𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 ¹

|𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓣𝔀𝓸 | 𝓝𝓸 𝓜𝓸𝓻𝓮|

Chapter Two - No More

Every time I try to make sense of our love 

It makes me cry and I can see clouds up above

It ain't no lie even my best is not good enough

-The Vamps, "Sometimes It Rains In L.A"

***

"Yes, I know mom, I know," Veronica sighed, her free hand furiously rubbing her temple as she tried her hardest to stay calm, 

"You need to take care of yourself, Ronnie, you know how things are right now, how do you think I'd feel if I lost both of you?" her mother cried from the other side of the line, Veronica took in a deep breath as to stop herself from crying, it seemed to work for the most part but the longer she heard her mother's sobs pleading for her to be careful the less her tactic held up, she glanced over at, Archie who laid next to her, his head pressed against her shoulder as she sat up in the bed, one of his hands ran up and down her back slowly and the other sat on her thigh, as he listened to her side of the conversation with a guilty look on his face,

"I know mom believe me I know, I promise it won't happen again, I'll take care of myself so you don't have to worry," Veronica assured, 

"Let me talk to, Archie," her mother demanded, Veronica rolled her eyes but nonetheless handed the phone to him, 

"Hey, Mrs. Lodge," he greeted with a small smile, 

"Archie, it's nice to hear from you again, I wanted to thank you for calling me, because I know, Ronnie wouldn't have," she says thankfully, 

"I know, I was just really worried, and I thought you'd want to know," he explained,

"Please keep an eye on her, she's alone at the moment because Hiram and I are a little busy here in New York, and you know her when she's worked up over something she'll forget to take care of herself," 

"She is a little out of it sometimes no?" he asks looking up at the raven-haired girl with a smirk plastered on his lips, she rolls her eyes playfully pushing his head away, though a small smile sits on her lips as she hears her mother's loud laughter from the other end,

"Don't worry, Mrs. Lodge, I got her," he assures, 

"Thank you, Archie,"

"No problem," he smiled, saying his goodbye before handing the phone back to Veronica,

"Can I talk to dad?" she asks,

"He's asleep, but I'll call you later so you two can talk," her mother answers, the small smile that occupied her lips is gone and the sorrowful feeling that'd been present before returns at full force,

"Oh, ok," she says as calmly as she can, not wanting to upset her mother over something she can't control,

"I'll talk to you later, I love you, mija,"

"I love you too, mom," she whispered before hanging up, she sighs leaning back against the stack of pillows that sits behind her, her arms are crossed and she just stares at the TV before her blankly, 

"Are you mad?" Archie asks, carefully as he shuffles closer so his head is once again resting against her shoulder,

"No," she says softly,

"If you're mad just say so, so I can fix it," he says, she shakes her head laughing,

"What?" he asks,