Sweet Pea

.11.

How perfect I used to be. I once told my parents after the divorce that I would never blame them. I didn't. I still don't. But I blame my dad for becoming a drug dealer. But the thought that I might have once been perfect made me realize how much I wanted to be that happy again. How I even managed to find peace after my mother' s death. How close my dad and I were. I want to believe he is doing this for a reason. I just can't bring myself to think of any reason.

I wanted to save the last few episodes of season 7 until later. At least I'm not the only one afraid of clowns. I am a Dean and Sam Winchester combo. I'm daddy's perfect soldier and the perfect child. I want to go to college, but don't want to leave the gang behind because it's "family business." I changed it to Hercules because that seemed a little more cheery. More cheery than I felt anyways. I went to my teacher's google drive folder and opened up the new assignment. It wasn't difficult. Still would have instead not had to do the homework, but oh well—nothing I could do about it. My phone went off, and I picked it up to see a message from Hermione Lodge. Why is she messaging me?

"Thank you for meeting with me, Ana."

"Of course, Mrs. Lodge. What did you want to talk about?"

"I figured you should hear it from me, sweetheart." She looked down at the desk with her palms laced together in her lap. "Southside High is being shut down, and some of you will be at Riverdale High. Others will be spread out."

I looked at her in disbelief. "What?"

"It's been deemed.... unsafe. Our main priority is trying to keep everyone safe, and Southside High is the high point of drugs. We are only doing what's best for everyone." She said almost like she was trying to convince me that what they- wait, who is they?

"Mrs. Lodge, if you don't mind me asking,  what do you mean we?"

"Madame Mayor and our parents agreed that maybe the drug problem would go down if-"

"We close the school." I turned around to Hiram with Mayor McCoy. Well, that's not strange.

"You know closing the school won't do anything, right?"

"And why is that?" Hiram asked, moving over to his wife.

"Because the drugs aren't coming from there!"

"How would you know that?" Hiram asked. It started to feel more like an interrogation than a friendly meeting. 

My phone rang, and I lifted my finger, excusing myself. "Archie,  what is it?"

"The mayor is going to raid Southside High."

"She is right here."

"Trust me! She is going to! Her and the officers are going to be rounding up every serpent insight. Look, I don't like your boyfriend, but I know he loves you and you love him. You need to warn him."

"Will do. Thanks, Arch." He didn't respond, but I could feel him smiling through the phone as a way to say your welcome then we ended the call.

"What was that about, Ana."

"Archie was asking -" I paused and looking at each of the three faces in front of me. All very serious. "If Hermione was with me. He wanted to make sure it was still okay for me to stay and that I would be safe." I was scared they wouldn't believe me.

"That was kind of him."

"Yeah. He has always been like a big brother. Umm... I have to go meet up with Betty and Veronica."

"Okay, see you later, Ana." Did they believe me?

I left the Lodges home and ran as fast as I could to get to Southside High. Not even stopping for air despite how tightly my lungs became from the lack of water and airflow. By the time I got to Southside High, the officers had just pulled up. I moved out of the way and messaged Pea telling him to get out of there as quickly as he could. I found another entrance, and when I got inside, Pea had just pulled out his phone. Damn it. He was pushed against the locker, and his fist sends a roaring sound that echoed from the metal door. His face pushed into it as his hands were forced behind his back. Why was this happening?

After all the aftermath, I went to Toni's trailer, awaiting the call from Pea. Or Toni. Or Fangs. Or even Jug. Why was this happening? The question that has been played on repeat since the raid. My phone rang, but it wasn't any of the Serpents. It was my dad. I contemplated reading it or not. Of course, I answered.

"Hey, dad."

"Ana, how are you? I heard about the raid?"

"Yes. That was horrible."

"Are you... okay? You sound strange."

"I'm fine, alive, and sleep-deprived. Oh, also, how are the ghoulie meetings, by the way?" I was way too tired to care about what he said.

"Did Kai-"

"No, dad. Pea and I were driving home, and we saw you doing drugs. By the way, not how I wanted to end my night."

"Ana, if Kai comes to you, make sure someone is with you."

"Why?"

"I can't ex-"

"Try! I haven't slept since I saw you! I need an explanation. I lost my mother, and I almost lost my life. I don't want to lose my father."

He sighed. "The ghoulies said that it wasn't the black hood who went after you. They wanted me to help make the drugs and, in return, wouldn't harm you. They also want you to join. I just keep telling them that it was your choice, and I wasn't going to force that on you.

"Of course, Penny wasn't too happy I didn't answer directly."

"Penny?"

"Yeah, she's a snake charmer."