"So are you?" Betty asked.
"What are you guys talking about?"
"I heard it all V, you talking to Polly the other night," she tries to reach for her friend's hand.
Veronica pulls her hand away and places it on her lap, "Can you just forget about what you heard,"
Kevin eyes turned wide again, "so it's true you're preg—,"
"Can you keep your voice down," Veronica hissed while looking around hoping that no one heard it.
"V, why are you keeping this as a secret, we're your friends, and we're here for you," Betty said in a whisper.
Veronica glanced up to the ceiling trying to keep her tears from falling. She is going to burst out crying if she starts saying anything.
"V," Betty said her nickname in a gentle tone as she slides from her side of the booth and slide in Veronica's. "Talk to me," Betty tries to soothe her.
Veronica tries not to look at Betty, holding up her tears and as soon as Betty hugged her, she started crying in her arms. Betty rubbed her back trying to calm her down, she is so surprised that Veronica can get this emotional because she never saw this side of her before.
Veronica can't help to wonder how good it feels to have a friend at times likes this with what happen today but Veronica can't tell her friends whose the father. She will end up alone in all of this if the secret got out and she just can't risk that.
"Woah, who made the ice queen cry?"
They all turn their eyes to Jughead as his slide in the booth next to Kevin.
"She's just going through stuff right now," Kevin answered.
Jughead raised his brows trying to hide the fact that he knows what's going on with Veronica, "is there something you guys wanna share?"
Betty turns to look at Veronica who already stopped crying, "Can we tell him?" and Veronica just nods.
"She's pregnant," Kevin whispered.
"Oh," Jughead responds.
"You don't seem shocked," Kevin giving him a questioning look.
"Yeah," Betty adds giving him a puzzling look. Jughead avoids eye contact with Betty and looks directly at Veronica who won't even look at any of them.
"I don't know," He shrugs, "a lot of unexpected stuff happens in this town," he tries to remain cool. "I'm just used to it I guess," he hesitates.
Jughead responds made Kevin roll his eyes at him and turn his eyes to Veronica. "The problem is, she won't talk to us about it, like how and when this happened? Or the most important question who's the father is," Kevin protests.
Jughead feels bad for Veronica, he knows why she kept this as a secret, but how long can she keep this thing to herself. "How do you guys found out?" he asked out of curiosity.
"Betty heard her tell Polly about it, during our sleepover," Kevin replied.
Jughead can't help to wonder what she is thinking being all silent when her friends just found out about her pregnancy and talking about it. Is she going to tell them who's the father is? He wonders.
"Guys, she'll tell us if she's ready, don't push her," Jughead quickly said.
"Well, maybe you can wait but I can't," Kevin said. "I just can't help to wonder if maybe Reggie's the father," he blurts out the truth. "I love you V and I'm sorry, but you know me, this thing will haunt me if you won't spill the deeds," he turns to her.
Jughead chuckled. "What's so funny about it?" Betty asked.
"I'm sorry; it's just what makes you think it's Reggie?" Jughead asked, still thinking it's funny since he knows who the father is.
"What makes you think that it's not?" Betty asked him back and they all turn their heads to Jughead including Veronica, who held her breath, not knowing what he is going to say.
"Umm," he paused as he was thinking of the right answer to the question without looking like he knows who the father is.
"It's not Reggie's," Veronica quickly said.
"It's not?" Betty and Kevin said in unison as their heads turn to her. "Then who's baby daddy?" Kevin asked.
"It doesn't matter," she shakes her head. "Whoever he is, he's out of the picture."
"Have you told the father?" Jughead asked curiously.
"It doesn't matter if I told him or not okay," she sounds pissed. "Because I don't think he needs to know, we're not together, and if I just end the pregnancy, he won't even know," she adds.
"Don't you think at least him deserve to know?" Jughead raised up his voice. Now he is mad at her with her sudden decision because this was not her plan earlier.
"Why do you even care?" Veronica replied and Jughead groans and rolled his eyes at her.
Kevin and Betty just looked at them both with puzzling looks, "hey you guys chill," Betty react to the situation.
"First, thing first," Betty stopped them. "V, are you serious about killing the baby?" Betty asked. "And secondly, why are you even mad? It's not your decision to make." She said to Juggie. "V?" Betty asked again, waiting for an answer.
Veronica nods slowly, still looking sad, "well, I'm not killing it, it's not even a baby yet. It's still probably nothing."
"How long are you?" Betty asked.
"I don't know B, and it doesn't matter, can you please let this go," she hissed.
"What is your problem?" Betty asked as she finally ticked off. "Do you know worried we are when we found out about it? We did not confront you because maybe we thought you would need time to tell us something like this and you didn't. And now we're finding out that you are not even going to tell us and wants to kill a baby that we all have no idea who's the father is?" she blurted out.
"Hey Betty," Jughead reached for her hand. "Calm down." He said as he sees tears shimmered in her eyes. He can't believe how bad the situation is right now and how Veronica has no way out of this. She's stuck in the booth with her friends that won't let this go until she tells them the truth.
Tears ran down her cheeks, she can't believe that she need to face this right now with all her friends pressuring her, to tell the truth, that will make them hate her.
Veronica started crying, "Everything is just fucked up right now. Sleeping with him was a huge mistake and I'm trying so hard not to hurt anybody right now. If you guys just let it go, everything will just go back to the way things were and you guys won't hate me for it." She explains sobbing.
"What are you saying, V?" Betty asked hesitantly. Betty sort of already has a guess on who's the father is and she just can't believe it. "Is it Archie's, V?" Betty guessed.
Veronica sobs get louder and thank god that the diner was empty and Reggie and his friends left because it would be a very dramatic situation to see her crying like that.
"It was a mistake," she cries. "And I'm so sorry B," she pleads.
Betty is still in shock with and just looking at Veronica in disbelieve.
"Now, you know why this is hard for me to tell you guys. And plus he's with Valerie now, and I just can't let our stupid summer mistake ruin everything; our friendship, his relationship and our future," she confessed.
"Wow," Kevin said.
Betty is still silent, her expression hardened looking at Veronica. Betty is still in her disbelieve mode staring at Veronica while she continues crying. At the sight of Veronica crying made her heart, breaks. As much as feeling so betrayed by Veronica for sleeping with her crush, the feelings of sympathy for Veronica as she's crying overcomes the feeling betrayed.
She was really sad and miserable and she never saw Veronica in such state. Betty then thinks about what she been through to be hiding all of this from her friends but she just couldn't take everything right now.
Betty slide out from the booth, "B, where are you going?" Kevin asks.
She let out a sharp breath, "I need air," she said as she walked out of the diner.
Betty couldn't say anything of how she felt at the moment, to Veronica or her friends when she found out what happen. All she can do is write in her diary of how the day went and how the information affected her.
Betty bumped into Archie when she's on her way home; he said 'hey' and she just ignores it. She just couldn't see his face or hear his voice at the moment. Anger is all she felt for him right now and betrayal. Archie did not betray her; she knows that but it feels like it. Plus, knowing that Veronica is facing the consequences to both of their action and knowing he is happy and couldn't take his face off his new girlfriend made it worse.
Betty heard a knock on her window, and she turns around to find the most unexpected person that would be outside her window. She walked to her window and smiles the thought of someone knocking on her window; it feels like in the movies.
She turns the lock on her window and opened it, "Hello Juliet," he says.
Betty eyebrows furrowed as her mouth curved into a smile, "what are you doing here?"
"We need to talk," he said. "Can I come in?" he asks.
"Yeah sure," she said as she opened her window wider. "Why don't you use the front door? And where do you even get the ladder?"
"First, I know if I knock on your door, your mom wouldn't let me in," he said. "Second, I found the ladder at Archie's place, so I borrowed it," he adds.
"My parents are not home and borrowing without telling them is called stealing," she points out.
"I'm gonna give the ladder back and that's borrowing," he smirks.
Betty rolled her eyes, "okay funny boy, why are you here?" she said as she walked to her bed.
"It's about what happen earlier," he said. "Are you okay?" he asks.
"I don't know," she said. "I don't want to talk about it," she said when she heard a notification on her phone. She picked up her phone and rolled her eyes when she sees the contact name.
"Look who texted me?" she said as she opens her text.
"Who?" he asks and Betty walked closer to him and hold her phone in his face. "Oh, Archie, what does he want?"
"He's asking if I'm okay and if I was mad at him over something he had no idea about," she said.
"What did you do to make him think that?"
Betty raised her brows, "Well, after what I just found out, I was mad. So, when he said hey when I'm on my way home, I ignored him."
"Don't you think it's a little bit unfair for you to be mad at him?"
"And why is that?"
"Because it's not like he cheated on you or anything, you guys are not even together romantically,"
"You think I don't know that?" she yells. "I know that we have nothing but I have feelings for him and how am I supposed to react and feel when I found out that my best friend that I'm in love with slept with the only girlfriend that I have," she makes a point.
"You cannot be mad at someone just because that person doesn't like you back Betty," he pointed out. "And you can't blame Veronica. Yes, sleeping with Archie was sort of wrong knowing that you are in love with him but Kevin told me that you made it very clear that you're over Archie before summer."
"Okay fine, I did say that and I know that what happened is not their fault but, that doesn't mean I'm not allowed to be sad and pissed on what happened. I never expect something like this would happen," she said as she wraps her arms around herself.
"I'm so sorry, it's just you know, Veronica values her friendship with you so much and that's why she's not with Archie. Archie told me how devastated he was when she rejected him," he explained. "Sometimes, Betts, having a best friend is better than having a boyfriend."
Betty's body stiffened at the remark and Jughead could see the tears shone in her eyes.
"Betty," he walked closer to her, "I'm sorry if anything I said hurt you,"
Betty, she squeezed her eyes shut as she was fighting back tears. "Don't," she said. She knows that everything Jughead said was right, and she doesn't know why his words hit her and give her all these emotions. Is it guilt? anger? disappointment? she's not sure anymore.
Jughead then, pulls Betty into a hug, "hey," she tries to calm her down. "I'm sorry," he whispered as she rubs her back to keep her from crying.
Veronica is trying to read the book but her mind is lost in space, she keeps reading the same line again and again. Then, she heard a knock on her bedroom door, "come in," she said, expecting her mom to walk in. The door pushed open and she did not expect who it was.
It was Betty.
"Betty," Veronica said as she got up. "How do you get in the apartment?" Veronica asked, surprised. She put down her book and turn her attention to her friend.
"Your mom let me in," Betty explained and she couldn't get her eyes off Veronica's face of how puffy it looks due to a lot of crying. "Look I came here to say I'm sorry V, I over reacted and I know you did not mean for any of this to happen and I forgive you," she said.
Veronica is still surprised that Betty would even forgive her after what happen. She had betrayed her and she didn't expect that it would be easy for her to let it go.
"How?" Veronica said.
"How what?" Betty asked awkwardly.
"How can you easily forgive me after I betrayed you," she said.
"It wasn't fair, for me to be mad at you when Archie is not even mine in the first place. Plus I told you, I was over him before summer, how could you have known that I still have feelings for him," she explained.
"Thank you, B," she said in the saddest and grateful tone. "Look, you're my best friend and I still want to be a part of your life and I can't lose you," she said as she walked closer to Betty.
Betty smiled, "you make it so hard for me to be mad at you," she said as she pulls Veronica into a hug.
Betty looked over at the book Veronica reading, she did not expect that she will be reading that book. "What to expect when you're expecting huh?" she pointed out.
"That's nothing, I found it in one of the mom's shelves, probably my mom's old book and I just read It.," she explained. "It's nothing really; I'm still going with my decision."
"To abort it?" Betty said in disbelief. "It's a baby, V. I can't believe you're considering it," she said disappointingly. "This is so not you; if I were in this kind of situation you would talk me out of it."
"What do you expect Betty," she turns around and sits on her bed. "Yeah, I would talk you out of it, but now that this thing happened to me, I have done a lot of thinking and I cannot do this alone," she said.
"Have you told Archie about this? Because he deserves to know if he got you into this mess. At least you guys could make the decisions together." She said.
"I was planning to tell him today," she sighs in sadness. "But then I saw him kissing Valerie in the music room and I just can't, okay."
"Jughead told me everything." She admits. "I know that the only reason that Archie is with Valerie is because you rejected him. Archie was devastated and he told Jughead," She said.
"How could I B? Risking everything with you, I value our friendship more over a boy and besides we promise not to let a boy come between us," she cried. "I just can't."
"So, you do actually want to be with him as much as he wanted to be with you," Betty pointed out and Veronica remained silent.
"It doesn't matter, okay." She shrugs it off. "What matters is that I'm glad that we're still friends." She said. "And after all of this, we can put everything behind like it never happen." She said.
"Okay, we need a plan." Betty suddenly comes up to Jughead, with his head still in his locker.
Jughead took out a book out of his locker and turns to Betty, "a simple hello would be nice," he chuckled.
"We need to make a plan now before it changes the lives of the people that we care about," she said in one breath.
"Betts, calm down." Jughead chuckled as he puts his hand on her shoulder. "Now tell me what is really going on."
"I just found out that apparently, Veronica might be in love with Archie and she just won't admit it. They like each other so much and they can't be together because of me."
Jughead nods, "obviously," he said the words carefully.
"And because of that Veronica refuse to tell Archie about the baby and she is about to get an appointment today," Betty continues.
"To get rid of the baby?" Jughead whispered and Betty nods.
"Then, what's your plan?"
"And that's why I'm here, I need a plan. And I can't make a plan all by myself right know because I don't know what's right because I still in the process trying to digest what just happen in these couple few days."
"We need to tell Archie then, about the baby he deserve to know,"
"The thing is, I promise Veronica that I won't say a word to Archie about this," Betty says.
"Then let me tell him then, I did not make any promises to Veronica about this,"
"Hmmm," Betty scrunch her nose.
Jughead raised his brows, "you got a better plan?"
"I want a plan where Archie would find out from her and not from us, sort of plan," she said.
Archie was writing his song in the music room during lunch hour when two of his best friend rushed in the room and locked the door behind them.
"Hey guys," he smiles as his whole face lit up. "Why are you guys here?" he asks.
Betty pulled a chair and took a seat in front him.
"We need to talk."
"Oh okay," Archie raised his eyebrows.
"What we are about to tell you here is very important and you just need to do it or else it's like life or death kind of thing," Jughead said.
"Oh okay, what it is?" he laughs.
"Wait, before we tell you the important thing, I've got a question that I'm dying to ask. Are you and Valerie a thing?" Betty asked. "Are you guys like a couple now?"
"What?" Archie chuckles "Me and Valerie, we're just friends. She's been helping me with my music,"
"Dude, if making out with your friends while helping out with music is a thing, and then don't count me in," Jughead pointed out.
"What are you talking about," his brows knitted.
"We know you have been making out with Valerie in this very room,"
"I only kissed her once and that meant nothing, it was spur in the moment thing,"
"Are you sure Archie?"
"I'm not into her like that, I'm really into someone else." He states.
Assuming that the person is Veronica; Betty and Jughead made an eye contact, signaling now they are more than sure that Archie deserves to know what's going on with Veronica.
"Good then," Jughead replied.
"What's good?" Archie asked.
Betty looked Archie in the eye, "Well, we want you to find Veronica, Archie. You need to find her before school ends. She has something really important that she needs to tell you," Betty strictly said. "Find her."
"What's going on? You guys are scaring me."
"Just find her dude, before school ends." Jughead sigh to his best friend cluelessness. "We cannot tell you why because we can't, so—goodbye then," he said as he turned around. "Let's go, Betts, I'm starving."
"Find her okay?" Betty reminds him again before she leaves.
Archie could not stop thinking of why he needs to find Veronica before the school ends. They told him like it was serious and he is worried and curious; he couldn't focus during the last period thinking about it.
So, after school, Archie grabbed his things and look for Veronica because they don't have the last period class together. Archie found her grabbed her things quickly in her locker and walks to the school's main door.
Instead of stopping her from walking out the school door, Archie followed her. Somehow Archie figured that something fishy is happening because she was alone and in a hurry mode, trying to avoid any contact with people.
Veronica started off on her usual walk home, but then she took a random right then left turn. Archie was confused and he couldn't grasp what's happening.
And he was very scared.
Because Veronica just walked into a Planned Parenthood facility.
Why would she be here?
She couldn't be pregnant… could she?
And if she was, was she planning to never tell him about it?
And is she planning to kill an innocent baby?! He thought.
He had to figure out what was going on. Archie went to the place and slammed the door behind him.
How could these entire people be killing a baby?! He screams in his head. The place made him feel so uncomfortable.
His jaw tightened when she sees veronica filling the form.
"Veronica?! What are you doing here?!"
The Raven haired girl turns slowly around and her heart dropped.
"Ar-archie?"
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