What We Once Were

Chapter 17

Veronica's POV
I wake up to the sound of crying, an infant crying. I step out of bed and walk into the hallway, trying to keep my volume down. I walk to the guest room, where the crying is coming from, and I open the door to find a pink nursery. My eyes fill with tears and a lump forms in my throat. "What the hell is this?" I whisper to myself. I walk closer to the crib in the middle of the back wall and see little hands bobbing up and down over the side. I get close enough to see her face, her eyes meet mine and she stops crying. She smiles and I lean down to pick her up in my arms. "Hello" I coo as I run my finger on her cheek. A knock at the door makes me turn my head to see who it is, "are you okay, Mija?" My Mom asks with a smile. "Yes. I'm great" I respond happily. "Even knowing that you gave away your only daughter?" She asks. I look up from my baby to my mom, "what?" I ask. She walks away and I look back down to the baby. She's gone.

"Where is she?" I gasp and shoot up out of my bed. I put my hand on my chest and feel my racing heartbeat. It was a dream. I close my eyes and let the tears I've been holding back spill over. I let out quiet sobs so my mom won't hear me and ask what's wrong, because honestly I don't know why I'm so upset. I gave away my only daughter but I did that because it was the best option for her, I'm still in high school, I cannot provide the life she needs. I wipe my face and look at the clock on my nightstand. 10:50. I grab my phone and type a text to send to Archie:

V: Everyone still on for Pops?
A: Yes, Betty and Jughead will be there
V: Can't wait. See you at 11:30
A: See you

I put my phone down and lay back in bed, exhausted from the dream that I had. The last thing I want is everyone asking questions, but I can't wait to see Betty. But if she asks me anything, I will probably end up crying right inside Pops. I stand up and walk over to my closet to change, I may not be the exact same Veronica as I was when I left, but I'm sure as hell gonna look just as good.

I walk into Pops at 11:29 and I see Betty, Jughead and Archie already in a booth. "So was 11:30 a suggestion?" I ask, grabbing their attention. "V!" Betty exclaims with a smile on her face. I open my arms for a hug and she wraps her arms around me tightly. "I've missed you so much" she says. I smile "I've missed you too" I say back. She pulls away and Jughead comes over to greet me, "Great to have you back. You were probably safer in any other town but I'm glad you came back to slum it with us" he says. I laugh and hug him, "I've missed your sardonic humor, Jug" I say. He hugs me back and then we spilt ways and I sit down in the booth next to Archie. "Hey, Archiekins. How've you been since the grocery store?" I ask. He smirks "well not much has changed, but thanks for the concern" he says. I laugh "so I actually have gifts for each of you" I say while reaching into my bag. "You didn't have to get us gifts" Betty says. "Speak for yourself, whatcha get me?" Jug asks. I hand them all their gifts and they start to open them. Jughead gets his open first. "Wow. A first edition of The Lover by Marguerite Duras, how'd you know she's one of my favorite novelists?" He asks. "I remembered you mentioned it, she's one of my favorites too" I say. He smiles "thank you, Veronica" he says. "My pleasure" I say. "Okay me next" Betty says, making me laugh. She pulls a designer sweater from a box and she gasps, "V, this is a Paco Rabanne sweater" she says. "Yes. I saw it and thought of you" I say smiling. She smiles back at me, "it's beautiful, V. Thank you so much" she says. "Anything for my best girl" I say back. "Okay open yours" I say while nudging Archie. He laughs a bit and opens his gift, pulling out a leather music book. "Wow" he says running his hands along the leather, "this is incredible Ronnie, thank you" he says smiling. I smile back "you better still be writing music. You're amazing and deserve a real song book for your genius" I say. He smirks, "I am still writing. Thank you, again" he says. I smile and say, "of course."

Archie's POV
We sit and eat burgers and milkshakes until Betty's phone rings, promptly at 1:30am. "Ugh it's my mom" she groans. Veronica laughs, "do you have to go?" She asks. Betty nods, "yes. But I don't want to. I've missed you so much" she says. Veronica smiles, "we'll hang out tomorrow. I don't want to get you in trouble" she says. Betty and Jughead stand up and say goodbye, then head out of the diner. "Need to get home?" I ask, she shakes her head. "It's morning in Paris right now, so no I don't need to be home" she says. I nods, "I have something to show you. I'll pay" I say. She shakes her head, but I interrupt before she can protest. "No offense Ronnie, but shut up" I say. She laughs and silently admits defeat as I pay the check. I finish and put my wallet in my pocket, then turn to face her and say, "Let's go"

"Where are we going" she asks as we walk down the dimly lit pathway. "This was added a few months back. You'll like it" I say. She rolls her eyes, "you know this is what they do in horror movies before they kill the pretty girl" she says. I laugh "you think pretty highly of yourself" I say. She scoffs "yeah and you don't? You're a modern day Troy Bolton, anyone like that has to be full of themselves" she says. I laugh, "so are you starting back at school on Monday?" I ask. She nods, "yep. Is it weird that I'm nervous?" She asks. I shake my head, "not at all. People may have questions" I say. She looks at me, "like you do?" She asks. I shake my head, "I didn't mean like-" I start, but she intervenes. "I know. But I'm sure you do" she says. I shake my head and look down at the ground we're walking on. "I do, have questions. But you just got back. But, if you want to talk about something you can" I say, hoping she does so I can know how she's feeling. She sighs "I just, I had this dream that I kept her. The baby. And I woke up to her crying and I went into the guest room, which was turned into a nursery. I went in and went over to her crib and she just stopped crying and looked at me. And the second I woke up I felt like I made a horrible mistake. But at the same time, I know I didn't" she says. I stop walking and look at her, "Veronica you wanted her to have the best life possible, you did what you thought was best in that moment. No one can tell you how you feel is wrong, it's completely justified" I say. She smiles a bit, "she's 5 months old today" she says, with tears in her eyes. "It's constant, Arch. Every second of everyday, I'm thinking of her. Is she okay, is she hungry, tired, sad? I can't stop, It's not my place to care anymore but I can't stop" she says, letting tears fall. Without thinking I put my hands on her shoulders, "come here" I whisper, and she leans her head into my chest and wraps her arms around my waist. "Your daughter will know you did what was best for her" I say, trying to stay strong for her. She sniffs and looks up at me, tears staining her cheeks. "Do you promise?" She asks. I nod my head and tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear, "I promise."

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