Let Her Go

The House

Jughead's POV

It's been a week. A whole damn week since I lost the love of my life. I've been staying with Betty and Archie since then. Nobody wanted me to be alone. Especially alone in that house. Betty has told me that her, Cheryl and Toni have been to the house whenever they can to clean it up. It's taken them all week because they all three work. I haven't been working. I've just had too much on my mind. Especially with planning The Funeral. Sometimes while planning it I just have to stop. I tend to think that it's not real and that I'm dreaming and I'll wake up soon, but I don't. I know it's real. I know I've lost her forever. I just want to know why. Why did she do it? That's all I want to know. But, I also want to know was there something I could have done? Was there something I could have said or did to help her? To tell her there was hope?

I finally had enough of Archie and Betty for a while. They're always checking up on me, trying to make sure I was Okay. Its getting kind of annoying with them always on my back. I haven't eaten in days. Not since it happened. I got up and walked out of the room. I ran into Archie as I was walking down the stairs.

"Hey, Jughead, where are you going?" He asked me. I sighed and stopped for a second. I shot a quick glance at the floor and back at him.

"I was going out for a bit. I just need some air. Especially from planning the funeral and everything." I said, my voice cracked a little as I said that. He nodded and looked down a little too.

"Uhh, yeah, I get it. Just don't think to much. And if you'd like, Betty and I can finish the whole planning for you. Take something things off your plate." He said. I shook my head a little.

"No, I don't want you two to go through that... pressure I guess. Plus, you guys shouldn't have to deal with that." I told him. He shook his head.

"No, dude, it'll be fine. We'll finish it for you." He said. I nodded.

"Thanks, Archie." I said, and started to walk down the stairs again. I made sure Betty wasn't around and left quickly. I just don't feel like being questioned again.

I just walked and walked and walked. I don't know how long I was walking, but when I stopped I hadn't realized where I was going. I just looked up and found myself at our house. Mine and Veronica's. Our. It hurts saying that. But, I wouldn't ba able to just call it mine.

I slowly opened the front door. It was dark. I looked around and Betty, Cheryl and Toni have been here. They did clean it up. There was no more mess. I walked inside and shut the door. I sighed as I slowly started to walk around. The whole house was organized. Like I didn't just lose my mind. I slowly made my way to our room and slowly opened the door. It was cleaned too. The bathroom door was opened. I stopped for a minute, scared to even want to go in there. I let out a deep sigh and walked in. And just like the rest of the house, it was clean. Although there was nothing there anymore, I could come in here and act normal. All I could see is water all over the floor with Veronica's lifeless body laying in it with her blood all around her. I closed my eyes and sighed. I quickly turned around and left before I would start crying again.

As I walked through the house for a second time, I noticed one thing. A lot of the pictures of me and Veronica, or just her, were not hung up anymore. I sighed annoyed now. I'm not keeping quiet about this. I quickly left and made it back to Archie's and Betty's. As I walked through the door Betty was there. She gave me a confused look.

"Jughead? Where are you coming from? When did you leave?" She asked. I shut the door and shook my head.

"No, you and the girls didn't put the pictures of Veronica and I back up yet? Or are you guys just not going to put them back up?" I asked her, getting a little pissed now. I don't know why it's just becoming natural at this point.

"Wait, you went to the house? Why? You shouldn't be there?" She said in a warning kind of way.

"Why? Is it because my soon-to-be wife killed herself in that house? Is it because you think that I'm now traumatized?" I asked her, raising my voice not meaning to do it. She looked down and she seemed a little scared.

"I-I... a little." She strutted.

"Well, I am, Betty! Of course I am! But, that doesn't mean you should put up the pictures and the memories!" I told her.

"I'm sorry, Jug! I- we just didn't want to put you though that pain again. None of us knew you would make this big a deal about it." I said, slight tears in her eyes. That's when Archie came down the stairs.

"What the hell is going on?" He asked, looking back and forth between the two of us.

"Its nothing," Betty said. "The girls and I just messed something up at Jughead's place. We didn't know he'd make a big deal out of it."

"Well, what did you mess up?" He asked. I rolled my eyes.

"Nothing," I said. They both looked at me. "I'm leaving. I'll be back for my stuff tomorrow."

"Wait, you aren't going back to the house are you?" Betty asked as I opened the door. I looked at her.

"I am. And it's not 'the house' its mine and Veronica's." I said, leaving.