Fate's End • Varchie

your voice

"Why?" Veronica spoke as Archie opened his front door and watched as his girlfriend storm in, tears rolling down the sides of her face, "Just tell me, why? Why wouldn't you tell me."

"What are you talking about?" Archie asked, closing the door and taking a seat next to her.

"You're moving to Colorado. Why didn't you tell me?" Veronica asked, loudly gulping as she struggled to breath from her breakdown, "I don't get it, am I not important enough? Did I do something wrong? If I did I'm sorry, I—"

"—Ronnie, you didn't do anything wrong. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to hurt you. If I told you, you'd be upset and I don't think I can handle seeing that and knowing I was the cause of it all." Archie interjected, wrapping his arms around her.

He felt her head hit his chest, her arms wrapping around his torso as her body started to shake even more.

Veronica Lodge wasn't someone that appeared to be vulnerable and weak as she was now, but she did break easily. She rarely lets people into her life, and then when she does and betrayal comes, everything goes awry.

"Well did it work? Because it still seems that I'm upset anyways." Veronica spoke, her voice slightly harsher than she wanted it to be as she pulled away from him, pushing back the urge to be in his embrace again.

"I swear, I didn't want you to find out from anyone else.." Archie replied, trailing off as he didn't know where he was heading with his statement.

"Right, because you didn't want me to know at all." Veronica said pointedly, her finger rubbing at the corner of her eye, picking off the dried and crusty rheum.

"And I told you why. I don't get what the big deal is." Archie spoke, holding back his instinctive shrug as he held Veronica's hand in his, "You know I love you and I didn't mean for you to find out this way, I was going to tell you at some point."

"When? On your flight to Colorado?" Veronica spat as her nose and eyes because red again, and a series of tears escaping her eyes, "The big deal? The big deal is over seven hundred miles, you're going to be three states away! How am I going to kiss you or be with you if you're that far away?"

"No.. Ronnie, I know I would never admit it but you know I would've never left without saying goodbye. I would hate myself if I just left and didn't glance back at how much I was going to miss Riverdale, how much I would miss you." Archie felt unwilling tears slide down his cheeks as Veronica picked at the stuff that had gotten underneath her nails, her shoulders rising and falling as the waterworks continued for both of them.

"How are we even going to make this work?" She whispered out, dropping her hands to grab his as his forehead touched hers.

"We'll find a way." The tearful boy replied, giving her a small and weak smile.

"No." Veronica spoke, pulling away from him completely.

"What?" Archie asked, staring at her back as she turned away from him.

"I can't do this." Veronica turned back around to face him as she stood up, looking down at him, "If I'm going to be in a relationship with someone, they can't be in a different state. They can't be so far away and think everything will be okay."

"Veronica.." He started, but was quickly cut off by Veronica.

"No, Archie. I can't. I'm sorry.. You know I love you, and I always will.. but I just, I just can't be that far away from you. I'll drive myself crazy." The Latina rambled, running her fingers through her dark hair in anger before she dropped them back to her sides.

"I—" Archie attempted to speak but was again stopped. 

"I lied. Seven Minutes of Heaven? I didn't ask for Betty, and I didn't go in that closet with you to protect Betty. I know it's selfish but I just didn't want you to go in there and fuck Cheryl, okay? All I ever wanted was for us to be together, no interruptions, no drama. You.. all to myself. When I finally thought I had all that.. you're leaving for Colorado, and I'll probably never see you again." Veronica rushed out, her arms going around Archie and tightening as her emotions took over her body.