𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 ; 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐞

=CHAPTER 2: I STILL LOVE YOU=

After Vanessa had calmed down from sobbing, Betty offered her a ride home. Vanessa declined and left on her bike, but she didn't end up going home. Instead she found herself at an odd place, one that would give her déjà vu had she not been crying for the past hour and a half.

She walked up to the door and hesitated to knock. When she finally did she felt new tears roll down her cheeks. The door swung open and Vanessa looked at the ground.

"It's ten at night, what the hell do you- Vanessa?" The dark skinned girl looked up at the boy who opened the door. "Have you been crying?" 

Vanessa nodded as her ex-boyfriend pulled her into a hug. She sobbed into his chest and he pulled her into the house, closing the door behind her.

"He's going to die, and I'm not there for him." Vanessa sobbed as Reggie sat them on the couch.

"Who? Is it Chuck? Vanessa, who's going to die?" Reggie had dreamed of holding Vanessa like this again, he only wished it was under better circumstances. Vanessa not being in the right state of mind told him, she told him about dating the Serpent.

"They rushed him to the hospital right when I was about to leave. I broke down, Reggie. First you, now him." 

Reggie's heart ached to hear her saying he broke her heart. It was the second time she'd said it today.

"Nessa, look at me." She obeyed. "He's going to be fine, and if he's not, you have me. I won't hurt you, never again." 

In Vanessa's vulnerable state she found herself leaning into Reggie, him leaning in as well. When their lips touched it's like all of Vanessa's senses came back to her and she pulled away as quick as possible.

"Uh, I should go. My family is probably worried sick," she quickly stuttered out and rushed out of the house, leaving Reggie rather speechless.

She rode through the rain back to her house, not caring about the questions she'd get from her family in the morning about her bike. She ran into the house and up to her room, finding herself flipping through pictures of her and Reggie. She smiled as she looked at her old happy self with her first love, though they'd never actually said it to each other. She knew Justin wasn't a forever thing, but she liked the safety he and the Serpents gave her.

Which is why she had a decision to sleep on before she took action.

=+=+=+=

She went unnoticed through school like she usually did, except until lunch when Betty asked her to sit with them. Vanessa gave her a questioning look and Betty just gave a comforting smile as they walked outside to a table where Veronica and Archie sat.

"It's another win for the bad guys," Jughead was telling the group about Pop's. "No one was there. His entire staff quit. He says he's not sure how long he'll be able to keep the doors open, maybe not even a week." 

Pop's was now a ghost town, and that only made everyone's moods dimmer.

"It's because of what happened to my dad. People are freaking out. And I gotta be honest, guys, I don't see myself going back anytime soon." 

Vanessa looked at Archie sadly when he said this.

"Wait, I'm sorry, am I hearing acceptance? I'm not letting one psychopath with a gun dictate what happens to our place," Betty said and once again Vanessa felt like an outsider. She felt as though she wasn't meant to be in this conversation. "Jug, you went crazy trying to save the drive-in." 

Before she heard Jughead's response she got up and left the table.

She went to go head inside when she heard running footsteps behind her. She turned to see Reggie running after her, she stopped knowing she couldn't avoid this conversation forever.