OLD FRIENDS - Jeronica

*Part 20*

A year passes by quickly and this year has sure passed quicker than ever before. After that night when Ronnie and I finally worked things out I couldn't have felt better. I still remember the next morning perfectly.

Flashback

As morning light peaks in through the curtains I drearily lift my head up to see what looks like my hotel room. Yet at a closer inspection the shelves reveal Ronnie's belongings. At this thought, memories from last night rush into my head and I can't help but feel cheery.

I slowly get out of bed and walk into the kitchen, following the smell of waffles.
"Hey babe" I say to Ronnie and boy does it feel good to say that.
"Hey boyfriend" she says as she turns to face me. I lean down and gently kiss her forehead as she gives me her gorgeous gentle eyes.

I then take a seat down at the table and shortly after, Ronnie hands me waffles bacon and an egg in the shape of a heart. Immediately I start devouring the food and Ronnie laughs at my manners.

After a moment of silence she then speaks
"You know i didn't say this yesterday but I love you too jug" she says lovingly. I finally look up from my plate and lean across the table to kiss her but instead she puts her hand to block me. "I can wait for you to finish eating" she giggles out but I ignore her, planting small kisses over her whole face as she attempts to push me away.

Flashback end

Life was perfect for a while back then. Six months later Ronnie and I moved in together. It made the most sense. I got my book published and became a bestseller. That's something I'm putting on my resume. When I finished the last day of my book tour I felt like I was done with New York, ready for the next chapter in my life. Of course I told Ronnie that and she freaked out. Riverdales her past but it's my home. She stayed at Pete's and his husbands house the same evening after our fight. Oh and I forgot to mention, Pete finally got married! And Cheryl and Toni adopted a little girl named Regina. Of course they would name their child after the original hbic. As for bettys girls? They were called Rachel and Anna. Anyway, back to Ronnie, she came back home the following night.

Flashback

"Hey" I say as Ronnie walks through the door. It's around 6 and judging from her clothes she came straight from work. "Hey" She says in a tired manner.
"Want me to start cooking dinner" I ask and she nods in response.

The dinner goes by awkwardly, neither one of us wanting to bring up the conversation from last night. Eventually, however, I get sick of trying to beat around the bush and place my cutlery down to speak. "You know we have to talk about it" I say and she stops eating at my words, putting all her attention into me.
"what is there to talk about?" she asks
"I want to go home" I reason "to Riverdale"
"I'm not ready to leave New York" she says
"Oh c'mon we both know your hating your job."
"Even so, Riverdale is your home not mine"
"It's your home too." I reason
"No! It's where I was hated for my parents, cheated on by Archie and then abandoned at 18." She says as she stands up and I know I've pushed a button.
"But you have me now" I say softly.
Silence fills the room at my words and I've never felt so vulnerable. She can tear me apart with her words now. Tell me I'm not good enough. But she doesn't. She simply sighs and takes a seat back down at the dinner table, me taking the one next to her.
"So what now?" she asks and I honestly don't know so I don't reply.
"I don't want this to end" she eventually cries out and I can feel a tear drip down my face at what's happening.
"Neither do I" I whisper back
"Then don't end it" she says as she closes the space between us, landing a soft kiss on my lips but i slowly pull apart from her.
"I'm not gonna stay for you and I'm not gonna make you come to Riverdale with me"

Flashback end

And as i said those words, with tears in her eyes, ronnie remembered something which I only found out later. When she left me to go to New York those were the thoughts running through her mind. "I'm not gonna stay for you and I'm not gonna make you come with me." She had promised herself it would be better for both of us and only then did she realise it wasn't better. Perhaps she'd never known of anyone making sacrifices for others and only of running away like her parents, but running away had only ever caused her pain and loneliness and now she was given another chance. With this swirling through her mind, she took a deep breath before saying-"