The hallway tour resumed with Betty eagerly pointing out the corkboards, attempting to salvage the momentum.
“…and of course, there is still the Back-to-School formal dance this weekend,” she announced brightly.
Veronica wasn’t looking at the announcements.
She grabbed Betty’s arm, pulling her to a stop and pointing down the hall.
Outside the music room, Archie Andrews was standing awkwardly, having just been brutally and publicly dismissed by Josie and the Pussycats.
Aleksander watched the exchange from a few paces back, his mind quickly analyzing the interaction.
Mayor McCoy had offered her daughter’s assistance the day before, but seeing Josie’s unnecessary, performative harshness toward Archie instantly ruined his first impression of her.
He mentally crossed Josie off his list of useful contacts; he had zero patience for petty high school cruelty.
“Isn’t that your boyfriend from Pop’s yesterday?” Veronica asked, nodding toward Archie.
“No, well in a sense,” Kevin answered instantly.
“No, we’re just friends,” Betty corrected, her pale skin flushing slightly.
Kevin leaned in, entirely unbothered.
“Actually, to clarify, Betty and Archie aren’t dating, but they are endgame.”
Veronica smiled, highly amused by Betty’s flustered rejection of the idea.
She cast a subtle, lingering sideways glance at Aleksander, her tone turning playful.
“You should ask him to the semi-formal then.”
“She should,” Kevin agreed, his expression darkening slightly.
“But I heard it might be getting canceled.
Because of what happened to Jason.
They’re gonna tell us at the assembly…”
Veronica blinked, completely oblivious to the town’s darkest cloud.
“Who’s Jason, and what happened to him?”
Both Betty and Kevin stopped dead in their tracks, staring at Veronica as if she had just spoken a forbidden language.
Before the awkward silence could stretch into offense, Aleksander smoothly intervened.
“She arrived in Riverdale just yesterday, Kevin,” Aleksander said, his calm voice cutting the tension.
“Give her a break.” He looked down at Veronica, his dark eyes entirely serious.
“Jason Blossom was a student here.
Over the summer, he went out on the river with his twin sister and drowned.
The authorities suspect murder.
The entire town is on edge.”
Veronica’s playful demeanor vanished, a heavy realization setting in as Kevin and Betty gave grim nods of confirmation.
An hour later, the entire student body was packed into the stifling heat of the gymnasium.
Aleksander sat beside Veronica on the wooden bleachers, passively mapping the room.
High above the crowd, isolated at the very top of the stands, a dark-haired boy wearing a crown-shaped beanie—Jughead—sat with a laptop open on his knees, quietly observing the chaos below.
Down on the polished hardwood floor, Cheryl Blossom commanded a microphone.
She was a young woman of average height with a notably slim figure.
Her long, wavy, ginger-red hair was swept dramatically over her left shoulder, contrasting sharply with her exceptionally pale skin and amber eyes.
Her lips were painted in a flawless, striking red lipstick—a signature look that practically demanded total attention.
“Thank you for that moment of silence,” Cheryl’s voice echoed through the gym, thick with practiced, theatrical emotion.
“Many of you were lucky enough to have known my brother personally.
Each and every one of you meant the world to Jason.
I loved my brother.
He was and always will be my soulmate—so I speak with a confidence only a twin could have.
Jason wouldn’t want us to spend the year mourning.
Jason would want us to move on with our lives.”
She paused, letting the heavy silence hang over the crowd before delivering her final strike.
“Which is why I’ve asked the school board not to cancel the Back-to-School semi-formal.
But rather to let us use it as a way to heal, collectively, and celebrate my brother’s too, too short life.
Thank you all.”
The student body erupted into supportive applause.
Beside Aleksander, Veronica clapped politely, but Aleksander’s attention had already drifted elsewhere.
From his vantage point, he tracked Archie staring intently down at the rows where the faculty sat.
A young female teacher—Ms.
Grundy—turned slightly in her folding chair, locking eyes directly with the red-haired sophomore.
Aleksander’s Absolute Mind caught the micro-expressions instantly: the dilated pupils, the rigid posture, the sharp intake of breath.
The sexual tension between the student and the teacher was glaringly obvious to anyone trained to look for behavioral anomalies.
It was a massive, volatile secret just waiting to detonate.
Aleksander leaned back on the bleachers, his expression remaining perfectly blank.
He didn’t say a word to Veronica or Betty, simply filing the illicit dynamic away in his mind as just another piece of leverage in a town built entirely on buried secrets.
The midday sun broke through the Riverdale fog, lighting up the crowded outdoor courtyard.
Students were clustered around picnic tables, and the social food chain of the school was on full display.
Aleksander and Veronica moved across the concrete, looking for a place to sit.
Veronica’s eyes naturally drifted toward the center of the courtyard, where Cheryl Blossom held court with her Vixens.
Veronica was used to sitting at the very top of the high school pyramid in New York, and she instantly recognized where the power was.
Aleksander caught her gaze and smoothly stepped in front of her.
“I’d skip that table,” he warned her quietly.
“They look like they thrive on drama.
With everything going on with your dad right now, sitting there is just handing them a loaded gun.
Let’s find neutral ground.”
Veronica blinked, remembering her new reality.
She gave a small, appreciative nod.
“Good eye, Aleksander.
Neutral ground it is.”
He led them toward a quieter table where Betty, Kevin, and Archie were sitting.
Archie’s laptop was open, and a rough acoustic track was playing softly through the speakers.
“Can we join?” Veronica asked, putting her tray down.
“Yeah,” Betty replied.
She was a little disappointed that her one-on-one time with Archie was cut short, but as Aleksander pulled up a chair, that disappointment faded pretty quickly.
She couldn’t help but steal a shy, lingering glance at him, her pale cheeks flushing just a bit.
Having him at the table definitely softened the blow.
Veronica sat down, and Aleksander took the seat beside her.
“What are we doing?” Veronica asked.
“Listening to one of Archie’s songs,” Betty said, her smile coming back as she looked between Archie and Aleksander.
“I thought we were going to have to pretend to like it, but it’s actually really good,” Kevin added.
Veronica listened to the music, genuinely impressed.
“Wait, that was you singing?
Something you wrote?”
“It’s rough,” Archie muttered, suddenly looking shy under the attention of the New York girl and the intense new transfer student.
“Raw, not rough,” Aleksander corrected smoothly.
“It sounds good.
Don’t sell yourself short, Archie.
If you believe in your music, other people will too.”
Archie blinked, surprised by the solid advice.
“Thanks.
Yeah, music…
that’s the plan.” He shifted awkwardly and changed the subject.
“So how’s your first day going?
“Well, not to be a total narcissist,” Veronica sighed, “but I thought people would be more…”
“Obsessed with you?” Kevin finished for her.
“Any other year, you’d be trending Number One.
This year, though, it’s all about Cheryl trying to win an Oscar for her role as the grieving sister.”
Right on cue, Cheryl Blossom started walking directly toward their table.
For some reason, her walking over immediately caused Archie to panic.
He slammed his laptop shut.
“Hey, I should go.
I’ve got a meeting with Ms.
Grundy and then football try-outs, so—”
“You play football, too?” Veronica asked, surprised.
“What don’t you do?”
“Apparently he doesn’t stick around for awkward conversations,” Aleksander joked quietly as Archie basically sprinted across the courtyard.
Kevin leaned across the table.
“Before you ask, Blue Jasmine, no, Betty hasn’t invited him to the dance yet.”
“No, not yet,” Betty hissed in a panic.
“Don’t talk about Archie—”
“Veronica Lodge, I heard whisperings,” Cheryl declared grandly as she reached the table.
“I’m Cheryl Blossom.
May I sit?
Betty, move over.”
Betty practically folded into herself, sliding down so Cheryl could sit right across from Veronica.
As Cheryl sat, her amber eyes darted away from the girls and locked straight onto Aleksander.
She paused, taking in his sharp jawline, his expensive jacket, and the intense, calm way he was looking right back at her.
A slow smirk touched her red lips.
“And who is this dark, brooding mystery?” Cheryl purred, resting her chin on her hand.
“You definitely don’t buy your clothes in this zip code.”
“Aleksander Morozov,” he answered smoothly, not backing down.
“And I prefer observant over brooding.”
His confidence made Cheryl’s smirk widen.
She clearly liked what she saw.
She held his gaze for another second before snapping her attention back to Veronica.
“So, what are you three gossiping about?” Cheryl asked.
“Archie getting hot over the summer?”
Betty looked at Veronica, silently begging for help.
“Extracurriculars,” Veronica lied smoothly.
“Weatherbee wants me to sign up for a few.”
“Cheerleading,” Cheryl commanded.
“You must.
I am senior captain of the River Vixens.” She flipped her long hair over her shoulder and flashed a dazzling smile.
“Is cheerleading still a thing?” Kevin asked.
Cheryl didn’t even look at him.
“Is being the gay best friend still a thing?”
The sharp insult shut Kevin up instantly.
He sank back into his seat.
“Some people say it’s retro, I say it’s iconic,” Cheryl continued.
“At my old school, I was at the top of the pyramid.
I’m in,” Veronica declared.
She immediately turned to the blonde beside her.
“Betty, you’re trying out, too.”
Cheryl’s fake smile froze.
“…of course, anyone’s welcome to try out.
But Betty’s already got so much on her plate right now, and being a Vixen is kind of a full-time thing.”
“I’m sure Betty can handle it,” Aleksander cut in, his voice cooling down the tension at the table.
“Smart people always find room for one more thing.”
Cheryl’s eyes snapped to Aleksander.
Her smile tightened as she realized he wasn’t going to play along with her mean-girl routine.
She stood up quickly, turning back to Veronica.
“Follow me on Twitter and I’ll do the same.
My handle’s @cherrybombshell.”
And just like that, Cheryl vanished into the crowd.
Veronica turned back to Betty, totally ignoring Cheryl’s attitude.
“Go ahead and hate on cheerleading, but if Hipster Prince Harry is playing—”
“I’d love to be a cheerleader,” Betty interrupted, looking down at the table.
“It would look great on my college applications.
But last year when I tried out, Cheryl said I was too fat.”
“Too ‘Season Five Betty Draper,'” Kevin corrected.
“It was a great line.
But not true at all.”
Veronica scoffed.
“Well?
You’re gorgeous now.
I mean it.
As hot and smart as you are, you should be running this school.”
“Cheryl just said that to mess with your head, Betty,” Aleksander added calmly.
“Don’t let her insecurities hold you back.
You have the focus for it.
Just go out there and make her accept you.”
Betty looked between Veronica’s fierce support and Aleksander’s calm confidence.
The sting of Cheryl’s old insult finally started to fade, replaced by a warm feeling of being genuinely seen.
Veronica leaned in, smiling.
“Look, if you want to be a River Vixen, I’ll help you get ready.
I have moves.”
A slow, determined smile finally broke across Betty’s face.
“Hey, you know what?
Show me your moves.”
As the tension from Cheryl’s visit finally faded, Aleksander looked over at Betty, his dark eyes analyzing her.
“What is the actual issue between you and Cheryl?” Aleksander asked quietly.
“I picked up quite a few micro-expressions while she was standing here.
Her hostility towards you felt very specific.”
Betty sighed, tracing a circle on the table with her finger.
“It’s a long story.
But basically, we share a…
connection.
Cheryl’s twin brother, Jason, dated my older sister, Polly. Visit novelping.com for the full chapter.
It didn’t end well at all.
It was really messy.
And after Jason died over the summer, Cheryl just started to despise me.
She takes every chance she gets to humiliate me.”
Aleksander listened, processing the information against what he had just seen.
“I have studied psychology and micro-expressions extensively, Betty,” he explained in a calm, reassuring tone.
“While she definitely has some dislike towards you, it isn’t nearly as strong as she shows it to be.
Most of that was a defense mechanism.
It’s a performance.”
Betty blinked, looking genuinely thoughtful as she processed that.
It took a bit of the sting away, knowing Cheryl’s venom was more of a shield than a true attack on her.
Veronica, however, leaned forward on her elbows, a wide, highly amused grin spreading across her face.
“So, mister,” she teased, her dark eyes sparkling.
“You’ve studied psychology and micro-expressions.
What else is on that resume?”
Aleksander offered a faint, knowing smile.
“I am also highly skilled in mentalism and hypnotism.”
Kevin’s head whipped around, his eyes going wide with instant excitement.
“No way.
Oh my god, do me.
Read my mind or hypnotize me right now.”
“Alright,” Aleksander said smoothly.
He shifted his chair slightly to face Kevin.
“Look right into my eyes.
Don’t look away.”
Kevin stared into Aleksander’s intense, dark eyes.
“You’re a very observant person, Kevin, but you let your focus drift too easily when you’re nervous,” Aleksander said, his voice dropping into a smooth, rhythmic cadence.
“Like earlier, when Archie mentioned football tryouts, you immediately thought of someone specific on the team.
Someone you haven’t told anyone about.”
Kevin’s eyes widened a fraction, his breathing hitching.
“Wait, how did you—”
Snap.
Aleksander snapped his fingers sharply right in front of Kevin’s face.
Instantly, Kevin’s shoulders dropped.
His eyes glazed over, staring blankly ahead in a perfectly relaxed, highly suggestible trance.
Betty gasped quietly, her hands flying to her mouth.
Veronica’s jaw literally dropped.
“Kevin,” Aleksander said calmly, holding out his hand.
“Give me your phone and unlock it.”
Without a single word of protest, Kevin reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, typed in his passcode, and placed it neatly into Aleksander’s open palm.
“Thank you,” Aleksander said.
“Now, when I snap my fingers, you will wake up feeling perfectly refreshed, but you will have absolutely no idea how I got your phone.”
Snap.
Kevin blinked rapidly, shaking his head slightly as the glazed look vanished.
He smiled, looking at Aleksander.
“So?
Are you gonna do a trick or what?”
Then, Kevin looked down and realized his hands were empty.
He stared in absolute confusion as Aleksander casually spun Kevin’s unlocked phone on the picnic table.
“Wait,” Kevin stammered, looking from the phone to Aleksander, completely bewildered.
“How…
when did you take that?”
Veronica let out a breath of pure shock, looking at Aleksander with a mix of awe and deep fascination.
Betty was absolutely speechless, her washed-out green eyes wide as she stared at the transfer student.
Aleksander just smirked, sliding the phone back across the table to Kevin.
“Like I said.
Mentalism and hypnotism.”
Veronica leaned across the picnic table, her dark eyes flashing with a mix of challenge and absolute fascination.
“Okay, you have to do me next.”
Aleksander raised an eyebrow.
“Are you sure?
You strike me as someone who always likes to have the last word.”
“Try me,” she smirked, not backing down.
Aleksander shifted his posture, locking his dark, intense eyes directly onto hers.
The playful energy at the table instantly grounded into something much heavier.
“Look right here, Veronica.
Don’t look away.”
Veronica held his gaze, her smirk faltering just a fraction under his intense focus.
“You are incredibly articulate,” Aleksander said, his voice dropping back into that smooth, rhythmic cadence that bypassed conscious thought.
“But the moment I snap my fingers, you are going to forget exactly how to use your voice.
The harder you try to speak, the more the words will just vanish before they reach your lips.
You will be wide awake, but entirely silent.”
Snap.
Veronica blinked, the spell seemingly broken.
She immediately smiled, fully intending to call his bluff with a witty comeback.
She opened her mouth to speak.
Nothing happened.
Her lips moved, but absolutely no sound came out.
Her dark eyes went wide in sudden, genuine shock.
She brought a hand to her throat, her brow furrowing as she tried to force out a laugh, a word, a whisper—anything.
It was as if her vocal cords had just been unplugged.
Kevin covered his mouth with both hands, letting out a silent, dramatic gasp.
Betty leaned in, her green eyes wide with total disbelief.
Veronica looked at Aleksander, playfully glaring at him as she desperately, silently mouthed, Change it back.
Aleksander let her struggle for just a second longer, a highly amused smirk touching his lips, before raising his hand again.
Snap.
“—literally impossible!” Veronica gasped out instantly, her voice rushing back all at once.
She pressed a polished hand to her chest, her heart beating a little faster as she stared at him in awe.
“How did you do that?
I knew exactly what I wanted to say, but my throat just wouldn’t work!”
“The human mind is incredibly powerful, but it is also highly suggestible if you know how to bypass the critical factor,” Aleksander explained calmly, leaning back in his chair as if he hadn’t just completely broken the laws of high school reality.
Betty looked at him, completely captivated by the demonstration.
“That is…
terrifyingly impressive.”
Veronica finally caught her breath, a brilliant, deeply intrigued smile spreading across her face.
She looked at Aleksander with a newfound level of respect.
“Remind me to never, ever play poker with you, Aleksander.”