"We're all on the edge of madness; deep down, darkness is within all of us and we're on guard constantly trying to avoid losing control."
In which Mickey Lodge has a few skeletons in her closet.
{COMPLETED WITH ALL SEASONS + epilogue}
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"Hey, there you are," Hiram says when Veronica comes into the dining room. "Come, sit, join us. I have news."
Veronica squints her eyes suspiciously at her parents, "Please don't tell me you and mom are chaperoning prom?"
Hiram puts his napkin down on the table, chuckling. "We are, but no. My news is that according to my doctor, my core strength is building back up. In fact, my grip is almost as strong as it was pre-diagnosis."
"What are you saying, Daddy?"
"I'm beating it. I'm beating this damn disease," he gloats.
Hermione reaches to squeeze his hand. "Honey, that's incredible."
"It is, assuming it's true." Veronica takes her phone out, waving it. "Forgive me if I call your doctor to confirm that this isn't another one of your stories?"
Hiram nods, "Go right ahead."
Mickey has been sitting in her seat, quiet as a mouse the entire morning. She excuses herself, "I have to get my things ready for school."
Veronica waltz into her sister's room a few minutes later with this bright smile. "Well, it seems that's Daddy was telling the truth. His doctor said he is in fact better."
"That's good, Vee," Mickey continues to pack her school bag.
"Okay, seriously, what's going on with you? You're acting like a hollow shell of yourself..."
Mickey stops, taking a deep breath. When she knows tears are building up in her eyes, she points them to the ceiling to stop them from falling. "Jughead and I are broken up."
"Oh, Mick..." Veronica takes a step forward to console her.
Mickey holds up her hands to stop her. "If you hug me, I'm going to cry, and then we're gonna be late."
"Who cares? We're seniors."
"I care. I don't want to fall apart right now."
"Well, I'm sure you and Jughead will figure things out," Veronica assures her.
"This isn't like before," Mickey tells her. "It's real and we're not getting back together. I just need to get through the next couple of weeks and then I'll be in New York."
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Cheryl approaches Mickey at her locker with a sickly sweet smile. "Mickey...I have spent my entire life fantasizing about being prom queen, and a part of that fantasy is that I exist in a world where everyone wants me to be prom queen."
