A Serpent's Fall for Love

Chapter 57: I love you...

Ronnie sighed as she glanced down at her hands that laid in her lap, "Fangs did get released about twenty minutes after you left for Pop's, but he never made it home." My head started shaking as my mind immediately jumped to conclusions. "Someone shot him as soon as he got out of there. M-Mrs. Klump was the one who shot him."

Tears formed in my eyes, "Is he okay? A-and what about Jug?"

"Fangs is alive. Jug, well he went after Penny Peabody and the Ghoulies for some reason, but thank god FP followed him because when FP got there-," she paused, "He found Jughead very much in the same condition I found you. All bloodied and almost dead. He too, is okay."

I looked away from my sister as I just stared ahead at the door to my room. I didn't know how to feel right now. Learning that two of my friends were very close to death, along with me, it shook me up truth be told. It's like what I have been saying for weeks now, I don't know if I'll be able to get out of this town with my life. All I know is that right now, I want my boyfriend, I want Sweet Pea.

"Can you guys go get Pea for me," I asked softly, not meting eye contact with any of my family.

My mother leaned down and kissed my forehead, "Of course mija. Let's go guys. We'll be right outside in the hall Andy." I nodded slowly, as my father and sister left right behind her.

Not a second past, and in came Sweet Pea. As soon as he walked in, I could tell something was off. He was tense and I could see that he had his guard up, but beyond that, I could see the dark rings around his eyes. His hair was a mess, his jacket was disheveled, and his face bore a few bruises. "Sweet Pea," he glanced up at me as he took a seat next to my bedside, "What happened? Are you okay?"

He chuckled, "You're the one in the hospital princess, not me. I should be asking if you are okay," he said with a small smile. "But to answer your question, I've been better before. Last night, it kicked us all in the asses. It was a living nightmare. The Serpents went to war earlier today against the Ghoulies." His head hung low as he began shaking it, "We lost. We were blind-sided."

I bit my lip, "It was Malachi that did this to me. He was the one to stab me."

Sweet Pea's eyes met mine. Behind his dark, charming eyes held so much guilt and loath. "Baby, I'm so sorry. This," his eyes began to glimmer as tears were threatening to fall on his face, "All of this is my fault. I made you a promise, hell, I made a promise to myself the moment I laid eyes on you, that I wouldn't let anyone hurt you. That I'd be there to protect you from any harm." He ran a hand through his locks, "But I failed. Just like I fail at everything else in my fucking piece of shit life."

"Pea, you are worth so much more than you reli-"

"No Andy," he spoke harshly as he peered right into my eyes, "I should be the one in that bed. I should be the one that got stabbed. I should be the one that the Black Hood wants. You, you don't deserve any of this. You're too pure for this town... for this life."

I tried to lean forward to reach him, but failed as pain shot through my abdomen. I gritted my teeth. "Sweet Pea, I'm not something that breaks that easily. I'm not a glass statue. I'm okay, I'm not dead... but Pea, you can't prevent everything that happens to me. All that matters to me is that you're here with me. Pea you mean so much to me, more than you realize and all I need is for you here more than anyone."

Sweet Pea leaned forward and took my hand in his, as his face fell, showing purely his vulnerable side, "Baby, you mean the world to me. Fuck that! You are my world, Andy. My life had no meaning before you. I treated girls like shit, hated every single Northsider, and was an all around ass to people. The moment you entered that lounge that day, you moved something in me. Showed me that maybe I was something worth love, and I was more than just a low life that's from the wrong side of the tracks."

My cheeks blushed red, but my mouth fell open as a single tear fell from Sweets eye.

"But what happened to you last night was my fault... and that's why I have to let you go, Andy. I care too much about you to see you get hurt because of my mistakes."

"What are you saying," my voice broke.

He took his hand out of my grasp, "I'm sorry, princess, but I have to break up with you. To keep you safe. Safe from this world, most importantly, safe from me."

My eyes went wide as tears streamed down my cheeks, "No. No. You can't. You can't just walk in here, tell me that I have changed your life, and break up with me Sweet Pea. I get to have a say. You, Sweet Pea, have changed my life more than anyone and you have become the most important person in my life. You showed me what it's really like to be loved by someone, and you've been here for me through thick and thin, so please," my voice wavered,

"Don't leave me.

I need you."

"I'm sorry," he stood up from the chair, "I have to keep you safe. Even if that means I can't be in your life. This is for your own good, princess." He opened the door and began to walk out.

"I love you!" 

I yelled out to him.

The door shut closed shortly after. I was left in silence, and that's when I finally let out all my emotions. A broken scream left my body as an uncontrollable sob came on. My mother and sister ran into the room and pulled me into a hug.

"H-he's gone," I chocked out as I leaned further into my mother's embrace.

I have been bottling up everything since I got to Riverdale. From things that happened to me in New York, Jersey, and all the crazy shit that has happened in Riverdale, who would have known that a guy would be Andriette Lodge's breaking point. I was able to be strong for everything, but with Pea, he makes me feel things that I can't explain. I love him.... and I lost the only person that brought me true happiness and joy. That feeling of love he gave me, has left me broken. That one thing that brought me love is gone. He's gone. I never got to tell him the three words that hold so much power.....

I love you, Sweet Pea.

- - -

Sweet Pea Pov

"I love you!"

I closed my eyes shut as I took in the last three words that I heard from her. "I love you too princess," I whispered as I glanced back at the door and rubbed my face of any tears. My heart shattered as I heard a frustrated scream from her room and saw her mother and sister running for her. With my head hung low, I walked to Fangs room, but as I brought my head up, I saw him standing next to the door.

Hiram leaned against the wall, "You chose wisely. It's for her own good," and walked off with a smirk.

"But I love her," I mumbled as I walked into Fangs room.