Faithfully

87

Things hadn't been the same with Archie not being there. Five weeks. A month and week he had been gone. Two weeks since anyone had heard from him or was able to see him. Veronica grew unruly worried. She buried herself in work at Pop's and La Bonne Nuit. Everyone had started to worry about her.

She stood behind La Bonne Nuit's bar in her Pop's uniform on a Tuesday evening as she wiped the bottles down one by one with a sanitized cloth. Braxton and Betty walked down the stairs and saw their friend in her frantic state. "V," Betty sighed. "Why don't you come out with us tonight to the Wrym? You haven't enjoyed a single day of your summer." Which was true. If she wasn't working she was planning her revenge on her father or trying to figure out what was up with Archie. "I can't. I have so much to do." She replied without looking their way.

"Do you really want to spend your entire summer before senior year working? You have the rest of your life to do that." Braxton told her.

"I have two businesses that are depending on me, Braxton. It may not be what I want to do it it's what I need to do." Her hostility was through the roof.

Betty and Braxton shared a brief look and Betty made her way back around the bar. Braxton reached over it taking the bottle and cloth from her hands and Betty immediately wrapped her arms tightly around Veronica. At first she didn't react she just stood they're with her hands still up in the air like she was holding the items that were just removed from them. But then they wrapped around Betty and she began to cry. "I just don't know what to do." She sobbed. "Come with us. Forget about your responsibilities for just one night." Betty encouraged.

Veronica wiped the tears from her eyes as she nodded her head and smiled a faint smile.

The fact that Braxton didn't know what she and Sweet Pea were still ate at her. Deep down she feared that the tables were reverse and he wouldn't want to commit to her this time due to a lack of trust.

She hopped out of her Jeep and quickly ran up and knocked on his door. When he answered it he held it open so she could come in. "You don't have to knock." He laughed as she walked past him. She turned to face him and without acknowledging what he said, she blurted, "Am I your girl?"

A shocked look came over Sweet Pea's face. He was completely caught off guard. "What?"

"Are we together? I mean- we spend most of our time together. You told me you love me. We hookup. It's great and all, but I want more with you. And if you don't then I want you to be honest with me because I don't want to get hurt."

He held her eyes as he walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and said, "I've hurt you. I've said some terrible things. And I've done some shitty things. I didn't want to rush it. I wanted to make sure when I got you back that I'm the person that you deserve."

"You are!"

"I want to talk to your dad about you and I. I know he doesn't care for me."

"He has nothing to do with us."

"But you love him-"

"And he loves me, but I love you." She grabbed his cheeks with her hands and lowered his head down to hers so she could kiss him. "I want to be yours. I'm ready."

A large smile came over Sweet Pea's face as he pulled her in tighter. "Then Braxton Elizabeth Jones, will you be my girl?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

The Wrym was loud and full of people. Most of the younger Serpents showed up for $2 shot Tuesday and some pool. Braxton was finally back in her chair while she watched Sweet Pea play pool with Jughead, Fangs, and Reggie as she was sipping on a whiskey. Toni and Cheryl sat at the table with her and they all talked. Betty and Kevin finally showed up with Veronica, the whole gang was there. All but Archie.