POISONOUS LOVE II Riverdale [2]

fifty-one

„Liz, hey, what did he do? Are you okay?", Sweet Pea ran into our direction worried.

I just let me fall into his arms, breathed silently for a moment.

„I'm okay, it's fine. What about you? Your eye looks bad", I let my hand glide over the sport where he was hit.

„It's not that bad", he whispered into my hair, „Hey, Red, thanks. You know for-"

„No need to thank me, Sweet Pea", Archie walked over to Veronica.

„I'm sorry it wasn't me, I should have-"

„Pea, he's hit you with a baseball bat to the ground. We're okay now. André and Diego were there, they will drive us home."

Pea and I had decided to spend the night in his trailer but my mom messaged me saying she knew about the weekend and I had to come home.

„Mom, André and Diego were there to help us. Why are you freaking out?"

„Why I'm freaking out? I'm scared! You could have been hurt, they could have kidnapped you! Diego and Hiram are not our friends!", she - again - shouted at me.

„I'm here for five minutes, can't you just lower your voice? I'm not talking about Hiram, but Diego was nice."

„Dana, you should tell her", my dad whispered to her softly, holding my mom's hand who looked like she was about to cry.

„Mom?"

„When we were younger.. around your age.. Diego became violent. Our father and him thought that they rule the whole city. He got in fights, a lot of them. He had some girlfriends who he treated badly. He would drive to the Southside to mess with Serpents because he thought he was better than them. Hiram and him were hurting so many people already. But Diego didn't know when to stop", my mom's voice cracked, dad held her closer, „I saw him beating up Serpents, even hitting his girlfriends or other women. But what had shocked me the most was when he proudly announced at home that he had cut off the Serpent tattoo of one of his ex-girlfriends."

My mom was stopped by tears and sobs, my heart broke for her. That's why she reacted like she did. I could understand her now and I hated myself for hurting her.

„When they found out that we were dating, he starting beating your mom until she was safe with me", my dad finished the story.

„Mom", I whispered pulling her into a hug, „I'm so sorry, so utterly sorry."

„So how was your weekend?", Toni grinned knowing that Archie and Sweet Pea had their differences.

We were finally back to school where things were normal at least. During our break we walked around looking for an empty table.

„Well, apart from three boys breaking in and one of them beating Pea to the ground with a bat, it's been fine."

„You make me look weak."

„At least your black eye makes you look better", Fangs joked.

„What about the fact that Cheryl called you, Pea?", my sister looked at the tall boy.

„He kissed Veronica", I told her with a slight annoyance in my voice.

„You what? How was it?", Fangs laughed but stopped when I shot a death glare at him, „Sorry."

„You said it's over", Sweet Pea reminded me.

„It is, you're right. What about you guys?", I turned to our friends but before they had a chance to answer, Ethel walked to Veronica throwing a strawberry milkshake at her.

„Is it okay to laugh?", Fangs started but we all joined him.

„Hey, Liz. It's a shame I didn't see Veronica anywhere because I'd have some nuts.. you know for you guys to eat with the ice", Reggie said to me in the hallways.

„Leave her alone, Reggie. You would't want to provoke any of us", I dared remembering how he treated the Serpents.

Toni by my side enjoyed what she saw.

„Well, I've still got one question when I represent every study when I win against your Serpent friends", I didn't stop, „How likely is it that your mom is going to be the first prisoner next to her own brother and Hiram Lodge? That's so hefty. What about your dad then? Or is he going to join the criminals?"

My hand formed to a fist. Hearing him talk about my parents made me hold him with my left hand and beat him to the ground with my right one.

„Don't ever talk about my mom again", I spit angrily, my veins still throbbing.

„Damn, Sweet Pea should have seen that", Toni laughed.

„Liz", Cheryl walked up to me before our cheer training.

„Cheryl?"

„You're the co-captain so I want to let you know that Toni is going join the team so if someone's against it, you're on my side."

„I mean, she's my sister, I'm on her side. Why would anyone say something against it?", I shrugged my shoulders although I was really surprised how that happened.

„She's a Serpent", Cheryl rolled her eyes arrogantly.

„Hey, drama queen. Surprise, I'm a Serpent, too. And if you talk about her or the Serpents in a bad way, I won't hesitate to scratch your eyes out", I hissed angrily.

„Okay, sorry. I didn't mean it like that. Also, you had a good right hook today", she smiled again.

„You saw that?"

„I guess everyone did. It's been the highlight of the day."

„Well, I don't know how you amateurs would want to be better than that. So that's it, Vixens. The inner circle Vixens stay. You know who", she later said when everyone was around after Toni's dance, „We should celebrate in honor of Toni's joining with a pajama party at Thistlehouse. Fancy dressing gowns are asked for. You've all watched the Beguiled? Dinner at eight, then parlor games."

Sweet Pea and I were grocery shopping for the weekend that we would spend together after our last one was... well, it's been nothing that I want to repeat.

„I'd say we go to Pop's tomorrow", Pea suggested when we could't decide what we should get ourselves.

„You're just too lazy to cook. I love Pop's but we go there every second day. I don't want anyone to interrupt our time together", I smiled hugging him from the side.

„I knew I recognized this voice", a woman suddenly turned around, looked at Sweet Pea.

She reminded me a bit of aunt Alice looking elegant, she could be around her age.

„Don't you want to introduce us to each other?"

„Yeah, of course", Pea didn't so happy about it, „Mom, my girlfriend and the other way around."

Mom?

„Oh, now I understand", I chuckled giving her my hand, „Elizabeth Specter. I'm glad to finally meet you."

„I'm Olivia", she smiled turning to her son with a judgmental sound in her voice, „Harvey's daughter, huh?"

„Yeah", he sounded annoyed.

I mean I knew they had problems but why couldn't they even talk about school or something?

„How long have you been together?"

„About eight months", I told her friendly.

„What, eight months and you didn't tell me? You have to come for dinner tomorrow evening. I won't accept a no", she decided and left before Sweet Pea could say something about it.