DESPERADO | SWEET PEA [2]

31

"If you were struggling to make ends meet, you could've told me, Fangs!" Izzy shouted at Fangs as they stood in FP's trailer.

FP and Jughead weren't home, allowing Izzy to talk to Fangs alone.

"The quarantine happened, Iz. I needed money!" Fangs complained, "You were nowhere in sight!"

"Then you could've talked to FP," Izzy argued in a stern tone, "And what the hell do you need money like that for anyway? I thought you were against dealing."

Izzy froze when she saw the tears welled in Fangs' eyes, her eyes immediately softened. She immediately knelt in front of Fangs, placing her hand on his leg as she stared up at him, "What's wrong, Fangs?"

"My mom's sick," He informed her and Izzy immediately felt her chest tighten, "She's got treatments that we can't pay for."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Izzy asked Fangs with a sad look on her face, "You're like a brother to me, Fangs. We've been best friends since preschool. You could've told me."

"You were never around. You've always been busy," Fangs replied and Izzy immediately felt guilty about not being there for her friend, "I was ashamed, too," He informed her quietly.

"So you started dealing Fizzle Rocks?" Izzy questioned in disbelief, "And where'd you get it from anyway? The Gargoyle Gang?"

Fangs looked down, clearly ashamed, as he nodded his head, "Am I out now?" He asked her quietly.

"The punishment for this kind of crime is immediate exiled, but I could never do that to you," Izzy replied and Fangs was immediately taken aback since Izzy was never the one to show mercy, even to her friends, "You and I've been through a lot together. We've suffered the most out of our friends through the years. I'm giving you a second chance."

"What will everyone say?" Fangs asked her in a voice just above a whisper, "They'll be pissed when they know you gave me a second chance."

"To hell with them. I'm the queen. I call the shots," Izzy told them, causing them both to smile, "And if you're talking about Jughead, I don't care what he thinks. I regret even making him second in command. And for everyone else? I already have something planned, but you're just going to have to wait to figure it out." She explained to him, "Now come here. You clearly need a hug."

Fangs smiled at Izzy, immediately wrapping his arms around her. Izzy smiled also, hugging Fangs back.

_______

"You need to fix this, Izzy," Veronica complained to Izzy as they both sat at Pop's together, talking about what was going on.

"If Cheryl took the stupid egg, why are you coming to me about it?" Izzy complained, confused as to why Veronica had insisted on meeting her at Pop's, "Why didn't you just go directly to her?"

"Why do you think?" Veronica retorted, "She's dodging my phone calls. Besides, aren't you, like, her queen now?"

"What I'm trying to figure out is since when are you and Hiram aligned with each other?" Izzy questioned, crossing her arms over her chest.

"We're not," Veronica immediately argued, "He's squeezing me, he's squeezing my business. Now, not only does he have me paying him protection, he's got me on this wild-goose chase to get my mom's stolen egg back."

"So you're paying your father protection?" Izzy asked Veronica curiously, "Isn't he the one who basically leads the Gargoyle Gang?" Veronica sighed, nodding her head in confirmation.

Izzy was quiet for a moment, thinking up an idea. Once doing so, she looked over at Veronica with wide eyes, "What if you didn't have to do that anymore?" She suggested and Veronica immediately became interested in what she had to say.