The Better Andrews ||Veronica Lodge||

0.8

Alex sighed and laid her head on her pillow. Things were different and she hated it, but things could be worse. She could be in Chicago, wasting her potential in the public school system like before. It didn't help the fact that her mother had helped ruin a few people's lives or so her peers believed.

"Alex." Archie said knocking on his sister's door. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah, what's up Arch?" Alex asked sitting up. "Something bothering you?"

"I feel like we haven't really gotten the chance to talk like we used to." Archie said and Alex patted the bed. "Things are different at school without you, not that we had a lot of classes together."

"Archie, we both know that's not why you came in here. I advise you to cut the bullshit and tell me what's up."

"Mom and I noticed that you've been a lot different and you've consumed a lot of milkshakes since dad died." Archie said pointing at the trash bin in her room with empty cups in them. "It's not healthy and we're worried about you."

"Sure I've had a lot of milkshakes, but that doesn't mean anything. I didn't exactly know him that well and this was my way of getting close." Alex yelled before picking up her guitar and playing a bit to relax.

"I didn't want you to get upset, I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Archie said and Alex looked at him. "I'm actually trying to help, you're just staying in your room all day."

"No Archie, I go out and do my job. I help mom and bring home money." Alex said looking at him. "I work at the company during the week, I work at Pop's on the weekends, and I've been helping out people around time."

"You think you do so much, but it's all a distraction so you don't have to face your feelings!" Archie yelled and Alex stood up. "I mean, it's always been that way. Something happens and you avoid it until it goes away or becomes someone else's problem. I may not be helping bring in money, but at least I'm facing my feelings."

"Fuck off." Alex said shoving him out of her room. She shut her door and locked it before putting on music and turning it up all the way to drown out her brother's knocking and yelling. Before he had died, Fred had soundproofed her room, at least so nobody would send out a noise complaint.

"Alexandra!" Mary yelled and Alex opened the door. "I need to talk to you."

"Everybody needs to talk to me lately don't they?" Alex asked and Mary handed her a bottle of pills. "What's this for?"

"Your father and I had been talking before he died and we both agreed that you needed to take something to help reduce your anger." Mary said and Alex looked at it. "Archie told me what happened and I feel like it might be a good idea to try, but I want to see if you can do it on your own."

"God, my own mother wants to medicate me. Guess this means I'm really a freak." Alex said and Mary shook her head. "Mom, I want to move out."

"If you can keep calm for six months without these and save up for an apartment, you can move out." Mary said and Alex nodded, running a hand through her hair. "It's gotten a lot longer."

"Yeah, I haven't cut it in almost a year." Alex said and there was a knock on the door. "Come on."

"Hey." Jughead said and Alex hugged him. "Long time no see. Still pounding back those shakes  I see."

"Yeah, they're practically all she drinks." Mary said and Alex shrugged. "Also, you're cutting back on those. I mean like two a week."

"Tell Hermione that." Alex said and Mary nodded. "So, I'm going to bed. I promised Betty's dad that I'd help him make some adjustments to the newspaper building. I'm getting paid like $250 a day for it."

"That's insane." Mary said and Alex smiled. "Remember our deal, night baby."

"Night mom." Alex said and Jughead sat down on her bed. "What's up Juggie?"

"So, I heard that you're really good at fixing up places and I was wondering if you'd help me fix up my dad's old place a bit." Jughead said and Alex nodded. "I can't pay you $250 a day, but I'll think of something."

"It's on the house." Alex said and Jughead smiled at her before shaking her head. "Seriously Jug, you're a better brother than my actual brother."

"I owe you one." Jughead said and Alex shrugged. "Maybe you could live there if my dad doesn't want to."

"He's getting released?" Alex asked and Jughead nodded. "Great, it's been a long time since I've seen your old man."

"Yeah." Jughead said before leaving to talk to Archie. Alex fell asleep thinking about the fight she'd had with her brother. That hadn't happened since she told him that she was leaving with her mother.

Flashback to fight

"Archie, I have to tell you something." Alex said and Archie looked up at her. It was the first game of the season and he was excited, especially since it was the last game his mom would get to see for a while. "I'm not staying here."

"What do you mean?" Archie asked. His dad mentioned something about one of them possibly going to Chicago with their mom. "Are you moving to Chicago?"

"Yeah, it'll be better for us." Alex said playing with her braid. "I just don't think that this is good for me. I mean, dad barely spends any time with me anyways. Besides, you're the one with all the friends here."

"But you promised me that you weren't going to just leave!" Archie said and Alex looked down. "You lied to me and to dad. That's not fair to us, what if we wanted you to stay. You always think about yourself, it's selfish."

"You're only thinking about yourself right now Archie! I was thinking about mom when I wanted to leave. I didn't want her to be alone and Betty promised that we'd talk and Jughead even got me some papers so we could write letters back and forth. You're the only one who hasn't been supportive of my decision."

"That's because your decision isn't helping anybody." Archie yelled before throwing his helmet on the ground. "You just don't want to have to share affection because you're scared dad will like me better!"

"Fuck you Archie!" Alex yelled picking up the helmet and throwing it at him before storming off.

End Flashback