Chapter Twelve
" CRAZIER THAN A SERIAL KILLER ON BATH SALTS! "

After Midge's funeral, Cheryl and Sydney headed to Pop's for Cheryl's last-night's-promised strawberry milkshake. They were both still in their funeral clothing so to see them walking into a fun, bright place after such a depressing event was pretty odd.

     "Of all people, why would the Black Hood go after Midge?" Sydney twirled her straw around in her milkshake. "She seemed like a sweet girl. It's a shame I didn't get to talk to her all that much."

     "I know." Cheryl reached out and touched Sydney's hand "She would've loved you."

     Sydney looked down at their hands, and then up at Cheryl. Smiling, she said, "I. . .I don't think I've ever been this happy before. From the constant pressure of the film festival, everything that's been going around town, and getting mixed into this whole 'SoDale' fiasco, I don't think I've ever had the chance to smile at anything good in such a long time. I'm glad you begrudgingly said yes to my film pitch."

     Cheryl let everything she heard soak in. Then, she leaned over the table and kissed Sydney quickly. Realizing what she had done, she went to sit back down before Sydney caught her and kissed her back. "Be my date."

     "What?"

     "Be my date to the Riverdale Picture Show. Contestants are allowed to bring a plus one, others have to pay to get in. And I want you to be my date," Sydney explained.

      Cheryl nodded. "I'd like that."

     "You seem to be liking a lot of things lately." Sydney chuckled but was cut off by Cheryl pressing another kiss to her mouth to shut her up.

_____

Monday rolled around and Sydney was over the moon, despite everything that's happened over the past couple of days. She still had last night's butterflies rumbling in her stomach and was still so excited that she couldn't eat.

     Cheryl must've been feeling the same way because she's been fighting her smile all throughout their lunch today. "What are you doing?" Sydney laughed as Cheryl reached for one of her fries. "You have your own!" She slapped her hand away playfully.

     "We're together now so that gives me the right to steal anything that's yours. Including your fries." Cheryl stealthily stole one of Sydney's fries and dipped it into her ketchup in victory. "Cheryl, one. Sydney, zero." She made her hand into the shape of an 'O' and held it up so she could rub it in.

     "Hardy har har. Very funny." Sydney smacked her hand away.

     "A little birdie told me that Veronica invited Archie, Betty, and Jughead up to her father's cabin for the weekend. Wanna see if we can go?"

    "I'll have you know that Veronica doesn't like me." Sydney took a sip of her water. "Betty's gonna convince her to let us go because she's all about the more, the merrier, and the many distractions she has to try and get laid." Cheryl shrugged nonchalantly. Before Sydney could answer, she added, "Don't worry about it. I'll ask her for your sake." She pressed a kiss to Sydney's cheek before beelining for their table.

     After a little while, Cheryl came back with a wicked smile on her face. "We're in. Betty begged as I told you she would."

    "Wow. I should have you convince more people for me." Sydney golf-clapped at Cheryl's A+ persuasion. "When is it?"

     "This weekend. See you there." Cheryl pressed a kiss to Sydney's temple before sashaying away, Sydney looking as she left.

_____

The weekend came quickly and Sydney was packed for the little cabin trip. Cheryl would be coming by soon and picking her up in her reclaimed Cherry Bomb mobile and then they would be off.

     "You sure you got everything, Syd?" Reggie asked for the third time. "I'm sure, Reg. I packed and unpacked just to repack everything to make sure everything was there. And it's only for the weekend," Sydney assured him. She then heard a horn honk outside. "That's her. See ya later, bro. Don't burn the house down while I'm gone."

     She went out the door and down the steps to make it to Cheryl's car. After tossing her bag into the back, she got into the passenger seat and then they were off.

_____

The two of them arrived at the cabin and saw Veronica, Archie, Betty, and Jughead getting out of the car. "Archiekins," Veronica cooed, motioned over to her bags, and shooed her driver away. "I'm sure you can carry your own bags, Veronica," said Sydney as she hopped out of Cheryl's car after grabbing her duffel and slinging it over her shoulder. "Let me help you with those," she said to Archie, who was currently juggling three bags, all different sizes.

     "Thanks, Syd," he said, smiling and handing her one of the smaller bags. "Oh, don't be so modest. Give me one of the meatier ones." Sydney reached out for one of the bigger bags and Archie chuckled and relented. She smiled and sashayed into the mini-mansion. "Nice place you got here, Ronnie." Sydney set the bags down and took everything in. "Is this real?" She pointed to the Picasso by the stairs.

     "Of course it is," Veronica scoffed, "what do you take my family for?"

     Sydney shrugged it off and continue to peruse about the house when Cheryl caught up to her. "What should we do first while we're here?" she asked.  "Think she'll let us raid the fridge? I'm starving." And just as Sydney said that her stomach rumbled. Cheryl chuckled and took hold of her hand. "Come on. Let's go find some food."

_____

"Welcome to the pièce de résistance," Veronica said over-dramatically as they all got into the hot tub. They were all given drinks and Sydney was careful with hers as she took her cover up off, revealing a two-piece and a toned abdomen.  

     "Who knew my lady friend had the body of a goddess?" Cheryl took her hand and helped her in and then handed her her umbrella drink. "So, what's on the agenda tonight?" Sydney asked, diverting the conversation. "Good question, Syd. What are we even doing here, Ronnie?" Archie asked.

     "Okay, full disclosure time. When Archie told me about the kiss, I absorbed it, processed it, and in the end, I bear no ill will toward my beau or my bestie." She looked to Archie and then to Betty. "They broke up?" Sydney leaned into Cheryl to whisper. Cheryl whispered back, "Yeah. And I saw Betty and Archie kissing from my window."

     "And you guys are caught up in the aftermath," Veronica continued, looking at Betty and Jughead. "So, to clear the air amongst us, Jughead and I. . .should kiss." She took a sip of her virgin margarita.

     "Are you nuts?" Archie and Sydney said together and then looked at each other, laughing a little. "But seriously," Archie went on, "do you really think that's a good idea?"

     "Oh, hold on," Jughead stood, "this could be good. This could — what's that sports term? — 'level the playing field'? And, it could save Bughead from imploding."

     "Did he just say 'Bughead'?" Sydney whisper-asked Cheryl as they both took this all in. "You're not upset?" Betty asked Jughead. "No," he answered smoothly, "no, not upset. But I'm human."

    "Great." Veronica stood, as well, and made her way over to Jughead. "Don't freak out. Just trust me." She took his face into her hands and kissed him. Archie, Betty, Cheryl, and Sydney all looked at each other like, WTF is going on?

     Veronica pulled away with a satisfied smirk and then went to go sit back down next to Archie. "So, Syd," she started as she stirred her drink with her straw, "anything you'd like to disclose?"

    "No," Sydney took a timid sip of her drink as she was beginning to get uncomfortable, "I don't think so. Why do you ask?"

     "I don't know. It just seems to me that you have a secret crush on my boyfriend."

     Sydney raised her eyebrows in confusion. "Didn't you just kiss your best friend's boyfriend? Where are you even going with this?"

     "You two have been acting all buddy-buddy with each other since who-knows-how-long!" Veronica exclaimed and Sydney just had to gasp in surprise. "That's because he and my brother are good friends and Archie and I just happen to have dated freshman year!"

     Things around them got quiet as Veronica took this in. "You guys went out?"

     Sydney sighed. "Yeah. We did. We just kept it a secret because we didn't know if it was gonna work out or not. Obviously, it didn't. But at least we got a good friendship out of it. And besides, it was freshman year. It's not like it was gonna go anywhere." She stirred her drink and then got up. "Look, I'm tired and I'm gonna hit the hay. Cheryl, you coming?"

     "Yeah. I'll be there in a minute," Cheryl answered. Sydney squeezed her shoulder before getting out of the hot tub. "I'll go check on her." Archie got out of the hot tub and jogged towards the house. He caught her just as she was about to walk the stairs. "Hey, Syd. Wait up."

     "Did Veronica send you to interrogate me?" Sydney asked. "What? No. Whatever I do, it's on my own terms and what I'm doing is checking up on you," Archie replied. "Are you okay? I know Ronnie can be a little heavy-handed sometimes."

     "Yeah, no kidding." Sydney chuckled. "I'm sorry for assuming you were her attack dog or something."

     "It's fine, Syd. Really. C'mere." Archie pulled her into a nice hug before pulling away. "Now, I know you're tired so I'm gonna let you go."

     "Thanks, Arch."

     "I love you, dude."

     "Same here." They gave each other a high five before Sydney turned around and walked up the stairs.

     Cheryl walked in a little while later after Sydney got down with her shower. "There you are," said Sydney, "where have you been?"

     "Do you still love Archie?" Cheryl asked.

     "Of course not. I've got a brotherly love for him, that's all. Nothing more, nothing less. Are you staying here tonight? There may be another room open if you need it."

     "Thanks. Maybe Veronica will direct me to it." Cheryl started walking towards the door and stopped when Sydney asked, "Do you want to stay?"

     Cheryl turned back around and answered with, "I'd really like that."