Beronica Oneshots

Tumbling Down

If you asked Veronica, this was all Cheryl Blossom's fault.

Of course, if you asked Betty, you'd get a very different story. Specifically, that it was all her fault, that she should've known better, that she shouldn't have taken the bait.

It had all started when Cheryl made yet another thinly-veiled jab at Betty's weight at River Vixens practice. Something about how she had considered putting at the top of the pyramid this semester, but "I'm not sure our shoulders are that strong."

Naturally, Veronica had gone right on the offense, the one-woman army of the Betty Cooper Protection Squad. 

"Again with this, Cheryl?" she had snapped. "She's not even fat! God, if you're going to reuse the same lines over and over again, at least pick something that's true."

Cheryl opened her mouth to say something, and Veronica had prepared herself for the usual routine: Cheryl said something bitchy, Veronica snarked back, this went on for at least a full minute while Betty and the other River Vixens watched, semi-awkwardly from the background. 

But today was different.

Betty's voice rung out before Cheryl could even get a single word in. It was quiet, shaking slightly, but it was undeniably there, demanding to be heard -- a serious change in the River Vixens' usual dynamic.

"Actually, Cheryl, I was hoping you'd suggest I be on top of the pyramid," she said. 

Cheryl faltered for just a split second, clearly stunned before regaining her composure. "I didn't suggest--"

"But didn't you just say you had considered it?" Betty asked, all innocence. 

"Well -- yes -- "

"I think we should give it a try." She stepped forward, closer to Cheryl. Veronica noticed that Betty's hands were balled up into fists -- a habit born of anxiety -- but she stood her ground. "I've worked my ass off this entire year. I've never missed a single practice -- I've gone to every game. I've passed all your stupid tests when you were trying to find an excuse to kick me off the squad. ...I'm just saying... it stands to reason that you owe me a fair chance."

Cheryl's perfectly painted red lips twisted into a smile, but her eyes gave her away. She was nothappy about this. Not one bit.

Still, she managed to sound almost cordial when she said, "Alright, Betty. Let's see what you got."

At first, things went well. Things went great. Betty was nervous, of course; she'd never topped the pyramid before. But she'd been practicing for weeks, long hours spent in her backyard with Veronica helping her. She could do this. Veronica was sure of it.

Then, Cheryl Blossom went and fucked everything up.

Veronica had barely registered Cheryl moving out of position from the bottom of the pyramid, the cornerstone that held everyone else up, when Betty took a tumble from the top. The three seconds or so it took for Betty to hit the ground felt like forever, but soon, there she was lying on the grass, groaning in pain as the rest of the River Vixens stood around her, looking down at her.

Betty hadn't even been on the ground for ten seconds when Cheryl said, "Oh my God! Are you okay, Betty?" Her voice was so phony-sweet, it made Veronica want to rip her stupid throat out.

"I--I'm--" Betty was trying to sit up, grass and mud staining her uniform. 

Veronica cut in, whirling around to face Cheryl. "She just fell off the top of the pyramid, does she look like she's fucking okay?!" She shoved Cheryl. "You did that on purpose!"