The Investigation - Jeronica

Princess

Old Veronica, from even a few days ago, would have taken my advice. Started anew with practically any girl in the school, they were all dying to be her friend. In a couple weeks time she would've forgotten all about me, Betty and the kiss with Archie. She would become the new queen bee. Yet, as Veronica makes her way home and lays down in her bed she can't help but hear my words running through her mind. She doesn't want to be a horrible person but this is all she knows. Partying and not caring what happened to her the next day was her motto, her legacy, but not anymore.

She wakes up the next morning with a new attitude. She slips into some gorgeous and sickenly expensive dress and heels with her signature pearls and fake smile. She doesn't even know why herself but she doesn't want to be the person I think she is, because then I'm right. Right that she's just some New York, Snobby, Daddy's girl. And there is no way she is gonna let that happen.

"Betty" Veronica says as she enters the student lounge. The room is empty apart from Kevin, Betty and a large pot of yellow roses.
"Veronica," Betty says cautiously.
"Hope you like the flowers. The yellow symbolises friendship."
"Um yeah, their sweet"
"I know roses don't fix anything but I'm new to this and I don't want to lose my first real friend since-'' she trails off. "Look, can we just promise to never let a boy come between us again?"
It feels as though it's the first non-fake thing Veronica has ever said. But as quickly as she opens her heart she closes it.
"Ok" Betty says, because for her that was enough to give Veronica another chance.

"So you guys are back together again" I say sarcastically. Veronica turns towards me. I'm standing against the door, looming over the room. A smile plays on her lips as she sees me.
"Walk me to class?" she asks
I nod and she follows me out.

"So what happened?" I ask
"I proved you wrong" she says smugly
"There's the Veronica I know"
"I just thought the school already has its queen, perhaps I could lay with a low-life like you for awhile" She says it with a smirk.
"Cya later princess." I roll my eyes cheekily, watching her walk away into her first class.

Rumours spread like wildfire, especially in a small town like riverdale so by the time lunch rolls around the news has made its rounds to me.

"You would not believe what I just heard" I say angrily as I sit down at our table for lunch, "They're shutting down the bijou"
Everyone shifts uncomfortably in their seats and I can tell they already heard. It's common knowledge that the theatre is like my second home but what's not common knowledge is that it literally is. I haven't told anyone but I figure it's safer to go on my own for a bit than live in a home with an alcoholic, gang member for a father.
"I'm so sorry Jug" Betty says as she rubs my back sympathetically. I let my head drop into my hands as I listen to the table's comforting silence. Betty and Archie obviously don't want to talk to each other. I enjoy the quiet and I let myself mope. But it is short-lived as the missing person to our newly found "core-four" arrives.
"What's with all the gloomy faces" she chimes out as she takes her seat across from me.
"Not now Veronica"
"What's up with him?" she says, as though I'm not even here.
"The Bijou shut down" Archie whispers in her ear
"It hasn't shut down" I say angrily, "someone bought the property."
A frown covers her face as I say those words and suspicion arises in me. Why would she care for a dumb theatre she's never heard of?
"Any idea who bought it?" she asks quietly
"No" I say slowly, trying to work out what's running through her mind.

Veronica doesn't show it but she is starting to feel troubled. Her father is in jail but knowing him how could a couple bars keep him from running a town like riverdale. Veronica's father has always done this, followed her around like her own shadow. Sure he spoiled her and never dared touch a hair on her head. But how could she love a man who killed so many. He tried to shield it from her, the damage he had done, probably didn't even know the amount of crime she'd seen him do. But she grew up and there was only so much he could hide from her when his whole life was a lie.

When the bell rings and dismisses everyone from school Veronica rushes into her limo on her way home.

"Mama" she calls out desperately." She enters the dining room in search of Hermione.
"Hello Mija" Hiram says, lifting his head up from his newspaper so his eyes are on level with hers. Those eyes burn holes into her soul but the one person she has to keep composed around is her father. Hiding her emotions is the one thing he taught her well.
"Father what are you doing here?" she questions.
"I thought you'd be happy to see me" He says calmly
"What are you doing here?" she asks again, but her father's smile doesn't falter.
"My lawyer got the jury to take another look at my case and it appears I'm innocent like I said." He says it almost as though he believes it. Her mother walks into the dining room shortly after and her look baffles Veronica. She looks like this is all normal, like a convicted criminal comes home for dinner every night.

"I'm going for a walk" Veronica says abruptly. Her mother tries to stop her but when her father agrees nothing can be done.