"I swear, V."

"Don't be mad, Bets."

The blonde glared at Veronica. Betty was wearing an old baby pink t-shirt she didn't care about getting dirty, but most of the grease had gotten on her cheeks anyway. It was cute. "You're cute." Veronica tilted her head and voiced her thoughts.

"This is a nice car, Veronica," she insisted as she refused to be distracted.

"I know." Veronica started to sound defensive.

"So you can't just ignore the check engine light."

"I didn't notice it, I swear."

Betty ignored her. "And how long has it been since your last oil change, anyway?" She twisted a cap and pulled out a long thin rod, which she then started to wipe with a rag.

"Probably since whenever the dealer did it."

Betty's mouth gaped open. "Didn't you get this for your 16th birthday?"

Veronica shrugged. "Yeah."

"That's two years ago!"

"You only have to get your oil changed, like, every 3000 miles, I thought."

"Yes." Betty said slowly

"So Riverdale is tiny! It would probably take me a decade to rake up 3000 miles."

"School and back, trips to Pops, going to the woods, driving me to the farm to see Polly and the kids – it all adds up, V! Most people get one every three months. No wonder your car is having problems. You are way overdue."

Veronica slipped her arms around Betty's waist. She kissed her neck. "Good thing I have a mechanic girlfriend."
Betty pulled away and cast a surreptitious glance at the house. "My parents might be home."

Veronica sighed and placed her hand on the car to lean against it, but withdrew it in disgust when she touched grime. "I have been thinking about that."

"About what?"

Veronica's words were carefully chosen. "You want to go public. Maybe our parents are a good place to start."

"Are you serious?" Betty was about to smile, but she couldn't through her disbelief.

"Completely serious, Betty Cooper. Have you ever known me to be capricious?"

"Well, occasionally, yeah."
"Not this time. We'll do it today. I'll tell my parents. You tell yours. Then we'll work on our game plan."

"Game plan?"

Veronica was completely serious. "For conquering the school in our senior year as Riverdale High's most sensational and sexy power couple. Of course."

Betty's eyebrows shot up. "Of course."

Betty silently finished up the repair work on Veronica's car. When she was finished and the engine ran like new, Veronica looked at her adoringly. "I so don't deserve you." Betty rolled her eyes. "I'm serious. You are way too good for me. In every way. You are above me."

Betty smiled at her. "Don't say things like that. This is a relationship of equals, remember?"

Veronica just smiled at her. Ever since the weekend she'd stayed over she'd been more open and loving. Less afraid to be vulnerable or show just how much Betty meant to her. Betty might have found it scary if it didn't also feel so perfect.

She gave Veronica a quick hug and then Betty watched her drive away nervously.

She went inside to clean up but found her mother instead.

"Mom," she stopped the blonde reporter.

"Yes, honey?"

Betty was afraid she wouldn't have the courage to do this if she waited any longer. She was really hoping her faith in Veronica wasn't misplaced. That Veronica was telling her parents, too, because Betty was about to put it all on the line. "There's something I have to tell you."

Her mother looked at her expectantly. "Well, spit it out honey. Time is money."

"I have been discovering myself – as a young adult does – and I have recently gotten into a…relationship." Betty gulped.

"Oh, honey, no…"

Betty hurried on. "Veronica and I have been dating."

Alice Cooper suddenly deflated with relief. "Thank God it's not a Southsider."

"Mom!" Betty said in shock.

"Well, I mean, really. You aren't dating the riffraff and I don't have to worry about another pregnant teen daughter. I'm thrilled. Does veronica want to come over for dinner?"

Betty was shocked at what felt like a whirlwind coming from her mother. "You aren't surprised…or disgusted?"

"Surprised?" Alice looked her daughter up and down. The girl was covered in grease today and was more of a man than her husband usually was. "Honey, no. Disgusted?" Alice pulled her daughter in, grease and all. "Never."

Betty felt her eyes fill up. "Thanks, mom."

Alice pulled away and grimaced. "I have to go change now, grease monkey. You okay to tell your dad or do you want me to?"

"I'd really like you to be there. Do you think he'll react like you?"

Alice's eyes grew stern. "He will if he knows what's good for him. He might be a little confused about that massive crush you always had on Archie, though."

"I'm confused about that crush," Betty admitted.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Sexuality is a spectrum, don't pigeonhole yourself, experimenting is natural – blah, blah, blah. I think I'm through expensing stereotypical understanding mother talk for now. Which reminds me, Veronica is not allowed in your room with the door closed anymore."

"Mom!"

"No more sleepovers, curfew will be enforced, and Veronica will come over for a family dinner."

"You've already interrogated Veronica, mom."

Alice gave Betty the famous Cooper brows. "Not as my daughter's girlfriend, I haven't. And don't think I'm going to take it easy on her, either, because of her parents' influence. She may not be a serpent, but she does come from questionable stock."

"Please don't mention that during dinner."

"We'll have to wait and see."

"That just means you will!"

Alice brushed off her daughter's concerns. "Yes, it does." She kissed Betty's cheek and headed up to her room to change out of the outfit Betty's grease had ruined.

Playlist

You Wreck Me – Tom Petty

Boyfriend – Tegen and Sara

Location – Khalid

Tell Me Baby – Red Hot Chili Peppers

Hate This Place – Goo Goo Dolls

Sweet Talk – Saint Motel

Animal – Neon Trees

Play Date – Melanie Martinez

From Eden – Hozier

Gods and Monsters – Lana Del Rey

Around My Head – Cage the Elephants

Party for Two – Billy Currington

My Neck, My Back – Elle King (cover)

Meant to Be – Florida-Georgia Line & Bebe Rexha

Jackie and Wilson – Hozier