Stardust // Reggie Mantle (3)

Chapter Twenty-One

Almost immediately after she was out the door, Caia was pounced on by Veronica. Caia sighed. She didn't know if she could stomach two different confrontations in a row.

"Hey, Caia," Veronica greeted, approaching warily. She wore a hesitant smile as she observed the redness around Caia's eyes. "Can I steal you for a minute?"

Caia shurgged, giving into the inevitable. She sighed. "Fine."

"Great!" Veronica exclaimed. "First, I just wanna say I am deeply sorry for the goings on in the speakeasy with Reggie." Veronica sighed. "I realize now how wrong of me that was, especially now that Archie is back. I know this is a lot to ask, and I really don't expect it, but I just want to ask you to consider forgiving me?" Veronica suggested hopefully.

Caia bit her lip as she contemplated. As much as she resented Veronica for doing what she did, she didn't completely blame her. Her breakup with Archie had still been fresh and Reggie hadn't really been discouraging their relationship. Besides, Caia couldn't hold a grudge against Veronica forever.

Deciding to bite the bullet and get it over with, Caia replied. "It's okay, Veronica."

Veronica beamed. "Really? No hard feelings?"

Caia faltered just a little bit. "No hard feelings," she repeated.

"Thank God," Veronica excalimed letting out a breath of relief. "I couldn't have lived with myself if you had said no. Anyways, I figured all of us could use a little break and stress reliever with SATs coming up, so I decided to throw a little welcome home party for Archie at Le Bonne Nuit." She smiled at Caia. "I hope you'll be able to join us."

Caia gave a tight lipped smile, nodding. That seemed to satisfy Veronica, and she went on her way.

Caia watched her retreat down the hallway. She really needed a cigarette. Or two.

Or three.

*

Later that night, Caia did, in fact, go to Archie's welcome home party. To Veronica's credit, it was decorated very well and she had managed to get most of Archie's friends there.

Caia hid crouched next to the table. They had gotten the word that Betty and Archie had arrived, so all the lights were turned down. As soon as they came back on, Caia shot out from her hiding spot.

"Surprise!"

Archie smiled and chuckled as he looked at everyone gathered. "What is- what is all this?" He inquired as Betty set a hand on his shoulder.

Veronica was stationed at the mic at the front of the room. "Well, it was gonna be a study party, but that was before you came back home to us," she explained. "So now it's a study slash welcome home party, Archie. Complete with a musical amuse bouche provided by moi. So take a seat, lover, and let me entertain you."

Caia rolled her eyes as Betty lead Archie to the table where she, Kevin, and Jughead already sat. Could Veronica ever talk like a normal person? At this thought Caia realized that there were some residual hard feelings left.

Oops.

Veronica began singing some song is Spanish, but Caia wasn't paying much attention. Her eyes had landed on Reggie at the table behind hers, who, much to her delight, was sitting alone. Served him right.

However, only a few moments later Caia's eyes landed back on Archie. He was looking increasingly uncomfortable. Caia didn't know why, but it concerned her nonetheless. Especially when he launched out of his seat and booked it to the stairs and out the door in the middle of Veronica's song.