Deadly || Sweet Pea [2]

13

Chapter 13 || Change

"Hiram Lodge, huh?" Mom asked. Jughead had just explained to our mother all that had been going on with Archie and why we were on the road together. "That good-looking short stack was always trouble. But why go after Archie?"

"Archie was the only one that stood up to him, defied him." Jughead answered.

"Not to mention, I also date..." Archie trailed off. "Dated his daughter."

"Oh." Mom chuckled.

"Dated?" Jellybean asked enthusiastically from beside Archie. "As in, no longer dating? As in, single?"

"Relax, Jellybean." Jughead huffed.

"It's JB now, Kid Kerouac." Jellybean snapped. I snickered and Jughead scoffed.

"Archie." Mom called. "Have you spoken to your dad through any of this?"

"I wish." Archie sighed. "I wish I could see him, tell him how I'm doing. But it's too risky. He'd drag me home by the collar. Riverdale's not where I need to be."

I pat Archie's knee, offering him a smile. He smiled back down at me and nodded.

"Don't worry, Red." I sighed. "Dad's taking good care of your dad."

"Thanks, Kat." He smiled.

"Pig's ready!" Lugnut called out.

"All right." Mom sounded. "You heard the guy. Archie, go get yourself a hot meal. Cheek's the best part."

"I'll bring some for you." He offered, walking with Jellybean to the food.

"Don't worry about me, Red. Go get some food." I called after him. He nodded and I turned toward my mother.

"Why's Lodge after you, Katarina?" She questioned.

"I told you, I own the Serpents now." I started. "I had influence over the younger Serpents before dad retired, so he figured I should be the next in line. Hiram's been trying to own the Serpents for a while now, and he's been unsuccessful thus far. From what I understand, I've been dubbed the Black Queen, and Hiram wants me in his pocket."

"He wants you on his side so he can have the Serpents." Mom paraphrased. I nodded, leaning against the chair.

"It's not going to work." I deadpanned. "He wants someone as cold and unfeeling as him, and I have too much to care about in my life."

"Like what?" She asked.

"Like my friend Reggie, who I recently got a matching tattoo with." I started. "Like Toni Topaz and Cheryl Blossom, my sisters. Like Fangs, my absolute best friend and brother. Like Archie Andrews, like Fred Andrews, like daddy, like Veronica Lodge, like Jughead, like Jughead's girlfriend, who I might hate sometimes. Hell, even Sweet Pea."

"Is that the ex?" Mom asked, a knowing glint in her eye. I nodded.

"Even though he's a total pain in my ass, and I want to hate him, I care too much about him for that." I sighed.

"You're in love with him still, Katarina." She nodded. "I know that look anywhere. It's the same look I gave your father."

"That stopped a while ago, didn't it?" I scoffed. "It'll fade."

It was silent for a while, Jughead shifting awkwardly between us. I looked across the flames at the kids surrounding the food, and then looked at the way my mother was watching them; like she was their mother. I shrank back into my seat, looking away from the kids, and sighed.