Legends [1] ▻ Sweet Pea

9

    Izzy was sitting with Sweet Pea in the Whyte Wyrm when Jughead entered, "I have a special announcement to make," Jughead stated, making Izzy look up, "My dad's getting out." Izzy smiled to hear the good news and everyone,
Including Izzy and Sweet Pea, started to cheer.

    "And when he does, I'll bring him up to speed on our plans with Mayor McCoy."

"That's brilliant." Tall Boy announced, placing the drink that he had in his hand on the table in front of him before standing up.

"Do you have a problem with that, Tall Boy?" Jughead asked, sternly.

"Your old man? No. I got no problem with him. But you want us to sit down with the Mayor."

"I do, he's right," Jughead nodded. "He's right, I think we can bring the Southside back. And it's going to take work and it's going to take compromise."

    Tall boy laughed at Jughead, "Bring the Southside back. You have been here all of five minutes."

  Jughead scoffed, "You know what, Tall Boy? I am sick of you acting like a little bitch!" Izzy couldn't help but silently laugh at this "Whispering behind my back that's Im half a Serpent and saying that I don't belong here? How about we all put it to a vote? If you guys think what I'm doing is wrong, I'll step aside." He argued, sternly.

    Within seconds, Toni stood up, "All those who stand with Jughead and think that Tall Boy should shut the hell up..." Toni raised her hand, followed by the rest of the Serpents. Izzy hesitantly got off her seat and raised her hand, followed by Sweet Pea.

   Tall Boy gave Jughead a death glare before storming out of the Whyte Wyrm.

                         • • • •

   "Twenty bucks! Pay up, Sweets!" Everyone around the pool table cheered as they watched Izzy beat Sweet Pea's ass in Pool.  It was just an hour before when Izzy arrived at FP's retirement party at the Whyte Wyrm. She was bummed that FP was retiring, he was always like a second father to her, but it was his choice whether or not he stayed a Serpent.

     Sweet Pea sighed as he took out a Twenty dollar bill and held it out in front of Izzy. Izzy quickly took the bill and put it in the back pocket of her jeans, "Thank you." She muttered.

    Izzy looked up from the Pool table when she saw Archie and Veronica, the Northsiders, go up on stage and started to sing "Mad World". Izzy had to admit, they were pretty good at singing, but soon after, Veronica stormed off the stage, followed by Archie.

     Everyone started to boo them, starting with Izzy and Sweet Pea.

   Izzy frowned when she saw Jughead's girlfriend walk up onto the stage to finish Archie and Veronica's song. Izzy almost choked on the alcohol she was drinking when she saw the blonde start to take off her shirt, followed by her skirt, leaving her in just Black lingerie, "What is it with Northsiders today?" Izzy muttered, "Don't you think, Sweets?"

    Izzy frowned when she got no answer. Izzy turned her head to see that Sweet Pea was watching the stage closely as Betty basically strip danced on the pole. Izzy rolled her eyes as her best friend. Why did she feel slightly jealous of Sweet Pea's reaction? He was just her friend, why did she feel jealous of her friend checking out that northsider? She didn't like him, of course. Why did it bother her?

  Maybe it wasn't that she didn't like him, maybe it was that she couldn't. Izzy couldn't like him and she couldn't get attached. It would only end with her more damaged and hurt than she already was to begin with.

     As the song ended, it was quiet for a moment before FP came out of nowhere, clapping, which made everyone else clap too, including Izzy and Sweet Pea.

  FP quickly told Jughead's girlfriend something before handing her his jacket to cover up with. She thanked him before before walking off the stage. FP had a wide grin placed on his face as he walked over to the microphone, ready to make his speech.

   "Let's give her a round of applause!" FP announced, "Show some of that Serpent hospitality we're known for." He loudly shouted and everyone started to cheer.

   "You know what? I've been in and out of the Serpents since I was even younger than my son." FP commented, pointing to Jughead, "And its been a wild ride. Good times, bad times, but through it all, the Serpents stuck by my side, while most other people turned their backs on me. My own family included." FP stated, turning his gaze over toward Jughead, "Now, the letter of the law says that I can't be here in the Serpent den. That I can't associate with my friends. My real family. My blood. But I've been thinking about that. And it'll be a cold day in hell before a snake lets a pig tell him what to do. The Northside wants me outta this gang? Well, they better bring a coffin because FP Jones isn't retiring! And I am not going gently into the night! I am here to stay! So, bring the fire!"

      Izzy turned her serious face into a wide grin and started to cheer and clap. Everyone around also started to cheer for FP. Everyone thought he was going to retire, but now he wasn't. Izzy was proud of FP for staying, but she was also sad. That was probably his last chance to leave this Serpent without being in a body bag and he turned it down.

• • • •

     As the party went on, Izzy ended up hanging out with the elder Serpents like FP, Tall Boy, and some others. Sweet Pea sat at the other end of the bar while Toni served him a drink.

    "Hey, Toni?" Sweet Pea spoke up and Toni quickly looked at her friend.

   "Yeah?" She asked him calmly.

     "Can I tell you something? You can't tell Izzy, okay?" Toni watched her friend closely as he downed both of his drinks. He was clearly drunk.

Toni slowly nodded and replied, "What is it, Sweet Pea?"

Sweet Pea exhaled deeply as he laid his head on the bar counter, "When I was watching Jughead's girlfriend do the Serpent dance, I was honestly imagining it to be Izzy," Sweet Pea explained, his stern and serious face turned into a large goofy smile immediately as he looked up at his friend.

Sweet Pea wasn't just drunk, he was completely wasted, "Man, how I wish that was actually her up on that stage," He sighed, "I like her so damn much, but I can't tell her how I feel because she'll just stop talking to me and I can't live without Izzy by my side. Do you know how much I would give to find out she liked me back?"

Toni sighed as she listened to her friend ramble. Damn, Sweets really is head over heels for Izzy, she thought.

Toni quietly gasped when she looked up to see Izzy standing a few feet away from Sweet Pea, but Sweet Pea was too drunk to notice Izzy standing behind him. Izzy glared at Toni, gesturing for her friend to not say anything. Izzy snapped out of her thoughts and quickly took a seat next to Sweet Pea at the bar.

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?" Izzy asked, acting as if she didn't know the answer.

"Hey, Izzy." Sweet Pea grinned, lifting his head up to glance at his best friend, "We were just talking about that dance Jones' girlfriend did. Didn't see that coming at all."

Izzy slightly smiled, "Do you want me to take you home, Sweets? I could ask Tall Boy to borrow his truck."

"I'd love that." Sweet Pea nodded, still smiling.

AN: Damn, the truth finally came out. Izzy knows that Sweet Pea likes her! And Izzy is realizing that maybe she does like Sweet Pea and just doesn't want to admit it because of her past.