💎Jewel💎
I don't know how long I waited for him, but finally, the door opens and he comes in. I could already tell he's not happy. The first thing he does is kick a chair. In some ways he reminds me of my ex, but I know that Sweet Pea would never hurt me. Right?
"Sweet Pea?" He spins around, startled but relaxes when he realizes it's me. His left eye is slightly swollen and already beginning to bruise. "I thought I told you to go home?"
"You did, but I chose not to listen." I stand up and approach him slowly. When he doesn't protest I lift my hand up and gently place it on his cheek. He flinches because of his eye but doesn't pull away. "You got a good shiner there. Does it hurt much?"
"Hurts like a son of a bitch, but I'll be fine. Nothing a little alcohol can't fix." He pulls away and heads over to the fridge. "Want one?"
"Sure." He grabs two beers by the neck and skillfully twists the caps off, tossing them onto the table. He holds one out to me when he returns and I grab it. Sweet Pea takes a drink before gently pressing it against his eye, groaning softly. I take a long drink from mine.
"Hey, you okay?" I pull the bottle away from my lips and look at him. "Why?"
"You're shivering." I look down at myself and realize he's right. My body's trembling from the wetness of my hoodie. I quickly unzip it and drape it on the chair. I wrap one arm around myself, keeping my beer in the other. Sweet Pea sighs and shrugs off his soaked jacket, tossing it to the floor, before gesturing me over.
"C'mere." I walk over and sit down beside him on the couch. He wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me against his side which is incredibly warm. "Sorry about my wet hair," I say resting my head on his chest.
"I'm already wet so it don't matter," he says softly rubbing my arm, trying to warm me up. "I'm sorry about snapping at you earlier. I was afraid you'd follow me to the rumble."
"It's alright. You were trying to protect me."
"Exactly," he says almost like he's surprised at my understanding. I pull my head off his chest and look up into his face. "But Sweet Pea, I'd prefer to see that side of you as little as possible." I trail off ashamed and look down at the beer bottle in my hand. "I scared you didn't I? And not just scared for my well being." He doesn't say it but I know he knows.
Sweet Pea's anger reminded me too well of how my ex could get when he was pissed off. Sweet Pea shakes his head, angry with himself. "I'm so sorry, I didn't even think." I lift my hand up and cup his cheek. "No, it's okay, maybe I should just be less sensitive." Sweet Pea shakes his head, covering my hand with his own. "No, I need to be less insensitive."
We gaze at each other for a moment and I can't help, but get lost in his eyes. Then I remember what Toni told me. "I like it when you're gentle with me." His eyes widen and he gives me a questioning look. "What you asked me in the trailer after the Ghoulies attacked me."
His eyes fill with realization and a smile graces his features. I look into his eyes and before I can talk myself out of it I press my lips against his. There's a slight pause before he starts kissing back, gentle at first, but a little harder as it deepens. Eventually we pull away and gasp for air.
"Thought we were going to be friends?" he asks although his eyes told that's the last thing he wants. I shake my head, my chest rising and falling as I catch my breath. "I don't know what I'm feeling. But I know it's stronger than anything else I've ever felt and I want to see where it goes. If you're up for it, Sweets? Looking for a girlfriend?"
He smiles and sets his beer down. I do the same with mine. "I didn't know I was until I met you," Sweet Pea says, pulling me into his lap and I wrap my arms around his neck. He brings his hand up and gently brushes my wounds with his fingertips. I lean into his touch and he sits up, pressing kisses along my jawline.
"Not tonight, okay? It's late," I whisper and he pulls away from my jaw. He looks up into my eyes and smiles. "That's not what I'm looking for, Juliette. You should know that if what I just said was any consultation."
"No, I know. It was—" He cups my face with his hands and silences me with a kiss to the lips. "I'll always be here. And if it turns out you're just using me I really don't mind. As long as I get to see your beautiful face every day." I look into his eyes, knowing his words were genuine. Tears suddenly leak from my eyes and down my cheek.
"Hey, hey. Why are you crying?" He asks wiping them away only for more to fall. Just seeing this soft side of him is enough to make me cry even more. "I've never had someone treat me like this before. Like I matter." His eyes widen and then grows sad. "You know, Princess, we're not so different after all."
I look up at him and he wipes more tears away. "My whole life I was treated like shit by the Northsiders. The only people that treat me with any respect are the Serpents. That's why I joined them." I sniffle and wipe at my cheek. Sweet Pea lays down and I lay down with him, resting my head on his chest.
"Where were you my whole life?" I ask softly and he chuckles, stroking my head. "I don't know. But I'm here now. And you're here. Couldn't ask for anything more."
"Wow, now I know why Sweet is in your name. You're almost too sweet for me." He groans and I smile. "Yeah, yeah, just don't tell anyone."
"My lips are sealed." He and I yawn, I tuck in closer and close my eyes falling asleep.
×ו××
"Ugh, don't start Toni!" I'm awoken with a start as I hear Sweet Pea's annoyed voice. "Oh, but you are so adorable together. I'm just glad it didn't drag out for days on end with you both fluttering around each other with your fear of unrequited feelings."
"Oh, for the love of God!" I laugh and sit up, Sweet Pea and Toni turn to look at me. "Morning," he says to me and I smile walking over to him. "Good morning, SP, Toni." She nods as Sweet Pea wraps his arm around my waist, ignoring Toni's noise of approval. "I gotta get to school. Jughead's probably worried since I didn't come home last night."
"I love how close you guys have gotten and so fast. It's like you had grown up together." I smile at that. "You think so?"
"Yeah," she says and I thank her. "Well, you can ride with me if you want?"
"Aw," Toni says and Sweet Pea glares at her. "Toni," he says warningly and I sneak my hand under his jacket, rubbing in between his shoulder blades in an effort to relax him if only a little. It works slightly and he gives me a look. I return it and remove my hand. "Alright, let's go." I grab my backpack from the ground and my hoodie from the chair.
"Yeah, see you at school, Toni." We head outside and Sweet Pea jogs down the steps taking out the keys to his motorcycle. He straddles it and starts it up. He hands me his helmet and I pull it on, slipping into the spot behind him. "You're gonna want to hold on tight," he says and I wrap my arms tightly around his waist.
Sweet Pea takes off at great speeds and I tighten my grip even more. Before long we're at school and Sweet Pea kills the engine. I pull the helmet off and hand it back to him. He takes it and hangs it off the handlebars. He takes his bike lock out and locks it around a metal pole.
We enter the school and make our way to the yard out back. The other Serpents were gathered and hunched over a bunch of papers. I can conclude that they're not doing homework. I sit down and wait for Toni. I'm not a Serpent this isn't my business, but Sweet Pea and Toni let me hang out.
When she arrives we talk and eventually Jughead walks up to us. "Sweet Pea. Take care of this," Fangs says and Sweet Pea looks up to see Jughead. "Nice article your girlfriend's mom wrote."
"I saw that. Dilton Doiley was stabbed and you jumped him?"
"The idiot stabbed himself with his own knife," Fangs says and Sweet Pea straightens up. "We didn't jump him. There was a fight. Bulldogs versus Serpents. See this?" He points to his black eye. "Andrews gave it to me before his girlfriend shot a gun into the air."
"What happened?" Jughead asks and I knew this was news to him. "And, of course, Northsiders get off scot-free, the rest of us are hauled in by police. It's payback time."
"What are you guys talking about? What is—? What is that? Is that a pipe bomb?" I look up at those words and actually take a look at the paper. "Fogarty's cousin served in the Army. He's gonna build us something. We'll do it after hours. It'll shut the Riverdale Register down."
"You think blowing up a building will make things better?"
"Can't get any worse."
"Yeah, Sweet Pea, it can," I say and he looks at me. "Let me talk to Archie, figure this out."
"That's your answer for everything. Talk. We don't know who you stand with. Us? Or them? You can't be half a Serpent." Sweet Pea looks at him before they grab the plans and walk away. Jughead sits down on the bench. "Great. So, Archie started World War III."
"Northside has been dumping on us for years. Your dad tried to keep the peace. Avoid bloodshed. Now that he's gone, idiots like Sweet Pea think there's one path and solution. Violence." Toni looks from Jughead to me and I nod.
×ו××
I'm standing in the bar with Sweet Pea, playing pool. "I sink this last ball and you gotta pay up," I say leaning over with the cue in my hand. "Yeah, right," he says from behind me. I'm lining up my shot when I hear the door open I take it and watch it fall into the pocket. "Damn!" I laugh and straighten up. Sweet Pea hands over the ten bucks.
"Maybe I can make money off of pool." He shakes his head a smile on his face, but it falls when he looks to the entrance. "I think this Northsider's lost."
"I'm not. I'm over being half a Serpent."
"Wow. You'll do anything to protect your Northside buddies."
"My father was a Serpent. He led you. I wanna stand with you guys. Tall Boy was the one who gave me this jacket. It's finally time I start wearing it." Tall Boy steps up to him. "So, now you wanna be a Serpent, huh? Let's see if you survive the initiation first."