The Stand In

The Stand In Prom Date

"Thanks mom" she said, but was saddened again when she glanced at the clock and it read 10:30pm.

"I'm going to get out of this freaking dress, maybe we can go to the movies?" Betty suggested standing up and tucking her chair back under the table. Her feet were already aching from her heels, and her make up wasn't perfect anymore and she wasn't really in the dancing mood to be honest.

"Maybe just wait 10 more minutes" Alice suggested, whilst Betty shook her head no.

"The next time I see him, I'm breaking up with him mom, and I think I've already cried enough tonight" Betty rolled her eyes.

"That's fair enough" Alice nodded.

"But what if, he really just was late.." Betty pondered.

"Betty, stop doubting yourself, just look at what he done to Veronica" Alice rolled her eyes.

And she stood and remembered what he did to Veronica. For a start, he had told her him and Betty had broke up, and she, with all her extravagant gifts, whisked them off to Paris for a weekend break, and she emptied his coat pocket one night, whilst he was out "touring" and found a lipstick printed napkin, with an address on. Veronica found it shockingly fast and well, you can already guess what she found. She flew him home, but stayed in Paris, figured out that Betty and Archie hadn't really broken up, and a long, tear filled, heart felt face time call was all it took to fix it. They vowed never to let Archie do that to either of them again, but Veronica understood when they continued dating. She forgave Veronica because she was honest about it.

Something else that was missing from their relationship, honesty, and trust goes hand in hand with that you, and of course Betty had secrets that she kept from Archie. Like the fact that every Friday night, she visits her old friend Jughead to study, catch up, have a drink, watch TV, whatever. Archie would never understand that it's simply platonic, so she feels she has to hide it. That, and well, a lot has changed since they were all kids, playing hide and seek in the woods and eating orange freezes at pops, and torturing the neighbours cats. Jughead is now the leader of a gang, and he and Archie are arch rivals as it is, since they had a mysterious disagreement three years ago. But he's just the same old Jug, who still loves true crime and writing everything that happens to him in a novel, and takes photos of everything from sunsets to shadows.

Betty went to take the last step on the stairs, and she heard a knock on the door. She thought she had imagined it so turned to look to the bottom of the stairs, and there it was again.

She watched as her mother opened the door, heard the warm welcome and the happy greeting. So slowly, she lifted her dress up and walked down the stairs, at first she saw the black pants, and white shirt. Instead of the flame of orange, she saw charcoal black and her face split into a huge grin.

Stood there with wilting flowers in one hand, and his beanie in the other, dressed in smart clothes, and tie but still with his serpent jacket on, she couldn't help but burst with happiness.

"How did you know?" She smiled shyly walking towards him.

"I called him" her mother came in grinning, and Betty looked over her shoulder and smiled thankfully, and Alice just winked.

"I'll take a rain check on that movie" she muttered waving them off, as she walked up the stairs, wine in one hand and a face mask in the other.

"So he didn't show up huh?" Jughead asked, and Betty put her head down.

"Just caught up I guess" she almost whispered.

"Well hey, it's not everyday we get to be seen in the same room together" he chuckled.