Assorted Riverdale Imagines

Sweet Pea- Isn't That the Fun of it?

"Hey, I like your jacket," you smile at a tall Serpent who just shrugs you off. You don't think much of it because Bulldogs and Serpents usually didn't along.
"Did you just tell him you like his jacket?" Archie laughs as he stands in front of you. "Sweet Pea is a dick, I'd stay away."
"So are you, but you don't see me going anywhere," you shrug.
"You can't go anywhere," he reminds you. "You are living with me."
"Which has been rough," You laugh. "I can't help it though, I don't have anywhere else to go."
"It's not so bad," he said. "We are best friends." You nod as he wraps an arm around your shoulders. "But, for real, Sweet Pea is a dick. He has always been."
"I would be too, if people were dicks to me first," You point out. "Mr Red circle."
"I'm just trying to help you out," he said as you stop to cross the street. You see Jughead and Betty down the street on the bike and you kinda wish you had that luxury.
You walk down the halls of the school and continue to give the Serpent compliments. He usually doesn't say anything or just gives you dead looks. One day you are sitting in the lounge listening to nearby conversations. You think about Sweet Pea and why he was so bitter. You make up a lot of reasons in your head when you were supposed to be listening to Veronica.
"Also, I think that Archie and Josie are weird," Veronica says and you look at her confused. "Have you not been listening to me?" You give her an apologetic smile. "Never mind."
"No V, I'm sorry. I kinda zoned out," you say. "I'm kinda side tracked today. I'm really sorry."
"It's fine," she said. "I was just complaining anyways."
"Oh shit!" Someone yells and you hear a loud crash. The two of you jump and turn to see Reggie Mantle on top of a dark haired serpent. It takes you a minute to realize it was Sweet Pea. You jump out of your seat and Veronica follows you over.
"Fuck you!" Reggie shouts punching him and Archie is struggling to pull him off.
"Reggie!" The red head shouts tugging harder on the boy. Once he is off you stand between them. "Dude!"
"Stop!" You shout and Veronica faces Reggie. You look them both in eyes. "Calm down."
"Let's go," Archie says pulling on the bulldog and Veronica follows. You grab Sweet Pea's hands and pull him the opposite way to the locker room. Teenagers are buzzing by talking about the fight and how it took three people to pull Reggie off the Serpent.
Sweet Pea is silent the whole time and you could feel his anger radiating off of him. You take a paper towel and dab at his lip and cheek that were bleeding. You push his hair back lightly and wipe the splattered blood from his forehead and busted eyebrow. He was a mess. He looks up at you now confused and you just give him a small smile.
"You feeling alright?" You ask and he nods. "He got you pretty hard and your bleeding. Sorry, if this is weird."
"No," he shook his head now. "It's not weird, thanks for doing this."
"You actually said thanks," you tease. "Didn't think that was in your vocabulary."
"Well, it isn't usually for bulldogs at least," he explained. "Why are you doing this?"
"I have no reason not to help you, do I?" You ask with an eyebrow raised. "You aren't going to hurt me are you?"
"No," he said a little quickly. "It's just, I haven't really talked to you and I thought you were just making fun of me the whole time."
"Not every Northsider is a bad guy, Sweet Pea," you sigh. "I don't see sides like the rest of you do. I see people. I see people who don't like each one another and they constantly argue and fight. It's kinda annoying."
"Well, I'm sorry for assuming," he sighed. "Can I make it up to you?"
"You don't have to," you shake your head and throw away the paper towel. "I would have made the same assumption if I were in your shoes. Some of the kids here aren't very nice."
"I want to," he said. "Just meet me at Pops and I will get you a shake or something. I have kinda been a jerk."
"I wouldn't say that," you laugh. "But, I will meet you at Pop's, say around sevenish?"
"Sure," He gives you a small smile which you return. "Now, this is going to sound a little strange, but can you tell me your name?"
You throw your head back laughing, "Y/N."
"Alright, Y/N, I will see you later," he says standing up with a smirk. "Don't forget."
"Wouldn't dare," you say still laughing. "Might end up like everyone else." You follow him out of the locker room as the bell sounds signaling the end of the day. "See ya later." You wave at the taller boy.
"Y/N," Archie calls over to you. "What were you doing with him?"
"I was helping him," you say. "He was pretty beat up, it doesn't really matter."
"Sure it does," Archie says. "I don't want you getting hurt."
"I can take care of myself Andrews. And, you realize that your best friend is a Serpent right?" You roll your eyes. "And I guess Betty is too?"
"Sweet Pea is different," he explains. "He's angry."
"Look," You shake your head. "Everyone is angry. Just leave it alone and let's get home?"
"Fine."
You walk home together in silence and you tell him that you were going to Pop's for dinner tonight. He questions you and you tell him it was none of his business as you leave with a smile. Archie was your best friend, but he always bombarded you with questions. He was too protective sometimes.
"Didn't think you would come," Sweet Pea says as you sit across from him. "Fangs told me to stick it out, glad I did."
"I am five minutes early," you laugh looking at the time. "Are you nervous?"
"No," he scoffs. "But, I got here early in case you did and it was a big awkward mess for about five to seven minutes."
"Well," You laugh. "I wouldn't stand you up. You haven't given me a reason to, though I am sure my dear friend would love that."
"It's not Mantle is it?" He asks.
"No," you laugh. "Reggie and I are more acquainted. But, I am kinda living with Archie Andrews because my parents ditched town."
"Oh," he nods slowly. "My parents ditched town back when I was twelve. Been kinda livin alone since."
"Wow, is that when you joined the Serpents?" You ask and he nods. "Well, my story is much better I guess." You laugh lightly. "They went off for business and left me because I was in school. This was only a year ago."
"It's happier," he laughed too. "Why stay with Andrews? What about Betty or Veronica?"
"I'm not as close to Betty as I used to be," you shrug. "I'm not even sure what happened and Veronica has enough on her plate. And, Archie and I have been friends for a long time."
He nods, "well at least you have someone to lean on." You nod and look at your hands. "Your turn to ask a question."
"Why are you so afraid of compliments?" You ask and he gives you a look.
"I am not afraid of compliments. I know I am great and love when people tell me," he says. "I just don't like when assholes give backhanded compliments."
"Understandable," You nod. "Your turn."
"Why are you so nice?" He asks with a shrug. "You are a lot nicer than ninety percent of your school."
"I was bullied as a kid, in my old school and when I moved here Cheryl was a big bitch. I know what it's like to be on the end and I don't want that for anyone else," you explain. "I'd rather spread kindness."
"You are different," he smiled. "I like that. You don't act like everyone else, you do your own thing." You look at your hands again.
"Hey, you wanna ditch this place?" You ask. "I can show you a nice place a little ways north. I used to go there a lot."
"Sure," He said. "If you don't mind riding my bike, I gotta helmet."
"I don't mind," you say with a smile and follow him to his bike. He hands you a helmet and you put it on as he climbs on.
"Hold on tight," he says and you hear his smirk. The bike revs to life and then you take off. It scares you and you tighten your grip around him and you feel his laugh. "Where do I go?"
"Get on I-45," you instruct over the sound of the wind. "Go until you get to the Glendale exit." He nods and you feel the bike get faster as he gets on the highway. You look at the stars and are mesmerized by how cool they looked on the bike. Everything seemed better and cooler on the bike. You let your arms loosen as you grow used to the speed and seat. His hair is blowing in the wind hitting the top of your helmet and you can see the rolls of his skin as the wind his face. He switches lanes and flies by cars and semi trucks. The wind pricks your skin leaving goosebumps to rise and fall continuously on your skin. He flies to the exit and gets off.
"Where to now?" He asks as he slows to a stop.
"Go left then at the third stoplight go left again and at the stop sign go right and go straight until you hit the reserve," you say. "Turn into it and from there we walk." He nods and follows your directions. You forget about the hill that you had to go down and you tighten your grip again as the bike buzzes down. He parks the bike in the reserve and waits for you to get off. "Welcome to Dominic's Reserve, I came here a lot when I got my license. I lived here when I was younger and I walked here. It's my favorite place to come when I'm sad or angry."
"Well show me what's so special about it," he says climbing off the bike too. "You seem like you have a good memory of this place."
"Follow me, Sir Sweet Pea," you say and grab his hand to lead him through the trees and to the trail then back to through the trees. You stop at the cliff that over looks the lake. "This is my private place." You drop his hand and step out towards the edge of the rock and sit. The stars and moon reflect into the water and the wind causes them to become blurred.
"Wow," He says looking out at the lake and the sky. "This is really nice." He sits next to you and let's his feet dangle over. "How did you find this place?"
"I tried to run away once," you shrug. "I hated school. I ran to the reserve and got off the trail. Ended up finding this place." He nods. "Ever since, when I was having a hard time, I would come here."
"Why'd you bring me here?"
"You have had a harder time than me, so I thought I'd pass it along," You shrug. "Just don't let too many people know about it, because I don't want it being defiled."
"I won't," He promised and he nudged his hand against yours a few times. You smirk and grab his hand enlacing your fingers together.
"Can I ask what your fight was about?" You ask looking up him. "With Reggie."
"He is just a jerk who doesn't know the right things to say," he says. "He always mouths off because he thinks it's cool."
"Yeah, he's Reggie Mantle," You chuckle. "He is a huge dick a lot of the time, but it's all a disguise. He has a rough life at home too. Not that it shows."
"I don't think Reggie has a rough anything," he shakes his head.
"Well, He has a bad relationship with his parents," you say. "But, I don't want to tell his life off."
"Understandable," He said. "But, if you say so, I'll keep it mind next time he spouts off." You laugh and look out at the landscape again. The wind leaves goosebumps on your skin again, which he notices. "Here." He shrugs his jacket off and hands it to you. You pull it on and are immediately warm. His scent lures you to be comfortable and you lean your head on his shoulder and he flinched.
"Sorry," you jump up. "I know it's weird. I didn't..."
"No," he shook his head. "It's fine, I kinda liked it. You can do it again." You lean on his shoulder again and he enlaces his hand in yours again.
"I've only brought like two other people here," you say. "Betty and Archie, back when Betty was pining after Arch."
"Is that your way of making me feel special?" He chuckled and you shrug. "I know, I'm special."
"You are so egotistical," you say rolling your eyes. "So, why did you agree to come. I know you don't trust us."
"Took a chance," he says. "You seem like the kinda person who doesn't lie."
"Ugh, I lie," You scoff. "I'm not just some goody good. Sure, I am nice and all. But, I can lie!"
"Hey, wasn't saying you couldn't," he says laughing. "Calm down, feisty."
"Wanna go to my treehouse?" You ask and he furrows his eyebrows. "My old house was down the hill and kinda connected. My dad payed someone to build a treehouse for me."
"Then, I guess show me the way," he said and you stand up and wipe away dirt. "You aren't leading me to a murder site, are you?"
"Isn't that the fun?" You smile and start walking through the trees again. He follows after you and you laugh as he trips over a root. "How much farther?"
"Only a little bit," You laugh and take note of the wind picking up its speed, signaling rain or a storm. "Come on." You reach out your hand again and he takes it. "It's not so bad out here with a friend also, I'll make sure you don't tumble. Would hate to start a domino effect with all of the other trees."
"Ha ha," he shakes his head. "Making fun of me because I'm tall, that's low."
"It was easy," You laugh and you spot the tree house. "There." You point up at it. You let go of his hand and run up to it. It was a little beat up but you still grabbed the old ladder and climbed it. "Come on!" You pull yourself in and sit on the old futon and flick the lights on that were solar powered. He pulls himself in and looks around. "It's old, but I used to practically live here."
"Well it's nice," he says ducking inside. "Is this a poster for the Jonas Brothers?" You roll your eyes and push the back of the futon down. You grab a pillow and lay down.
"This is my sanctuary," You sigh and look at the ceiling. "I love it here."
"I understand why," he says and sits next to your lying form. "This place is pretty by itself."
"Yeah," you nod. "I love that you are so awkward, you can lay down. It's not like we're going anywhere. It's too windy for us to get back. I mean, you can lay on the chair if you want. I'm gonna watch a movie on my phone." You grab a blanket and your phone from your pocket. "I don't bite." He lays next to you and you both choose a movie and through out the film he made sure that there was a space between the two of you, so you wouldn't touch. He is on his phone periodically and you catch a glimpse of a conversation he was having with Toni and Fangs. He was explaining to them what had happened tonight.
   "It's rude to read people's messages," he mutters without looking at you and your eyes widen.
   "I wasn't," You say. "I was trying to adjust to the light of your phone. I'm tired." You are silently praying that this works. "Listen to that storm."
   "Pray that my bike makes it through this," he says. "We'd be stuck here."
   "Is that so bad?" You ask with a laugh. "No one would notice I was gone, but maybe Archie."
   "I'm sure that's not true," he says in a whisper as you close your eyes. You wave it off and bring your arms up to your chest falling asleep.
  You wake up with Sweet Pea's arm wrapped around you and light shining in your eyes. You try your best not to wake him, but you fail. He turns slightly and looks at you kinda confused. You give him a small wave and he sits up and looks around.
   "Morning," You say with a smile. "You look like a bird attacked your head."
   "So do you," he says rubbing his face and yawning. "That futon is crap."
   "Well its like ten years old," you laugh. "I'm not sure what you expected, but."
   "That exceeded expectations," he said with a laugh. "My phone is dead."
   "Mine too," you shrug. "Oh well, it's not like anyone is messaging me. But, we can go if you want."
   "What else would we do?" He gives you a look.
   "Well, we could go get food," you suggest. "I know a great little place down the hill more."
   "Then let's go get food," he nods standing and hitting his head, you cover you mouth laughing into it. "Laugh away at the tall guy."
   "Don't worry, I will," you still laugh. "Here." You shrug his jacket off and hand it to him. "I didn't mean to sleep in it."
   "It's fine," he said. "Looks good on you, and you know you could join the Serpents."
   "Me?" You shake your head. "I couldn't make it. I'm such a wuss and I don't think I would make it past initiation."
   "One, initiation isn't hard," he says. "At least as not as hard as the guys. The guys get beat up by all of the other guys. The girls go up on the stage of the Whyte Wyrm and do the Serpent dance. Two, obviously you are not a wuss, being you got on the back of a bike with a stranger. Stopped a fight. Brought me out here and sat on the edge of a cliff and come to stay in this falling apart tree house."
   "I've jumped off it," you shrug and he gives you a unbelieving look. "I did!"
   "You should prove it to me sometime," he shrugs.
   "Then let's go," you say daringly. "But, you should know, I am not one to turn down a dare."
   "I didn't mean now," he argues as you begin down the ladder. "Y/N!" You jump down and the crunch of the fallen leaves are all that gives your location away as you run to the cliff. "Y/N, seriously, you don't have to do this. That's pretty high up and it's going to be cold."
  "It's high," you nod. "But, I've jumped from there." You point to a ledge that wasn't much farther down. "If I do this, you tell Jughead I'm in."
   "This is not the way to go," he shakes his head. "How do you know that it won't kill you?"
   "Isn't that the fun?" You smirk and he gives you an annoyed look. "Look, I've been through this already. I've calculated the fall before and the risks. The risks are higher for the one over there."
   "You are crazy," he said.
   "Probably," You laugh. "But, I've got nothing to lose. So it pays." He shakes his head. "Fine. I won't do it. I'm terrified of heights anyways, let's go get food. Spaz."