[no way in hell] | completed

the usual pain and suffering

Jughead and Veronica went back to jughead's trailer after a very long walk there. When they finally arrived, Jughead opened the door and helped her inside. "Surprised you didn't want any help walking here Lodge", Jughead told her with a smirk. "I'm fine... so fine", she responded, her voice cracking. "Here," Jughead said as he got out the first aid kit and started cleaning her wound. "Ow!" She yelped out in pain. After what seemed like hours of fixing Veronica up, they finished. "Uhhhh why so much pain?" Veronica asked as she tilted her head back. Jughead smiles and Veronica couldn't help but giggle. Jughead's smile changed to a frown of fake anger quickly. He had realized he was socializing with a Lodge. He swept the thought away and put on his poker face. Veronica's smile disappeared when she saw his expression. "I uh, I guess I should be going," Veronica said trying to stand up. "OW!" Veronica yelped as Jughead ran and helped her stand up straight. "Want to go for a ride?" He asked Veronica. She nodded with a small smirk and he showed her outside. His motorcycle was out in front. "Have a problem with it?" He said expecting an obvious 'yes!' in response. Veronica shook her head and struggled to get on. Jughead was bewildered. He handed her the helmet and got on the bike, and she held on tight to him. Her leg still aching, she looked back on it. How did I get here? She thought. Then she remembered every little detail. She held on tighter to Jughead as he drove. Almost suffocating him, her hold on him got stronger the more she thought about it. Before she knew it, Veronica was crying on his shoulder. Jughead looked up to see if it was raining. Not a dark cloud in sight. He heard loud sobs in his ears and realized what was going on. Oh god what happened now? He thought. Did daddy cut her off? He giggled inside his head at his own joke. They were passing through Betty and Archie's neighborhood for a shortcut, and Jughead thought how pissed Betty would be seeing them together, Veronica wrapping her hands tightly around his waist, with her head on his shoulder. Little did he know a certain red headed solider in a letterman's jacket saw and took a picture of the crime scene. "Just when I thought things couldn't get any better," Archie said as he smiled to himself. Jughead didn't notice and kept driving. He drove faster and eventually got to the Pembroke. Veronica tried to wipe her tears thinking Jughead didn't realize.

"t-thanks for the ride," she stuttered.

"I know something happened. what was it Veronica? we were just riding on my motorcycle. I-"
Veronica interrupted him, "when we were at the musical and we all saw Midge, I ran backstage looking for Archie and then I saw Betty and she looked around worriedly and I thought she was looking for you, but I saw you leave so I was going to tell her but then her face turned to relief when she saw Archie and Archie took her hand and told her that he wanted to make sure she was safe and apparently he only cared about her and not me. He looked back at me and realized but I just turned and sprinted away as fast as I could and he only called my name once not caring that I was his girlfriend and Betty wasn't and he didn't even try to come after me he only wanted to make sure Betty was ok. So I ran and ran and ran as fast as I could away thinking he would follow me but he didn't.... because he doesn't care, Jug. Why doesn't he care about me? Why doesn't anyone care about me?" Veronica said. It all poured out at once in one big huge sentence with no pauses. Jughead was lost for words. The small conversation he heard earlier had him worried, now he was mortified. Veronica saw the pain in Jughead's eyes. she hugged him really quickly, not bothering to wipe her tears. "Thank you Jug. Thank you for everything. I will never be able to repay you." She released from the hug and kissed him on the cheek. "Stay safe Jug, take care", she said. She walked into the Pembroke drying her tears. Jughead was speechless. He got back on his motorcycle slowly and thought about it the whole way home.

Veronica walked inside and saw her parents sitting, each with a glass of wine in their hand. "Mija, what's wrong?" Hermione asked the broken girl. "Nothing mom." Veronica said sternly. Hiram Lodge stood up and set down his wine glass gently. Veronica narrowed her eyes. "What did you just say... mija..." Hiram asked Veronica. Veronica took a step closer to him. "I said NOTHING." she yelled at her father getting all up in his face. Hiram gritted his teeth. "Don't you ever speak to me that way again! It is forbidden!" Hiram said tossing around his index finger. "Well guess what DAD. I DON'T CARE." she said throwing her hands up. Hiram grabbed onto her wrist with one arm and started twisting it. Veronica screamed in pain. "You ever speak to me or your mother like that again, there will be consequences!!" Hiram yelled squeezing her wrist harder. "Well guess what?! DAD. I DON'T GIVE A FUCK!!" Veronica yelled. she never cussed like that. That's it. She crossed the line. Hiram snatched hermione's wine glass out of her trembling hand and smashed it on the table. It shattered to pieces and Hermione backed away in shock. Still twisting her arm, Hiram took a shard of glass and cut her arm slightly with it, making a line of blood stream down her arm. Veronica yelled and screamed. "DAD!!" she cried out in agony. Water filler her eyes as she took a step back. She looked at her now bruised, scratched, and cut arm that Hiram had just let go of. "Believe me mija. you ever pull a stunt like that again, it will get worse. MUCH WORSE." He said turning and walking away to his office. Veronica looked at her mom in disbelief. She shook her head at her and marched over to her room. Hermione knew she couldn't stand up to Hiram. Veronica slammed the door behind her. Her heart shattered as hot tears fell down her face. She slid down the door and cried for hours. It wasn't until the doorbell ringed when she stopped. Ughh who the hell could that be. She thought to herself. She came out of her room and saw both her parents gone. She removed any visible tears and pulled her sleeve down. She still hadn't changed out of her Chris outfit from the musical. She noticed her ripped bellbottom jeans and bloody knee but didn't care. Whoever it was would understand. She opened the door and knew immediately she was wrong.

"Holy shit." Veronica said as she tilted her head slightly and smirked.