Northside Serpent | Sweet Pea

.three

I found out from Jughead that FP was working at Pop's so I decided to head there during one of his shifts. I sat inside a booth at the far corner of the diner and waited for FP to be near when I ordered.

"Tatiana?"

"Hey FP. Can I get a double cheeseburger, onion rings and a vanilla milkshake?" I say grinning. "Oh, and congratulations on your release."

"I heard from Jughead you joined the serpents."

"It's what you told me remember."

"No, I told you the serpents would protect you, not that you have to join the serpents to do it."

"Same difference."

"No, it's-" FP was cut off by Pop's who was calling him. The diner was busy that day and they had lots of customers, I guess Pop's needed a hand.

I ate away my food and saw Betty and Jughead come in sometime earlier. After FP took their plates Cheryl decided to drop her milkshake purposely.

"Clean that up, Plebe. Like the way you did my brother's blood." She says and Jughead walks towards her angrily.

"Jug, don't." FP says as he walks up to Cheryl to clean up the mess. "We'll get you another milkshake right away. On the house."

I decided to stand up and go to Jughead and Betty as I see Jughead extremely frustrated.

"My dad used to be a king. A leader of men. Now he's being demeaned by the likes of Cheryl Blossom. He deserves to be honored not humiliated."

"Why don't we do just that? Seriously why not throw your dad a retirement party fit for a King? Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

"That would be stupid in my opinion. Joining a gang isn't like joining some club Betty. Serpents are for life they take care of you and you take care of them, it's not easy leaving." I say as I get near to them keeping my voice low just enough that they're the only ones who can hear me.

"But it's FP decision to leave, T. Not mine, not Jug's."

"FP wants to leave?"

"He wants to be a better dad to Jug, and he thinks it's the best way."

I came inside the White Wyrm late than usual and I see an unusual sight, Betty was talking to Toni.

"-I've been walking the razor's edge since Jughead joined the serpents and all I've been thinking is... You know as soon as FP gets home everything will get better because he'll be there to protect Jughead and make sure he doesn't get hurt." I hear Betty says as I get closer.

"Yeah, I'm following you," Toni comments. "I mean with FP out of the picture..."

"But that's my whole point. I do worry. So, I wanna keep an eye on Jughead, myself. Make sure that as deep into these snake-infested waters as he goes, he doesn't do something that you know puts him in danger." Hearing what Betty says gives me a bad feeling of what she's planning

"So, what, you wanna be a serpent." Toni says.

"No, no, no." I interject as I finally sat on the stool beside Betty. "Absolutely not."

"Let's say serpent-adjacent. But yeah part of his world, this world." She reasons. She then looks at me. "Your world T."

I then hear an older female serpent behind us. "Shut it, Byrdie." Toni shouts.

"Sorry sweet valley high, if you wanna join the club, you gotta do the dance... the Serpent dance." Byrdie said in between her laughs.

"Excuse me, Serpent dance?"