Consequences

Chapter 23

"What do you think is taking them so long?" Veronica asked as she propped herself up on one elbow, looking up at Jughead.

"Probably had something to do with the big noise we heard a few hours ago," he shrugged, lying down next to her.

"Why didn't you want anyone to go with you," she prompted. "You could have died."

"I'm the leader," Jughead emphasised. "I don't want any of my Serpents getting hurt."

"You keep saying you're leader, but you're human too! You're a son, a brother, a friend, you're human. You can get hurt, you can die," Veronica reminded him in an exasperated tone.

"Lodge's worried about me," Jughead imitated Veronica in an over exaggerated voice.

She hit him on the shoulder. "I'm not, I just don't want you to die because if you die, I won't be able to see you wear my clothes." Veronica brought up the deal they had made.

"As if!" He immediately glared at her. "You're the one who's going to have to wear guy clothing. And I have decided to stay alive just to see me winning the bet."

"Mm, we'll see," she curled into a ball on the ground. "If I get pneumonia it's your fault."

Jughead rolled his eyes. "And you say I'm the dramatic one. Yes, you're soaked, so what, you'll survive. Get over it."

"That's easy for you to say, you have dry clothes on," Veronica complained. "I'm still soaked."

It was indeed true. Jughead had taken off his shirt to hang in the feeble sunlight that had partially dried his wet shirt after hours.

"Take your shirt off," he told Veronica after taking his shirt off.

"Have you lost your mind? What are you doing?" she was taken aback by his actions. She had no idea what he was planning.

"Dude, nothing of that sort," he scowled at her. "Miss Princess over here said she was cold, didn't she? Now I'm giving Your Highness my shirt. Don't want someone as important as you catching pneumonia, or off with my lowly servant head." His words dripped with sarcasm.

Veronica sighed, annoyed. "Turn around and don't look."

Jughead obliged, but not without retorting. "I'd rather be blind than look at you."

After changing, Veronica tried to hang her clothes on the rope to dry. However, she was way too short to reach the rope Jughead had hanged high above the pool.

"Do you need assistance, Your Highness?" Jughead turned his head once he heard Veronica's footsteps.

She ignored his sarcasm and handed him her wet clothing. "Thanks, Torombolo."

After both of them were settled, they lay next to each other, staring at the moonlight shining from above until their dreams took them away.

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"Shut up Toni, you're gonna wake them up!"

Click.

"You're louder than me, you hush!"

Click. Click.

"Idiot, your camera sound is on!"

"But at least I got a better angle than you!"

"Girls, calm down. That's enough photos."

Veronica opened her eyes to see skin. She was confused for a moment before she found out she had buried her face in Jughead's chest and that they had been cuddling in their sleep.

Then, she looked up and saw Toni, Cheryl and FP's face gazing down at them. Toni and Cheryl —with their phones out—looked excited like school girls, while FP looked amused.

Veronica immediately blushed and flung off Jughead's arm, untangling herself from him.
"Morning," she tried to play it off.

"Never thought I'd say this, but you and Hobo Prince are adorable," Cheryl singsonged.

"Did you bump your head on the way in?" Veronica scowled, standing up.

Jughead, finally waking up after Veronica's powerful fling of his arm, woke puzzled. "What's going on? Why do you have your phones out?"

Toni smirked, while Cheryl repeated her signature line brightly. "My phone's attracted to cute scenes."

Still sleepy, but sarcasm filled, Jughead savagely replied. "Then that must be why your phone's always escaping from you."