Veronicas P.O.V.
After their meal that night, they all headed off to their homes. Veronica steps into the Pembrooke doors, only to be greeted by her father as he is getting ready to leave. "Where are you off to so late at night, Daddy?"
Hiram ignored the question. "Mija, what are you doing home a day early?" Veronica's eyes narrowed at her fathers attempt to redirect the conversation.
"We ran into some trouble at the cabin," she explained. "Afterwards we all thought it best to come home early. Of course Jughead had already left at the time." She shot Hiram a look that told him she knew what he had been up to while she was gone.
He ignored her once again. Opting to give her a kiss on the cheek, and wish her a good night, before walking out the door. The ravenette sighed in frustration, as she headed to the elevator.
She walked into her family's apartment, and without missing a beat, marched right up to her mother demanding to know what her father was doing. Hermione lifted her eyes off the book she had been reading and blinked at her daughters questioning stare. "What do you mean Mija?"
Veronica rolled her eyes. Of course her mother would try to feign ignorance. "I mean, where is he headed off to so late at night?"
Hermione stood up and stared down her daughter in a heated gaze. "Now Mija, you know you are not supposed to be concerned with your fathers business. You should be more concerned with other things."
Veronica crossed her arms. "Like what, Mother?"
Hermione's glare turned disapproving at the disrespectful gesture. "Like your schoolwork and social life. Trust me, veronica. You'll be a much happier girl when you learn to not stress yourself out over matters that are of no concern to you."
Veronica wishes she could say that this condescending attitude from her mother was a new experience. Unfortunately for her, that would be a lie. She turned on her heels and headed to her bedroom, not wanting to deal with her mother at the present time. As she was about to slam her door, a thought struck her. "By the way. I know daddy gave the southside back sunnyside trailer park as a cop out!" She flashed her mother a haughty smile, before shutting the door and heading to her closet to change.
When Jughead first told her about his feelings toward the deal, she was frustrated with him. But after thinking about what he said, after he left, it began to make sense to her. Try as she might to deny it, her father never does anything without an ulterior motive.
This revelation only succeeded in making her more frustrated with her life. It is one thing for her to admit the boy was right about something, but did he have to be so, so,so… She doesn't even know how to describe it in her words. All she knows is it pisses her off to no end. She lets a groan escape her lips, before clearing her head of all thoughts.
Eventually, Veronica was able to lull herself into a somewhat restful sleep. There was a time or two that she woke up to get a drink of water, and reposition her pillows before she fell back into the sweet bliss of her subconscious.
The light shining through her window woke her up the next morning. She sat up in her bead and all the thoughts from the night before bombarded her conscious mind. Another sigh of frustration left her lips. Why did she have to go back to school? Maybe she could pretend to be sick, and call off. Her mothers voice filtering through her door dashed those hopes immediately.
Hermione knocked on her daughter's door. "Wake up Mija, time for school." The ravenette immediately turned toward the voice and glared at the door as if she could destroy the source of the noise with her gaze alone. Hermione knocked again. "Come on, Veronica. Don't make me drag you out of bed, young lady." What, is she 4? Like that would be necessary.
"I heard you Mother. And I am coming. Just give me a few minutes." Veronica stepped out of her queen size mattress and headed to the bathroom to reapply her makeup, before heading to her closet and getting dressed for the day. She decided on a simple yet elegant violet colored dress, a black belt, and some matching heels. She walks over to her vanity so she can straighten her hair in the mirror.
A couple minutes later she glances back at the mirror, and gives herself a onceover, before nodding in approval. She reaches into her jewelry box, and her hand hovers over her pearls for a couple seconds. She shakes whatever had come over her, and places the necklace in it's usual resting place around her neck.
She falls into old habits and wraps her hand around the pearls. She does not know what to expect today. Are her Father's plans going to mess with her life once more? Are her and Archie going to be able to repair their relationship? Was Jughead going to start ignoring her again? Was Betty still upset with her? All these thoughts felt like they were starting to suffocate her. She glanced around her room once more, wanting to make sure she didn't forget anything. The ravenette stalked out of the room, grabbing her bag by the door, and heading out of the apartment. Her Mother's voice halted her movements at the elevator.
"Veronica, aren't you going to eat some breakfast?" Veronica's hands clenched into a fist. She smiled at her mother, shaking her head.
"No time, sorry." She pressed the button for the lobby and waited for the sound of the elevator doors opening up.
The ride to school was uneventful. She rode with Andre in silence as she scrolled through her phone. There were a couple posts from Kevin about the upcoming school play. They were doing Carrie the Musical, and she was considering auditioning for it. But now with everything going on with her dad and the southside, she was starting to have reservations about it. Maybe it was not the best use of her time at the current moment. The car pulled into the schools parking lot, she waved goodbye to Andre and headed up the front steps of the school.
Chreyl was waiting for her at the top of the stairs near the doors. There was this smug look on the red-heads face that instantly put Veronica on edge. "What do you want Cheryl." The girl continued her way into the building, knowing full well the self proclaimed queen bee would be following her.
A sickenly sweet smile appeared on the girls face. "Whatever do you mean Veronica? Can't a friend just say hello?" Veronica was not amused with the girls fake pleasantries.
"Why did you try to ruin our vacay by telling Jughead about Betty and Archie? What's in it for you?" The red-head shrugged her shoulders.
A real smile was displayed on her face this time. "You know me, I love causing chaos." Her entire demeanor changed a second later. "And to be honest, I felt bad that Betty was hiding it from him. We may have our differences, but he deserved to know the truth."
Veronica was still curious. "How did you know she had not told him?" Cheryl shot her a look of incredulousness. It seemed to be saying, are you for real?
"Because it's Betty," Cheryl replied. As if that was all the proof she needed. To be fair, Veronica did not exactly disagree. Betty has been known to react in a certain way to protect her own interest at times. Plus if Jughead had already known, she doubts they would have been together as long as they had. The ravenette gives a subtle nod of agreement before separating from the blossom to head to her homeroom.
She passed Betty on her way, but the blonde didn't notice her since she was facing her own locker. Veronica entered the combination for her locker and placed her bag inside, only grabbing the necessary materials. She must have been lost in thought, cause the next thing she knew there was a hand on her shoulder and someone had turned her to face them.
"Are you okay, Veronica?" She recognized the voice and once her eyes were able to focus again, she realized it was Jughead. She gave him a quick once over, before registering the question.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She waved off his concern. "You just caught me off guard I guess." His gaze relaxed and he gave her a sympathetic smile. Her brow furrowed in confusion.
"Archie told me what happened to you guys after I left," he explained, answering her silent question. He shrugged his shoulders and rubbed the back of his neck. "I wanted to make sure you weren't to shooken up."
A small smile graced her features. So he does care. "Well I appreciate the concern, but I am okay." Her smile widened. "Just your garden variety burglars. Nothing I can't handle." A small chuckle escaped her lips.
He smiled back at her. "I don't doubt it." He nodded towards the end of the hall. "Well, shall we head to class. Get back to our boring mundane lives. Free of the excitement danger brings."
"Totally. I've had enough excitement for the week." They started walking down the hall together. The silence was calming. It almost made her forget how upset she was with her parents. "So what happened when you got back to Riverdale?" Jughead turned to her, a quizzical look on his face. "Everything with my dad, I mean? When I got home he was headed out the door. He wouldn't tell me anything."
"Nothing really happened. I went back to my Dad to tell him what I thought About Hiram letting us keep the trailer park, and that I was going to confront him about it." The boy shook his head in annoyance. "But my Dad told me not to. That it would be too dangerous for me."
Veronica nodded in agreement with F.P. "you know what the worst part is?" Jughead let out a sigh of frustration. "He is right, it would be too dangerous. I just don't like feeling so powerless in all of this. I can't just drop it. But I can't fight Hiram either. Not if I want to live that is." The boy's countenance displayed a lack of hope. It unsettled the ravenette. The feeling was so unfamiliar. Or more specifically it was unfamiliar associating it with Jughead.
Veronica reached up to rub the serpents shoulder in an effort to console the gang member. "I am sorry Jughead." He turned to face her and she gave him what she hoped to be a comforting smile. He returned it.
"Thanks Veronica." His head turned down and they walked the rest of the way to class in silence. Veronica wished she could help the boy, but what was she supposed to do? It's not like she could go up against her father. Not all by herself at least. Especially with her Mother acting like his right hand man. She knows it is partly her fault. She helped her dad get southside high closed down. Definitely not something she is proud of in retrospect. And she just knew if that information ever got out, Jughead would go right back to hating her. And for some reason that was just too much to think about at the time.
Her classes went by smoothly. She is able to push her thoughts to the back of her mind, so she could focus on her academics. Before she knew it, It was already 11:30. Time for lunch. Which was good, cause she was starving. Maybe she should not have skipped breakfast that morning. She gathered up her books and headed to her locker to put them away and grab her wallet for her lunch money. She could hear footsteps approaching, so she turned around and was met with Archie's handsome face, a smile beaming down at her. "Hey Ronnie." She smiled back up at him.
"And how are we today, Archiekins?" She reached up and gave him a quick peck on the lips, before turning in heading off to the cafeteria. The boy followed after her, matching her pace right beside her.
"I told Jughead and my day what happened at the cabin." A short laugh escaped his lips. "Needless to say my dad was not happy with the turn of events. And Betty also seems to be a little down today."
She turned to face him. "Yeah I noticed that as well. When I passed her in the hall, she was just kind of standing at her locker, not doing anything. Did you try to talk to her?"
"I did yeah. I couldn't get much out of her though. She told me she was fine, just tired. And then she headed off to class. I am hoping to see her at lunch, maybe she'll be more talkative then." Veronica hoped that would be the case as well. Or at least Betty would be more open to sharing with them whatever was making her more closed off than normal.
The pair walked hand in hand, going through the lunch line and heading to the table near the center of the room, where they noticed Betty sitting with Kevin. It appeared the boy was trying to get the blonde to open up, but was not having any luck. "Hey, B, Kev. What are you guys up to?" She set down her lunch tray and slid up close to Archie's side. Kevin turned his attention towards her.
"I was just telling Betty that I think she should audition for the play. To help get her mind off some things for a while." Veronica smiled at the blonde.
"That's a great idea." Her decision was made. "What do you say Betty, why don't we all three audition for the play." She gestured toward Archie as well. Betty lifted her head, but didn't seem to budge. "Come on it'll be good for all of us to focus on other things besides all the chaos in our lives. It could be fun." She shot the blonde a hopeful smile. Betty nodded, a smile appearing on her face as well.
"Okay, you've convinced me." A look of realization appeared on the blonde's face. "You guys haven't seen Jughead by chance, have you?"
"I saw him this morning, but not since then." A thought occurred to her, and a look of glee took over her features. "Jughead should try out for the play as well." All three people at the table turned towards the ravenette with shocked faces.
"Ronnie, Jughead wouldn't be caught dead watching a school play, let alone being cast in one." Betty along with everyone else at the table besides Veronica started laughing.
"He is right, V. Jughead would never even consider thinking about it. You know he hates this kind of stuff."
They're right, and she knows it, but it could be good for him as well. It'll get his mind off everything happening with her Father and the Southside. Just then the subject in question showed up at the table. "And what exactly is the kind of stuff I hate, Betts?" He gave the blonde a reassuring smile. Letting her know he was not actually serious. Betty seemed to brighten up from his arrival.
"We were just talking about the school play, Juggie." The nickname caused a frown to appear on the blonde's face. It was gone a second later. "Veronica was saying how she thinks we should all audition for it. She also thinks you should as well. But we know how much this stuff does not appeal to you." Jughead turned toward the ravenette a confused look on his face.
"You think I should be in the school play." Veronica nodded in reply. The boy burst out laughing. He reached his hand out to shake hers. "I don't think we have been introduced. I am Jughead Jones. Southside serpent, and personal hater of all school affiliated activities. And you are?" The ravenette just glared at the boy, crossing her arms in defiance. "No but seriously." Jughead shrugged off, all joking aside. "School plays are not my thing." Man why did he have to be so stubborn. She let out a sigh of frustration.
"Come on Jughead, why not branch out a little. It'll be good for you to try new things for once. Come on ,will you do it for us?" She gave him her practiced innocent puppy dog pout.
He smiled down at her. "The friendship guilt trip, nice one." She smiled at the reply.
"Is that yes?"
"Look even if I wanted to, And I don't," he assured her. "I can't. I need to figure out what I am going to do about your Father and his plans for the Southside. I heard from my Dad that they are planning on tearing down Southside High in a couple days." The positive atmosphere was immediately flipped. Jughead glanced at all four of his friends. "I am going on a hunger strike in protest."
Archie laughed at that. Jughead glared at him. "I am sorry man, but you are always eating. So I have a hard time believing you'll have much success with that." The Jones boy let out a sigh of frustration.
"I know that. That's why it is not going to be just me. Toni, Sweetpea, fangs, and few of the other younger serpents are going to be doing it with me. We are going to chain ourselves to the school until Lodge Industries agrees to leave the school alone." After the announcement Jughead gathered up his lunch and left the room.
What does that boy think he is doing? As if her father would crack under the will of a few gang members. Hopefully he wouldn't lash out and harm any of the serpents in retaliation to Jughead idiotic display of defiance. She applauds Jones for sticking up for himself, against her Father no less. Not many people she knows would do that. But one of these days it's going to get him into trouble.
That's the end of this chapter ladies and gentleman. Sorry it took so long. I recently got another Job at Dominos and I have gotten back into the habit of exercising. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and that it was everything you were hoping for.