I'm Here For You

Untitled Part 17

Betty's POV

The next morning was terrible. We woke to the sound of my mom knocking on the door then walking in and taking the covers off of us. We had apparently missed our alarms so we were running late. When I finally realized what time it was, it was seven-fifty. School starts in ten minutes. I'm definitely screwed. I got around and Veronica was just sitting there.

"Are you not going in today?" I asked her. 

"I don't have clothes..." she said uncomfortably. 

"Here," I went to my closet and grabbed a few things. "You can wear these if you want. Or you can stay here another day. That's fine."

"I'll be right back," she said and walked out of my room. I walked downstairs and my mom was leaving.

"Hurry please," she said. "You're already late enough," I nodded and waited. She soon came walking downstairs and she was wearing what I gave her plus a hoodie from my closet. I smiled and rolled my eyes.

"Did you just steal that from my closet?" 

"...maybe?" 

"Alright, let's go."

When we got to school we were already fifteen minutes late to first period yet I still felt the urge to walk her to class, so I did. At this point, I was twenty minutes late to my class but I didn't care. She kept trying to get me to go to class but I insisted on walking her. When I walked into class everyone was looking at me. I sighed and went to sit down next to Toni. 

"Why are you late?" She whispered to me.

"It was Veronica. I'll tell you later." She nodded and went started focusing on the lesson.

At lunch, we walk found each other at our normal lunch table, everybody except Veronica. I sighed and waited for her. I didn't pay attention to a single word they were saying I was too busy trying to find her. I was looking around the whole cafeteria not once did I see her.

"Betty, who are you looking for?" Archie asked.

"Veronica,"

"Wait, she's here? Like, in the school here?" Jughead asked. I nodded.

"Where?"

"I don't know that's why I've been looking for her. I'll be right back, I'm gonna go looking for her." I got up and started looking for her around the school. 

It was nearing the end of lunch and I was about to give up on finding her, I just figured she would go to class on her own. But no, I found her sitting on the floor of a bathroom. I went and sat next to her. She looked up at me. 

"What are you doing in here?" She asked.

"You never showed up for lunch," 

"I wasn't hungry," she mumbled. I sighed and just looked at her. Sure she wasn't. 

"Why don't we just head to class? We'll try again later." I said trying my best to understand what she was going through and what was happening in her head. I know I never will but it's okay to try, right? She nodded and I helped her up. She grabbed my hand and I walked her to class. 

I know she's never told me anything specific as to what she does to herself but it's kind of obvious if you can know and understand the signs. I know if I play dumb she'll just go along with it but if I ask her about it she'll deny it. So for now I'll just wait for her to come to me. Unless I think otherwise.

For the rest of the day, all I wanted to do was to take her home, with me. I just have this gut feeling I'm not gonna be able to keep her safe much longer. I just know something is gonna get in the way.

I waited for her after school. Normally when it would take barely two minutes for her to find me it took her over five minutes. I was starting to get worried. Until she came up to me. I knew she could tell I was worried about her. I just don't know when to say anything. 

When we got home I heard two people talking, my parents. They weren't arguing, they talking like civilized people. I walked into the kitchen and they were sitting a the table. They both looked at me.

"Oh, when did you get home?" My mom asked. 

"Just now,"

"And who is this?" My dad asked. I looked back at Veronica. I smiled and looked back at him. "Oh, you're Veronica. Your friend," he said. 

"Dad!" 

"I know you girls have homework, go do it." He said. I walked upstairs and she followed. 

She immediately climbed into bed. I smiled.

"That's not doing your homework," I said.

"Can't I just sleep, please? Just for a little bit? I'm exhausted."

"Yeah, go ahead," I said.

"Thank you," she mumbled and in just seconds she was asleep. I smiled and just started on homework.

Veronica's POV

I woke up with someone's arms wrapped around me. I smiled a little knowing who it was. I quickly realized it was dark and reached over and grabbed her phone. It's one in the morning. I carefully got up and walked to the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror. I smiled seeing myself in her hoodie. She makes me happy. She makes me really happy. I would give so much to be better for her so I could be with her. I want so badly to be more than friends. But that'll never happen. It took me a minute to realize the bruise coming up on my collarbone. I sighed. I'm sure she's noticed. At least I'm clean. It sucks when so much is running through my head and I can't do anything about it. 

I took a few deep breaths before leaving and going back to the bedroom. When I climbed into bad I cuddled into her again. She wrapped her arms around me tighter than before but I was okay with it. It made me feel safe. It made me feel protected. I liked being held like this. I wish we didn't have to move from this spot.