𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐃𝐄, riverdale [2]

SEVENTEEN

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The next time Mariah saw her mother, she had told her about FP being released soon and about the not so lunch with her father. Amara hadn't said much about what went on between Mariah and Patrick because she wasn't sure what to say. She wasn't surprised that the man had tried to make himself seem less like the bad guy. It was actually quite amusing that it had backfired on him.

But she still hadn't said much about it. Mariah couldn't blame her. If she were in her mothers shoes (which in a way she was), she would have completely shut down as well. She wished she hadn't, but Mariah knew how it felt to be cheated on. And it absolutely sucked. Amara had never wanted her daughter to know of the pain that came with something like that, especially at such a young age.

Unfortunately, Mariah did. Of course it wasn't to the magnitude that her mother experienced. She and her father had been together for years. There was a lot of history between them. A lot of years of love. Mariah and Archie had been together for months. But even though they hadn't been together for as long, the pain was still there. And boy was it painful.

Mariah had wanted to just take her mind off of anything relating to her father and to FP. She just wanted a distraction, even if it was for a little while. She had been watching TV in her room when Betty had texted her. She and Jughead were throwing a retirement party for FP Jones, as he was leaving the Serpents. Betty had asked if she would want to go, completely understanding if she didn't. Mariah wasn't sure why she asked at all. Maybe Betty had hoped that in going, Mariah could get some sort of closure.

Mariah had replied with a 'no' and that was that. As the night went on, she had thought about actually going. Maybe if she did, she could speak to FP and actually get that closure. Maybe she could put the entire thing behind her. She contemplated it for a while before deciding against it. The wound was still pretty fresh. It still felt as though it was too soon.

The blonde rolled over onto her stomach as she stared at the TV. She couldn't even focus on the show she was watching. Some distraction.

She didn't know what to do. She was bored. She didn't want to bother Cheryl or Josie. She felt as though Kevin only wanted to hang out with her because he felt bad for her and she wasn't in the mood for his sympathy tonight. Betty and Jughead were at the White Wyrm and Toni, Sweet Pea, and Fangs were probably there too, so she couldn't call them. Her mom was already asleep.

Mariah felt completely alone. She knew she wasn't. She still had friends and family. But she felt like such a burden nowadays. She was such a mess. Everything was such a mess.

She groaned in annoyance and turned off the TV before pulling out her laptop and opening up YouTube. She clicked on a random video and for the rest of the night, she just watched YouTube, unable to to even pay attention to the videos either.

••••

The following Monday, and everyday after that, the blonde had to force herself to get out of bed and go to school. She made herself as presentable as possible, even styling her hair in a half up half down fashion and doing her makeup. She was slowly, but surely, getting back to her old self. At least, she hoped she was. She felt indifferent now about the Archie and Veronica thing so that was something, right?

She went about the school day like she normally would. She talked to her friends, paid attention in class, and didn't want to punch something at the sight of Veronica or Archie.

She tried her best to console Betty, who had told her about her breakup with Jughead. She then talked to Jughead to try to see where his head was at. But he hadn't wanted to talk to her. In fact, he had tried to push her away just as he did Betty. "To protect her." And oddly enough, Mariah didn't fight him like she once would. She only nodded her head and walked away. As if it hadn't bothered her.