If I Could ; a Jeronica Story

Hate Me

My eyelids slowly flutter open, I look at my surroundings and realise that I'm in the hospital. I go to move but end up laying back down as I groan in pain, how on Earth did I get hit by a car. Constant footsteps come from the other side of the curtain which separates my bed from the rest of the room. It sounds as if someone is pacing.

"Who's there..?" I say with weakness in my voice

The curtain opens and there stands Jughead looking more worried than ever.

"Thank god you're awake" Jughead sighs with relief

"What are you doing here Jones" I squint my eyes at him

"About that I-"

"Have they found the car that struck me? Was it a hit and run?" I cut him off

"Yes and no, you see.. I was the one that hit you.." he sighs "I was riding my motorbike when you just ran straight in front of me.. sorry.."

"And the plot thickens" I attempt to fold my arms but instead wince with pain

"Hey be careful, you don't want to get any worse" he says reaching his hand out as if to tell me to stop

"Why are you actually talking to me in a nice way, earlier today you threatened to kill me Jughead" I furrow my eyebrows looking away

"I don't know I guess I feel bad" he shrugs also looking away

"I don't need your pity Jones, I'm a capable woman, I'm fine" I look back at him "Just go"

"I'm not leaving until your discharged Veronica" he sits down on the chair located next to the bed

"Fine, don't talk to me though" I look down at my hands

Time goes by as I lay down in the cold hospital bed hardly able to move due to the pain that Jughead Jones has caused me, meanwhile he is just staring out the window as if he doesn't want to be here yet he so willingly wants to wait for me.

"Why do you hate me" I break the silence, looking over at him.

"I don't hate you" he replies after remaining silent for a minute or two

"So why are you such a fucking dick to me all the time" I say with my voice cracking as I begin to tear up, I think the meds I'm on are making me emotional "You know there was a point in my life where I had no one because Betty and Archie were too busy obsessing over each other and you were too busy ignoring me. I would sit alone in every lesson and every break time, I had no one Jughead, no one!"

He realises I'm on the verge of tears and scoots his chair closer to mine, now facing me.

"I'm sorry it's just personal things, I didn't realise that I was hurting you" he grabs onto my hand as he removes his beanie

"It doesn't matter anymore, what's done is done" I say as I pull my hand away and wipe my tears

"Betty told me about when we were eleven Jughead" I turn my head to face the curtain "That's why you hate me isn't it"

"I don't hate you ok? Sometimes it's just too hard to be around you and forget everything that happened" Jughead sighs deeply

-------<><><><><><>--------

"Are you sure you're going to be alright Veronica?" Jughead leans against his bike as we wait outside for Andre to arrive

"I'm fine Jughead" I sigh as I've told him this twelve times already

"Don't go getting hit by a car or something" he chuckles

Silence.

"What? Too soon?" he laughs

Suddenly Andre appears in the car. I sigh as I stress over how I'm going to tell my parents that I got hit by Jughead Jones himself while I was running home in the dark.

"Goodbye Jughead" I slightly smile over at him

"Goodbye Veronica" he smiles back as he climbs onto his motorbike

As we drive off I just stare out my window, watching the fading shine of each star as we pass by them. Part of me feels sympathetic for Jughead as it seems as though I did hurt him by being so insensitive when he confessed to me. Was I really that important to him that I potentially broke him? The car pulls up and Andre opens the door for me

"Can't wait to tell Mother and Father about my incident" I sarcastically say as I turn my head to Andre

"Your parents aren't home Miss Lodge, did they not inform you?" He questions

"No they didn't.. why where are they?" I fold my arms and tilt my head

"They went to New York to see your grandfather in hospital, he's very ill Miss Lodge" he faces his head towards the ground with his hands held in front of him

"Oh I see.. well goodnight Andre" I sigh as I begin to walk up the stairs

-------<><><><><><>--------