Serpents ✔️

Chapter 18

"I was thinking about our Penny problem" Jug says as I start to clear the table from breakfast, once again feeling sick to my stomach
"My problem not ours" dad says
"I just don't know why you'd get involved with her Juggie. She's bad news"
"I'm the one that she has on camera delivering drugs"
"Your an idiot Jughead" I sigh rolling my eyes
"How I deal with Peabody is not your concern. I'm handling it" dad points at Jughead and I
"By pimping the Serpents out as drug runners?" Jug folds his arms
"Jugead" I scold him "dad wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't...."
"You two give it a rest" there's a knock on the door. Dad gets up from his chair and opens up the door
"Toss them in the corner" he points to a bag then a corner of the room
"What's in the bags Tall Boy?"
"What did I just say. Mind your damn business like your sister"

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"Babe pass me the tape" I hand over the tape to Pea and see he's made a mess
"Jesus Pea what have you done to the poor doll?" I laugh picking it up
"You know I'm not good at wrapping"
"Fine come here you sort the tape out for me and I'll wrap"
"What's all this?" Jughead says as he comes down the stairs
"Serpent tradition" I say placing the bow around the toy
"Every year we give back to the Southside" Toni walks up to us
"Toys for tots meals on wheels kids and old folks living alone" I say as Pea wraps his arms around me
"The hells angels do it" Fangs smiles at Jughead
"Well I'm always down for charitable works. Hey El have you seen dad?" And as if on cue dad walks down the stairs
"Why aren't you in school?"
"It's a half day before break" Jug says
"Well in that case you and Princess can hold down the fort here" I nod my head while wrapping another present up
"Dad I could come with you guys" Jug walks over to dad
"Nice try the answer is no"
"We do need another set of hands boss" Tall Boy says
"There you go. Let me pull my weight" dad and Jughead start whispering
"What do you think that's all about?" I look up to Sweet Pea
"Dunno babe. Hey you feeling ok? You've gone really pale" Pea puts his hand on my forehead
"Yeah I'm fine don't worry about it"
"Sweet Pea your with us" dad calls. Pea gets up and kisses the top of my head
"Fangs can you take El home later? Make sure she's not getting to sick"
"Baby I'm ok just the flu remember" Pea walks out with my dad and Tall Boy. Toni walks over to me
"Are you sure your ok? Like one minute your fine next you look like your gonna blow chunks"
"T I'm tired and hungry and I have the flu. It's probably just a combination of the three. I'll finish here and go home. Take a nap"

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I'm woken up on the couch by dad and Jug shouting
"As long as Penny wants"
"And if her favours keep getting bigger which you know they will what happens when she asks for more Serpents on this?"
"Then I'll bring more Serpents" dad yells. I get up feeling half asleep and still a little sick
"What's going on?" I say barely audible
"You know what? Your right this isn't going to work. You and I living together" dad says completely ignoring my question
"Dad what are you...." I'm cut off
"Maybe you can go back to Freds or to Bettys"
"Betty? I spilt with Betty to be with the Serpents"
"Then tell me what you want me to say" dad shouts again
"Dad calm down" I walk over in between them
"I just want you to let me help fix this mess I made"
"Guys can you stop arguing please. Look I know Jug fucked up dad but he's trying. And Jug dad just wants the best for you and me so lay easy on him ok"
"Get this through your think skull. We're trapped. We got no leverage. If that means I gotta be Penny's dancing monkey for the time being then that's how it goes. Now I'm gonna get some rest. I have a long night ahead of me. El I'm leaving you in charge of the Wyrm while I'm gone" dad walks off to his room and I sigh
"Jesus what kinda mess are we in?"
"Your not in any mess. I don't want you part of this. I'm gonna have a meeting with the Serpents, I want you to stay..."
"Hell no I'm coming with" I fold my arms
"Fine but what I have planned your staying away. Anyway you need to be in charge of the Wyrm"
"Fine but I want you to keep me updated with anything and everything going on" Jug sends out a text to the Serpents and we head over to the quarry.

On arrival I immediately sit on Sweet Peas lap with on arm around his neck while his arms are around my waist
"Penny Peabody has got mine and Princess' dad dealing drugs. I know this cause she had me doing them before him. Now she's roped in Tall Boy and Sweet Pea" I look at my boyfriend who rubs my thigh where my tattoo is
"Man if you're pissed because your old man tapped me instead of you"
"No. I'm pissed because I don't want the Serpents to end up like the Ghoulies. And I doubt that any of you became Serpents just to be at the beck and call of a drug queenpin. I know where this ends. Death, Jail. Sweet Pea, you have my sister on your lap, you say that you love her right? Well picture this. Your arrested or killed on a job, maybe the same goes for dad and Fangs. What do you think she will do?" Pea looks at me and holds me tighter "or maybe they rope in more of the people we love and they get hurt. Which is why in the interest of self preservation we have to take out Penny"
"Snake charmers help some of us" Pea says
"Oh yeah? What did she ask for in return Sweet Pea? How many favours"
"Babe he has got a point" I say looking at Pea
"Now if we don't stop Penny tonight she is going to get every single one of us in on this I promise you. I promise you Sweet Pea, Ella will be involved, Fangs, Toni, all of us"
"What is the first law?" Toni says getting up from her bike
"No Serpent stands alone" Sweet Pea says tapping my leg to signal me to stand up. Sweet Pea gets up
"I'm in" he says and the others join suit
"El is in charge of the Wyrm tonight so she won't be joining us"
"Let's do this" Fangs says.

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While everyone is out doing their job I'm busting tables at the Wyrm. I've had to run to the toilet a few times though to be sick Jesus what's wrong with me? I ask myself as I walk out the bathroom for the 3rd time tonight
"So are you going to tell Sweet Pea or should I?"
"Shut it Byrdie" I scowl at her
"Like you should have shut your..." I slam my hands on the table
"That's enough" I say through gritted teeth
"You know your gonna have to tell him, what's your dad going to think? Oh and your brother? This is exactly like a repeat of your dad and Alice"
"What the fuck are you on about?"
"Oh nothing sweetheart" she gets up and starts to leave
"No you don't get to start telling me shit then walk off"
"You'll find out soon enough little one" and with that she walks out.