Redemption [Sweet Pea x OC]

Chapter 21

I leaned against the rail, waiting for the door to open.

"Welcome back," I said.

FP grinned. "I could say the same to you," he said, pulling me into a hug.

I followed him inside, Jughead barely acknowledging me from where he sat typing at the table. He and I were still barely speaking.

"You've been a free man for less than a week and you've already landed yourself a job at Pop's. How's that going?" I asked, dropping onto the couch while FP settled himself into the armchair.

"It's been good, working a legit job, I'm back home, I've got my boy here, I've given up drinking. I feel like a new man."

"You should stay away from Abigail then," Jughead said coldly.

"Shut it, Jones," I snapped, glaring at him.

"He's already told me everything, Babygirl," FP said.

I turned towards him for confirmation, my temper rising. "What the hell?" I asked Jughead, stepping towards him. He slammed his laptop closed, standing as well.

"It's not like you were going to tell him anything," Jughead said.

"Give me that," FP said behind me, pulling my switchblade from my hand. I hadn't even realized I'd pulled it out. "I don't need any more holes in my walls."

I didn't take my eyes off Jughead. "Oh, there won't be holes in the wall this time. I won't be aiming to miss."

"Get out of here, boy," FP said. "Babygirl and I need some time to talk. Alone." Jughead glanced at his father, shooting one last glare at me before leaving the trailer. I turned around, holding my hand out for my knife. "Sit down," FP ordered, taking his seat in the armchair again. "You always did have a bit of a temper. At least that's one thing that hasn't changed about you."

I raised an eyebrow. "You were expecting me to be that same little girl I was when you and Tall Boy arranged to have me shipped off?"

"You know, I thought I was seeing things yesterday at Pop's. I couldn't believe it was really you, finally back in Riverdale. I asked around and heard some tales about you. Jughead's already told me you're involved with the Ghoulies somehow, and Penny. So you're going to tell me everything, starting at the beginning."

"If we're starting at the beginning, then you should be going first. Jughead said you didn't know anything about me leaving, but I'm calling bullshit on that."

FP sighed, fiddling with my switchblade. "I know I was pretty messed up back then, with Gladys and Jellybean leaving, but I swear I didn't know anything about that. You were there one day, running around as usual, then the next day Tall Boy said you'd been taken to live with family out of town."

"And that was it? You didn't question it or try to find me?" I asked.

"I'll admit I should have done more. I should have done more for Jug, more for my family back then. I'm sorry, Babygirl. I should have been there for you."

He was telling the truth after all, I could see it. So it all fell back on Tall Boy, or more likely, Penny. More than likely, Tall Boy was just her pawn, doing her bidding as always.

"What happened? I've heard stories, but I don't want to believe them," FP asked quietly.

"From the beginning?" I asked, FP nodding. "I was couchsurfing after my parents left. One night I was at Tall Boy's and he woke me up in the middle of the night, said to get my things. He drove me to Centerville, left me with the Serpents there. Things were good then. They took care of me, just like I was still at the Wyrm." I glanced at FP who sat still, listening." After a few months, Penny showed up, told me you and Tall Boy had made a deal with her. I was going to help her, deliver packages around town to show I was ready to be an official Serpent. I didn't think anything of it, just ran around town doing what I was told. One night, Penny told me to pack everything up, we were leaving. She took me to...Athens, I think it was, first. On the drive, Penny told me I'd racked up a debt with her, said I owed her for everything she'd paid for over the last few months. She gave me to the Ghoulies, told me I'd be working under them until everything was paid off. I started out running deliveries for them, like I'd been doing. But now I knew I was running drugs. Penny would come back around every few months, checking up on me, moving me to other towns whenever the cops caught wind of me, the little girl who made frequent visits to known drug dealers. Sometimes she'd leave me with whatever group of Serpents were close by, had me lay low."