"Veronica?" Veronica heard her mother call from the opposite side of her bedroom door.
She rolled her eyes with a sigh. She didn't want to deal with her mother right now, but she opened the door anyway.
Hermione handed her the phone, "Your father would like to speak with you, mija," she smiled softly.
Her attitude quickly changed as she took the phone with a shaky hand, her mother stroking her hair back gently before walking away and giving her privacy.
She looked down at the phone and swallowed. Her heart ached at knowing she'd hear his voice again. She wasn't expecting this today.
"Daddy?" she answered, her stomach sinking as she took weak steps to sit on her bed.
"Mija, it's so good to hear your voice. How's my number one girl?"
Tears swelled in her eyes, there before she even knew it. She smiled, "I'm okay, Daddy, I miss you... I'm sorry we haven't talked."
He hushed her, "It's okay; I know it's hard and you're busy with school."
"Yeah," she nodded, sniffling.
"I miss you too. So much. Listen, I don't have too much time left on my call but I talked to your mother and she said it was okay, as long as it's okay with you,"
"What?"
"I was hoping you'd come visit one weekend. Maybe you can make a little road trip out of it with a friend. I'd love to see you. It's been a while."
The last time she saw him was right before he left that day – to go to prison.
"Of course, I really want to see you," she took a deep breath, her tears falling easily. She'd been meaning to go see him, but she'd gotten busy with school and fitting into a new town. Then she felt guilty that it had been such a long time.
"Me too, don't cry, okay? I can't wait to see my beautiful girl."
"Me too, Daddy,"
"You figure out when you want to come and I'll call you again in a few days?"
"I can't wait."
She heard the smile in his voice, "I love you so much, Veronica. I have to go but I'll see you soon. Take care of your mother."
That request alone made her want to cry harder. She was trying, she was trying to keep her family together, but her mother was cheating on her father, and there was nothing she could do. But at least she knew where she had gotten it from – on the outside her parents seemed perfect, until their lies were unveiled and the rot started showing.
The two hung up and she let herself cry it out – both happy and sad tears. There was no one she wanted more in that moment than Sweet Pea. He'd become her comfort and her safety.
She knew this was all she really needed to know – she wanted him, not Archie. Knowing Sweet Pea would actually hear and listen to her, unlike Archie – who would talk about himself or just want to have sex.
So she texted who she really wanted, hoping he'd reply. They'd been sleeping together for a few weeks now and she wasn't sure what to do about it. She couldn't stop, but she also couldn't break up with Archie. She wouldn't let herself be known as the girl that stole Betty Cooper's boyfriend, only to then leave him for a Serpent.
Every time it happened she told herself it wouldn't again, but it did – it had happened almost every day since their study session last Tuesday.
Can I come over?
