Seven

                                    

                                          

"Look Vee, I've been doing a lot of thinking, and although it's still going to take some time for me to trust you again, I don't want to completely write our friendship off." Betty said sincerely to Veronica while they were talking in the empty music room, the entrance door wide open.
I was walking by and heard this, not wanting to eavesdrop as it wasn't anything bad like the conversation Josie and Ethel had the other week. 
"Nope not getting involved" I murmured to myself in a low voice before walking to the auditorium, ready to see what else needed painting for the scenery. 
I slowly pulled open one of the heavy double doors to hear one of the choreographers going over a dance number with Cheryl, and some of the backup actors and dancers.
I walked down the aisleway to where Kevin and Fangs were sitting and they smiled back at me. 
"Hey guys. So what needs to be painted today? I haven't seen Midge around for some reason" I explain to them. 
They furrow their eyebrows, confused at Midge's disappearance, but shrug. 
"I don't think anything else needs painting, so you're welcome either stick around and watch some of the rehearsals or you can head home for the day" Kevin said brightly. 
As he said this, Sweetpea entered the auditorium also making his way down the aisle, probably about to ask the same thing as he had a look of confusion on his face. 
"Okay thanks!" I said to Kevin before walking back down the aisle, meeting Sweetpea halfway. 
"If you're going to ask them what else we need to do, I already did. They said everything else is done, so we can bounce" I explained with a small shrug before walking ahead of him and leaving the auditorium. 
As I walked down the long stretch of hallway, seemingly quiet as it was after school hours, I heard singing from the music room, and it sounded like Betty and Veronica.
Puzzled, I stopped at a nearby locker to listen. Their voices blended together beautifully and I wondered why they were singing the song meant for Tommy and Sue to sing. But as I thought about it more, it could also be interpreted in a friendship way. 
"There's a fire burning bright. From where you stand it might not be clear, you shine from here" Betty sang sincerely. 
"No doubts, no more fears. I see you shine and the dark disappears" 
"Then I know everything is gonna be fine, because you shine"
After carefully, backing away from the music room entrance door, I felt myself bump into a figure behind me, and looked up to see SweetPea looking at me in an accusatory manner. 
I clamped a hand over my mouth to keep from yelping out in surprise before I cleared my throat and walked out of the building to the parking lot, him not far behind. 
"Are you always eavesdropping on people?" he asked, smirking slightly. I flushed slightly. 
"I wasn't---why are you still here anyway?" I ask, crossing my arms in front of me and raising an eyebrow as we stood in the middle of the parking lot, a few cars and motorcycles still parked around. 
He shrugged. "Fangs is helping Keller with rehearsals, and Toni's still practicing as well" he explained rubbing the back of his head. 
I nodded in understanding. "So the serpent loses his gang and doesn't know what to do in his free time" I remarked jokingly and he glared back at me, though his eyes weren't as fierce as they used to be.
"What are you planning to do then, shorty?" he asked, and I was a bit miffed about the height jab. 
"Excuse me for not being seven feet tall. I don't know actually. I was thinking Pop's but it's kind of overdone. Maybe go to the Bijou and see what's showing" I explained with a shrug. 
"Sounds badass" he said jokingly and I rolled my eyes at him. 
"You need a lift?" he asked, gesturing towards his motorcycle.
I cringed, taking a step back from him and the motorcycle. 
"Uh, no but thanks for the offer." I replied with a small nod. 
He smirked leaning against the motorcycle, crossing his arms. 
"You're scared aren't you?" he asked.
"Yes" I replied back to him dryly, not beating around the bush.
He looked surprised that I didn't deny it, before he laughed, shaking his head. 
"It's only scary if you think it's scary" he replied simply.
I took another step back, shaking my head.
"Nope no thank you. But if you want to hang out, I have a better idea" I suggested, as he looked at me curiously.

~
Twenty minutes later, we boarded the Riverdale transit bus, putting a couple quarters into the slot machine before finding a seat on the bus, keeping some distance between us. 
It was a comical sight to see SweetPea, tall and stocky sitting on the bus amongst the elderly and some school kids, and I refrained from laughing. 
During the ride to the plaza, Sweetpea kept glancing behind him through the window.
"Your bike will be fine. Fangs will take it back for you." I tried to reassure him, placing a hand on his forearm, before I quickly pulled away, seeing his blank and intense stare. 
He sighed, folding his arms across his chest, back to the same grumpy serpent.
"I still don't know how I agreed to this" he grumbled. 
"Maybe because you have nothing better else to do. Or I'm very persuasive" I joked and he rolled his eyes. 
"Then maybe you should run for president" he remarks, looking at me with a challenging look.
I scoff at this, pulling my cellphone out of my jean pocket, unlocking it. 
"Nah, not in the mood to get a milkshake dunked on my head" I remark dryly and he holds back a snort.
"So does this mean you wanna be friends?" I ask, glancing back at him, and he shrugs. 
"We'll see if you're worthy, shorty" he replies nudging my shoulder with his and I groan as the bus stops at the plaza. 

After a decent evening of hanging out with SweetPea, I arrived home via motorcycle, somewhat reluctantly and waved goodbye before shutting the front door behind me as my cellphone dings.
Pulling out of my pocket, my heart almost jumps in my throat seeing the text.
From: Tim 
Aud, you haven't been around in almost a month now. What's going on? I'm coming over.
~
As perturbed as I was at him not contacting me for a month, it most likely had to do with me being in this alternate reality. If he really was visiting, there would be no way as he was in the real universe while I was still stuck in Riverdale's universe.
"What is going to happen now?" I wondered, sliding my back against the front door as I slumped against the hardwood floor, sighing.