𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 | 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐚

chapter two

✴︎°༄

DESPITE JUGHEAD'S REFUSAL, he'd find himself seated with the Serpents and his life-long best friend the following day and the weeks to come. When the video of The Red Circle found its way to Sweet Pea, Jughead tried his best to stop him from sending Fangs after Archie.

"I know this guy, he's a milquetoast. He's a football player. It's kind of a lame target, is all I'm saying," Jughead nervously chuckled. "You wanna prove something? Why don't you go after the Black Hood?"

"And why would we do that?" Sweet Pea scoffed. "The Black Hood's targeting Northsiders, who do nothing but blame the Southside for everything that's wrong with this town. And we're sick of it. The Black Hood's doing our work for us. He's a hero."

"I have to agree with Jug on this one, guys," Kiara said.

"Seriously?" Fangs exclaimed. "Kiara the Northside hurt you. Maybe the Black Hood is getting revenge!?"

"Isn't that red haired guy your ex?" Toni asked.

"Yeah, but Archie didn't hurt me. Please, let's leave him be, if he starts a fight go for it, but just ignore his empty threat for now."

***

The next evening, Kiara was standing in front of her abusive boyfriend at the door of his shack-of-a-home.

"I'm breaking up with you, Pitbull," She said and his face grew red with anger.

"Hell, no, little girl-"

"Yeah, I am. And you know what? I'm not scared of you anymore. I've got the Serpents to back me up so no matter what you say or do, they're gonna keep you out of my life."

She walked away from his house but he ran after her. Her quick steps turned into a full sprint when she realized he had no intention of letting her walk away. She ran and ran until she came to an alleyway. She turned right and almost reached the other end when he grabbed her and pushed her down. She could hear Sweet Pea and Fangs just around the corner talking with who she would find out to be Archie Andrews.

Archie had just tagged the Serpents' turf with his Red Circle symbol and Sweet Pea wasn't going to let him off easy. When the red-haired boy took out his gun and pointed it at the Serpents standing in front of him, Sweet Pea and the others ran. It was then they heard a desperate scream coming from the alley. Archie didn't hesitate to run toward the cry for help and the Serpents instantly followed. He saw the girl on the ground being pummeled by the buff creep that was now on top of her.

"Get off her!" He shouted and flashed his gun at Pitbull.

"Whoa, what the hell, man? Put the gun down, this ain't your business."

The group of Serpents then came around the corner and Sweet Pea's eyes grew wide when he saw Kiara under Pitbull.

"I won't ask twice!" Archie walked closer and lifted the gun further up, preparing to shoot if necessary.

"Alright!" Pitbull threw his hands in the air and stood up. "Take the bitch, you psycho!"

"I swear to God, you'll pay!" Sweet Pea shouted and ran at him. He tackled him to the floor and repeatedly punched his face. "Son of a bitch!"

"Hey, are you o-" Archie bent down beside her. "Kiara? What the hell?"

"Archie?" She gasped and tried to sit up. "Archie, why are you here?" She rolled over and coughed up blood due to the number of punches she had taken.

"Kiara, we gotta get you home!" He whispered and helped her sit up.

"Archie you know I can't go back," She tried to smile and wiped her face with her shirt.

"Here, let me," He mumbled and took off his jacket then his shirt and gently pressed the soft cotton against her face. "Your brother's worried about you. Kiara, please just come home."

"Oh my god, Sweet Pea, that's enough!" Fangs exclaimed and pulled him off of Pitbull. "We don't wanna kill the guy!"

"Fangs look at what he did to Kiara!" Sweet Pea replied through gritted teeth. "He deserves to fucking die!" He kicked Pitbull one last time then went over to Archie. He bent down, sat beside Kiara, and wrapped an arm around her. Archie took this time to put his jacket back on over his bare shoulders, still exposing his defined abs.

"This is why I wanted to go with you, Kiara," Sweet Pea whispered.

He ran his hand softly up and down her back and held her face with his other. She brought Archie's shirt down to her lap and leaned toward Sweet Pea.
"But then you'd be like this too," She giggled and it escalated to coughing up more blood and even throwing up.

"Kiara, please let me take you to your dad's house," Archie whispered.

"Hell no, she's coming with me. I'll take care of her," Sweet Pea scoffed.

"Dude she's not safe over here!" Archie protested.

"And what? She's safe with you? You just waved a gun in my face, Red, I'm not letting you take her."
"Trust me, she's much safer in-"

"No, she's not. She's safer with me in my trailer."

Sweet Pea turned his attention back to Kiara and lifted her chin up so he could examine her face.
He tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and wiped her face with Archie's shirt. He traced the cloth over her bruises and bleeding cuts and sighed in anger and sadness. He helped her stand up and let her lean on his chest for support.

"She can't stay here," Archie whispered. "That lunatic is still out there and you don't know when he'll strike next. What if he's been watching her? What if he's connected to the Black Hood? He's been hurting everyone I love-"

"You have no idea what you're saying. We know that guy. We know exactly where he lives, okay?"

"Archie, that was my abusive ex. I broke up with him not five minutes ago and he chased me here," Kiara cut in.

"W-What? Kiara, why? You broke up with me to get with him?" Archie exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. He was the biggest mistake of my life."

"No. Moving here was. Now, I'm taking you home. We don't need to tell Kevin or your dad, you can crash at my place, but I'm getting you out of here."

"What the hell, Red?" Sweet Pea said through gritted teeth.

"Let me take her," Archie took out the gun and Sweet Pea got the message.

"She doesn't want to go back," He protested.

"I don't care what she wants!" Archie shouted. "She doesn't know how much of a shit hole this place is and how it's destroying her life!"

"Sweet Pea," Kiara mumbled. "It'll be okay. I'll call you as soon as I can."

"I'm sorry," Sweet Pea whispered and cupped her face in his hands. He leaned down and pressed his lips gently against hers. "Stay safe."

"You too," She whispered.