Pleather || A Sweet Pea Romance (Riverdale)

chapter 2|| first day

"Oh I hope someday I'll make it out of here"

 "Even if it takes all night or a hundred years"

I put my books in my locker and it makes a loud slamming sound I can hear over my head phones. 

I've made it through my first few classes alright. I think I'm going to like my Newspaper class that I have first hour because Jughead and Betty are in it. At least I have a class where I know some people.

I'm looking for my next class, but I can't seem to find it. I walk down the hall, scanning each classroom room number, but I can't find 212. The minute bell rings and I know that I need to find it soon. I start to get the overwhelming feeling of anxiety. It would be so embarrassing to be late on the first day.

The more I look, the less people are in the hall. Soon I'm the only one and there's no one to ask for help.

I turn the corner and relief washes over me when I see Room 212 on the door.

I walk in just as the final bell rings.

I take the closest empty seat. The relief I feel washes away with one big wave once I realize I've sat next to Sweet Pea, the boy from the bonfire that seemed to already hate me. Once he notices it's me, I try to smile at him but he rolls his eyes and turns his body slightly so he's facing away from me.

The teacher begins her introduction. "Hello, my name is Mrs. Martinez and I'll be your Third-Year English teacher. I'll start by calling roll."

She goes through the names. Students correct her pronunciation or tell her of their preferred names.

"Steven Peters," Mrs. Martinez says.

"It's Sweet Pea." The boy next to me corrects. His voice is loud and strong.

She writes on her paper. "Alright, Sweet Pea," she says, but she sounds a little annoyed. "Margot Reagan," she calls next.

"I go by Reagan," I say, but my voice is quiet compared to hers and Sweet Pea's.

"Reagan," she mumbles and she continues with the next few people on the attendance sheet.

"Great, well, we will be starting off the semester by doing a book report." The whole class, besides myself, groans. She continues, "It will be a partner assignment." My heart sinks into my stomach. I don't know anyone in the class, beside Sweet Pea. "I will be picking your partners." The heart groans again, but I'm a little thankful. At least I won't have to convince someone to work with me. "This project has a few parts..."

She continues and I listen impatiently. I want to know who my partner is going to be. She passes out a packet that outlines the project and has a list of books we can pick from.

"Alright, without further ado, here are your partners. Calvin Arias and George Baker. Lilian Brewer and Max Davis." I notice she's reading of the attendance sheet to pair people up. I have a 50% chance of not getting Sweet Pea as my partner. I hold my breath and she gets down towards the bottom of the list. "Sweet Pea and Reagan," she reads off.

I see Sweet Pea stiffen and I exhale the breath I had been holding.

"This project is worth a big part of your grade, so I suggest you start working right now with your partners. Find your partner, pick a book, and come up with a plan to get this finished."

I take a breath and wait for Sweet Pea to speak up, but he doesn't. Everyone else is moving around the classroom to find their partner and they begin talking to see which book they should pick.

I clear my throat and say, "do you want to pick a book?"

"Sure," he says, but he sounds really annoyed.

We look through the list quietly. "Do you see any that look interesting?" I ask.

He points to one. "That one I guess."

"Moonlit Malice. Sounds promising. We should go to the library after school to check it out so we can start reading it. Or if you want I can go and check out two copies and give one to you tomorrow."

He sighs, but once the air leaves his body he doesn't seem as tense. "Yeah fine, I'll met you there."

We pass the rest of the class without talking to each other. Other people are talking about their projects and their summers. We're the only group not talking. He looks out the window or down at his phone. I put my headphones in and look through the packet to see what we need to do within the next three weeks.

"Alright. I'll see you after school in the library," I say before the bell rings.

"Sure," he says as the bell rings and he leaves before I can say anything else.

 ° º ° ° º ° ° º ° ° º ° ° º ° 

My first day isn't all so bad. Besides my English class, I know at least one person in all my other classes that seems friendly. I have Betty and Jughead in my Newspaper class, Veronica in my Pre-Calculus, Archie in Music Humanities and Economics, and Veronica's also in my AP-Biology. 

I also met Kevin at lunch and he seems friendly too. 

After school, I send Jughead a text saying that I have to stay after to go to the library. He doesn't respond.

I walk into the library and I don't see Sweet Pea. I decide he must be on his way and I make my way to the book shelves to start looking for the book. There are a few copies and I grab two.

I take a seat at an empty table and as I wait on Sweet pea I read the back cover. The book looks interesting enough. It's about a boy who makes a bad choice and the rest of his town hates him for it. The only time he can feel like himself is when he sneaks out at night where he spends time with a friend.

I look at my watch and see that it's been ten minutes since I've arrived at the library. I look around but still don't see Sweet Pea. I change seats at the table so I'm facing the door.

I begin reading the first chapter, but my reading is interrupted anytime someone walks in. By the time I finish the first chapter, I've been reading for 15 minutes, but there's still not sign of Sweet Pea.

I read one more chapter and by the time I'm finished with it, there are only a few people in the library. I realize what has happened and I go to check out the two copies of Moonlit Malice and I start my walk back home by myself.