𝐌𝐢𝐱𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 | 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚

Chapter 10.

Veronica waited outside the building for Betty, cheer-leading practice was long over but she didn't mind, she knew if it was the other way around Betty would wait for her. Veronica glanced from her phone for the seventh time as she heard the school doors creak open. But this time it was actually Betty, she was sure the girl looked worse than her, she looked worn-out and miserable. But she managed a smile at Veronica.

"Hey." She struggled, her voice short and croaky. Veronica forced down a laugh, knowing it would be cruel for her to laugh at Betty working so hard. Veronica nudged her playfully and slid her arm through Betty's, linking them together as they walked. They'd gotten used to being all touchy in public, it was something people around them had gotten used to too, noticing the shared looks and touches, they weren't idiots. Jughead had called it out once making both the girls splutter and stumble over words for an explanation, but they mumbled random things hoping it covered their tracks, they didn't even stand by each other for about a week feeling like everyone would find out about their secret feelings. But it didn't last too long, they were back to being all over each other after the week and so far Jughead hadn't spoke a word. Most likely because he could sense the tension he'd caused.

"You need a throat sweet?" Veronica offered, rummaging through her purse and bringing out a pack of cherry throat sweets. Betty looked at her like she'd just handed her enough money to keep her going until she died. She gratefully took one and popped it in her mouth, praying it would soothe the pain. "Josie pushed you hard, huh?"

"I never knew I could sing for three hours straight, but apparently she practices at least five hours a day?! How does she have a life?! My throat could barely survive three hours!" Betty exclaimed although she couldn't talk loud like she usually did so she kept her voice to a minimum. Veronica raised her eyebrows, she hadn't realised Josie worked so much, she made it seem so easy, Betty turned her head to Veronica as they walked. "She thought she was coaching you."

"I bet she had a surprise when she found my prissy little Betty sat waiting." Veronica giggled, squeezing Betty's arm lightly and beaming up at the girl whose lips fell, frowning down at the small brunette.

"Prissy? I am not prissy."

"No, I agree with you there. But I just like to use the word prissy." Veronica smirked, making Betty shake her head with a grin, knowing Veronica was telling the truth. "Cheryl gave me the main focus in the routine. Have you seen that girl cheerlead? No wonder they chose her, she's an expert."

"Cheryl wasn't chosen, she was primary leader, so she'd be put as top cheerleader if something happened to the leader." Betty told Veronica, watching their feet as they moved in sync with one another. Veronica cocked her head to a side watching the blonde.

"What happened to the leader?"

"It was Polly. She was one of the best cheerleaders that the school had. You should have seen her at the games, she was much better than Cheryl, I won't say Cheryl's not good because she is, she's an amazing cheerleader but compared to my sister, she was minor." Betty spoke with a smile something she rarely did, she liked speaking of Polly. She'd always wanted to be like her sister, to be pretty, popular, have a relationship that was stable and meaningful. She adored Polly almost as much as she adored Veronica.

"Maybe a little while after the babies are born, she could show us a little of her old routines. Who knows maybe we could recommend the routine to Cheryl." Veronica suggested, Betty nodded, liking that idea, she remembered how Polly liked to teach Betty how to do some of the simple moves, Polly had told her when she'd first came into high school and Polly had just become the head cheerleader, that one day they'd be on the squad together as the perfect duo.

Betty let out a sigh, as happy as her memories were of Polly, they were also upsetting. "I know its mean Ronnie, but I just wish Polly had never met Jason, I wish they'd never even glanced at each other, I wish he didn't get her pregnant and lead my parents to take my sister from me. Maybe to Polly he didn't ruin everything, but to me he did."

Veronica sensed she had a reason for saying it, she knew Betty had nothing to do with Jason's murder but if someone heard her talking like this they might get the wrong idea.  Veronica unlinked their arms and laced their fingers together. "It's not mean. You loved your sister and he took her away from you, I couldn't imagine how that felt."

"We'd practice cheer-leading moves in the living room in front of our parents, she'd promised me V - she promised me that nothing would get between me and her..." Betty sighed, feeling tears prickling in her eyes. "Yet she wasn't even going to say goodbye. She was just going to leave. No hug, no sorry we didn't end up the perfect cheer-leading duo, no sorry I chose a Blossom over you." By this point Betty could feel the tears falling down her cheeks, she'd kept in how she felt about Polly especially since she'd been trying to help protect her, tried to be the only one not fighting with her but underneath all the kindness and love she had for her sister, she was angry. She wanted to yell at her. She wanted to make her feel how she felt, she wanted to leave Polly without saying goodbye, just to show her how it felt. How much it hurt.

Veronica had stopped them both and pulled Betty into a hug, rubbing her back and holding her as tight as she could. She hadn't known about Polly not saying goodbye, she thought maybe she'd snuck into Betty's room before she left and said a quick goodbye, she didn't think Polly would be so cruel as to leave Betty without a single goodbye. Veronica felt Betty shake as she cried and it broke her heart in two.

"Maybe...maybe I know this is probably a bad idea. But how about we go talk to Polly? Ask her why she was just going to leave without saying goodbye? Maybe she had a reason, or maybe she was intending to say goodbye but she didn't get the chance." Veronica wanted to help and this was the only way she knew how, confront the problem but Betty shook her head once she rose from Veronica's shoulder, still remaining in the girls arms.

"No. I won't add to her stress. I can't be the cause if something goes wrong with the babies, Polly has been through enough and her stress effects the children. Nothing is going to happen to my nieces or nephews, Polly might not have been able to keep her promises, but I promise I will be the best auntie I can be. And unlike the rest of my family I keep my promises." Betty sniffed, swiping away her tears and standing tall, trying to keep strong like she always did.

She wanted to be there for Polly's children, she was the godmother and the auntie of course, but she knew Cheryl would make her life hell once again when the children are born, she knows the minute the kids are born Cheryl will pounce and be determined to claim Betty isn't part of the twins family. Betty wasn't going to let that happen, she wanted to be apart of the children's life, she wasn't going to bow down to the Blossoms wishes. She wasn't Polly.

"Alright, good on you B. That's why I like you. You have a strong, mighty hidden side and I think it's mesmerising." Veronica winked, grinning from ear to ear as the blonde stood closely in front of her blushing.