The Girl Next to The Girl Next Door
Anon requested: A military family moves next door to the Coopers for one summer and their daughter becomes friends with Betty, and the story follows their last day before the girl moves away, and Betty confides in her about her feelings for Archie and her apprehensions about returning to school.
Characters: Betty x Reader
Timeline: Prequel to season 1
(tagging some of you lovely people: @southsidefandoms @bettycooperxjones @riverdalee @riverdalefiction @themenof--riverdale @unaveragewriterfreak @barchieapahart @barchiedaily @music-es-vida @blueroxset-blog)
- i hope i wrote this correctly, might be a shorter one, love you guys xx :)
Betty rang your doorbell twice and excitedly waited by the door for you to come down. You looked at yourself in the mirror and sighed. You smoothed out your dress and threw on your denim jacket.
You and Betty embraced and squeezed each other tightly. You had become the best of friends in just one summer. This was the hard part, but you were used to it, the constantly moving, the finding friends and growing apart, the constant “summer flings” with boys, you knew the routine. That didn't make it any easier. You saw that Betty had tears in her eyes so you quickly tried to change the subject.
“Hey now, save the tears for later the day is young and so are we! Let’s go be girls. Our last hurrah!” you said trying to lighten the mood
“Alright, you’re right, y/n. Pop’s?”
You and betty drove to Pop’s windows down and blasting whatever summer hits were on the radio. You would miss days like this.
You pulled into the parking lot and filed into the restaurant. You sat down at your signature booth. Betty ordered her signature vanilla shake and she played with the cherry as it made its journey down the glass. And you ordered a strawberry shake with some fries. You talked about the little things of the town, like the old retired serpents that would sit outside of Pop’s. They added such character to the area. You wondered what it must be like to spend your whole life and grow old in one location without moving so much. Something you would never understand.
At that moment Reggie Mantle walked in. He looked so much different than he had in the previous school year. People grew up.
“WHOA, so Reggie had a major summer glow up huh,” Betty said as she dunked a fry into her milkshake.
“I guess so, I’m never really around long enough to truly see the difference in people. But he’s definitely hot.”
“Way to put a damper on the mood y/n, we’re supposed to be talking about the inevitable end remember.” Betty said touching your arm.
“I just want to say that this summer has been great and I lo---” Betty quickly cut you off. “Absolutely not, no good bye talk, save it for later. Anyway, speaking of school and boys...there is just one more little secret I guess I’ll let you in on before you go.”
“What is it B?” You said leaning in closer.
“Well, remember my neighbor Archie?”
“Yeah the cutie who you practically can stalk from the safety of your own bedroom?” You said with a wink.
“Oh shut up y/n” betty said giggling and hitting you with a napkin.
“Well, I’ve known him my whole life, and somewhere in the mix it turned into a teeny crush.”
“Teeny? Honey, your rosy cheeks say otherwise.” You said laughing.
“Haha, it’s probably nothing, at this point i’m just trying to figure out how I am going to survive this year with out you girl!” You hesitated to respond. Noticing your delay Betty said, “Hey, we’ll write and Skype and FaceTime, and text each other until our thumbs bleed. You started to look down at your lap.
“It’s just that this always happens, and I’m left int he balance with a hole in my heart from where people used to be. And we will write and text and FaceTime, but then life gets in the way and we lose touch.”
“Don’t say that come on y/n, we aren't other people, its going to be fine.” You nodded in agreement.
After chatting away at Pop’s for hours you made it back to your street and you stopped right in your tracks to talk to Betty.
“Hey, I know you didn’t want me to before but I just want you to know. This summer has been so amazing and I finally felt like I was home, even if it was only for a few weeks. You’re an amazing friend.
Betty couldn’t even respond, she jumped into the arms of her best friend and it was bittersweet, on one hand she was losing her friend, but on the other she had gained a sister for life.