Falling Apart

Epilogue

“Baby, we're gonna be late again!” Jug yells from downstairs. I roll my eyes and keep doing my hair.
“B, HURRY UP!” Veronica screams.
“I NEED MORE TIME!” I yell and hear everyone laughing.
“You should all learn how to shut up and wait,” I hear Matt saying to them with a loud voice. I smile, apply my ChapStick, since I don't have much makeup on anyways and I always look natural. I can only imagine Toni's and Cheryl's makeup. I get up and look in the mirror. I have the graduating gown over my arm and I'm holding the cap as well. I have my Serpent Jacket on with a white knee length dress. Well, a little shorter than knee. I actually look beautiful with a little curled hair and this makeup. The scars on my legs don't bother me anymore and when it gets hot, I don't mind the ones on my arms and wrists either. The palms still sometimes have the open cuts, but I'm working on it everyday not to hurt myself anymore.
“BETTY!” Kevin yells.
“COMING!” I yell back, just as sharply and go downstairs rapidly. They smile at me and my looks.
Jug wraps me up in his arms, my hands cupping his neck. He kisses my forehead and then leans down to my face. “You look gorgeous,” he whispers, making me smile even bigger.
“Don't look so bad yourself,” I say quietly. He chuckles through his nose and pulls me even closer to himself by my waist, kissing me. I kiss him back and we end up making out.
“Let's just go without them,” I hear Fangs suggesting, making us giggle and pull away.
“Come on,” Jug says and pulls me out of the door by my hand.

“Archibald Andrews,” we hear. We clap and put on fake smiles as he goes ok the stage and accepts his diploma. “Cheryl Blossom.” We all cheer really loud as she gets hers. She's still the HBIC. That's the true her. She can be nice, but she is still the same bitch underneath. And I love her. My cousin. “Jason Blossom.” “Elizabeth Cooper.” It feels as if the whole world would start applauding and cheering. They just all do it really loud. Al of my friends, my family, the Serpents, my friends' families. I go on the stage with a small smile and accept my diploma. Then I walk to stand next to Cheryl and we wait for the others.
In about 15 minutes, all the diplomas are given, I'm standing between Jughead and Reggie, whose arm is around Veronica as it has been for a month now. “Ladies and gentleman, Riverdale High, graduating class 2018.” Everyone starts applauding again and we throw our caps off. I hug Jughead immediately and he picks me up bridal style, making me giggle, letting the caps fall on the ground. He kisses me passionately and then we pull away.
It's like everyone and everything has disappeared from around us. As we look into each others' eyes, it feels like we're back at the beginning. I'm being carried by him, his face looking a little worried from I don't know what, his beanie on his head. And then there are his eyes. The blue soft hopeful eyes I fell in love with. The love I can see in them right now is indescribable. And I know he sees the exact same thing in mine, because I want him to. I want for him to hold me like this forever and never let me go. I want for his arms to guard me through the nights and days I have left. I want to have kids. Our kids. Grow them up happy and let them play around all day long if they want us to. I want us. And us is what I got from the day I was dying by that river. I got us thanks to all the suffering I've lived through in my life. And honestly? I don't mind.

The end of the first book.