BROKEN DREAMS II Riverdale [3]

first day

„Are you still angry?", Malachai walked slowly over to me when I sat in the living room again.

„No, everything's fine. Can I cook something for you, darling?", I rolled my eyes.

„Come on."

„Come on? That's your answer for giving me to Penny so that bitch could almost kill me?!"

„I didn't know she would hurt you, I promise! I thought the others would bring you back here so you wouldn't get hurt."

„You mean, kidnap me?", I raised my right eyebrow.

„How often do I have to say this? I'm sorry. I've been worried sick when I found you."

„Wait, you found me?"

„Yeah."

„Was it you who brought me to the hospital?", I wondered thinking there could be a bit of humanity in him.

He nodded silently.

„I'll sleep in the bed and you on the couch", I just decided not wanting to think of that right now.

When I laid in bed, the blanket wrapped around my body, I thought about everything. I thought I could trust Sweet Pea. But what could be worse, did Toni know about it? I hoped that she didn't know it but she seemed to be quite annoyed. I mean, was I overreacting? I wasn't, right? I needed time after I've almost been killed by Penny. Maybe Malachai was right. Maybe he really did't know that Penny would do that and maybe he was truly sorry.

„Malachai?"

„Yeah?"

„Are you really sorry? You didn't know that Penny would do that?"

„I promise you. I would have killed Penny as soon as I heard about it but the boys had stopped me."

„Have you heard from Ace?"

Malachai's brother Ace probably hated me almost as much as Penny did. But she hated me more because of my parents.

„He's not here, I haven't seen him since the car race. Don't worry about him."

For a second I thought about asking him to lay next to me. But I couldn't just lay next to him as if nothing had happened so I dropped that thought.

„I'm sorry for what happened. Seems like you don't have a lot of luck with boys", he whispered again.

„Well, that's something I like to hear", I chuckled.

When I woke up in the morning, Malachai wasn't here anymore. I was completely fine with that.

„Coffee?", he came back.

Well, I could have waited a little longer.

„Don't you have to lead the gang of evil?", I replied sleepy.

„We're more than any of your people, nobody's going to attack us. We don't have so much to do besides our business."

„Drug business you mean?", I replied in a way so he would know how stupid he sounded, „So you're fighting out of boredom?"

„Mixed with revenge. You've called the cops."

„That's been Archie, he's not a Serpent."

„What's been going on between you and him actually?"

„He's probably the only boy who hasn't played with me and now he's got to go through that stupid trial although he's never hurt anyone", I sighed heavily.

„I didn't hurt you", he reminded me, „But if you want to visit him at juvie, I can drive you."

I looked at him confused. Is this still Malachai? The leader of the Ghoulies?

„I'm not as bad as you think. I'm trying to be nice somehow", he shrugged his shoulder as if he regretted the past.

„Have you ever said that to someone else before?"

„Of course, I haven't. I'm the leader of a gang."

„I want to go to Archie's trial today and then I want to see what you've done to our Southside."

„I haven't done anything."

„Oh sure, you're bored when there are no Serpents for breakfast. Hey, how's your shoulder doing?", I smiled remembering the look on his face when Cheryl had shot him with an arrow.

„Don't you want to eat something first?"

„Let's go to Pops and then to court", I decided trying to see how far I could go.

„You dad won't let you leave with me as soon as he sees you."

„We've got a deal, don't worry about him. Plus, you're going to wear something that looks normal, not your Ghoulie stuff."

„Alright, then let's go", he grabbed the keys to his car after he had changed his clothes but I stopped him.

„No way. I'm not going to sit in your weird cars. We're taking a bike."

„What are you doing?", I wondered when he followed me into the building.

„I'm going with you."

„No, you're not."

„Yes, I am, baby. Your dad would do anything to make you leave with him. Plus, it's going to be amazing to watch Red being convicted just like we were going to jail because of him."

„You're annoying", I rolled my eyes walking in.

Malachai and I sat in the back. Everyone's been shocked to hear that Archie would accept the deal. The others had tried to convince Archie that it was the wrong decision but the judge had already spoken.

When we left the room, I saw my mom comforting Mary and Fred and my dad walking into our direction. So I pulled Malachai with me. If dad wanted to talk, this was the wrong moment and the wrong place to the wrong time. The first person who had caught up with us was Sweet Pea.

„You're coming with me", he ordered harshly and pulled my arm.

„No!", I hit his hand away, „I'm fine. Leave us alone."

„Leave us alone, Sweet Pea", dad told him with a sad look in his eyes when his eyes turned to me.

I noticed Betty and Jug standing next to FP and Alice a few meters away, Malachai was right behind me.

„I'm fine, dad", I told him honestly, „Please, don't worry about me."

„You're coming home with me."

„I've made the deal, it was my idea. Penny would want to attack the Northside if Malachai told her to."

„I'm going to kill you, Malachai. You, Penny and your brother. You're letting my daughter go or else-"

„Harvey!", my mom hissed quietly, „We're still in court."

She told him to go to their car already and hugged me tightly but looked at Malachai. She was quieter but also more intimidating than my dad, „If she's got only one hair missing, you're going to regret being alive. I'm nothing like my brother but I wouldn't test me if I were you."

„Off to the Southside?", he nodded after she'd let me go, „But you're not going to like it."