Just The Two Of Us <Sweet Pea FF>

52. 무서워

"What the fuck happened to you?" I frown as sweet pea and fangs come inside totally beat up. I sit up in the bed to take a look at their injuries

"It's not that bad" sweet pea murmurs when I touch the blue spots in his face
"It was those pretty poisons?" Fangs growls
"Tonis new gang" sweet pea elaborates, noticing my confused expression
"Only girls allowed, scary, violent girls" fangs pours

For one moment I have to laugh "You got beat up by girls? Sweets you are like 6'4?" I chuckle
"Yeah, but what were we supposed to do? Hit some girls?"
"True, why were they upset in the first place though?"
Both of them shrug their shoulders after they exchanged looks.
Alright.

"Toni" my voice strong making Toni turn around at her locker
"Hey ju" she smiles "what's with the serious face?"
"The question should be what happend to my boyfriend's face?"
"I don't quite-"
"Your pretty poisons attacked fangs and sweet pea in front of pops shop and I wonder why's that? I thought we were family"
"Jughead kicked me out of that family"
"And means we aren't friends anymore?"

Toni sighs "i already talked to cheryl... of course I don't approve this. She just wants to be taken seriously"
I stay silent for a moment trying to read the emotions on her face but I can't seem to identify it.

"Alright" I say calmly after a while
"I wanted to talk to you anyways" linking our arms and start walking down the hall
"What do you think about joining the pretty poisons" she looks up to me excitedly
I stop walking "Toni... you know I can't do that to jug or sweets"
"Just think about it. We are a fierce group of girls. And it wouldn't change your relationships just because you joined another gang"

I'm not convinced. I made an oath. Loyalty is important to me after all.
Still, I understand why Toni is seeking a replacement for her lost family, the serpents.

"Hey arch" I enter the gym "what'd they do, make you manager?" I laugh at the sight of Archie cleaning the floor of his boxing club
"Yeah, more like janitor"
"Hm"
"I'm almost done. Thanks for waiting, I thought maybe we could grab a bite at pop's"
"Perfect, I'm starving and then you can tell me everything about you and josie" I raise my eyebrows and punch him in the ribcage with my elbow. We both know it wasn't a hard punch but he starts rubbing the place where I hit him theatrically. But our laughter is interrupted by clinking coming from the broom room.

"What is that?"
As a response Archie places his finger on his lips signalling me to stay silent as he approaches the door. A bit creeped out I follow him. Ok let's face it I was really creeped out.

He pushes the door open and reveals a small boy playing with a lighter.
"Oh, my god"
"What the hell are you doing there? Who are you?" While I'm shocked Archie seems to be angry
"Take it easy" I try calming him down
"Hey, what's your name?" I push Archie aside and walk into the dark room

"Ricky"
"Ricky" I sigh "Are... are you hungry?" For a moment I questioned if it was really a good idea to invite a stranger to eat with us but the again he is probably just a poor, homeless kid.
"Starving" he replies

"Uh, so, ricky" I clear my throat sitting in front of the kid eating his hamburger "where are your parents?"
"Don't know. I never knew them"

"How long were you holding up in that cubby?" Archie speaks up, warming up a bit
"One and off for a few weeks"
"Ricky is there anyone we should call?" Sympathizing with him
But he shakes his head "no, I don't have anybody"

This reminds me of my story and I want to help him
"Maybe we should try betty" I whisper at Archie "she knows people at social services. They would kn-"
All of a sudden Ricky jumps up and starts running. While I sit in that booth perplex, Archie gets up and catches him

"Hey what's going on?"
"You can't call social services" he sounds terrified
"Okay" I assure him
"Why not?"
"Because they sent me to this place, a shelter, okay? I don't wanna go back" and with that he exposes a branding on his wrist.

Archie and I meet eyes. We both know this symbol.
Sacrifice

"I know right, they were roommates"
"Hey guys, what are you talking about?" Betty approaches me, Kevin and Evelyn.
"Oh hey betty, just normal stuff"
"Since when are you hanging out with them?" Betty asks me reproachfully

"With them you mean the farm?" Kevin offended
"Well, Evelyn approached me and we started talking about everything that happened to me and I have to say it feels good to talk about it because I always held my emotions in and-"

"What? Ju, that's a cult"
"Betty-" Evelyn starts calm
"No" pointing at her and then turning to me again "You know how my mom changed because of the farm, she is selling our house"
"I-"
"Back off, betty" Kevin Interrupts me
"You're a detractor, better just back off"

"Imma get going then" I murmur at this uncomfortable situation but they don't even listen to me as they keep in fighting.
"Bye, 5pm at chemistry is still up?" Evelyn smiles and I nod reassuringly with a smile on my face.
Betty is being overly dramatic and Kevin is super hostile and I feel like Evelyn isn't doing anything to change that but it's time for another serpent meeting anyway so...