𝐕𝐈𝐏𝐄𝐑 || Sweet Pea ✔️ || REWRITING

𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙉𝙄𝙉𝙀

𝐄𝐙𝐑𝐀 𝐉𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒

FP's retirement party was in full swing, Ezra couldn't remember the last time she'd seen the place so full. Frankie had teased her outfit made up of a black bandeau top, black denim shorts and one of her dads flannels and accused her of 'dressing up'. Even Toni made a remark on Ezra deciding to do her hair and makeup.

It rubbed her the wrong way, the way they made it seem like she never made an effort with how she looked. She was never one that cared about her appearance, though she knew she was pretty, she just never felt the need to get dolled up for some sort of confrontation at Southside High.

That and sitting on the floor in front of her mirror hurt her back.

Sweet Pea hadn't shown up yet, he messaged her to say something happened at home and that she should go with her dad instead of waiting up for him. It bummed her out, but she knew what his dad was like.

"Ezra! You look...wow!" Veronica Lodge exclaimed, striding towards her with Archie in tow like a puppy. She extended her arms as if to hug her, but Ezra awkwardly stepped back.

With an awkward thumbs up, Ezra nodded "Thanks, uh, what brings you guys to the Wyrm?"

Archie shrugged, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans "It's your dad's retirement, right? Betty invited us, it's okay with you right?"

"Oh, yeah, 'course it is." In the corner of her eye she could see India Malina shoving her way through the crowd with a toddler on her hip "I'll be right back."

Ezra and India had a complicated relationship. They were once best friends, then sworn enemies, then friends again but Ezra got too invested and ended up devastated when they got into another fight and stopped talking.

As much as they wanted to hate each other, both of them knew there was no universe in which they would completely cut ties. They both cared about each other in a really annoying way that they'd never understand.

She assumed the child hanging off her hip was her little sister Naomi, though presuming not a lot had changed recently India might as well be Naomi's mom at this point.

"You know she can't be here," Ezra sighed, flinching away when a pair of sticky hands reached out to grab her "this isn't a place for kids."

"Yeah, well, where else can I go?" India bit back, eyebrow raising expectantly "Mom kicked me out again, she's gone off on one. I wasn't leaving her behind."

Chewing on her bottom lip, Ezra caved "Birdie is upstairs, got in a dumb fight with Hog Eye again and is sulking. You can bring Naomi up there for a while."

She'd already offered to put India in contact with Miss Weiss, she refused outright because she was afraid Naomi would be taken away from her. India had promised she was in contact with her dad, but if she really had been they would've left Riverdale by now to stay with him in Seattle.

Ezra wasn't going to pry.

Especially not once she caught a glimpse of Alice and Betty Cooper entering the Whyte Wyrm, Betty looking the picture of the girl next door and Alice looking like a complete different woman.

Like a Serpent.

"You see Ponytail and her karaoke machine?" Frankie snorted, sliding up beside Ezra and passing her a glass of. . .something "Maybe we can get up and sing that Taylor Swift song you play on loop."

"Fuck off." Ezra scoffed, taking a swig from the glass "Cmon, let's play pool. This is the most boring party I've ever been to."

"Agreed."