Sweet Pea X OC: New girl

Chapter One: First Day

When I first moved to Riverdale I had thought it was a town like any other. Small enough that gossip spread like wildfire, but harmless despite the facebook disputes between neighbours. 

I knew however, the moment I walked into the highschool that I was mistaken.  

I had just left Principal Weatherbee's office when the fight broke out. A tall boy in a weird uniform had another boy by the collar of his varsity coat. 

"Sweet Pea! Let him go! We're on our last chance with Weatherbee, don't blow it." A girl with pink stripes in her hair put a hand on his arm. The boy, no, Sweet Pea, didn't let go for a moment, his gaze fixed on the other boy but finally released him, shoving him into the crowd that had gathered. 

"Damn Serpent scum.." The boy he released muttered, straightening his jacket out. 

Sweet Pea turned on him again, but a hand from the girl stopped him and she led him away. 

"Reggie isn't worth it, you know that." The girl said as they brushed past me. 

"That doesn't mean busting his face in wouldn't make my day." Sweet Pea snarled, his eyes meeting mine for a moment. I stared as they walked away, wondering why the boy I now knew as Reggie called them Serpent scum.

"Hi! You must be Elizabeth, right? I'm Veronica Lodge, welcome to Riverdale High!" I nodded, slightly overwhelmed by the energy of the girl who appeared in front of me.

"Here, give me your schedule and I'll show you to your first class. If you get lost later or need a friend don't be shy to approach me." She smiled.

I smiled back, "Thank you Veronica, though I go by Liz most of the time."

Veronica led me through the hallways to my first class of the day, chemistry. 

"Well here we are, remember, if you need anything let me know." 

I nodded again, wishing people would stop looking at me like a new zoo exhibit. With that she left and I walked into the classroom. 

There was only one lab bench with an open spot and I immediately recognized my new lab partner. 

Taking my seat next to the pink haired girl I offered her a shy smile.  "Hey, I'm Liz, it's nice to meet you." 

She cocked an eyebrow at me but smiled back, "Toni, I take it you're new here?" 

I nodded, "That obvious?" 

She chuckled, "No one talks to the Serpents unless they're new, friends of Jughead, or just plain stupid." 

"The Serpents?" The question was clear in my voice. 

"The Serpents are southside scum, come to destroy the peaceful school that is Riverdale High." A new voice spoke before Toni could.

I turned in my seat to see a girl dressed head to toe in Red. 

"And you are..?" I narrowed my eyes at her slightly.

"Only Cheryl Blossom, captain of the Vixens, and queen of this school." She gave me a tight lipped smile. 

"Well Cheryl, it was nice meeting you. Goodbye." I promptly turned in my chair to face Toni again, "You were saying?"

Toni watched as Cheryl scoffed and marched away to take her seat before responding,

"The Serpents are a gang from the southside, our highschool got shut down and we were transferred here.. not everyone here was happy with the transition."

I nodded in understanding, "What douchebags." 

Toni laughed at my blunt statement, "Agreed."

As the bell rang I dived into my notes, I refused to let a mid-semester transfer affect my grades. 

I cracked my neck and stretched my arms above my head when class was dismissed.

"It was really nice meeting you Toni, I know I'm new here and my opinion doesn't mean much but.." I hesitated for a moment, "Southside or Northside it's all Riverdale, and as a citizen of Riverdale you're entitled to all of it."

She smiled at me and put her hand on my shoulder as she pushed herself up, "Thanks Liz, want me to show you to your next class?"

I grinned and followed her through the hallways. 

Two boys fell into step with us as we walked, one I knew to be Sweet Pea and the other I learned was Fangs. 

"What's she doing with you Toni?" Sweet Pea's voice was harsh and he shot me a glare.

"Relax, she's fine. I'm showing her where her next class is." Toni sent Sweet Pea an equally hostile look. I saw the muscles in his jaw flex.

"In fact, I think you two have the next block together. Show her there." Her voice was firm and Sweet Pea nodded, though I could see how much this displeased him.

He was silent as we walked, the other students parted around him and gave me weird looks. 

A group of guys in varsity jackets stopped him in his tracks as they formed a wall in front of him. 

"Get out of my way Reggie or you'll regret it." If I had thought Sweet Pea sounded angry at me earlier it was nothing compared to now, he sounded like murder.

I silently stepped up to stand beside him, also staring Reggie and the other boys down. 

"Get out of my school Serpent or you'll regret it." The fake smile on Reggie's face made me sick. 

I spoke before I could think, "Everyone deserves an education jackass, even if some are so dumb they think they own the right to decide who enters public property." 

Reggie's eyes turned on me, "Listen, new girl, you know nothing about how Riverdale works. Mind your own business." He took a step closer to me and pushed my shoulder. 

My eyes narrowed, "Now, what you don't realize is that I'm new here, I have no prior warnings. Do you know what that means?" 

He cocked an eyebrow at me lazily. 

I glanced briefly at Sweet Pea and saw his questioning eyes, then stepped in front of him, blocking him from Reggie with my body. I took a step closer to Reggie. 

"It means that I can kick your ass and nothing bad will happen to the Serpents. You, on the other hand? Well, if I call it self defense I imagine that I could get away with breaking your arm.. that would damage your football career wouldn't it?" I ran a finger up his chest and straightened his jacket. 

"Please, Weatherbee wouldn't take a newcomer's word over mine." Reggie scoffed.

I tilted my head and gave a cold smile. "Wanna test that theory?"

Reggie's jaw tensed for a moment before he backed off, the rest of his team following his lead. 

I waited until they had turned a corner before I let out the breath I had been holding.

"Well that was lucky wasn't it?" I smiled at Sweet Pea. 

He was looking at me curiously, "Why did you do that?" 

"He was being a dick, where you live and who your family is doesn't define a person's worth." I shrugged, "I'm glad he didn't call my bluff." 

Sweet Pea's eyes widened, "Y-you don't know how to fight?"

I grinned and winked, "Fooled you too, huh?"

I left Sweet Pea in the hallway and entered our classroom, laughing to myself at the look on his face. I took a seat in the back and glanced at him as he slipped into the seat beside me. He nodded and twitched a smile, I cheered internally, I had managed to get on his good side.