AFTERLIFE :: Riverdale

IX: Zombieland

There are some stories we don't want to hear. They just remind us of the bad times or directly bring them up. But though they might hold a bad aura, we can't necessarily avoid them else we risk the sting of repeating the mistakes made within them.

No one made more mistakes in their pasts than Archie and especially Veronica, and I'm sure that's why they felt the need to tell me what happened when they went on what was basically their date to the graveyard.

Previously, the two hadn't been on exactly romantic terms. What with Veronica freaking out on him every time he came back into the diner, Archie didn't have much room to romance. She was always just so torn up. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, we'd hear her screaming. She'd say it was from nightmares, but she never slept. Often, Archie would offer to keep her company only for her to brush him off as if she felt in the wrong for being near him.

We didn't know whether to chalk it up to Betty's disappearance or Reggie's barging in, but I had to admit, I was jealous that she got Archie's attention for it. Here I was, hurting inwardly, and no one paid any mind because they thought I was happy to get rid of Betty. Then, there she was, openly scarred, and everybody had poured their hearts towards her.

Veronica was a pitiful sight to see, but she was nothing if not a total badass in combat. Even in her most emotional state, she could certainly fend off a zombie or two. Her baseball bat certainly had some power behind it, but the handgun she carried which was given to her by Archie, she was an absolute assassin. It was clear to everyone that this was not the first time she had to wield a gun, and it wasn't shocking seeing as she lived in New York City with a borderline mob boss father.

Personally, I had no baggage with Veronica. When she first arrived, I figured she would be the next Cheryl Blossom here to give us double the torment. Pleasantly surprising me, she turned out to be quite the stand-up gal who didn't take shit from anybody. Though, there was always this thing I noticed between her and Betty. My good friend, sexual tension. (Note: we're just friends, barely acquaintances. Probably, long distance friends over the Internet.)

Everybody heard the rumors, but a rare few actually knew the story of how Betty got onto the Riverdale Vixens Cheer Squad. All of us spread the candid truth about Betty's makeout session with Veronica, but only some actually understood the purpose behind it. They thought it was for shock value. As a natural sleuth, I theorized from the get-go what I believed to be true.

That was that Veronica, while perhaps being bisexual, lesbian, or otherwise, was definitely crushing hard on Betty. New girl, Veronica, had some romances in the Big Apple, but ended up falling for Betty's hometown charms. They shared a kiss of her own volition, but when she saw that Betty wasn't completely into the idea of a relationship—perhaps because of the stigma surrounding it or pressure from her parents—, Veronica grew a small tinge of jealousy for the one the blonde ended up falling for.

But, she couldn't get me to back down or step away from Betty no matter how many evil looks or chastising words she sent my way. Betty and I were too stubborn, headstrong, and naive for her to even put a chip in the paint on the walls of our relationship.

In comes the disappearance of Betty and the destruction of Veronica's heart. Archie tried desperately to heal it, feeling a deep connection to her. He cooked for her, danced with her, and talked with her for hours on end. He'd blow me off for her sometimes. She had none of it though. Veronica pushed him away when she really needed someone like him the most.

Archie was the kind of guy who wouldn't give up until he made you smile. If that meant playing you silly songs on his guitar, letting you beat him at video games, or just being a shoulder for you to lean on when your life was failing you; he would do it. Honestly, just seeing him smiling for no real reason when he simply stole a glance at me, made me grin.