I own nothing. This is my first time writing for Riverdale. I thank Goodform2011 for her help in editing and apologize for getting her hooked on Riverdale. I have taken some liberties in my writing and not everything will match up with the first season.

-d-d-d-d-

Chapter 1 -

My name is Betty Cooper.

I'm fifteen,

A sophomore,

And I live in a small town.

I might be just like you, except from the time I was a little girl, I knew I could talk to the dead.

My family calls them 'earthbound spirits'. They're the ones who haven't crossed over because they have unfinished business with the living.

In order to tell you my story, I have to tell you theirs.

-d-d-d-d-d-

"Late breaking news - Archie Andrews is hot!" Kevin Keller's jaw dropped as he stood looking out his best friend's, Betty, window and gawking at the spectacular sight.

Betty rolled her eyes and looked at Kevin, "Don't care."

"Betty, I'm serious. Major abs have developed," Kevin pointed.

"He could look like Michelangelo's David, and I still wouldn't give a damn. In case you've forgotten, Betty Cooper and Archie Andrews ceased to be friends five years ago," she reminded him.

Kevin nodded and managed to tear his eyes away from the view of the boy next door and look to his friend, "Sorry."

"Not your fault," she shrugged it off.

"Any good ghost stories in Colorado during your summer break?" he grinned.

"A few," she went to her closet. Kevin had been the first person she'd ever had to tell about her ability to see and interact with celestial spirits, when she'd realized his grandmother was attached to him and had a message for him. They'd been twelve at the time, and the recently deceased woman had been following him around since her passing.

Betty hadn't wanted to but had been forced to tell Kevin what she could do and then that his grandma wanted him to tell his father about his orientation, because he didn't have anything to be ashamed of or worried about. She knew the kind of man she'd raised. It would perhaps take him a while, but he'd come around. In the meantime, she wanted him to know she loved him and was so proud to have known him.

After the initial disbelief, Kevin thought the whole 'Talk to Dead People' thing was cool and declared Betty to be his best friend in the whole wide world.

Since then, he made a long career of making the blonde laugh when he asked if she'd ever seen Elvis.

"You wanna go to Pop's?" Kevin asked his friend who was currently trying on a shirt in consideration for the first day of school.

"Sounds like a plan," Betty nodded, "Just have to be sure to be back early so the warden doesn't have a fit."

Kevin smirked at the mention of her mother, Alice Cooper. While Betty switched shirts, he caught sight of the tattoo of the evil eye at her the small of her back, "Still can't believe your mother doesn't know about you getting inked."

Betty grinned over her shoulder, "She can't say anything. She's inked, too."

"Somehow I doubt that's going to deter her from burning yours off with acid if she ever sees it."

Betty giggled before glancing out the window and catching Archie looking at her. She let their eyes lock for a moment, and then her head exploded in pain.

-d-d-d-d-d-

Archie Andrews spared a glance out of his window when he caught sight of his neighbor, Betty Cooper, passing in front of her window. She was laughing as she tried on a shirt. Then she looked out the window and saw him, their eyes locking for a moment before her mouth fell open and her hands went to her head as she swayed. He watched as Kevin Keller kept her from hitting the floor and sat her down at the desk.

Archie grabbed his phone and texted the other boy.

Is she okay?

He looked back out the window and saw Betty wince as Kevin took out the annoyingly chirping device and chanced a quick glance. He typed a short response and tossed it to the side before trying to make the blonde look at him.

Archie looked at his own phone when the message came in.

Not now, Andrews.

Archie wanted to put his fist through the wall at that response.

-d-d-d-d-d-

Kevin exited Betty's house that night, with a promise from her that she'd let him and his father take her to school in the morning.

She'd agreed and said she hoped someone would take a picture of them getting out of the sheriff's car. Maybe they'd run it in the yearbook, she'd grinned.

He grinned as he walked up the street. His girl was resilient as hell.

"Can I ask now?" a voice came from the semi darkness of the Andrews's front porch.

"Damn, Andrews. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Kevin jumped about a foot from fright before he stopped in front of the redhead's house.

Archie came down the front walk to stand before Kevin, "Is she okay?"

"She'll be fine. Have a nice night."

"Wait, what happened?" Archie followed the other boy.

"She has a headache," Kevin said

"She nearly passed out," he reminded him.

"Playing voyeur again, Andrews? You need a new hobby."

"C'mon, Kevin. Give me something."

"Okay, she got the headache after she looked at you, and I'm beginning to understand why." There was annoyance written all over Kevin's face.

"Kevin," Archie put his hand on the other boy's shoulder, making him stop.

"Look, I don't pretend to understand what you were thinking when Betty told you what she could do. All I know is what I see in her eyes every time you come onto the scene. You broke her heart, Andrews. That's not changing anytime soon just because you suddenly decided to care about her again. Like I said, have a nice night."

Archie let the other boy go before he turned around to look at the Cooper house. He'd stared at it all summer, trying to think of a way to get one of its occupants to give him another chance at being the friend he should've been those many years ago.

He pulled his phone out and dialed a well-used number, "Hey, do you feel like meeting me at Pop's?"

-d-d-d-d-d-d-

Jughead Jones looked up when his oldest friend sat in the booth across from him, "Hey, what's going on?"

Archie smiled, "Just felt like getting out of the house."

"You sure? You look kinda weird."

"Betty's home," Archie admitted.

"There it is," the dark-haired boy nodded, "Any progress?"

"There may have been if she and Kevin had come out tonight," Archie said carefully. Jug didn't know what Betty could do, and Archie wasn't about to betray Betty's trust for a second time.

"What happened?"

"Kevin stopped walking away from me long enough to tell me she had a headache."

"There's always tom- Whoa," Jughead looked over Archie's shoulder in fascination.

Archie turned his head to see what had caught his friend's attention and saw a girl about their age step up to the counter.

"She's wearing a hooded cape," Archie said in disbelief. "Who wears capes in Riverdale?"

The 'she' in question turned towards the boys and walked over to them.

"Hi."

"Hi," Archie nodded.

"Hi," Jughead smiled.

"I'm Veronica Lodge," she introduced herself.

"You're Veronica Lodge?" Jughead asked, his eyes giving her a quick up and down look of appreciation.

"Yes," she nodded. "But don't hold it against me."

"No, it's not that. A friend of mine is giving you a tour of the school tomorrow."

"You're friends with Elizabeth Cooper?"

"Yeah," Jughead nodded. "Word of advice? Call her Betty."

"Got it. Thank you…" Veronica let the words hang so she could get the names of the boys.

"Sorry. Right. Jughead Jones," he smiled.

"How do you know Betty's giving Veronica a tour?" Archie asked.

"Betty stopped talking to you long ago, not me," Jughead reminded him, "And since my friend has no manners, I'll do the honors. Veronica Lodge, this is Archie Andrews."

"Nice to meet you," Veronica smiled at the redhead, clearly more interested in him than Jughead, but Jughead was used to it. He was fully aware he was an acquired taste.

"You, too," Archie attempted to smile before he got up, "I'll see you both tomorrow."

They watched Archie leave and Veronica turned to Jughead, "Ex-girlfriend?"

"Ex-best friend," Jughead corrected, "And still his neighbor."

"Who still talks to you," Veronica nodded.

"Not a lot, but yeah, we converse on occasion."

"He misses her," she said.

"Like an amputated limb," Jughead agreed.

"Graphic," Veronica said after a moment.

"Sorry," Jughead smirked. "It's my nature. I tend to vomit whatever comes to my mind."

Veronica moved aside as Jughead slid out of the booth and smirked at her, "Welcome to Riverdale, Veronica Lodge," before walking out of the diner.

-d-d-d-d-

Let me know what you think