princess || s.p

-10-

"Princess, we need to talk about this."

"Talk about what?" Aria sighed and slumped into the chair opposite the boy, resting her chin in her hand and eating another forkful of pancake while she attempted to avoid Sweet Pea's gaze.

"You have no idea what you'd be getting into." His eyes were fixated on the girl in front of him, conflicted between being happy that she wanted to become a Serpent, and worried of the life she would be joining.

"For the last 2 months, I've spent pretty much every spare minute with you guys. I know." She was still staring at the plate in front of her, absent-mindedly picking at her food, willing Sweet Pea to give in. "You're the one who said 'one day you'll get me in a Serpent jacket'."

"I know, I just- I want to make sure you're not going to regret it. It's not some after-school club, you have to be willing to give your life for the Serpents."

"What, like my father gave his life for you guys?" She sat up and finally met his gaze, guilt immediately written across his expression.

"Okay, I deserved that." He mumbled. "But still, you don't know half of the shit we do, and I don't want you throwing yourself in at the deep end and wanting to leave after a few weeks."

"I know what you guys did to Penny Peabody." She muttered, sighing. "I don't want to join for fun, Sweet Pea, my dad was clearly close to the Serpents, he was a Southsider, I'm done hiding that. My mom is acting like a stranger, the only people I can rely on are you guys."

"What about your Northside friends?" His voice lowered to become genuinely interested, leaning against the table and raising his eyebrows at her.

"They have their own shit going on." She shrugged and sighed. "Why do you care so much?"

"Because-" He shook his head and exhaled heavily. "Because, as annoying as it is, I care about you."

"That was almost sweet." Aria laughed softly and rolled her eyes. "But I'm still not decided, anyway. I want to find out more about my dad, then I'll decide. So you can't tell anyone that I'm thinking of it." She pointed a finger at him and raised her eyebrows.

"Not even Toni?"

"Not even Toni."

"Or Fangs?"

"Or Fangs. Or Jughead. Or anyone. Got it?" She looked seriously at him, seeing him sigh but nod in agreement before shovelling another forkful of pancake into his mouth.

"Hey, if you want to know more about your dad, FP was the one that was with him the most." Sweet Pea commented after a few moments of comfortable silence, lifting his head to raise his eyebrows at the girl opposite him.

"I know, that's why I'm talking to him today at the Whyte Wyrm. Well, if I can face him after dancing on the bar last night." She sighed, Sweet Pea smiling in amusement and rolling his eyes.

"You'll be fine." He shrugged. "But if you want to go home, your car's still at the Wyrm."

"Yeah, I might need to get some clothes." Aria glanced down at the flannel shirt draped over her body, laughing softly.

"Why? I think you look pretty hot like that." Sweet Pea smirked and glanced her up and down, met with a roll of her eyes as she sipped her water.

"Still not going out in public like this, though." She commented, setting her glass down on the table and eating the last forkful of pancake left on her plate.

"Guess I'll have to enjoy it while you're here, then." He shrugged, cocking a brow and affixing a suggestive gaze to Aria.

"That is why I'm going to change." She shrugged, grinning and standing from her seat, grabbing her phone and starting to leave the room. Suddenly, she was pulled back by hands gripping her waist, Sweet Pea stepping in front of her and raising his eyebrows. "What are you doing?" She had to tilt her head back to look up at him properly due to his significantly taller height, earning a small smirk from the boy.