Ribbons

{ONE}

If you had told Veronica-of-the-previous-week that Veronica-of-the-present-week was going to volunteer to help Madame Voisin with the upcoming French trip, she most likely would have scoffed in a very 'as if' fashion. And yet here she was, one week later, facetiming Archie after a hard evening of writing a report on the best Parisian sights to see. Who was to blame for this sudden change in character? Why, none other than Betty Cooper of course.

"Remind me again, Ronnie, why you're putting yourself through this? It's common knowledge that Madame Voisin is a bitch to almost anyone that goes within a five mile radius of her."

Veronica glared at Archie, channelling her annoyance through the phone. "I told you, I just want to help out at school. Our school clearly doesn't get nearly enough funding so I just figured that it could do with all the help it can get. Plus I'm actually really excited for this trip, I mean, Paris? C'mon Archiekins, you know you want to come." Archie raised an eyebrow. "Okay, maybe the really cute girl in my French class signed up first, it's no big deal. And no, I absolutely will not tell you who she is."

Archie sighed, rolling his eyes at Veronica's consistent secrecy. "You know I'll find out who this mystery girl is sooner or later, why not just tell me now instead of being an assfuck?"

She gasped indignantly. "Did you, Archie Andrews, just call me, Veronica Lodge, an assfuck?" She placed a mocking hand over her heart. "I cannot believe this. My best friend just called me an assfuck. How could you betray me like this?"

"Shut up!"

"Oh, and now you're trying to silence my cries of pain? Typical man, never caring about my feelings. Oh, how inanely glad I am to be a lesbian!"

"Yes Veronica, I too am extremely sarcastic and gay, but could you be less dramatic about it next time?"

"Impossible! Preposterous! How dare you even suggest such a horrific idea, you utter beast!"

"Anyway... the girl? In your French class?"

She worried her lip between her teeth. "Fine! You get two questions and a guess, nothing more. Deal?"

Archie nodded solemnly, as if he had just take an unbreakable oath. "Okay, first question: where does she sit in the classroom?"

"Straight in front of me," Veronica smirked to herself, there was no way he would ever possibly guess correctly.

He paused for a moment, casting his eyes up to the heavens like God would somehow provide him with the answer. That was his thinking face, and Veronica was now slightly more concerned. "Oh! I know what to ask that will give the whole thing away. Who else volunteered to help with the French trip?"

Her face fell, all arrogance dissipated and she gazed on in shock. Archie never won these things. He always, always asked the stupid questions and guessed the wrong thing, and yet he really had her backed into a corner here.

Veronica buried her face in her hands as her cheeks burned, tinged pink with embarrassment. This whole thing felt so juvenile. How old were they again? Twelve? 

"Well?"

"Fine... it's... Betty Cooper."

Archie whooped and hollered as his friend just sat there, annoyed at both him and herself for allowing this to happen. 

"Awh Ronnie, don't look so down in the dumps, I can totally help you with Betty!"

Veronica gave him a look that said more than words ever could.

"No, really! Operation Get Betty Cooper And Veronica Together In A Gay Way is go!"

"You know what Archie, I think I'm gonna turn in."