Chapter Text
Senior year was supposed to be normal. Just like freshman year, before murders and drugs and gargoyle kings and other less than admirable plots to take over the town. Just.. normal. It was their last year together, before they all went their separate ways for college. So why on Earth did Fate decide they needed more trouble?
The first few months of school were great. The Blue & Gold ran smoothly, thanks to the combined efforts of Betty, Jughead, Toni, and occasionally Kevin. Archie, Reggie and the football team were working hard on the field to win games, and Cheryl worked the Vixens to death nearly every practice.
Then December brought snow, cold, and an unexpected arrival.
Betty stood at her locker, chatting with Veronica, Jughead, and Archie before class. The halls were lined with students doing the same, filling the air with the sounds of indistinct conversations and laughter.
The doors at the end of the hall opened, and Betty spared a glance in that direction. Her eyes widened, which caught the interest of Jughead. He turned around, and Betty leaned against him to peer over his shoulder.
Jughead’s reaction, a soft “No way”, had Archie turning to look, which prompted a similar reaction to his partners’.
Veronica turned to look as the conversations and laughter died, but her reaction was much more muted than everyone else’s as she watched the scene.
Cheryl was strutting down the hallway with two teenagers on either side of her. Veronica figured they had to be related, since the boy and girl shared many features with each other and Cheryl. As they walked down the hallway, students seemed to shrink against the lockers, and Veronica was sure she saw one boy actually shove himself into a locker. Cheryl didn’t give Veronica a second glance as she passed, but Toni, who had been trailing behind the trio with a shocked expression, stopped next to her and sighed.
“I didn’t know they were coming back until this morning when they showed up. I can’t believe they’re here.”
The other three Riverdale natives showed their agreement, and Veronica looked between each of them. “Why? Who are they?”
Toni sighed heavily, leaning against Veronica’s locker. “Lydia and Skylar Martin, Cheryl’s cousins. They moved away from Riverdale right after freshman year. I heard they went to a town in California near San Francisco.”
Veronica nodded slowly, glancing in the direction Cheryl had gone. “Okay.. why is everyone freaking out about this?”
Jughead scoffed. “Because they’re bullies. Even meaner than Cheryl is. Or, was. She’s mellowed somewhat.”
The bell rang, and the group parted to go to their classes. As she walked, Veronica wondered what made them leave Riverdale, and if they really were as mean as Jughead made them sound like. He was a bit of a pessimistic drama king, after all.
The next day at school, Betty was heading towards the commons alone when she bumped into another student. Her books went flying, and before she could mutter an apology and scramble to pick them up, a pair of hands were reaching down to gather the books. Betty looked up as the hands handed her books back to her. Looking up, she saw the face of Skylar Martin, Lydia waiting next to him. Looking into his green eyes, the blonde saw something nobody had noticed the day before. It was a heavy presence, and it made his eyes look like he had seen a war.
“Sorry, Betty. We didn’t see you there.” Lydia’s voice was quiet but sincere as she gave Betty an apologetic smile, before linking her arm with her brother’s and continuing down the hallway.
Betty stood frozen in place for a few seconds, before she rushed to the commons where the group of friends were and threw herself into the space between Jughead and Archie on the couch.
“Guys, I just ran into Skylar and Lydia, and-”
Archie didn’t let her finish, shooting up from his seat with his fists clenched. “What did they do?”
Rolling her eyes, Betty grasped the edge of his shirt and tugged him back onto the couch. “Hush and let me finish. I wasn’t looking where I was going and ran into them, and my books fell. Skylar didn’t say anything, just picked them up and gave them back to me before he and Lydia left. And Lydia apologized to me.”
Kevin looked at her skeptically. “When that happened in middle school they sneered, kicked my books down the hallway, made me apologize, and then called me names. And they ran into me.”
Becky nodded. “I know! What do you think changed?”
Jughead scowled. “Not them. Spoiled bullies like them don’t change. They aren’t nice, and they never will be.”
Veronica raised an eyebrow at the boy. “I am. I used to be a spoiled bully, back in New York. But when I came here and met you guys, I changed. I’m nicer now, because I found good friends. How do you know they didn’t find the same thing when they moved?”
Jughead rolled his eyes. “I still don’t believe it, and I don’t think any of you should either.”
Betty shushed him and looked at her friends, chewing her lip. “There was something else. When he looked at me, his eyes. They were empty. It was like looking into a war veteran’s eyes. I think.. I think something happened when they moved away.”
Jughead stood up and shook his head forcefully. “I refuse to believe it. I’m going to find out what they’re doing back here and I’m going to stop them.”
With that, the Serpent stormed out of the lounge. Betty rolled her eyes and looked around the room. Jughead could think whatever he wanted to, but the rest of them believed Betty.
Something had changed the Martin Twins.