When Pea rolled up to his trailer, we sat in the car in silence. My brain was on overload as it kept replaying the image of the man back at the Pembrooke. I'm not even entirely sure he was there for me, but even I can't let this incident pass by. So much is happening so fast with the fucking Black Hood, random text messages, and now some pissed off mob families are gunning for my family. With these three very clear targets on my back, I'm lucky to get out of it all without a scratch.
Pea took the keys out of the ignition and looked over at me. The whole ride over here, I've been shaking. Not from the cold, but from the fear and terror I'm feeling. "Baby," Pea put his hand in mine, "Let's get inside." He was the first one out, as I just stood in the car, scared of stepping outside of the protection of the vehicle. Sweet Pea came around to my side, with my bags in hand, and opened my door. Concern filled his eyes as he stared at my condition. "Andy," I glanced at him as he pleaded, "Come on. You got to get inside. It's safer."
I nodded and slowly unbuckled myself, pushing my body out of the car. I stood close to Sweet Pea as we walked to his front door and as soon as he opened the door, I pushed through and went straight to his room. Once in the comfort of his room, I sat on his bed, knees to my chest as I let tears roll down my face. Finally, letting out my emotions because I felt safe being vulnerable with him.
Pea dropped my bags at the foot of the bed and made his way over to me as he sat on his side of the bed, pulling me into his chest. "Everything's gonna be okay," he cooed, "I'm here. Nothing will happen."
"Put you can't guarantee that Pea," my voice broke. "Riverdale was meant to be my fresh start. A do over from the mess back at New York. It just seems like history is repeating itself all over, but this time... it's ten times worse. I don't think I'm gonna make it out of Riverdale alive Pea." A sob came from me as I thought of the worst scenario, death, which seems to be a frequent thing in this town.
Pea placed his chin on top of my head, "You will because I'm going to fight for and protect you."
I shook my head, "I don't want you to get hurt with these kind of people. The mob... the mob, everyone in it will hurt the person either emotionally or physically. I don't care if they hurt me physically, just as long as they leave the people I care about and love alone. If they hurt you," I shifted so I can look directly into his brown eyes, "I wouldn't be able to live with myself. You mean so much to me Sweet Pea, I can't and I won't let you get in between my fights."
"Your fights, are my fights. We are a team Andy and when I asked to you to be my girlfriend, I knew that it'd be a challenge, but I'm ready to go through all the obstacles because I've never cared about anyone as much as I do for you Andriette. I will fight for you till the death, each and every time," he spoke with determination.
"Thank you," I caressed his face, "but I can't let you." Pea opened his mouth to protest, but I was quick to beat him, "I'm gonna go take a shower. It's been a really long day."
"U-uh yeah. Yeah, of course," Pea pushed himself to sit himself against the headboard as he watched me grab one of his shirts and one of my underwears and go in the bathroom. I turned on the water quickly so that Pea wouldn't be able to hear the onset of tears and quiet sobs from me as I got in the shower.
I felt like I let myself down. It took me almost a year to gain my confidence, and it was thanks to Jaxon and all the time I had alone in the boarding school. Jaxon knew that I had major issues back at home with my father. My dad and I constantly got into arguments how I was never good enough for the image he was so head set on having with the rest of the mob. I was told that I was being a disappointment, how I should be more like Veronica instead of being my true self. Jaxon was there for me and made me feel comfortable in my skin. When he died, his death broke me. Being sent away the same night, only caused more pain as I was ripped away from my life that I had in New York.
From then on, I told myself that I needed to be better, to be strong mentally and physically. To show no weakness because the moment you show weakness, people will use it against you. My father used my weakness, my relationship with Jaxon, to hurt me. He killed him as a way to tell me to never test him and go against his wishes again. But in the end, I've built the courage to fight against him. I won't let him torment my life here in Riverdale like he did to me in New York. That's why I've been fighting for the Serpents, because I know how it feels to constantly be compared to the 'better half.' The Southside and Northside is just like Veronica and me. Always being told that I'm not good enough like your other half, that you need to step up your game because your the disgrace.
When I was finished showering, I stepped out of the shower to the sound of my phone dinging. Obviously, I picked it up just to see who was bothering me this late in the night. As I read the text message, I slightly threw my phone on the counter of the sink.
UNKNOWN: Princesa. He won't be able to protect you for what's coming for your way. -M
I stumbled, back hitting the wall of the bathroom. A hand went straight to my face as a silent cry came from me. On top of the Black Hood and the mob, I have to worry about this psycho. It's quite clear to me now that this wasn't a prank. Someone else is coming for me, and I don't even know why. I'm just a high school girl, who's trying to graduate and go to college. I'm nothing special at all. No one that people really should be giving this much attention to. I'm just ordinary.
The world around me is crashing and burning. My dream of having a happy family as been crushed. That was my biggest dream in life. To have the family that was always shown in movies and books. A family that would support you no matter what.
I pushed myself off the ground and shuffled towards the sink, throwing cold water on my face before I put on my clothes. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door to see Sweet Pea on the bed half asleep. "Babe you can go in now," I hung my head low so he couldn't see my puffy face from crying, even though it's dark. Pea groggily jumped up and made his way to the bathroom, accidentally stubbing his foot on the door frame since his eyes were half way open. As soon as I laid down, I forced myself to fall asleep, hoping that when I wake, all of this would be some horrible nightmare.
- - -
SWEET PEA'S POV:
When I walked out of the bathroom after my shower fifteen minutes later, hand grasping the towel that I was using to dry my hair, I was gifted the scene of my beyond beautiful girlfriend fast asleep on the best. I walked over to her quietly, a brought the blankets up to cover her as she was shaking because of the cold, since I couldn't afford either a heater or an A/C.
My thoughts wondered as to how I got so lucky. Why in a million years would a girl like her want to be with a low life life me. Andriette, my princess, is the most gorgeous girl I have ever, and will ever, see in my life. She's rich and could have any man in the world kneeling before her. Being with her, makes me want to be better to give her the life she wants. The way I see it, this girl deserves the entire galaxy just because she's been through so much trauma already. Seeing death right before her at such a young age, being sent away, and now having targets on her back. This girl, no matter all the obstacles that have been thrown her away, she still manages to overcome them. After my mom left and my dad treated me like shit, I shut down. Turned cold hearted and ruthless just so that I wouldn't ever show vulnerability and weakness again.
I was ripped away from my thoughts as headlights shined through my windows. Taking one last glance at a sleeping Andy, I walked to my front porch just to see a very familiar limo parked in front of my trailer.
"Sweet Pea," Hiram Lodge greeted sharply.
My hands rolled into a fist, trying to calm myself down from the anger I was feeling. "What do you want? Aren't you suppose to be back at the Pembrooke? You know, because your whole family is being targeted by your stupid mistakes," I said as my jaw clenched.
"Seeing your current position with me, I don't think you should push your luck. I just wanted to tell you that this," he gestured back to my trailer, "You taking in Andy, is nice and all, but, it won't change the fact about what you chose last time I was here. You rather stay in a relationship with my youngest daughter, correct."
"Yes. Seeing that I'm the only one capable of keeping her safe," I spat out.
Hiram chuckled wickedly as he stepped back towards the limo, "Hm. That's just too bad. I was really hoping that you would change your mind. Just remember everything that will happen to the both of you, maybe even some of your other friends like... I don't know, Fangs Fogarty or Antoinette Topaz," he shrugged his shoulders as he opened a car door. "It will be all your fault Sweet Pea. No one else's." With that, Hiram stepped into the black car and ordered the driver to leave.
He won't hurt anyone because the moment Andy learns about it, hell even Veronica, they wouldn't ever forgive him. Right?