||TWO - NEW SCHOOL||

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Tatum's POV

The next day, school began. We had to go to the principal's office first, to get our class schedules. But, then it was time for Betty to give us our tour.

"So, I usually start off my tours with a little bit of history, and context." She began, as we walked down the hall. "Riverdale High first opened its doors in 1941, and--"

"And hasn't been redecorated since, apparently." Veronica rudely, interrupted. "Honestly, I feel like I'm wandering through the lost epilogue of Our Town." Betty chuckled, along with Veronica.

"So, what's the social scene like here? Any nightclubs?" Veronica asked.

"A strip club called the Ho Zone, and a tragic gay bar called Innuendo." A boy answered, coming up behind us. "Friday nights, football games. And then, Tailgate parties at the Mal-Mart parking lot. Saturday night is movie night, regardless of what's playing at the Bijou. And you better get there early because we don't have reserved seating in Riverdale. And Sunday nights? Thank God for HBO."

"Veronica and Tatum Lodge, Kevin Keller." Betty introduced us. "Veronica and Tatum are new here, Kevin is--"

"Gay. Thank God. Let's be best friends." Veronica interrupted. We each shook his hand.

"Is it true about what they say about your dad?" Kevin asked.

"That he's the devil incarnate?" Veronica questioned. "I stand by my father. Does everyone here know?" They were both silent. Meaning yes.

"Wonderful." Veronica commented. "Ten minutes in and I'm already the Blue Jasmine of Riverdale High." Veronica continued walking, leaving me with Betty and Kevin.

"I'm not related to him, thank God." I added. Kevin was confused. "I'm Veronica's half-sister. Same mother, different father."

We then went to catch up with Veronica.

-----

"Oh, and of course, there's the back-to-school semi-formal dance--" Betty continued. Veronica stopped her.

"There's the hottie you were with last night." Veronica said, in seeing Archie. Gross. "The red-headed Ansel Elgort. Is he your boyfriend?"

 "No, we're just friends." Betty answered, and Kevin answered at the same time with "No, he's straight."

"In that case, mind putting in a word?" Veronica asked Betty. "I've tried every flavor of boy, but orange."

"Veronica. I already told you, Archie's off-limits." I said, sending her a look.

"Why?" Kevin asked.

"Because, he's my brother." I answered. Kevin looked shocked. "Yeah, we look nothing alike."

"And, actually to clarify, Betty and Archie aren't dating, but they are endgame." Kevin explained. 

"You should ask him to the semi-formal, then." Veronica told her.

"She should, but I heard it might be getting cancelled. 'Cause of what happened to Jason. They're gonna tell us at the assembly." Kevin explained.

"Who's Jason, and what happened to him?" Veronica asked.

-----

Soon, it was the assembly. And, we had to give a moment of silence for Jason, and then his sister, as I was told by Kevin, began her speech.

She announced that the dance would not be cancelled, and everyone cheered. Then, it was lunch, and it was the question. Who do I sit with at lunch?

I was with Veronica, as she looked over all of the tables.

"Ronnie, we can sit with Archie." I told her, and she nodded. We went over to his table, and there was music playing out of his computer.

"Can we join?" Veronica asked. 

"Yeah." Betty agreed. I sat next to Kevin, and Veronica sat on the end. 

"What are we doing?" Veronica asked.

"Listening to one of Archie's songs." Betty answered.

"I thought we were going to have to pretend to like it, but it's actually really good." Kevin asked. 

"Wait, that was you singing something you wrote?" Veronica questioned. 

"It's rough." Archie stated.

"No, it's great." Betty argued.

"It's incredible actually, the little snippet I heard. Is that your thing? Music?" Veronica asked my brother. "Are you doing something with that?"

"Yeah, that's the plan." Archie nodded. "So, how are your first days going?"

"Not to be a complete narcissist, but I thought people would be more--" Veronica started.

"Obsessed with you?" Kevin continued for her. "Any other year, you'd be trending number one, for sure. This year, though, it's all about Cheryl trying to win the Best Supporting Psycho Oscar for her role as Riverdale High's bereaved Red Widow."

"I should go. I got that meeting with Grundy, then football tryouts. So..." Archie stood up.

"You play football too?" Veronica questioned. "What don't you do?" Archie picked up his laptop, and left.

"Before you ask, Blue Jasmine, no, she has not invited--" Kevin began.

"No, not yet. And don't talk about Archie." Betty interrupted.

"Veronica Lodge." The redhead girl said, who I recognised as Cheryl.

"I'm here too." I muttered to Kevin.

"I've heard whisperings." Cheryl continued. "I'm Cheryl Blossom. May I sit? Betty, would you mind?"

Betty didn't have a choice but to move over, and Cheryl sat down opposite Veronica.

"So, what are your four hens gossiping about?" She asked. "Archie's Efron-esque emergence from the chrysalis of puberty?"

"Gross." I gagged.

"Extracurriculars." Veronica told her. "Weatherbee wants us to sign up for a few."

"Cheerleading. You must." Cheryl insisted. "I am senior captain of the River Vixens."

"Is cheerleading still a thing?" Kevin asked.

"Is being the gay best friend still a thing?" Cheryl countered. She had him there. "Some people say it's retro. I say it's eternal and iconic."

"At Spence, I sat at the top of the elites' pyramid." Veronica clearly bragged. "I'm in. Betty, Tatum, you're both trying out too."

"Of course. Anyone's welcome to try out." Cheryl answered. "But, Betty's already got so much on her plate right now. And, being a Vixen is kind of a full-time thing, but open to all. Follow me on Twitter and I'll do the same. My handle's CherylBombshell."

She then walked away from the table.

"Okay, go ahead and hate on cheerleading, but if Hipster Prince Harry--" Veronica started.

"Oh, I'd love to be a cheerleader." Betty cut her off. "It would look great on my college applications, but, last year when I tried out, Cheryl said I was too fat."

"'Too season five Betty Draper.'" Kevin quoted. "It was a great line. But not at all true." 

 "Well, you're a total smokeshow now, I mean it." I commented. "As hot and as smart as you are, you should be the Queen Bey of this drab hive."

"Look, if you wanna be a River Vixen, I'll help you prep. I have moves." Veronica told her.

"Okay, you know what? Show me your moves." Betty pressed.

"Just to say, I'm not trying out." I pointed out.






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