What We Once Were

Chapter 5

I AM SO SORRY. I couldn't get into my account until a few minutes before this was uploaded. I'll try to write another chapter for tonight since I missed a day, I can't promise anything though.

Archie's POV
"Alright we're going to assign lab partners" Mr. West, our biology teacher announces to the class. Please Ronnie. Please Ronnie. I repeat in my head over and over. "Veronica Lodge, your partner is Reggie Mantle" he says. Reggie winks at Moose before going to sit next to Veronica at the lab table. I roll my eyes and look back at Mr. West, waiting for my lab partner assignment.

Veronica's POV
"This is going to be good" Reggie jokes. I roll my eyes "I'm letting you know now that I'm not going to be doing all the work, learn that now or it will be a very long year" I say smirking. He smiles "you're going to be a handful aren't you?" He asks, leaning his elbow on the table and eying me. "Hmm, maybe. But it's just 42 minutes a day, I'm sure you can handle it" I say jokingly. He shrugs "Andrews sure couldn't" he says, instantly regretting it because he sits up quickly. "I'm sorry I-" he stammers. I shake my head "no it's fine. And you're right" I say glancing over at his table, "he couldn't."

Archie's POV
"So dude did you hear about Lodge and Andrews?" I hear someone, I'm assuming Moose, whisper. "Yeah, I didn't think Andrews had that in him. After the amount of time they were together what he did was pretty dark, even to me" Chuck says back. I'm assuming they have no idea I'm in the locker room just like they are. "What about you, Reg. You practically have your whole day with her. How is she?" Moose asks. "Hot, like usual. But aside from that she's tiptoeing around shit. It'll make it hard for me to get with her" Reggie jokes. I slam my locker shut and I walk around into their row of lockers. "Andrews how long have you-" Reggie says, but I cut him off by shoving him into the locker. I grab his collar and punch him hard in the jaw, once, twice. "Stop!" Moose shouts, pulling me off of him. Reggie falls to the ground and wipes the blood off of his mouth. "Still acting like she's your girlfriend" he says, standing back on his feet. "You ruined that Andrews, and she's hot. Do you really expect the rest of the guys in our school to back off?" He asks. I pull out of Moose's grip and grab him by the collar again, "if you know what's good for you, you'll back off" I say in his face. Before he can respond I push him back into the lockers again and storm out of the locker room, angrily slamming the door behind me.

I put the ice pack on my swollen knuckles and grunt when the hard ice applies pressure to the bruises. My phone rings and I use my left hand to pick it up, not checking caller ID prior to answering the call.

A: Hello
V: You beat him up?!
A: Veronica?
V: yes it's me, can't you read caller ID?
A: never mind that. Yes I beat him up
V: Why?!
A: Because he was talking about you
V: that's none of your concern anymore
A: I know that but-
V: but nothing. You made your bed, you better be able to lie in it. People talking about me has nothing to do with you, I will handle Reggie the way I want to, when I want to.

She hangs up the phone and I groan and shove the phone in my pocket. She has every right to give me the attitude and anger that she is now. I was a terrible boyfriend, and maybe Reggie could be better to her than I was. But the maybes aren't going to stop me. I love Veronica, and I'm going to prove that to her, no matter how long it takes, we'll be together.

Veronica's POV
I put my phone down on the table at Pops and groan. "I'm so sorry" I say, looking up at Reggie, who is seated across from me. "It's fine, not your fault that Andrews is a psychopath" he says. I ignore that comment and look out the window. "I have to go. I'm glad you're okay" I say grabbing my wallet and putting cash on the table for my half of the bill. "Thanks. See you tomorrow" he says, giving me a smile, which is quite small due to his bruised jaw. "Yeah, see you tomorrow" I say standing up. "And by the way, if it's any consolation, some girls find bruises hot" I say with a wink before I walk out of Pops, headed for my house.

"Some girls find bruises hot" I whisper, mocking myself. I groan and put my face in my pillow. Why do I care? Why did I say that? I'm not even interested in Reggie, just in a rebound. Not even that, I just don't want to say that the last guy I kissed was Archie, I need there to be someone else, since he already has his someone else. Or somebodies. I turn my head to check the time on my phone and it reads 1:18. I groan again and try to sleep. Soon realizing that I'll never sleep I get up and grab my robe off of my desk chair. I grab my phone and walk off onto my balcony. I hesitantly scroll through my contacts and my thumb hovers over Archie's name. I take a deep breath and hit call. The phone rings once, twice, three times until he picks up.

A: Ronnie?
V: Sorry for waking you, I just... I have no idea why I called it just made sense when I was was doing it
A: Are you okay?
V: I miss you, Archie.
A: I miss you too, probably more.
V: I wish I didn't miss you at all, I wish I hated you after what you did but I don't, I can't. That kind of makes me hate you more, but we've already established that I can't even do that right.
A: Do you want to lecture me in person? Pops?
V: You're paying. See you in 15

Archie's POV
She hangs up the phone and I sit up, relived but anxious as to why her first choice would be to call me. I throw a t-shirt on and pull my shoes on before grabbing my phone and car keys. I quietly walk out of my room and down the stairs, trying not to wake my father. I silently close the front door behind me and climb into my truck, off to see Veronica.

I pull into the parking lot and my eyes land on Veronica already in a booth sipping a milkshake. I step out of my truck and walk up the stairs leading to the front door. I pull it open, ringing the bell above the door making Veronica look up from the table. I walk over to the booth and sit down across from her, waiting for her to go off.

Veronica's POV
He sits down across from me and gives me a small smile. "Hey. Thanks for coming" I say softly. "Yeah. I'm surprised you called though" he says honestly. "I am too. I guess old habits die hard" I say. "So tell me why you kicked Reggie's ass?" I ask. He takes a deep breath "I told you why, he was talking about you" he says. I roll my eyes "I know that. But why beat him up?" I ask. He narrows his eyes "is that a serious question?" He asks. I nod my head, making him scoff. "Because Ronnie I love you. Despite everything that I screwed up. And I don't expect me kicking Reggie's ass will fix everything, but I want you to know I'm trying. And I just don't want you to move on because I'm just hoping that when I can prove to you that I've changed, we can get back together. I know it's naive, but I can't help but feeling that way" he says. I smile a bit "It's not naive. And I'm not moving on, it's not going to go that fast. You have time to try to win me over" I say jokingly. He smirks "How many guys will I be racing the clock against?" He asks. I smirk and lift my milkshake to my mouth to take a sip, after saying, "we'll just have to see."

Sorry about missing yesterday, I got signed out and couldn't remember my password 😂