Resilience | Sweet Pea.

18 - Birthday.

A week had passed since the drag race, Betty and Veronica had caught the jingle jangle dealer, the 'sugarman' as he was called, who happened to be Jughead's English teacher. And now that she'd done so, and ended her toxic relationship with the black hood, Betty had confessed the truth to Jughead, and they'd gotten back together.

I'd grown a lot more attached to Sweet pea. Having obvious feelings for him was slowly starting to scare me less and somehow even more. With My birthday now quickly closing in on me only days away, I started to panic. I hated my birthday since my parent's death, it felt false to celebrate the day of my birth without the people who gave me life.

"So, Nova." Veronica asks as her, Betty and I walk towards my house after school. "Betty and I want to know what you want to do for your birthday?"

"Nothing." I say.

"C'mon Nova it's your birthday!" Betty begs.

"I don't do birthdays." I say. "Just pretend it's just another day."

"No can do, you're our friend and we want to celebrate you. Even if it's just a trip to Pops and a movie." Veronica says.

"You guys know I hate my birthday." I sigh.

"Please! Let us do something fun with you!" Betty begs, earning a sigh from me.

"Archie and I have always had either breakfast or lunch at Pops together our birthdays, why don't you join us? Bring Jug too I guess." I sigh.

"Great!" Veronica says.

"Just... Please don't make it a big deal?" I beg.

"No promises, girl." Veronica hums.

"Listen, I know I said we'd do something tonight but I kinda just want to go home. Is that okay?" I ask as we begin to approach my house, the strong urge to be alone suddenly washing over me.

"Oh... Of course! Are you alright?" Betty asks.

"Yeah, I just... Cross country was brutal today." I lie. "I'll talk to you guys tomorrow."

I hurry forward towards my house, Fred's truck isn't in the drive, indicating he's not home. I walk through the front door, hanging up my jacket.

"Archie?!" I call as I walk upstairs, wondering if he's home.

I peek into his bedroom, which is empty, meaning I have the house to myself. I walk into my own bedroom, shutting the door and curling up in the middle of my bed. I felt bad, because my friends, my family, everyone wants me to feel special and loved on my birthday, but my birthday just hasn't felt real since my parents passed.

It feels like to celebrate the life they gave me without them is selfish... Yet I feel more selfish for taking the joy of celebrating my birth from the people in my life now, I'm lucky to have people that want to celebrate with me.

"Knock knock?" I hear a voice say, my door opens and Jug's face pops through the door. "You okay?"

"Fine." I say. Not moving from my current position. "Why?"

"Betty told me you seemed off after trying to make plans with you on your birthday. I thought you could use some us time, like we used to." He tells me, ushering me to move so he could sit on my bed, I do so, leaning my head on his knees, he pats my head.

"I know I'm lucky to have people that WANT to celebrate my birthday, trust me. But-"

"Your parents, huh?" He asks.

"Yeah. My entire birthday reminds me that they're gone." I say, sitting up with watery eyes.

"I know you miss them Nov... We all do." He says.