♡

To say that Olivia, Lina, and Caroline were three different types of people would be an understatement. If you couldn't tell by the way their outfits differed, or how they seemed like they popped out of a comic book page, then you were blind. But there was much more to the three than just their hairstyle choices and favourite lipstick colours.

They were young women, destined to grow up and change the world, even if they didn't know it yet. Every day they were learning more and more about everything, which was scary and exciting all at the same time.

"This skirt is already so short, anything else would be Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman before Richard Gere," Olivia cocks her head, watching as Caroline fumbles with the skirt from her River Vixen outfit.

"I don't even know why I packed this stupid thing," Caroline mumbles as she looks at herself in the full-length mirror in her room.

"You wanted to keep a piece of yourself from the life you lived before Greendale, like the freaking cliche you are," Lina says, her eyes never tearing away from the book she's reading. She's laying on Caroline's bed, arms strong enough from being on sports teams her whole life so she can manage to hold the book up for the hour that Olivia and Caroline were readying themselves for Roz's Halloween party. She's dressed as a vampire, complete with blood-red lipstick. Of course, when Caroline told her she looked like a total babe, Lina just shrugged and ended up in the situation she is now, reading The Great Gatsby.  "Oh, I'm sorry, was I supposed to go easy on her?"

Olivia, on the other hand, is actually dressed as a flapper girl as if she came out of that book herself. It was just an excuse to wear a short black wig, but she killed the look. "I don't know," Olivia kept talking, ignoring Lina's comment. "I think you're missing something," she has Caroline sit down on the chair at her desk, tying a long blue ribbon into her hair. "Let me do your makeup!"

"I don't know," Caroline nervously bites her lip. "Do I really need it?"

"Just let her put glitter on your face already so we can leave," Lina groans, earning a pillow to the face from Olivia.

"All slutty cheerleaders need glitter and red lipstick," she dives for the makeup bag she brought. "I promise I won't do too much. Besides, we want Harvey to be attracted to you like the pull side of a magnet," Olivia says.

"Who says we want Harvey to be attracted to me?" Caroline asks as Olivia already begins doing her face. "And I thought he was into Sabrina?"

Olivia sighs. "Yeah, he's pretty much had a puppy dog crush on her forever, but Sabrina never let him make a move. For some reason, she can't commit to any boy or girl, unless it's as a friend. Even then, not really. I should know."

"Wow, and I thought relationships were complicated at my old school," she says, and that's the last of that conversation. They were done quickly, as Caroline's makeup was the last thing they needed before the party. The three girls walked there alone, goosebumps growing on their arms from the chilly air.

They also got goosebumps from the stories and jokes Lina told of ghosts wandering around and witches in the woods nearby. It was Halloween after all.

"Hey, guys!" Rosalind greeted the trio as they stepped into her house. The young girl wore a grin as proudly along with her ancient Cleopatra dress.

"Nice fit, princess," Olivia clicked her tongue, eyeing the girl up and down, a soft blush settling on Roz's cheeks. "You remember Caroline, right?" she formed a thumbs up and shot it toward Caroline, standing awkwardly next to Lina as they watched Olivia and Roz converse.

"Oh, yes!" Roz's eyebrows shot up. "Harvey told me all about you!" 

"Oh, Harvey did?" Olivia asked, flashing her I told you so' smirk, earning an eye roll from Caroline, who smacked her arm.

"This week has been so hectic with WICCA and planning this party, I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to talk before," she tilted her head. "Harvey says you're from Riverdale?"

Caroline nodded. "Yeah, I just moved here to spend some more time with my uncle." That was surely one way to put it.

Olivia turned back to Roz. "She's Johnny Peach's niece."

"No way!" Roz smiled. "That dude's the coolest. Welcome to Greendale."

"Thanks, dude," Caroline smiled, giving her a shake of her pom-poms at her side. It was getting crowded around them. "Let's go," she whispered to Lina, who nodded and lead the three out of the doorway as Roz went to talk to more people.

It wasn't too long until Harvey showed up, Caroline was quick to notice Sabrina was at his side. The girl looked beautiful, and the white dress she wore fit her cute and petite body perfectly. Her dark lipstick made her eyes pop, and her hair was curled in an old-fashioned Marilyn Monroe-like way. She could see why Harvey had a crush on her.

"Sabrina, you came!" Roz ran over to her best friend, engulfing her in a hug.

"I did," Sabrina happily smiled.

"Oh, yay! Oh, my God! Happy birthday! Wow! You look beautiful. Is that a wedding dress?" Roz asked.

Olivia wrapped an arm around Caroline, the latter's eyes still looking at the birthday girl. Thank God Harvey was too busy staring at everything else in the house except for Caroline. "Hey, let's go get you a drink," she nodded to Lina, who grabbed Caroline's hand and lead her to the kitchen.

"Yes, but it's not mine," Caroline heard them keep talking as her friends dragged her away.

"Good," Roz winked. "Well, come in. Come in. Hi! Oh, uh, drinks are in the kitchen, and I think Susie's back there." 

"I had to sneak out, but that's one good thing about living on a farm. My dad goes to sleep at eight o'clock," Susie told everyone, also dressed as a vampire, but somehow still different from Lina's costume. Roz pushed Caroline into the circle, and now she couldn't find it in her to step away. Partially because of how good Harvey looked in his mining costume, she had to admit.

"And you're okay? You're feeling okay after what happened with those football creeps?" Sabrina asked. Harvey leaned coolly against the sink, catching Caroline's wandering eyes for a split second before she looked away. 

Way to go, Caroline.

She shouldn't think about Harvey when they're talking about those assholes who beat up Susie, so she scolds herself for it. Then she mentally slaps herself for sounding so much like her mom. And then she realizes she's not paying enough attention to the group, and being so rude when they're trying to include her, so she manages to put her thoughts away for a while.

"Honestly, Sabrina? I don't know why, but I am raring for a rematch," Susie smiles widely. Caroline forms a small smile as she can tell how happy and rushed Susie feels.

"I have a feeling that won't be necessary, Susie," Sabrina says, which makes Caroline curious, but she dismisses the feeling instantly. Something about Sabrina makes the hair on the back of Caroline's neck stand up.

"So, you're a Halloween baby," Caroline starts. "That's cool. Happy birthday."

Sabrina nods. "Yeah, it is, and thanks."

"Yeah, too bad it wasn't Christmas, or you'd get double gifts," Caroline awkwardly chuckles.

Olivia is seeing what little conversation Caroline is trying to start, so she chimes in with, "You know, Caroline was born on Valentine's Day."

"Oh, really?" Sabrina asks. "That's really cool."

"Yeah, still not Christmas though," Caroline says, and thankfully Sabrina laughs along with her this time.

"You guys, come on, help me get the dancing started," Roz pulls Sabrina and Lina by their wrists, and when Lina starts protesting, Sabrina starts pulling her too. Olivia grabs Susie, which confuses Caroline until she realizes she's been left with Harvey. The silence between them is deafening as they stand there alone.

Finally, she gathers the strength to speak up. "Well, you wanna dance, Kinkle?" her heartbeat picks up as he smiles.

He nods, his hardhat flipping slightly. "Yeah, yeah I do, Peach," he softly grabs her by the hand, and Caroline harshly swallows the lump in her throat. She panics, and her hand flinches slightly in Harvey's, and she worries about how the butterflies in her stomach might come up her throat. 

♡

SWEET CAROLINE ;
ew i hate fillers