The Story of Emma Andrews

Obstacles

"Well, don't you have to practice for the Variety Show anyways?" Betty asked curiously. 

The group had sat at their usual lunch table outside. Betty and Jughead sat next to one another as Archie and Val were adjacent.

"Uh, no. I don't." 

Val watched as Archie's head ducked down and then met her eyes. Before anyone could respond, Veronica waltz towards the tables, smiling, as Kevin and Emma followed behind.

"Except that yes, you do. Thanks to a certain Veronica-and-Emma-ex-machina." Veronica glided in-between Valerie and Archie, making herself comfortable as Emma sat next to her brother. 

Archie looked at Emma and then Veronica. "What did you do?"

"Um other than being and gracing you with our presence?" Emma said snidely as he automatically assumed Emma was up to no good.

"Oh nothing. Just that I had a few words with our director/host, and reminded him that he's heard you sing on numerous occasions." Veronica had said proudly, earning an eye roll from Kevin and a chuckle from Emma. "

Even though it compromises my artistic integrity." Kevin muttered. Emma shot him a look of annoyance from across the table. 

Tying her hair up, Emma huffed at Kevin's remark. "Can you relax Woody Allen? It the Variety Show not the Emmy's." Jughead laughed as Emma smirked. 

The strawberry-blonde was happy that someone enjoyed her comment as Kevin sulked in his artistic dilemma.

"Cutting to the chase," Veronica quickly changed the subject, "you still have a slot if you still want it."

"Veronica, Em, thank you, but you saw what happened." The red haired boy said as he looked down.

"We all did." Emma chimed in as Veronica shot her a look. Convincing Kevin to let Archie try again was enough, convincing Archie would probably be harder feat.

Emma watched as Jughead gestured towards Betty causing the blonde to look at him the way she once did for Archie. 

She could tell the two of them were close. By the looks of their closeness, he reciprocated. Her smile had faded from her previous remark as she watched the two. 

Yet, Archie caught her attention once more, causing Emma to peel her eyes away from Betty and Jughead to her brother.

"Playing my songs in front of you guys is one thing, but getting back up on that stage by myself..." Archie said quietly as he trailed off. 

Emma attempted to cheer her brother up, "Arch, you'll be fine. It's like that time dad made you go in the haunted house with me when we were 10 and you peed on yourself after the pig man jumped out. Not to mention you shoved me into a wall and ran out, leaving me to be stuck in my own horror show-" 

The group watched her as she awkwardly smiled knowing it was not what Archie needed.

She watched as Archie gave her a side eye, as she told one of his more embarrassing stories, "Anyways, the point is next year, dad made you go back. Even with all your fussing, you got through it and at the end you saw the pig man, with his mask off in the parking lot smoking." Kevin looked at Emma attempting to not laugh. 

"What I was gonna say was I'm not sure if I'm ready for that." Archie said as he eyed at his sister. Most likely planning his revenge on Emma after her little story time.

"If it's a partner you're looking for, Veronica Lodge is more than willing and able." Veronica chimed proudly causing Val's head to turn. 

The strawberry-blonde eyes with met with Kevin. They both got the sense of Val's uneasiness.