with the two of you?" Veronica nodded as Zachary shrugged. "Any other year, you'd be trending number one, for sure. This year, though, it's all about Cheryl trying to win the Best Supporting Psycho Oscar for her role as Riverdale High's bereaved Red Widow." Zachary snorted and Kevin sent a him a grin. "Hey, I should go.
I got that meeting with Grundy and then football tryouts, so." Archie said, grabbing his stuff and leaving. "You play football, too? What don't you do?" Veronica flirted as Archie walked away. "Before you ask, Blue Jasmine, no, she has not invited him to the dance yet." Kevin spoke, getting Zachary's and Veronica's attention. "So are you going to ask him to the dance? At all?" Zachary asked. "Not yet, and don't talk about Archie." Betty warned as the fiery red-headed girl from earlier walked towards the table. "Zachary Taylor, Veronica Lodge, I'd heard whisperings. I'm Cheryl Blossom, may I sit?" The girl asked, already going to take a seat. "Betty, would you mind? So, what are you four hens gossiping about? Archie's Efron-esque emergence from the chrysalis of puberty?" "His what?" Zachary asked as Kevin chuckled at his confused face. "Extracurriculars. Weatherbee wants us to sign up for a few." Veronica lied, putting her hand on Zachary's. "Cheerleading. You must. I'm senior captain of the River Vixens." Cheryl said, flipping her hair and smiling at Zachary. "Is cheerleading still a thing?" Kevin fired. "Is being the Gay Best Friend still a thing?" She fired back. "Some people say it's retro, I say it's eternal and iconic." "I say wearing skirts and Pom poms ain't for me." Zachary said as Betty and Kevin laughed. "At Spence, I sat at the top of the Elites' pyramid." Veronica said, ignoring Zachary but proud of her cheering life back home. "As I cheered on the field, in the touchdown zone, when I scored." Zachary said, chuckling. "I'm in. Betty, you're trying out, too." Veronica encouraged. "Of course, anyone's welcome to try out, but Betty's already got so much on her plate right now and being a Vixen is kind of a full-time thing. But open to all! You should come too, Handsome." Cheryl offered, making Zachary smirk and nod his head. Betty glared at Cheryl. Zachary thought about the assembly earlier and decided to speak his mind, nicely, unlike what he would do in New York. "Hey, I'm sorry about your brother. I know it's the not the same but if I lost Ronnie, I don't know what I would do so I'm amazed you didn't break down in front of the school. You show them you're still strong and confident no matter what. I respect that." Zachary confessed, giving Cheryl a warm smile. Cheryl gave him a sad small smile which quickly turned into a smirk. "Be my date to the dance?" She asked as eveyone at the table sat shocked. "I'll see what I can do." Zachary answered with a smirk and a wink. "Of course. Follow me on Twitter and I'll do the same. My handle is @cherylbombshell." Cheryl said getting up, before giving one last smile to Zachary and leaving the group at the table. "Are you really considering going with her?" Kevin asked. "I'm the new kid. Who else am I gonna be able to go with? Besides I didn't say yes, I said I'll see." Zachary explained before taking a glance at Betty to see her sadly picking at her food. "Okay." Veronica said changing the subject. "Go ahead and hate on cheerleading, but if Hipster Prince Harry-" Veronica was cut off by Betty. "I'd love to be a cheerleader. It would look great on my college applications. But last year, when I tried out, Cheryl said I was too fat." "She seems nice. Maybe she was just jealous of you since you are both equally beautiful." Zachary said as Betty blushed. "Too season 5 Betty Draper. It was a great line, but not at all true." Kevin said, ignoring what Zachary just said. "Well, you're a total smoke show now. I mean it. As hot and as smart as you are, you should be the Queen Bey of this drab hive. Look, if you want to be a River Vixen, I'll help you prep. I have moves." "Okay. You know what? Show me your moves." Betty said, smiling at Veronica, Kevin and Zachary.