𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕕𝕒𝕝𝕖

the good witch of greendale

Arabella sat with her head against the window of her mother's Range Rover. The drive to New York wasn't going to be too long was what her mother told her. Arabella believed her.

They were barely out of Riverdale when her mother suggested stopping in the neighboring town of Greendale for something to eat.

"But I already ate at Pop's before we left," Arabella began to argue.

"I never said you had to get something to eat. I would like food, so I'm going to get food. There's this restaurant in Greendale I wanted to eat at before we go back." Melanie explained.

"What do they have?"

Melanie smiled, knowing she peaked her daughter's interest. "Salad." She said.

Arabella's nose scrunched at the thought of her least favorite food. "You're going to make an, at least, thirty minute stop just for something that you can get anytime on the drive to New York?"

Melanie gave Arabella a look. "Better do it before we're comfortable on the road. We won't have to make another stop and we can get to New York in one drive." She said.

Arabella wouldn't admit it, but she also had to use the restroom, so maybe making a stop wasn't a horrible decision. Melanie knew her daughter had agreed even if her answer wasn't verbal.

The Queens drove past the rotting Greendale town sign and Arabella gagged. The road turned from Oak Street to Main Street after a minute of driving in and was soon lined with quaint brick buildings that all looked the same, but had different names.

It was troubling to Arabella how much Greendale looked Riverdale, but there seemed as though there was a dark cloud looming over this neighboring town. There were few people walking along the sidewalks adorning the buildings, many of them seeming as though they had just walked out of a storybook.

"Please don't take long." Arabella said, huffing. "This place makes my skin crawl."

Melanie nodded. "Only a few minutes."

They pulled into a parking in front of a shop that had neon red lights framing the two large windows in the front. Arabella looked inside and saw that on the right was a sitting area with people downing milkshakes and burgers while the other side was lined with shelves of comic books.

Melanie's heels clapped against the sidewalk as she entered the building and held the door open for her daughter. Arabella tugged her cashmere sweater closer to her body from the cold breeze that hit her when she walked in.

"Welcome to Cerberus Books." A short woman with blonde hair said in a thick British accent, smiling. "Can I help you with anything?"

Melanie smiled back. "I heard you have the best salad in Greendale. Would you mind showing me to your menu?" She asked. The woman nodded and directed Melanie to follow her.

"I'll be in the restroom." Arabella said. Melanie nodded and kept walking.

Arabella furrowed her brows as she questioned why a British woman was working in such a small American town. Though rare, she's sure it wasn't uncommon.

She weaseled her way through the shop that was crowded with Halloween decor and merchandise to follow a neon sign that pointed to the restroom. It was dark with only a dim light lighting the corridor. Arabella cringed at how rough she swung the door open. It almost slammed against the wall and it was her luck that no one was near it.

The restroom fit the aesthetic of the bookshop -- dark and mellow with dim lights. Arabella wanted to do what she had to and get out as quick as possible. Maybe her mother will be finished by the time she leaves.

She tucked her sweater into her high-waisted pants and went to wash her hands. She was startled by a girl standing at one of the sinks. She assumed she was alone and didn't hear her enter.

The girl had long, almost-iridescent pink hair, at least that's what it looked like under the crappy lighting. She wore denim shorts and a white top with a pair of high-top sneakers, from what Arabella could see.

She pumped soap into her hand and smiled at Arabella when she noticed her in the mirror. Arabella copied her smile and turned on the sink's faucet, but water didn't flow. She pushed and pulled the faucet handle and only a drop had come out.

"Oh, you can use mine," The girl said, looking up at Arabella with her small brown eyes. Her lip-balmed smile comforted Arabella and reminded her of how much she was already missing Betty's softness.

Arabella had seen that the girl had yet to wash her hands and still had soap in one, just like her.

"Uh, sure." Arabella said, switching spots with her. As she rinsed her hands, Arabella watched to see if the girl could fix it and on her fourth try, she had gotten it to flow with as much quantity as the other.

Arabella raised a brow. "How'd you do that?" She asked, cockily. As if that tone would make the girl think she was cool.

The girl rinsed and dried her hands, flipped her pink hair over her shoulder. Jokingly, with jazz hands, she whispered, "magic."

Arabella fake laughed and dried off her hands. "Cool." She said.

"Are you from Greendale?" The girl asked, leaning against the sinks.

"Riverdale."

"Is that close by?"

"It's on the other side of Sweetwater River. Duh."

The girl sensed a hint of know-it-all in Arabella's tone. "Oh, I just moved here a few days ago." She said, hoping it would make Arabella kinder towards her.

"Hm," Arabella said. "Well, Greendale's a crappier version of Riverdale, I can tell you that. Your family made the wrong choice."

The girl raised a brow and pushed herself from the sinks. "I'll leave you to your opinions, but I love my new home." She said, smiling and adjusting her bag strap on her shoulder.

Arabella refrained from making a disgusted face. "Right," she said, wiping her hands on a paper towel. "To each it's own, I guess."

The girl smiled, holding her hand out for Arabella to shake. Maybe she could be friends with her. Having a snarky friend wouldn't be such a terrible thing.

"I'm Opal, by the way." She said.

Arabella looked at her hand then back up at her. "And I'm couldn't-care-less Arabella." She trudged out of the restroom and saw that her mother was waiting at one of the tables with her food.

"You took long," Melanie said. Arabella gave her a look and Melanie arched a brow.

"Can we please leave now? I hate this place." Arabella said, grumbling. Melanie nodded and thanked the British woman that worked here for her food. They loaded into the car and Arabella slumped down in her seat.

"On to New York, then," Melanie said, smiling. Arabella returned a weak smile and nodded.

"Let's go."

HELLO, MY LOVES !!

here's a little bonus chapter about Arabella meeting my character in my upcoming Chilling Adventures of Sabrina fanfic, the good witch of greendale !!!

I hope you guys enjoy and let me know what you think !! and please check out my fic if you're interested !

love y'all !!

— kait :)