Taking my message from the veins | Jarchie ✓

Eleven.

Archie's eyes fluttered open to the sound of the girls chatting in the other room. It wouldn't have bothered him so much if it didn't sound so loud and frantic, alluding to the fact that something must have happened. Without even thinking twice, he carefully wriggled free from underneath Jughead, who was still sound asleep, and gently laying his head, which was originally on Archie's chest, back down on one of the pillows in hopes that he wouldn't wake up his sleeping beauty. Once he was certain that he hadn't disturbed Jughead's slumber, Archie quickly ran to where the chattering was coming from in order to find out what all the commotion was about. When he stepped out of the bedroom door he was immediately met with the sight of Veronica crying as she clung onto Betty, as if for dear life, while Josie was pacing up and down the room with her head in her hands and Cheryl was rambling on about something that Archie couldn't quite make out.

"Veronica?" Archie called over to the raven-haired girl in hopes to get some answers. "What's going on?

"Archie..." Veronica stood up, brushing away some stray tears that were still making their way down her cheek. "I just received a text from my mother..."

"It's bad." Betty chipped in before letting Veronica continue.

"When she got home last night, she wasn't expecting to come face to face with my father who obviously asked where she had been. In an attempt to protect us and herself she made up some elaborate lie that involved all of us going on a road trip together, but he didn't believe her tall tale and now he's not letting her leave the house and threatening to send his agents to come and find us." She explained, her voice becoming more and more shaky. "Archie, my mom's not coming back... And I have no idea what to do."

Archie looked down at Veronica. In all the time he had known her he had never seen her like this: Venerable, and practically cracking under the pressure. Usually, she was the only one who was able to keep her cool, who always seemed to have a solution to any problem, but now she was just like the rest of them. Her name had officially been added to the target board.

"Well, I have a solution." Cheryl announced, standing up to join Veronica by her side. "I vote that Veronica takes charge, as a replacement for Hermonie."

Veronica's eyes widened at the thought. Yes, she was often cast as the ringleader of this everchanging circus, but in her eyes she had never truly done it alone. She had a prompt, or in her case, her mother.

"Yes!" Betty agreed with Cheryl (for once). "Veronica, you should be in charge. After all, you know the situation better than anyone else."

"But that doesn't mean I can run it. I don't know how." Veronica said, hiding her face behind her long black hair. "I've never taken charge of anything by myself before. I've always been the one to carry out the orders, not give them. I can't do this alone."

"Veronica..." Archie took her hand in his. "You and I both know that's an outright lie. What about when we first met? You offered to help me and Jughead on your own, without being told to do so by anyone else. You rebelled against your family on your own accord. Why? Because you can, Ronnie! You're strong enough!"

"At even if you don't believe in yourself, I can help you until you realise that it's true." Josie joined in, putting her hand on Veronica's shoulder. "I've worked for Hiram too, remember?"

Veronica closed her eyes and took a deep breath. They were right, all of them. " Okay..." She finally spoke, her feeble tone had changed to one with more power behind it. "All of you get dressed and meet me outside. Josie and I are going to teach you some self-defence."

They all nodded, every one of them hoping that the others couldn't hear the sound of their heart beating as they all dispersed in order to change out of their pyjamas and into their day clothes. Archie was about to enter his room with the intention of waking up Jughead and explaining everything to him, but not before Cheryl stopped him.