Consequences

Chapter 37

Veronica was disappointed more than heartbroken, because she had already expected Jughead's answer. Okay, fine, she was a bit heartbroken because Jughead was the first guy who had rejected her, but mainly because she did like Jughead.

So, Veronica's remedy to her aching heart was to avoid him the best she could and to pretend everything was normal if he brought it up.

Once Jughead woke up, he discovered that Veronica was missing from her bed. He searched the kitchens, the bathroom, Cheryl and Toni's room, the White Wyrm, but still no Veronica. He groaned. She must have gone to school early.

As he drove to school, he was conflicted on whether he should confront Veronica about what had happened, or whether he should leave it. He honestly had no idea. He had never been good with girls.

"Oh, hey Veronica, can we talk?" Jughead blurted once he found her alone in the Literature classroom.

"Morning, Jughead! Are you here to continue the debate about the biggest villain of Roman Fever? Because I agree with you, the women are responsible for their actions, not Delphin Slade."

Jughead paused. He got the subtle underlying message of Veronica's speech. "Veronica, it's not your fault..."

"Of course it isn't!" Veronica snorted. "It's Alida Slade and Grace Ansley's fault. I'm not even in the story. Now hush, I'm working on my essay."

"But—"

"Jughead, are you trying to fail me? I need to concentrate!" She shot him a look of annoyance.

He left her alone after that. He decided not to attempt bringing up what had happened again.

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Cheryl Blossom pulled Veronica aside after lunch. "Spill. What happened with you and Hobo? I could cut the tension with a knife!"

"There's nothing to talk about, Cheryl," she flung Cheryl's arm off hers.

"You are the worst liar, Veronica Cecilia Lodge," Cheryl relentlessly followed her as Veronica's heels clicked quickly down the hallway.

"Go bother someone else who actually wants to talk, Cheryl!" Veronica was obviously pissed even when she escaped from the redhead into her classroom.

"Cheryl Blossom always finds out everything!" She called after her. This time Cheryl was not being nosy. She was geniunely worried about her raven haired friend.

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A week passed and the two stubborn dark haired friends never confronted the situation.

Two weeks passed before they started avoiding each other.

By the third week, not even a 'hi' was said when they occasionally bumped into each other in the White Wyrm or at school.

A month went by—there was a huge decline in their relationship.

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"Cheryl, what the hell is going on with Jeronica?" Toni frantically asked Cheryl as they   patrolled the woods.

"I have no idea! I'm stumped!" Cheryl said in frustration. "Usually, I find out everything, but this time, I have no clue."

"Have you asked Veronica?"

"Did you see the thunderous look on her face? I'm not asking again! You do it," Cheryl challenged Toni.

"Jughead's the same, except he's more tense than angry. I have no idea. We've ruled out your brother, he said he didn't do anything to stir things up."

"Jason? He just went on a date with Veronica a few days ago. He said she was really off though,  and when she fell asleep at Pops, the first thing she said when she woke up was 'Torombolo?'."

"Aw, that's so cute," Toni swooned. "Okay, we really need to get them together."

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Jughead brooded in the cave where he and Veronica had been stuck in. He was sitting on the spot where they had fallen asleep and was staring at the moon through the hole in the cave's roof.  He missed Veronica. He played with the pile of stones that she had collected last time.

The loneliness was killing him. He was angry and frustrated at himself for letting their friendship/ potential relationship fall through the cracks. God, how he hated himself! He had ruined everything plus hurt Veronica! How could he do that to someone he liked? Wait...someone he liked?

'Yes, someone you like,' his inner voice said. 'Took you long enough to realise.'

Jughead buried his head in his arms. He liked Veronica. He liked Veronica. He liked Veronica!

"I like Veronica!" he screamed at the top of his lungs to no one in particular.

He turned around to check whether there was anybody near him. Of course, this was not a fairytale, and Veronica would not be coincidentally in the cave and coincidentally hear him. Jughead shook his head, sighing. Guess he only told the moon this time.

But next time...

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While Jughead was in the cave, Veronica was in their bedroom. She was staring at the moon on the other side at the same time as Jughead.

Screw her big fat mouth! Why did she have to do that and scare Jughead away? She should have waited until the time was right to confess her feelings...who was she kidding? Jughead Jones would never tell her he liked her even if she had waited longer. But she had to do it. The words had been stuck in her throat, dying to burst out.

Veronica thought going on a date with Jason Blossom would help ease the heartache. That did not work. The whole time, she kept comparing Jason to Jughead and his dates, which were incomparable. She even vaguely remembered waking up at Pops, thinking Jughead was beside her, and muttering his name. It was a good thing that Jason Blossom did not seem to mind much. She would have totally fallen for him if Jughead did not exist.

Veronica sighed. Why did she always reach for the unreachable? Looking at the empty bed on the other side of the room, she thought maybe she was destined to be lonely.