Redemption [Sweet Pea x OC]

Chapter 6

Toni answered the door with a grin before I could back out. "Just in time!" she greeted, ushering me inside. Even though Toni hadn't been living here when I used to visit, the place hadn't changed at all. "Come on, everyone's already at the table. And if we're lucky, there might still be some food left."

"You invited them after all?"

"Nope, we invited ourselves," Fangs answered for her between bites of food.

I rolled my eyes, taking the empty seat next to Sweet Pea. The food was amazing, and no one said a word until everything was gone.

"Who knew Toni could cook," I said. "What else have you been hiding from us?"

"Hey, I just want to eat some real food once in a while," she defended, everyone laughing. "Besides, I've gotta keep this guy around," she added, nodding to her grandfather.

"So, when was the last time you had a home-cooked meal?" Thomas asked, looking at Fangs, Sweet Pea, and I.

"My mom cooks dinner when she can, so, last week?" Fangs answered.

Sweet Pea nodded. "I had some leftovers when I was at your place the other night."

I looked down at the table, racking my brain. Had I ever had a home-cooked meal? "I couldn't tell you," I finally answered. "Most of what I eat comes out of vending machines."

"Man, no wonder you can't afford a new phone," Fangs muttered. "Vending machine food is way overpriced."

I shrugged. "It is. But only if you actually pay for it."

"Wait, is that what happened to all the Doritos the other day at school?" Sweet Pea asked. "I thought it was the Ghoulies breaking into the machine."

"Sorry, Diamond and I were hungry during class, and I needed something to eat later."

"Damn. You owe me then," he smirked.

"How long have you been stealing from those machines?" Thomas asked, staring straight at me. And with that question returned the feeling of a kid in trouble.

"A few years," I said quietly. If you consider 7 years to be a few, that is.

Thomas didn't look away from me. "Toni, clear the table. Boys, wait outside. I need a few minutes with Baby Girl."

I ran my hand through my hair, not sure what to expect. Toni collected everything and disappeared into the kitchen. Sweet Pea squeezed my shoulder gently as he and Fangs headed outside. It was quiet, and I was too nervous to meet Thomas's eye.

"I thought we were raising you better than that, Baby Girl," he said quietly. "None of us wanted you to end up on the wrong side of the law, but here you are."

"It's just a few snacks here and there," I said softly. "It's not like I've been out robbing banks."

"Abigail Rose Sullivan." I winced, hearing my whole name. "You may as well have been. The Serpents kept tabs on you, reporting directly back to me, and me alone. I know about the drugs. I know about the B&Es. I know about the battery charges." He spoke so quietly I could barely hear him across the small table. "But I kept it to myself, and made the others promise to do so as well. I had high hopes for you, that you'd make it back to Riverdale someday. I hoped you would come back and make things right, leave crime behind."

I sighed. "That's actually why I did come back," I said. "I know I screwed up. But I didn't have a choice at first," I chanced a glance up at Thomas, who nodded, silently letting me knew about Penny's involvement. "At first it was just following orders. That led me to fall into the wrong crowd and we just got carried away at times. But other times, I did it out of necessity. I stole food so I wouldn't starve. I broke into peoples houses so I could sleep a few hours without having to worry about freezing to death in the winter."

"You've returned to your family now," Thomas said gently. "You were born a Serpent, and the laws states that we protect our own."

"I know. I want to be a better person, turn my life around. I don't want to spend the rest of my life behind bars, and if I kept going the way I was, that's where I'd be. Either that, or six feet under if I was lucky."

Thomas stood. "Don't let your past define you, or anyone else for that matter. Just remember who you are and where you came from. Stand with the Serpents and protect Southside and you'll be just fine. Come by for dinner again, you're always welcome," he said, changing the subject. "Good night, Toni!" he called, making his way down the hall.

A moment later Toni burst back into the dining room. "Are you ok?" she asked, dropping down in front of me.

I wiped my cheeks roughly. Damn, I hated crying and here I was, twice in one week. "I'm fine, it's just been a while since I talked to your grandfather."

Toni nodded, understanding. "Come on, you better get out there before those boys get themselves into trouble," she said, pulling me to my feet with a laugh.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" I asked, stopping in the doorway. "And thanks for dinner."

I joined Sweet Pea and Fangs and let them lead me away from Sunnyside. We didn't have a destination in mind, and I doubt any of us could have imagined what we were going to run into later on in the night.