Resilience | Sweet Pea.

19 - Understanding

A few weeks go by quickly after my birthday, I'd been humming and haring about finally talking to Fred about joining the serpents, and I knew he wouldn't like it.

"I'm going to talk to him today." I tell Betty over the phone, talking about talking to Fred about the serpents.

Betty has been my only confidant regarding the serpents the past few weeks and since her boyfriend is a serpent, so she doesn't exactly have room to judge me. Archie would lose the plot, and Veronica and Jughead would tell Archie, so I kept it between me and Betty.

"I'll make up the spare room." Betty sighs.

"Don't say that! Do you really think he'll kick me out?" I ask fearfully.

"No. I don't. I don't know how he'll take it, Nov. But fingers crossed it goes well." Betty sighs. "Hey, have you told him about Sweet pea yet?"

"No... How do I even approach that? 'Oh yeah hey Fred I have a boyfriend i didn't tell you about. Oh, and did I mention he's a serpent?' No, doesn't sound right." I tell her.

"You gotta tell him, Nova." Betty scolds me.

"I know, I know." I sigh.

"So, who knows?" She asks.

"Ronnie, Archie, Jug and you. I think Sweet pea told Toni and Fangs, too." I inform her.

"Well... Maybe put Fred in that mix?" Betty says.

"Yeah..." I sigh. "I'm gonna go talk to him."

"Good luck!"

I take a deep breath before heading down the stairs to talk to Fred.

"Fred?" I ask, walking into the living room.

"What's up Nov?" He asks, sitting down.

"I need to talk to you about something." I say hesitantly, sitting down next to him.

"Is everything alright?" He asks, I shake my head.

"I feel like you're going to hate me." I say.

"I could never hate you, Nova." He says, putting a hand on my shoulder. "What's got you so distressed?"

"I want to join the serpents." I tell him.

"Nova... Once you're 18 you can do-"

"I know what you said... But... I've been thinking about it for a while. And it's something I really want. Obviously, I haven't done it yet, I wanted to respect your wishes, but the more time goes on...-"

"This isn't an after-school club, Nova. It's a gang." Fred says.

"I know. The serpents were my mom and dad's family, they're my family too. I'm a serpent by blood, Fred. I want to be a part of this world. I want to be a serpent." I say.

"I just don't want you to end up hurt." He says.

"Fred, it's pretty obvious I can defend myself by now, don't you think?" I ask.

"I don't mean physically." He says.

"What's the big secret, Fred? What can't I know?" I ask.

"Nova...-"

"Nothing will change, Fred. I'll still be going to Riverdale high, I'll still be doing cross-country, I'll still be hanging out with friends. I just... You might not like me for doing this, but it won't change me." I say.

"And this has nothing to do with this new serpent boyfriend of yours?" Fred asks

"You know?" I ask.