❝ SEASON ONE, EPISODE EIGHT ❞
🥊 The Outsiders 🥊

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The Coopers.
The Stepfords of Riverdale.
High school sweethearts who got married and had two beautiful daughters, Polly and Betty.

Until Jason Blossom happened.
And now, we would hear from the person who was closest to him those days leading up to his disappearance...

Polly Cooper.

How a casual conversation turned into an epic, forbidden romance.
How, for reasons still murky, their respective parents tried to tear them apart.
How their break-up was short-lived because Polly soon learned she was pregnant with Jason's baby.

How they became secretly engaged with his grandmother's blessing and heirloom ring and made plans to run away together to start a new life.
And how their dreams of escape went up in flames.

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"Polly's convinced herself that no one wants her baby," Betty spoke up as the group including Cheryl were seated in the student lounge. Isabella sat between Betty and Jughead, as per usual, but she was leaning her head on Betty's shoulder in hopes to comfort the blonde. "Besides, of course, the child-snatching Blossom monsters. No offence, Cheryl," Kevin spoke before turning his slightly worried face to the Red Queen. "None taken," Cheryl replied to him with a small smile on her face relaxing Kevin who didn't want to be her target anytime soon.

"So your mom and dad want Polly but not the baby, and the Blossoms want the baby and not Polly," Jughead spoke up from his relaxed position laying back against the arm of the couch, a position that would have added warmth if Isabella was to lean back against him; though he pushed the thought away. "It's a true Gordian knot," Isabella added to Jughead's words. "It's an impossible situation," Betty said as she leaned her head on top of Isabella's. "Betty, come on. An impossible situation is being invited to the Vanity Flair Oscar party and Elton John's Oscar party on the same night.." Veronica spoke, Kevin rested his hand on her shoulder gaining her attention, "...Which happened to me one year. I know."

Isabella laughed quietly at the dramatic reaction Kevin was having, it was one of the reasons she adored Kevin Keller. "This is merely an annoying situation. But luckily, I've been percolating on an idea, hellishly simple in its conception," Veronica assured Betty with a smile. "What if my mom and I were to host a baby shower?" Veronica asked Betty. "Count me in," Cheryl spoke up instantly with a smile. "You want Polly to feel loved and supported, right?" Veronica questioned the blonde Cooper. "Yeah, but ideally by her own parents," Betty replied.

"Okay, so, baby steps, girl. Get Polly and your parents in the same room in a public setting where they can't fight, and, voila, let the healing begin," Veronica expressed while Isabella nodded in agreement. "That's actually a good plan but personally, if the Coopers were my parents - no offence Betts - I wouldn't give a shit what they would say. Support me, don't support me, but me and my hypothetical child are more important," Isabella voiced as she sat up straight. "Preach," Kevin pretended to bow to her, the two laughing while Veronica and Betty agreed. "Am I expected to come to this thing?" Jughead asked, he'd rather not go.

"JJ..." Isabella pouted as she looked at Jughead, not noticing how Cheryl flinched at the nickname she personally used for her brother. "I cannot survive this alone... You gotta be there," Isabella begged as she moved to lean her head on his chest, Jughead looked around the room noticing the sly smirks on everyone's faces. "All right... fine," Jughead breathed out as he rested his arm around her in hopes she wouldn't pull away, Isabella moved slightly so she could look at everyone while still being in Jughead's hold. She noticed Archie's smirk and rolled her eyes hoping her blush wasn't too visible, but Archie noticed.

"So, Betty, what do you say?" Veronica asked pulling everyone's attention away from the cuddling best friends. "Elizabeth Cooper," Alice's voice pulled them all to the doorway. "Mom?" Betty replied with a confused expression. "I need you and you," Alice pointed at Betty and Veronica, "Right now." Isabella watched as the two girls walked out of the room following the blonde tyrant. "Oh God... I thought she was gonna point at me too," Isabella breathed out and closed her eyes, "That was terrifying." The others laughed at Isabella's words, Cheryl left the room while Kevin followed her questioning her about her shoes leaving Archie, Jughead and Isabella to relax for a while.

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Isabella was proud of one Archie Andrews who made a lot of stupid choices but today was not one of the stupid decisions. Andrews Construction needed workers and Isabella was more than happy to help convince the Bulldogs into assisting them. She climbed out of her car, Jughead following with a more than willing smile helping the others grab tools they'd need. Isabella walked over to Archie as Fred and Hermione walked out of the site shed. "What is this?" Fred asked them though he was smiling. "Your new crew. Reporting for duty," Archie replied with a grin, Isabella nodding in agreement as Jughead put a hard hat on her head.

"I appreciate it, I do, but isn't there something more important you need to be doing? Like going to school, playing football?" Fred asked with concern. "We can work after practice and on weekends. Until you find a new crew. Help keep things on schedule," Archie answered him while Isabella leaned back into Jughead almost subconsciously. "Come on, Dad. I worked for you the whole summer. And these guys..." Archie pointed toward the jocks. "We're bruiser studs, Mr Andrews," Moose spoke up with a grin. "At least some of us are," Moose added as he glanced at Jughead and then Isabella who raised a brow at him, she'd worked for Fred plenty of times with Archie.

"Come on. Desperate times, Fred, huh?" Hermione encouraged but Archie nudged his cousin knowing she'd handle this. "Come on, Uncle Fred. I gotta show these so-called bruiser studs that a woman can do this better. Help me out?" Isabella asked with a teasing grin. "All right. Here we go," Fred agreed with the final push, Archie and Isabella did their handshake before everyone got to work. Isabella and Kevin worked side by side but Jughead spared a few glances watching as Isabella lifted heavy rocks and moved them, Kevin watching her in pure amazement in the process.

"Damn Larkin. I gotta admit, it's impressive," Moose called out as Isabella placed the debris into the wheelbarrow. "I've been doing boxing since I was twelve. Cross Country competitions since I was thirteen and my dad was a major gym junkie so I used to lift the lightest weights he had in our home gym to be just like him," Isabella told him, the others laughing and cooing at the new information. "Besides, I worked some of the summer with Archie," Isabella added with a wink before she moved to clean up more of the debris.

Isabella watched as Archie and Jughead walked away with the wheelbarrow, though her eyes lingered on how Jughead looked in the white tank top. She swallowed slowly as her heart rate spiked, she didn't even realise that she was biting her lip. "You good, Larkin?" Moose asked pulling Isabella from her not-so-innocent thoughts about her best friend. "Uh, yeah. Pretend you didn't see anything," Isabella asked as Moose moved the second wheelbarrow closer, Isabella put some of the debris into it. "For what it's worth, I ship you two," Moose told her with a wink, the two laughed before falling into a conversation as they worked.

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Later that day, Isabella brushed off the debris off of her shirt as she walked with Moose. The crew headed into the site shed where Fred was standing, "Hey, guys. Real lifesaver today. I appreciate it." Isabella smiled at him as he kissed the top of her head, brushing some dirt from her hair making Moose and Kevin laugh. "Sorry, the boys are annoying," Isabella said while playfully glaring at the two who had sprinkled dirt into her hair. "Hard hats go in the bin, and there's sodas in the fridge," Fred told them, Jughead took the hard hat from Isabella's hand and tossed both his and hers into the bin.

"Crap. Hey, guys. I forgot my phone," Moose spoke up, Isabella looked over at him. "I left my jacket out there, I'll come with you," Isabella replied but he waved her off. "I'll grab it, consider it my apology for the dirt in your hair," Moose assured her before making his way out of the office, Isabella laughing. "What an unusual friendship," Kevin spoke as Isabella leaned against the desk. "Yeah, but we got to talking and he's not some stupid jock. Nothing wrong with making new friends rather than just high school acquaintances," Isabella replied to Kevin. "Good thinking, Bella," Fred told her with a grin.

Suddenly the power outside went out, Isabella stood up and made her way out of the shed instantly while the others followed behind her. "Moose!" Isabella called out, she ran faster than everyone else and shoved a guy off of Moose before punching him in the face. The other guy grabbed him and the two took off to their car, speeding off before the others caught up. Isabella turned to Moose ignoring her knuckles and dropped down next to him. "Hey, hey... Don't move too much," Isabella told him, she carefully moved his head to see he was bleeding. "Head injury, he should go to the hospital," Isabella told her uncle, he nodded before pulling out his phone.

Isabella looked from Moose to where the car had disappeared, she caught his face in the light; she recognized him from the fight club. She clenched her jaw as she formulated a plan in her head, she was gonna do worse than her punch the next time she challenges someone in the cage; he was gonna regret looking at Moose. "They said... as long as we keep working, they're gonna keep coming back," Moose told them, Isabella furrowed her brows before scoffing and looking at Archie. "I'm not scared," Isabella told them, she was seething and Archie knew better than test that further. "Let's just make sure you're okay, Moose," Archie spoke up.

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Rosemary Here!

I just wanna say, Isabella's loyal and protective nature is literally me. Like, hurt my friends and you'll learn why they name storms after people.

Also, fun fact; a lot of Isabella's characteristics and hobbies such as boxing is inspired by my cousin who does small time boxing, she's won a lot of fights.

See you next chapter!