Consequences

Chapter 5

Thornhill.

Veronica stood in front of the extravagant mansion.

Thornhill had been rebuilt after Cheryl burned it down almost two years ago.  If even a burned down mansion could be revived into a beautiful, new house, when was Veronica's life going to change for the better?

Cheryl, dressed from head to toe in her signature red, was waiting for her at the gate.

"Cinderella, long time no see!" Cheryl chirped as she ushered Veronica inside the mansion she had redesigned.

"Cinderella? Seriously, Cheryl?" Veronica rolled her eyes.

"Dressed in rags? Check! Maid? Check! Animals as family? Check!"

"And that makes you what, Anastasia?" Veronica shot back.

Ignoring her comment, Cheryl shoved Veronica into her new room. "Enjoy your attic, Cinderella. And oh, by the way, you're rooming with Forsythe Pendleton Jones the Third."

"Wait, what—Cheryl!" Veronica tried to call Cheryl back, but she had already disappeared in the maze-like mansion.

Admitting defeat, Veronica entered her shared room warily. Jughead's black hair and bad mood stuck out like a sore thumb in Cheryl's dark red guest room.

"Oh please, wipe that look of disgust off your face, I'm as displeased with this arrangement as you," Veronica scoffed.

"Stay on your side and don't talk to me," was what Jughead said as he disappeared under the covers of his bed on the left side of the room.

"My pleasure," she muttered.

'Oh boy, her and Jughead in the same room? Hopefully neither of them kills the other' Veronica thought gloomily.

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Veronica lay awake on her bed, staring at the full moon gracing the dark night sky with its presence.

Even as a child, she would talk to the moon at night, when she was sad or lonely, and that was pretty often. Sure, back in New York, she had had it all, she was rich, she was popular, everyone wanted to be her friend. But nobody really wanted to know her. Nobody could see through the 'ice princess' and 'rich girl' appearance. Nobody could see her.

Veronica glanced at the sleeping Jughead, then whispered to the moon.

"Hello, it's me again. You're probably the only one who hasn't got tired of me yet. You probably have no choice, though, you have to be there for everyone.  Oh, Luna. If only I could live with you. I'd be the girl in the moon, I'd be there for everyone who needs someone. Nobody deserves to feel loneliness, and yet it's the loneliest people who try their best to include everyone."

"Luna, I usually don't ask you for anything at all, but today, I wish for a person, just one person, that would save me from my loneliness. A person that would make me feel safe and content even when I'm alone because I know they'll always be there for me. Please, Luna, please."

As Veronica climbed back in bed after her plea to the moon, Jughead stirred in his sleep.