fierce ↠ sweet pea [1] [✔]

|| FOURTEEN ||

"Hey, Lauryn, where are the others?" Jughead asked Lauryn as she was about to walk into the girls' bathroom, leaning his arm on the doorframe.

She shrugged as she stopped, crossing her arms. "I don't know. Why are you asking?"

"Betty had an idea of having a little 'cipher party' at my trailer tonight," he explained within a sigh. "Don't ask, but the Black Hood sent it to her and she needs help solving it. I figured we could use all the help we can get."

"Yeah, I'm sure I can make it," Lauryn said after taking a second to think. "Guessing it wouldn't be the best idea to invite Sweet Pea along, though, would it?"

Jughead chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah... no offence."

"None taken," she said. She was still upset at how he'd been acting earlier, and ended up finding an excuse to ditch while he and Jared were planning Fangs' hit on the Northsider. It started to irritate her having to listen to it. "I'll be there at seven."

"Great, could you tell Toni?"

Lauryn frowned, sensing some tension. "Betty wants to invite Toni?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?" Jughead questioned, entirely oblivious.

"Oh, nothing," Lauryn brushed it off, deciding not to get into the entire concept of jealousy with him. "I'll let her know, but I'm sure she can make it."

Jughead gave a nod and ambled off down the hall with his usual gloomy expression plastered over his face, leaving her standing there.

"No goodbye?" Angel Face muttered. She felt slightly nauseous but refused to throw up at school, so she took a second to breathe in the bathroom, touching up her lip gloss before sending a text to Toni about what was going on that evening. She finished up and made her way outside to find Toni sat on the steps.

"Hey, I got your text, Jughead's trailer at seven, right?" Toni recalled, tucking her hair behind her ear as she reread the message. "Seems bizarre. Betty's idea?"

Lauryn nodded. "Yeah, sorry I had to text you, I couldn't find you or Jughead at lunch. And I didn't really feel good."

Toni raised a brow. "Things rough with Sweet Pea?"

Lauryn thought it must've just been her nerves from the awkward encounter earlier. "No, we're good. Uh, where were you?"

"I was in the Red and Black room with him discussing my addiction," Toni chuckled, misleading Lauryn who frowned.

"Addiction? Don't tell me Jared's dealing you shit."

Toni knocked her by the shoulder, trying not to laugh. "Relax, it was just a pun, but screw it, no drugs or anything. You know I'm not into that stuff. Just crime documentaries."

"I imagine that Betty's soft spot for you is growing."

Toni scoffed. "No. I'm convinced tonight is just for her to keep an eye on both of us at the same time."

"That's what I thought," Lauryn agreed. "Seems like she's trying to find that perfect place between you both. Right, then, let the criminal-biker-detective team start their first quest."

"Wow, if you weren't a Serpent then you'd definitely be a nerd, Lauryn," Toni grimaced, and Lauryn grinned.

"Maybe, but we're working with Northsiders, here. Who's to say they won't come up with a theme song or something?"

"You mean you just came up with a theme song," Toni suspected, rolling her eyes.

"No, I did not!" Lauryn burst into laugher. "But it's a pretty cool idea."