Consequences

Chapter 11

"How do we know if that recording is fake?" Someone in the audience questioned.

"How do you know the letter was real?" Jughead's reply silenced the Serpents.
"Veronica Lodge has been courageously fighting for us against her own parents. Yes, there was indeed a spy, Augustus Jeffreys, who has admitted to his crime and is now kicked our of the Serpents as a result of breaking the Serpent code. He was the real spy and he was the one who framed her.

Therefore, I, as a representative of the Serpents, thank you—Veronica—for your loyalty and I apologise for having deeply wronged you. We welcome you as one of us."

The Serpents dispersed after Jughead's speech. Only one person stay put.

Veronica Lodge was still hidden in the shadows, and Jughead could not read her expression.

Anxiously, Jughead got off the stage and walked towards her.

Veronica did not budge.

Jughead stopped hesitantly in front of Veronica.

He did not know what response he was expecting from Veronica, but he was definitely not expecting Veronica to slap him.

"Asshole," Veronica said.

She turned around to leave, but Jughead saw the smile on her face.

Jughead shook his head, grinning.

"Told you it would work, Jones," Toni smugly appeared next to him.

"She slapped me!" Jughead argued.

"Well, you deserved it," Toni laughed.

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Tomorrow was a big day for Jughead Jones. His mom and Jellybean were finally moving back to Riverdale to live with FP and Jughead. They had finally decided Riverdale was safe and FP could provide them a stable life.

Jughead tossed and turned in his bed. He did not know how to feel. It was a mixture of excitement and fear, as he had not seen them in years.

"Jughead, the noise you're making is disrupting my beauty sleep," Veronica complained from the other side of the room.

He stopped moving around in reply.

"Can't sleep?" Veronica asked.

"Nah," he turned to look at Veronica.

"Is it because of what's happening tomorrow?" she asked softly.

"Mm," Jughead sighed. "Can I ask you something? How did it feel when you saw your dad after he got out of prison?"

Veronica paused, thinking. "It was...strange. It was like...like you see your dad in front of you, and you know that's your dad, but he just seems like a stranger to you. Do you get what I mean? It's different with you and your dad though, you could call him, I couldn't, so it was just... weird."

"Yeah, it's like that with my mom and Jelly, except they abandoned me," Jughead started to get slightly angry. "And that one time I tried to call her, to go see her, she said 'it wasn't a good time'! What kind of mom does that?"

Veronica sat up once she saw Jughead's heartbroken and angry expression.
"Jughead, I'm so sorry. Perhaps she's here to finally apologise for her mistakes, perhaps she's here to make things right..."

"I don't know if I want to see her," Jughead whispered, eyes full of pain.

Veronica went over to Jughead's bed and sat down beside him.
"It'll be alright, Jughead. Everything's gonna be fine. You have your dad, your best friend Toni, your frenemy Cheryl and me. We're here for you. It'll be fine."

Jughead held tight to Veronica's words.
"Thank you, Veronica."

"No problem, now go get some sleep," Veronica smiled as she headed back to her own bed.

And sleep Jughead did.