Chapter Text
we all need the clowns to make us smile
It was a day like any other. They were huddled around Archie's locker, talking about the upcoming football game and the girls who had made varsity cheer and how short their skirts would be this year.
“Better not be too short,” Moose said tersely, glancing over at the gaggle of girls which included his girlfriend, Midge.
Probably not as short as the dress she wore when I took her for a spin in my Lexus last night, Reggie thought, but wisely didn't say.
Moose Mason outweighed the lean, tall teenager by fifty pounds, and stuck to Midge like glue. During football season, the linebacker was at practice more often and Reggie slid in a date with his girl a few times a week, just for the hell of it. Which is why Reggie Mantle did most things.
The girls drew closer and Reggie took a moment to appreciate that they hadn't started wearing fall clothes just yet. It was 65 degrees outside and long tan legs were everywhere.
They were speaking in hushed tones as they approached the boys, tottering now and then.
Reggie leaned against the lockers as Veronica, always the leader, walked up in her Jimmy Choos and miniskirt, her raven hair curled professionally and her makeup flawless as ever.
“What's the word, Ronnie? You gals dishing about my biceps again?” He raised a dark eyebrow and flexed his right arm in his tight black t-shirt.
Veronica rolled her eyes but he was pleased at how her eyes lingered for a moment. Before she could retort, Midge spoke up.
“Not you, knucklehead.” She gestured across the hall. “Him.”
The swoon in her voice put a scowl on Moose's face. He clenched his jaw, which was sprinkled with blonde stubble.
Reggie faked a yawn but looked where she was pointing and saw a new kid with dark auburn hair and none of Archie’s trademark freckles. He was good looking enough, Reggie guessed, and the novelty of him being new had the girls all interested, but more important to Reggie was the girl the new kid was obviously flirting with.
Her golden curls flowed down her back and she was wearing a pair of jean shorts that cupped her heart shaped ass perfectly. The new kid had his arm above her head, leaning in close and grinning at her, teeth all pearly white.
Reggie knew all the girls in school! How had this blonde buxom beauty escaped him?
“Is that…is that Bets?” Reggie's longtime redheaded friend/rival opened his mouth as if shocked.
Holy shit! Betty Cooper, wearing those shorts? Reggie had to admit he was impressed. Oh, Betty had always been cute as a button, and a great second string gal to take to Pop's when his plans fell through, but he'd never before noticed the body hiding underneath her modest wardrobe.
“Yeah. That bitch,” Ronnie said, her tone admiring rather than bitchy. “No one can get a word in edgewise. He sat next to her in homeroom and ever since…” she gestured to them, and Reggie saw the new kid brush a blonde curl from Betty's face, and she blushed and tucked her head.
Reggie frowned involuntarily. Not that he was jealous, mind you, but Betty was a sweet girl, and really, this kid was too much.
“Who the hell does he think he is, stepping in on my girl?” Archie's pale, freckled face was turning a alarming shade of red.
“Your girl?” Veronica snapped at Archie.
Archie had the sense to tuck his head. “Aw, you know what I mean, Ronnie.”
“Do I? Consider our date tonight off, Archie Andrews!” She walked off in a huff, clutching her books to her ample chest.
Reggie smirked at Archie, but his mind was elsewhere. He kept watching Betty’s face, the soft blush on her cheeks and the sparkle in her sky blue eyes, and some part of him clenched.
He knew what that kid was thinking. He was thinking he'd like to know what those plump pink lips looked like around his cock. Reggie's stomach churned.
Sure, he'd kissed Betty a couple of times, copped a feel during one of their movie dates, and she'd been receptive for a few minutes before pulling away, laughing and teasing him. She wasn't pulling away now.
Reggie shrugged. That's Archie’s problem, he told himself. But he kept watching, and when the new kid dropped his head and kissed Betty, he turned to face the locker and clenched his fists.
Archie lost it, and Reggie was glad for the distraction.
“Betty! Bets!”
Betty's head snapped toward the sound of her beloved's voice. Archie was walking quickly toward her, his face set and unreadable. She beamed at him as he approached, and then realized he wasn't even looking at her, but at her new friend. Her new, tall, handsome, ripped friend. Betty inwardly giggled as she realized Archie was jealous.
Well, about time he knows how it feels! She thought, and boldly wrapped an arm around her hot friend’s narrow waist. He grinned down at her, mimicking her gesture, and his big hand on the bare skin of her hip where her short ride up sent a tingle through her.
“Hey Archie. This is Adam Chisholm. He just transferred from Greendale.”
Archie looked like he might have a coronary. Adam held his hand out to Archie, and Archie pumped it once, too polite to refuse.
He turned his blue eyes to Betty. His voice was soft. “He getting fresh with you, Bets?”
Betty had a moment of sympathy. His eyes looked pained and panicked. Them she remembered getting stood up for Veronica less than 12 hours ago and hardened.
“Not as fresh as I might let him get tonight at the movies,” she said, and was shocked at her boldness.
Archie looked at her as if she'd punched him in the gut.
Guiltily, she looked up at Adam, whose hand had tightened on her hip. He was beaming at her, his green eyes sparking.
“And here I thought this transfer was going to be a disaster! I meet this goddess during first period and she asks me out! I must have died and gone to heaven.”
Betty blushed at his praise, but gosh, he was handsome. She forgot about Archie for a split second until he spoke.
“I thought we were going bowling tonight, Betty Spaghetti,” he said, his tone pleading.
He hadn’t called her Betty Spaghetti since they were 10. Again, Betty focused on the crying she'd done when he called her to say he had a flat tire, only to spot his jalopy at the movies later that night.
“Guess my plans changed. Kinda like your 'flat tire' last night.”
Archie’s shoulders slumped. “Text me later?”
Adam's hand slipped to her lower back, kneading there, and Betty lost her train of thought. “Huh? Oh sure, Arch. See you later.”
Adam followed her to her next class, hand on her back, and Archie watched as he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him to plant a kiss on her laughing mouth.
Reggie watched this scene with equal parts amusement and unbidden, unchecked jealousy. He could admit that he had a bit of a selfish streak. They didn't call him Mr. Ego for nothing! He wanted all the girls' attention.
But he’d never felt quite as jealous as right now. Betty was different than Midge and Ronnie. She didn't open her legs when he put a hand on her thigh like Midge or grab his crotch during a makeout session like Veronica.
Not that he minded the girls sexual advances or thought them loose or anything, but he couldn't tease them like he did Betty. He couldn't pull Veronica's ponytail or cause the water fountain to squirt Midge because they got mad and rebuffed him.
“Oh, you cad!” Betty would sigh, but she was smiling all the while.
Reggie suddenly had a memory of going parking with Betty after Archie blew her off for the fourth time in a week.
They’d talked and talked for hours and right before curfew he made her laugh and then kissed her smiling mouth.
She had ended up straddling his lap, her mouth soft and yielding but her tongue hot and searching. He'd put both his hands on her ass and she sighed, her voice deep and sexy, “Oh, you cad, Reggie,” and his cock, already rock hard from her mouth and her body, twitched and he surged up beneath her, finding her center hot and oh so soft, only his designer jeans and her silk panties under her skirt (pink, he noticed) separating him from her hot folds.
She'd gasped, startled, and a delicious blush started at her cleavage and then warmed her face. “We gotta get home! It's almost midnight.” She was almost whispering, and avoiding his eyes.
She scrambled off him to the passenger seat and he didn't complain, but later that night he closed his eyes and thought of her husky sigh and the warmth of her body and he cried out “Betty” when he came.
Usually it was celebrities (hello Jennifer Lawrence!) he thought of when he was alone but that night, that husky sigh, the feel of her tight ass cupped in his palms…he thought of that night often.
So it was just biology, right? I’m a guy, Betty is a hot girl, smart and funny and gorgeous and with a body that won’t quit to boot….
Reggie stopped walking to class and stood stock still in the hall when he saw Adam and Betty just outside the broom closet that the janitor always left unlocked. Reggie had been in there with a dozen girls, but when he watched Betty pull Adam in and close the door, her plump lips curling up in a mischievous grin, he couldn't help but think of the one time he coaxed Betty in there himself.
“I'll give you the tour,” Reggie had said soberly. “There's cool stuff in there like a…broom. And a mop bucket!”
He was holding both her tiny hands, her nails subtly manicured. He pulled her against his chest and felt her heart beating fast.
Betty was laughing, always laughing, and he pulled her into the closet and kissed kissed kissed that smiling mouth until the bell rang and she ran out, still smiling.
Likely, the same thing Adam was doing right now.
Sour bile rose in his throat. He was jealous. Insanely jealous. Stomach churning, heart aching, want to break down a broom closet door jealous.
Reggie Mantle did not pride himself on honesty among his friends and acquaintances, but he was always honest with himself.
He's got the hots for Betty Cooper. He's got it bad.
In short, Reggie is in trouble.