𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 ¹

|𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓕𝓲𝓯𝓽𝔂 𝓣𝔀𝓸 | 𝓙𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓛𝓮𝓽 𝓜𝓮 𝓐𝓭𝓸𝓻𝓮 𝓨𝓸𝓾|

Chapter Fifty-Two -
Just Let Me Adore You

You don't have to say you love me

You don't have to say nothing,

You don't have to say you're mine,

I'd walk through fire for you just let me adore you,

Like it's the only thing I'll ever do,

-Harry Styles, "Adore You,"

•••

Veronica

"How do you feel?" Archie asks me for what feels like the millionth time,

"Fine," I sigh, slowly turning onto my side further burying myself in his side as I wrap my arms around him tightly,

"You know I keep asking because I don't believe you right," he says making me emit a soft chuckle,

"It's been two weeks, the doctor cleared me to resume all normal activities I go back to school tomorrow," I remind,

"I know you're recovering physically, which is great but I mean mentally," he elaborates,

"That's not important," I shrug,

"Yes it is, so much has happened in the last couple of months you haven't gotten the chance to register anything fully so, let's do it now, how are you feeling?" he asks,

"Well, I um, I confronted Nick, which was great actually, ever since that night I've just- I felt powerless really, because I was scared of him, I mean the mere thought of him terrified me, when I first saw him I did something really stupid, I-I tried to committ suicide in the club's bathroom," I can feel his body become tense as the word escapes my lips, he wraps him arms around me tighter pulling me impossibly closer to him, "Mike was there to help, but I just- I just remember that as soon as I calmed down I regretted it instantly, it's why I wanted to tell you guys and it's why Mike was pissed that Betty was there because he knew how hard it was for me to open up about something like that, when I heard why you both went to jail I was pissed off more than anything because you were ruinning your lives for me, and it wasn't until I was standing over Nick watching him all flustered and terrified when he realized I was the one in control that I realized why you did what you did, and I also realized that I had no reason to be scared of him, because he's human h-he's not some invincible creature, I had the power to ruin his life and I did, and you know what? I'm fine with that because he deserves it, so in some fucked up way something really good came out of this entire situation," I sigh,

"I'm glad you stood up to him," he says,

"Yeah, it just sucks that just when I felt so brave a-and powerful something had to happen to take that feeling away," I breath out, "But I also realized that I'm tough, I'm really fucking tough, I mean if it wasn't for me you and Mike would still be in jail, a-and Moose would've probably been six feet under right now, granted if he hadn't found me in the first place he wouldn't be benched for the next couple of games but he's alive and he seems to be doing better, but most of all I realized that even through everything that's happened to me, I managed to make it to today, some days were harder than others, some days I almost didn't make it but I did, I'm still here and I'm really proud of myself for that,"

"You should be, I mean I am," he says and I can't help the small smile which envelopes my features at his words, "I want to apologize," he sighs,

"What for?" I ask looking up at him,