Swee'Pea baby blanket · Pisellino in italiano · 100% pura lana extrafine di Zegna degli anni ‘65, recuperata e lavorata con una macchina da maglieria hackerata Brother KH930
Sister’s friend offered to buy takeaway dinner for us and these are the dishes he bought back. This Sambal Stingray is first pan-fried on a hotplate with banana leaf underneath it to give it fragrant before smothered in a spicy reddish brown paste of sambal chilli sauce. The end result is a succulent fish with a spicy kick that is oozing fragrance. And to go with it, Cincalok which is fermented small shrimps or krill mixed with chillis, shallots and lime juice.
Next up is a Bean Curd Stew with seafood and vegetables. We also gotten Sambal Sweet Potato Leaves which was tender but unfortunately lacked the spicy oomph to elevate it to the next level.
For the carbohydrate, it is Fried Rice with eggs, prawns and squids. Here is everything plated up for the final photoshoot before I gobbled it up. :D
“For me, the style essential is having a sense of fun and feeling that you can transform the inside depending on what you put on the outside. Every bit of clothing can evoke a little characteristic that was screaming to be expressed.”
Request: Yes / No Can I request a sweet pea x clumsy reader ❤️ @meyocoko
Requests are closed <3 Have a nice day/night
Sweet Pea x Fem!Reader
Word count: 662
Warnings: Nothing I think!
Y/N: Your Name
PLEASE DO NOT STEAL MY WORK, I WORK HARD ON MY FICS AND IT’S NOT COOL TO STEAL SOMEONE ELSE’S WORK!
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Sweet Pea woke e up early to go on a run. It was way too early for me, but Sweets insisted that he had to get back into shape for basketball. I didn’t understand why he asked me to come, but I love spending time with him… Okay it was really those damn puppy eyes he gave me, how could I say no!? I quickly threw on some black yoga pants and an old gray tank top. I put my hair up in a ponytail and threw on my only pair of running shoes. At least if I trip I’ll look good.
“Babe, you ready?” Sweets called from the other room.
“Give me a sec!” I called back. I quickly ran through my mental list, triple checking that I didn’t forget anything. Once I was sure I was good I rush out to sweets and tripped over the kitchen chair. Everything felt like it was going in slow motion. Sweets eyes widened as he saw me coming closer to the floor of our trailer.
“Oh shit!” He said. I swear his voice came out slow and deep, but it was most definitely my mind fucking with me. My eyes widened as I watched the floor coming closer and closer. I screamed, which was causing a ringing in my ears and probably Pea’s too. I threw my hands out to protect myself as best I could, but it’s in vain as my face smacks against the floor.
“Are you okay?” Sweets asked as he knelt next to me.
“Fuck that hurt.” I groaned as I sat up.
“Well at least you didn’t break anything.” He said with a smirk. I rolled my eyes as he helped me up.
“Think you can still go on the run with me?” He asked and I narrowed my eyes at him.
“I’m a big girl, Pea, I can handle a little fall.” I said and he chuckled.
“Whatever you say, babe.” He said as he made his way out the door. God please let him go easy with me here…
I should have known that Sweet Pea of all people wouldn’t go easy on his girlfriend who isn’t used to running unless it for the gang! It’s been twenty minutes since we started running and my breathing was already getting heavy. I was falling behind Sweets, who didn’t seem too fazed by the running. He would occasionally glance behind him and slow down, but he was still in front of me. I was fine when we started, keeping a good pace next to Sweets, but after ten minutes I started feeling the burning in my legs and lungs.
I will admit though, the view of Sweets from behind was a good sight to see. That’s when I got the brilliant idea. If Sweets wanted to get in shape for basketball I would gladly help him. Using the last of my strength and the burst of energy I somehow managed to get and pushed myself to pick up the pace. Slowly, I began to catch up to him. I was panting heavily as a result from straining my body.
“Hey, Y/N, are you-ugh!” He groaned as I jumped on his back. He lost his footing for a moment, but managed to catch himself.
“What the hell!?” He growled.
“I’m tired from running and you wanted train for basketball.” I said, leaning my head on his shoulder and pecked his cheek. He rolled his eyes, but pulled me so I was higher on his back.
“Whatever… At least you can’t fucking trip and kill yourself” He said. He started running again. I happily rest my head on Sweets shoulder as he continued his workout. With his rhythmic running and how early he had woken me up, plus the exhaustion from running, I found myself drifting off to sleep on Sweet’s back. This may not have been his idea of a work out, but this was my perfect workout.
I’m sorry I haven’t painted in forever. Please accept this vidis!Kenma from @silvercistern amazing Bokuaka-centric fic Once More. Honestly do yourself a favor and read this, give kudos, leave a loving comment and READ IT AGAIN CAUSE PLEASE. IT’S SO GOOD.
The teacher handed Sage back last week’s test just as the lunch bell rang. On the top of the page, in bright red, a C- scribbled.
She smiled. Not a D. She thought pleased with herself, shoving the paper into her rucksack.
Although she wasn’t raking in the A’s or B’s quite yet, she was steadily doing considerably better on all her recent quizzes and tests. Not that it mattered. If FP was scarce before, he was virtually non-existent now.
There had been no resolution between them and the fire behind her anger were just embers at this point. Behind it all, she truly missed FP. How the Jones men always seemed to get the best of her emotions.
She strolled to the cafeteria, still thinking about FP and settling between Toni and Joaquin. Sweet Pea was missing from their usual table.
“Where’s Pea?” she asked Toni, looking around.
“Tall Boy needed him today so he ditched.”
Sage huffed. “Wish I could ditch,” she murmured wistfully.
“Speaking of wanting to ditch,” Joaquin spoke suddenly. “I have to go to Northside’s Homecoming dance tonight with Kevin.”
“Oh really?” mused Toni.
“Got my suit and tie already,” Joaquin responded. “Kevin is beside himself with excitement.”
“You’ll have fun,” Sage said. “At least one of us willtonight.”
“I think it’s nice that life has been rather boring lately,” Toni commented, taking a bite of apple with a loud crunch.
Sage snorted. “Speak for yourself. I’m about ready to die I’m so bored. Thank God, my grades are starting to improve, not that FP is around to let me off the hook anytime soon.”
“How’s tutoring going?” Toni asked as Joaquin redirected his attention to his phone, talking to Kevin, no doubt.
“I honestly don’t know what is worse. All the scut I’ve been doing around the Wyrm, thanks to that jerkwad Mustang or all the tutoring,” she groaned softly.
Toni smiled sympathetically. “It won’t last forever. Anymore updates with Mustang?”
Sage shook her head. “Absolutely nothing. Everything has been painfully dull with nothing new to report. He’s still an ass and he’s still running the show now that FP is working so much for Andrew’s.”
Joaquin pocketed his phone as he stood up, breaking up their conversation. “I’ve got to go ditch too and calm Kevin down. He’s already freaking out about getting there early. Dance is at 7:00 and he wants to be there by 6:00.” He shook his head with a roll of his eyes, but they were soft and playful.
“Have fun,” Sage giggled.
“Have a blast,” echoed Toni with a grin.
He pushed his raven hair back off his face with one more dashing smile and looked around casually before slipping out the side exit.
“I’d pay money to see Joaquin at Homecoming with Kevin,” Toni commented.
“He’ll end up having fun. What’s the worst that could happen?” Sage wondered out loud.
Jughead’s words from the previous week played on repeat and echoed around in her head as Sage made her nightly stroll. Her tutoring was done, homework completed and bar completely swept, scrubbed and mopped.
Her heart and her mind were at war with each other. Her mind desperately wanted to stay stubborn and angry at FP for the sake of being stubborn but her heart told her that Jughead was right. It was doing her no good. FP had always wanted the best for her and she couldn’t fault him for that.
He was only human and he too, like her, had his demons. Could she really judge him so harshly?
It was time to make amends.
As she walked in the entrance of Sunnyside Trailer park she noticed the blinding red, blue and white lights up ahead… at FP’s trailer.
Her feet frozen to the ground as she counted five police cars parked outside of the trailer. The lights were on in the trailer and the commotion of the police tearing through the trailer could be heard from where she stood.
“Shit,” she breathed.
***
The news was everywhere even days later.
FP was arrested and had confessed to the murder of Jason Blossom.
There weren’t many words to describe the sense of disappointment and absolute dread that filled Sage from the moment she heard the news. The Whyte Wyrm remained a somber and desolate place as many of the Serpents had been brought in for interrogations. Nothing felt safe. Worst of all, Sage couldn’t untangle the knots in her stomach.
He had killed Jason. It didn’t seem possible.
Did Mustang know? Is that what he was talking about that night in the hallway? Did he know?
What would happen next?
Where was Jughead? More importantly, how was Jughead? She could only imagine.
She spent a lot of time hiding away in her room, anxiety gripping her like an iron vice. Uncertainty didn’t sit well and now the only person she had truly considered family, was ripped from her. Life was so unfair.
She could hear Mustang downstairs talking with Tall Boy and she felt her stomach churn with anger. As if they had FP’s best interest at heart.
She swallowed down the lump in her through, grabbing her phone and locking her door before going downstairs. She felt Tall Boy’s eyes on her and the hair on her neck stood on end. She gritted her teeth till her jaw ached, throwing both him and Mustang the nastiest look she could muster before intentionally slamming the door shut.
She did the only thing she thought would make her feel less helpless.
She headed to the prison to go see FP.
A/N: Just a filler chapter for the most part!For the full story, visit the link below.
Also, If you’re looking for a great fic, I’d HIGHLY recommend anything by @southsidewrites! Especially Pretty Lies (Link: Pretty Liesbysouthsidewrites). I’ve been binging for the last few days!
She must attend school every day and graduate. She was also required to help out the club with any outstanding tasks. Most of the time, it was simple runs and drops, but there was also sometimes the grunt work, sweeping, cleaning, stocking the Whyte Worm and so on. On rare occasions, there were special little projects. Like, for example, delivering the surprise in the box for the waitress at Pop’s. It always made her feel important when FP trusted her with tasks like that.
As long as Sage kept up her end of the bargain, FP gave Sage a place to live and allowed her to be in the Serpents. Those were the conditions. Before that, she had tried her best to make it work with no experience in the real world, no job, no money, no family, all while staying under the radar from social services. Eventually, she stumbled across the Serpents, who became home base and her family.
Unbeknownst to most, the Whyte Worm had nine rooms in various sizes upstairs above the bar. Some members crashed there temporarily between housing, some borrowed the space for a drunken one night stand after one too many bourbon shots. FP kept a room for himself, which he used as an office a place to meet with other members privately.
But FP had reserved the smallest room at the end of the hall for her to stay in. He furnished the room with a small twin bed with a lumpy mattress, an old desk, and a wicker dresser. There was one tiny window placed in the center of the wall, her bed to the left of it, the dresser to the right. She tacked a blanket up to keep the early morning light out. Other than that, it had been up to her to find an old microwave which she kept on top of her dresser for her daily dinners of ramen soup and green tea.
Simple but home.
Simplicity was her style.
Perhaps the biggest drawback was the lack of shower and the bathroom was down the hall. But as usual, she found a way to make it work, using the bathroom sink to freshen up daily, or in dire situations, braving the gym locker room at school for a real shower. Another negative was the constant noise and smelled of cheap tequila and cigarettes. But so came the price of living above a bar.
A perk of becoming a Serpent also allowed Sage to earn a little money. Aside from a roof over her head, she was able to earn extra from some of the jobs she did. Essentially it was pennies since she was on the bottom of the totem pole, but she was disciplined and she managed to save most of what she earned only spending what she absolutely needed to. She hoped by the time she graduated, she would have enough saved to rent or even own a trailer in Sunnyside and have a real place of her own someday.
Sage’s anxiety was spiraling out of control, her head reeling from accidentally hearing the two men outside her room the night prior. For the first time in months, she genuinely felt unsafe, an uneasiness stirring in the pit of her stomach. The threat of the outside world was an everyday occurrence, but threats within the family concerned her. They swore an oath and to go against that was mutiny. They weren’t just waiting for FP to fail, they were counting on it.
She knew she needed to find Toni immediately to help her unravel her concerns.
“We’ve got to talk!” Sage exclaimed, grabbing Toni’s arm, pulling her against the row of lockers out of the bustle of bodies slumping through the hallway.
Toni stared at her wordlessly, drinking in her wild eyes and tight jawline. “Wha—”
“I heard something last night, I definitely should not have heard,” she interrupted.
“What the hell happened?” Toni’s own eyes widened wearily.
“I was upstairs in my room and I heard two men talking outside in the hall about FP. Toni, they want him out.”
“Whoa, whoa, what? Out of what?” She kicked her foot up and back against the locker, hugging her books tight into her chest.
“The Serpents, Toni! They said about how he’s dropped the ball and put us all at risk. And something about FP torching the car that Jason Blossom took to get rid of the evidence.”
“Oh my god, what?! You need to slow down and explain everything. I need details.” Toni said, holding her hand up.
“Mornin’ ladies,” Sweet Pea sauntered over. He immediately picked up on their protective stance and hushed voices. “Uh, am I interrupting something?” He looked between them
“Always, Sweet Pea,” Toni teased, patting him on his broad chest.
Sage rubbed the back of her neck, nervously. “We’ll finish talking about this tonight. I’ll explain everything and we can try to piece it together. But, I think I was right.”
“Piece what together?” Sweet Pea asked. “Right about what?”
Sage looked at Toni wearily. Should they fill him in?
Toni gnawed on her bottom lip for a moment, making the decision for both of them. “We’ll tell you tonight, but we need to go somewhere private.”
“My place is out,” Sage stated plainly.
Sweet Pea thought for a moment. “Let’s go to my trailer.”
***
Toni and Sweet Pea sat side by side on a raggedy plaid couch in his living room, while Sage sat on the carpeted floor across from them, cross legged.
Sage had never been to his place before prior to this. It appeared smaller than she thought with two small bedrooms, one bathroom. The kitchen and living room were only separated by a counter that served as a breakfast nook. Sweet Pea rarely spoke of his folks, so Sage wasn’t sure if he lived with them or not. The bedroom doors were closed and gave nothing away. Although it wasn’t exactly clean, it wasn’t dirty either. It was just very lived in. A pile of dirty clothes in the middle of the living room and towels draped over a temporary and makeshift clothesline in the kitchen.
“Alright,” Sweet Pea said, rubbing his face before tucking his dog tags back under his shirt. “Start from the beginning.”
“First,” Sage began, “you need to promise me this stays here… in this dingy, dimly lit trailer.”
“Hey, don’t hate. And yes, I promise.”
Sage smiled as Toni positioned herself to get more comfortable on the couch, tucking her legs under her slim frame. “I told Toni this, but a few weeks ago, I went to FP’s trailer after a drop and I saw Jason Blossoms jacket hanging in his closet. I asked him about it but he shrugged it off and called it ‘insurance’. FP also met some woman at the drive-in. My theory is maybe she paid FP to have Blossom killed.”
“No, no,” Sweet Pea shook his head. “You’ve got it all wrong. She was the buyer for the Twilight Drive-In. Well– her husband was. Word is, he’s in jail but he used her to secure the deal. He paid FP to have the Serpents trash the drive-in so he could buy the land for at a lower price.”
Toni and Sage looked at each other and then back at him. “How do you know that?” asked Toni.
“Joaquin told me. FP and Joaquin have been real tight since the summer.”
A light bulb went off. The takeout bag she retrieved from the waitress and given to Mustang, had been filled with stacks of bills.
“So… the reason why he had me drop off the snake for her was because she didn’t pay him enough. It was just a warning,” she said thoughtfully. “But it had nothing to do with Blossom like I thought. It was all orchestrated around the drive-in, which worked.”
Toni nodded. “Yes, okay, that makes sense. But something else happened. What had you pawing at me this morning?”
Sage twirled the pendant on her necklace, rolling it between her fingers. “Two guys were outside my room talking last night. The first thing that took me by surprise was about how FP took a job with Andrew’s Construction.”
“Why the hell would he do that?” questioned Sweet Pea, sitting up a little straighter, eyes narrowing. He too hadn’t heard this piece of information yet.
“I think he really wants to clean it up for Jughead. You know, try and make things right finally,” Sage trailed off.
“Yea, that’s bull,” retorted Sweet Pea. “He was so out of his mind drunk at the bar last night, Mustang had to drag him away from Hog Eye to get him home in one piece.”
“I don’t know, maybe he needed the money?” Sage suggested half-heartedly.
“We all need money.” scoffed Toni. She softened after a moment. “But maybe he really is trying to keep tabs on things on the Northside, especially the Cooper girl throwing out that Blossom worked for the Serpents. Or maybe he really is trying to get his family back. Both are viable hypotheses, really.”
Sweet Pea shrugged, tossing a side glance at her. “Okay, nerd.”
Toni leaned over and punched him in the arm.
“There’s more,” Sage continued before Sweet Pea retaliated. “They mentioned something about FP torching evidence. Jughead and some other girl found it and went to the police.”
“Snitch!” Sweet Pea exclaimed, slamming his fist down on the couch arm. Toni jumped.
“Sweet Pea…” Sage chided gently.
“What car?” Toni asked.
“If it had evidence, I’m sure it had to do with Blossom again.” Sweet Pea said, still frowning deep.
“Which still makes me think that maybe FP actually did kill Blossom.” Sage pointed out.
“So… what if he did?” contemplated Sweet Pea.
The group was quiet for a moment, pondering over what that meant to each of them.
“What about the two guys?” Toni wondered redirecting her attention to Sage.
“All I know is that they are counting on FP failing and I think they are planning on trying to throw FP under the bus out so they can take over the club.”
Silence came over them again.
“That’s a pretty bold accusation.” Toni swallowed.
“I’m telling you, they want FP to take the fall for something. They are waiting for an opportunity and they are actively plotting against him.
“Goes against our code.” Sweet Pea growled. “Who was it?”
“I couldn’t see one of them,” she admitted truthfully, “but I saw the other guy. It was Mustang.”
Toni exhaled a swoosh of air from her lungs. “Crap.”
“Watch your back, guys. I think shit’s gonna hit the fan soon.” Sage warned.
Sweet Pea rubbed his hands on his thighs anxiously. “Well… that didn’t answer anything. I just have more questions now.”
Sage smiled, tiredly. “Welcome to my life.”
They all were startled again when the door flew open, slamming into the wall. Joaquin stumbled in, looking around at the three of them. “Guys…” he said breathlessly. “You won’t believe what just happened.”
“What is it?” Toni stood up immediately, sensing his urgency.
“Jughead was just taken into custody by the police. He’s a suspect in the Blossom murder.”
The weather shifted with a permanent chill in the air, as the leaves browned and furled into themselves. And despite his promise, Sage hadn’t heard from Jughead in weeks. But there was more than enough to keep her occupied. Things had been fairly dull on the Southside, but just on the opposite side of town, the Northside was making up for it.
Finally, a formal funeral was held for Jason Blossom. Although Sage only had a brief interaction with him, she caught herself thinking of him often that day and wished him peace as he was finally laid to rest.
Aside from the funeral, his ex-girlfriend, who overnight became the main suspect in his open murder investigation, had gone missing. Search parties scattered about Evergreen Forest to find the new suspect.
The town was divided yet again. Some publicly begged her to come home safely, while others wanted blood for blood. That is until the missing girl’s parents announced she was pregnant with the Blossom boy’s baby.
It seemed so peculiar to Sage that two young people, whose lives had only just begun, could cause so much division and chaos. Even though it wasn’t happening on her turf, the news, gossip, and speculation exploded everywhere.
As if that wasn’t enough to keep Sage busy, she felt troubled and consumed by the surprise she found in FP’s trailer. There was a gnawing dread in her gut, feeding off all the unanswered questions in her head. Why did FP have Jason’s jacket? What did he mean when he called it insurance? How was the waitress fit into this? Did FP have something to do with the missing girl?
There seemed to be no answers, only more questions that lead her down a rabbit hole of confusion. She needed to confide in someone. She was driving herself crazy.
Sweet Pea and Sage sat together at the bar. Toni recently picked up hours working behind the bar with Hog Eye and when it wasn’t busy, they liked to keep her company and occasionally benefit from a few free drinks.
“Where’s Joaquin been?” Toni asked as she poured a beer for a wiry woman nearby named Byrdie. She slid it over to her and turned her attention back to the group.
”You haven’t heard?“ Sweet Pea feigned surprise. "He’s been with his new boy toy, Kevin.”
“Kevin?”
“The sheriff’s kid from the drive-in, remember?”
Sage’s head shot up. “Oh really?”
“Yea, and if he’s not with his boyfriend, he’s with FP,” Sweet Pea added, bitterly. There was a note of jealousy in his voice.
Ah, and the plot thickens, thought Sage to herself, abandoning her math book.
“Whatcha working on Sage?” Sweet Pea asked, quickly changing the subject.
“Homework,” she answered, begrudgingly.
He peeked over her shoulder. “That one is wrong,” he pointed out.
She shot him a glare.
”What! Oh, and that one, that’s wrong too.“
She pursed her lips tightly and slid the sheet of paper over to him. He gave her his signature grin and plucked the pencil from her hand as he bent over the sheet, erasing furiously. Sage turned her attention back to Toni.
"Something’s definitely up,” Sage whispered to Toni.
“What do you mean?” she asked, leaning in.
“I don’t know. I had to go to meet FP and I saw something I don’t think I should have. Toni, he had Jason Blossom’s jacket in his closet.”
Toni’s eyes lit up, placing a bottle of whiskey down and leaning in close. “What?”
“It doesn’t make much sense. Blossom helped FP do a run for quick money, then he ends up dead. Now, his girlfriend winds up missing?” Sage licked her bottom lip.
“Not to mention pregnant,” interjected Toni.
“Remember the final night at the drive-in? There was a woman FP met that night.”
Toni leaned in, even more, eyes as wide as saucer plates, drinking up every word.
“What if she paid FP to kill Blossom?” Sage speculated in a hushed voice.
“But why?”
“Why would anyone want to kill a high school kid? I have no idea. But I know that it all has to be connected.” Her brow furrowed down. “Right?”
“Your guess is as good as mine. But I’ll keep my eyes and ears open around here for you.”
“Thanks,” Sage smiled as Sweet Pea slid her paper back over.
“Here,” he said. “Don’t tell anyone that I’m actually a math whiz.”
“Your secret is safe… until I need something, then I’m using it as blackmail.”
***
Things became even more complicated.
The missing girl had been found and had also gone public with her story, including how Jason had taken a job with the Serpents to make money so they could run away together. The police, the Blossoms, and the town, now turned their focus on the Serpents.
The assumption was an obvious one. If Jason was doing a job for the Serpents and it went sour, as often things revolving around the Serpents do, they clearly must have killed him. But where exactly did it go wrong? What was the motive?
Sage laid on her bed, trying to concentrate on a passage for her English literature class. Her eyes skimmed over the same paragraph again and again but she couldn’t seem to retain anything from the jumbled up letters. She was debating if she should keep trying or give up altogether when she heard two male voices arguing in hushed voices outside her door.
"What on God’s earth has FP done now?” the first voice said, clearly agitated.
“He told people it’s to keep tabs on everything, but the man’s losing it. Taking a job with Andrew’s Construction? After what Fred did to him?” the second voice gruffed.
“He’s been letting stuff slip through his fingers for some time now anyway.”
“At least he finally took care of that damn car.”
Sage tossed her English book off to the side and crept slowly and quietly over to the door so she could hear better.
“He didn’t though. Not on time anyways. His kid and Alice’s daughter found it first. They took pictures and ran off to Keller and that’s when FP torched the evidence, ” the first man rebutted.
The second man cursed loudly. “That damn drunk. His priorities are all wrong. This could really screw us over.”
There was silence for a few moments. Sage pressed her ear to the door. She realized she was holding her breath when her lung began to burn in protest.
“…Or it could end up helping us in the long run, if we play our cards right.” the second voice mused.
“FP could finally be out finally,” the first voice said thoughtfully.
“Speak of the devil, he’s calling me. I’ve got to go meet him. We’ll revisit this later. Meet me at the motel later.”
Sage waited till she was sure the footsteps were departing before flinging open her door. Still, on her hands and knees, she peered from around the door frame to try to catch a glimpse of the men. One was already out of sight but she definitely knew who the other was.
Drop off the box at Pop’s and be discreet. Under no circumstances, be seen, especially by the waitress.
Simple.
Sage waited until the last customer had left the restaurant. There always seemed to be a lull around this time. She cautiously peeked through one of the windows, as the waitress moved behind the counter. Sage found herself surprised that she recognized the woman as the one from a few nights ago at the Drive-In. She was the one who met FP behind the building.
Her curiosity peaked.
She secured the lid on the box, making sure it was on tight. “Sorry little guy,” she whispered to the creature inside as she hugged the box close to her chest and slowly crept to the entrance.
Another careful peek through the window.
The waitress’s back was still turned. Sage opened the door, careful not to jingle the bells and accidentally announce herself. Gently placing the box right in the walkway where the brunette would stumble on it, she slinked backward back out the front door. Once she was back outside of the diner, she broke out into a run until she was safely out of distance and smiled.
On a whim, she decided to take the long way back home passing through the old drive-in.
Curiosity seemed to be getting the best of her lately but she could afford the time. She purposely beelined to Jughead’s booth, hoping maybe, just maybe he would be there.
She stopped when she saw the graffiti spray-painted on the vinyl side now.
Jughead Jones wuzhere.
Complete with his signature crown hat.
He had moved on. Of course, he had. They were demolishing the place, there was no way he could stay. So where was he now?
She sighed loudly, louder than she needed to, raking her hands through her long hair, fighting the rush of disappointment that overwhelmed her.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, grateful for the distraction. It was a text from FP.
Sunnyside Trailer
She stared longingly at the booth one last time and then glanced back down at her phone. With a deep breath, she turned in the opposite direction to head to the trailer park.
What now? She wondered.
*** As she strolled, lost her in her own thoughts, a door slamming pulled her back to earth. Her attention shifted to the direction of the person that made the noise.
Her heart seized up in her chest. Her feet felt heavy as if they were superglued to the ground, keeping her from moving either forward or back.
Jughead now stood a few feet away, frozen in place as well.
Per usual, they seemed to be at a standstill.
She bit her lip hard, swallowing the lump in her throat as her arms crossed over her chest.
He didn’t move, his jaw clenching and his grip tightening around the bag he was clutching.
“Jughead,“ she whispered, all she could muster.
He shook his head fervently. "I can’t do this now, Sage. I just had to pick up a few things from the trailer and I’m meeting someone.” He took a micro-step forward, shifting his gaze past her.
“If not now, then when? Another year from now?” she insisted, the words bubbling out and over her lips before she could stop them.
“Sage, I just asked you for one thing. Don’t… don’t go down this road. Don’t become that!” He gestured to the trailer he once considered home, but she knew that he was referencing a who, not a what.
“Oh, Jughead, god! You know, someday, you’ll be faced with an… impossible choice. There’s really no right and there is no wrong. There’s just what you have to do.”
His lips curled in a frown and his eyebrows knitted together.
She balled her fist, feeling her nails tear in the flesh of her palms, tears pricking her eyes as she gritted her teeth until her jaw protested. “I’m not like you, Jughead. I’m not brave or good at being alone. I always had you looking out for me, but that was it. And admit it, you couldn’t take care of me with everything that was going on with you and your mom and dad. I was bringing you down too. I couldn’t be another thing that stressed you out. I didn’t know where I was going to sleep, or where my next meal was coming from. I was always hungry and cold and just…” she inhaled shakily, lip trembling, “…so, so tired of lying about it to everyone.“
He melted some, his posture becoming more lacked as his shoulders softened. He took a small step forward toward her, closing the gap between them.
She smiled waterily, blinking back tears that she willed not to fall. "And now, I have a room that’s all mine. Nothing gets stolen or taken away, and I have food that’s hot and sometimes, even good for me. It’s not moldy or bland, or gross or out of a trash can. I have friends, real friends, good friends, who care about me. And god, I know, FP is not the father you wished he was. He has failed you again and again in ways I can’t understand. He has been a shitty father to you, but he… oh, he is the closest thing I think I have ever had. And that’s something, Jug.”
She dropped her head down, a tiny sob escaping her as her shoulders slumped further. “Please, can’t you understand? Even for a second? I’m okay. I’m more than okay. And I’m surviving finally. And the only thing it cost, was you.”
He dropped his bag and rushed her, embracing her tightly. Her hands snaked around to his back, reciprocating the tight hug.
He exhaled long, his eyes falling shut. “You never told me how bad… I wish I could have… I didn’t know….” he trailed off.
They broke apart. She swiped her fingers under her eyes to wipe away any evidence of tears and straightened up. His Adam’s apple dancing along his throat as he swallowed thickly.
“Okay, I’ll try,” he vowed, finally speaking. “I will.”
It was enough.
He took a step back, picking up his forsaken backpack. He looked torn. “I’m sorry, I really have to go. I’m meeting Betty at school and I’m already really late. We’ll talk soon.”
She nodded softly, feeling better and worse simultaneously. “Okay.”
He gave a tight smile and a small wave and hurried off. She waited till he was gone and made sure she composed herself before walking up to FP’s trailer.
He was waiting for her.
Leaning casually against the door frame, his arms were folded over his chest, one leg crossed in front of the other.
“For a girl who rarely shows any type of emotion, that was quite the performance,” he commented, with a tilt of his head.
She squared her shoulders up, walking up the steps. “It’s fine. I’m fine,” she bristled.
"Hmm, come inside for a minute.”
She shut the door behind her and waited as FP went to the fridge and pulled out a beer, cracking it open on the countertop. Her eyes wandered to the empty bottles that littered the countertops.
“I got a call almost immediately after you made the drop to my friend. She got the message loud and clear. So now, you’re gonna go to Pop’s for a milkshake and she’s going to give you a takeout bag.”
“Okay,” she acknowledged slowly, her attention drawn to an open closet. It wasn’t the closet itself but what was in the closet. A blue and yellow varsity jacket with the name embroidered on the sleeve ‘Jason’.
He followed her gaze, then reached out and shut the closet door with a sharp click of the lock. “Tomorrow, 3:00 PM. Bring it right to Tall Boy, no stops,” he said, firmly.
“Why do you have Jason’s jacket?” she inquired, the words accidentally slipping out.
He was silent for a few moments. “Insurance,” he finally said.
FP’s answer confused her. What did that mean? They both stared at each other. FP wasn’t going to say anything more about it, and she knew better than to ask.
Sage broke the silence first. “Tomorrow, 3:00 PM. Got it.” She turned and reached for the door handle.
“Also,” he said, clearing his throat. “I heard what you said to Jughead about me. I don’t deserve it, but I do appreciate it. God knows that boy has been through a lot.”
She didn’t respond.
“I’m going to try,” he echoed his son’s words from before. He looked uncharacteristically embarrassed and ashamed for a moment. “I’m going to clean up my act and get my family back, I promise.”
She bit her lip as she turned and opened the door, her back turned to him.
"Sage?”
“Yea?” her back was still turned.
“Thank you.”
***
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