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#I swear to god if the two posts of mine that go viral are of muppets with weapons I’m gonna scream
raisedbylibrarians · 1 year
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@2btheanswertothequestion tagged me to post 5 songs I've listened to recently, and they are doing god's work over in the Steddie tag, so I figured that, since I don't contribute anything beyond feral comments over there I could at least do this and... then proceeded to ignore the prompt.
I chose 5 6 songs (two go together, its fine) but really it is representations of 5 sub-sub-sub genres I've been listening to that mostly boil down to lots of guitars and angry women/tenors. I think because I like music I can theoretically sing along to? ANYWAYS
Female-Led Heavy Metal
Example Song: The Rapture (but it's Pink) by Scene Queen
Due to recent hyperfixations I have been returning to a longtime love of mine, the genre Angry Women With Guitars. Josie and the Pussycats was formative for me. I was, at first, listening to some classic rock that I enjoy (Queen, AC/DC, and Kansas) but then added in some Pop Punk (Paramore and Flyleaf) and then was like "I wonder if there are some modern women-led heavy metal bands I am sleeping on?" Which led to the Spotify playlist "Heavy Queens". I like a lot of what is on there but it can also err more on the Evanescence side of things, with too much synth (I think, I'm not well-versed on music terminology). So I started curating a personal playlist (called, very originally, "heavy metal faves") that is stuff I like from there and some other stuff Spotify suggests. That is how I found Scene Queen, of which I like a number of her songs, though a bunch are too sexual for my ace ass.
Honorable mention: I Wanna Ghost Myself by DIAMANTE and Bad Decisions by RedHook.
2. Heavy Metal Covers of ABBA (and other 80's faves)
Example song: Lay All Your Love On Me by Amberian Dawn
Spotify first suggested this song, which led to a "Heavy Metal Covers" playlist and then to a playlist that is just called "ABBA COVERS TO HEAVY METAL" by spotify user ro(c)ka. Do recommend. I have no idea why ABBA sounds so great with heavy guitars but thank god a bunch of bands have done covers because they are really scratching that itch.
Honorable mention (not ABBA): Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm and Beat It by Fall Out Boy
3. Anti-Diet-Culture Songs
Example Songs: Diet Culture by Brye and Victoria's Secret by Jax
I discovered both of these via my TikTok algorithm (Brye also wrote the Lemons song that has been viral on there) knowing how I am about Diet Culture. There is a playlist called "fuck diet culture" by Jaimie Lynne Sprouls that I've been enjoying.
Honorable Mention: Diet Coke by Leanna Firestone (aspartame and cancer info) and I'm Not Pretty by JESSIA
4. Country Music by (you guessed it) Angry Women
Example Song: Mama's Broken Heart by Miranda Lambert
Has a man ever broken my heart? No, not really, but I grew up on 90's country music, and the only Acceptable TM reason to write an angry song as a woman in Country is if you were Wronged By A Man, so I love all those songs. Miranda Lambert has written a number of great songs in the vein, and this is one of my favorites because of the guitars I think? Seriously I know nothing about music theory. The playlist Scorned is what I listen to when I want some of this.
Honorable Mention: Not Ready to Make Nice by The Chicks and You Lie by The Band Perry
5. Broadway......with guitars
Example Song: Fright of their Lives from Beetlejuice the Musical
It may not seem like it from this list, but I listen to a lot of Broadway. Theater is my life's passion and a number of my past hyperfixations have been musicals. Most of them are musicals with, you'll never guess, guitars. I am nothing if not predictable. Beetlejuice, The Lightning Thief, and Mean Girls are all GREAT musicals with guitars in them. I swear I listen to musicals that aren't based on movies or books, but I can't help it if these ones are bangers. (Broadway is kinda broken in the way shows are promoted, but that's a whole 'nother conversation)
Honorable Mention: Apex Predator from Mean Girls and Put You In Your Place from The Lightning Thief
I am incapable of tagging anyone because of mental bullshit about bothering people, so mutuals please do this if you want to. @endreal and @greenegables I would really love to see you do something like this but like its cool or whatever. Also my god don't spend this much time on it like I did.
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ghost-writer143 · 3 years
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Kermit didn’t miss.
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snarkwrites · 3 years
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10 | gangsta ; sweetpea
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Notes:
SO.. I uhh... Got super into writing this recently. I just really liked where it was heading after part 7. Yes. Yes, I realize that literally no one asked for more of this but.. I wrote it. Might as well share it.
I warn in advance. There as a graphic and detailed fight in this chapter. Also. There is a LOT going on in this chapter. A LOT. I mean it and I cannot stress this enough. There is a LOT to process here. I basically took two or three episodes and mashed them together.
This is the third of four parts I have already written and waiting to go. I know, I know.. Literally no one asked for this. But you’re getting it anyway.
Warnings:
loosely canon compliant - this is the biggest warning, so if you’re into things that follow exact canon plot you are… definitely not going to like this. angst & slow burn, heavy sexual tensionstarting now, actually - this is just so everyone who started reading this thinking the smut would transpire in a hurry knows that apparently, it is not. violence / swearing & fighting, possible underage drinking and other shenanigans- look.. it’s high school. shit happens. also apparently, my ofc Alyssa uses the word fuck like all the time?…eventual sexual content / a virgin original character- this one is self explanatory. yes, i plan to write a smutty chapter in this at some point. when? i don’t rightly know. it’s got a while before we get there. revenge porn / grooming behaviors + an older boyfriend that Alyssa had in Chicago and moved to Riverdale to get away from are hinted at here. And this chapter might not be the only one in which we hear about Dave Novak. - I put this here so it doesn’t trigger anybody. I tried to be very very very vague when I wrote out things.. But if you can’t handle it, I understand. This is not going to be a huge part of the fic, no worries. It will have a small arc, but then it’ll be resolved.
Pairing:
Andrews!Sibling OFC, Alyssa x Sweet Pea
Other Parts:
[ one - two - three - four - five - six - seven - eight - nine -   soundtrack ]
Other Stuff:
[ faq - tag list doc ]
Tagging:
@brithedemonspawn​ is the only person on my Riverdale tag list. If you’d like to be tagged for this story by all means.. Please let me know. Please, I beg. It’d make me super duper happy!!!
                                                      TEN.
Toni was awake already. Jabbing at me tentatively. “Okay sleeping beauty. Don’t make me go downstairs and fetch the Prince Charming you moaned for half the night last night.” she teased. Laughing when I went bright red in the face and apologized profusely. “That must have been some dream.” she teased again.
I stuck out my tongue at her, grumbling. “Oh. It was. But it was a dream.”
“Doesn’t have to just be a dream. I went for it with Cheryl. What’s stopping you? Hm?”
“First of all, I am pretty sure he only tolerates me because of you and Fangs. Secondly.. Even if I did think he felt anything…” I took a deep breath. “ I don’t even know how to begin to tell him.”
“Well, I mean.. You open your mouth and words come out.”
“Smartass.” I teased, smiling at her.
“You love me though.” she teased back.
We made our way down into the kitchen just in time to snag what was left of breakfast. What shocked me was that one, my brother was actually sitting at the table and eating with my father and I, his actual family and two, he and the Serpents hadn’t somehow managed to unalive each other during the night.
He even seemed to be talking to a few of them.
My dad caught sight of my face and I tensed a little. He grimaced and walked over, surveying the damage. “What happened, tiny?”
“Fucking Amanda Geller.”
“Language, tiny.”
“Okay, the diseased blight of the earth named Amanda Geller.” I chose a different wording, making my dad laugh and shake his head.
“You shoulda seen it, Mr. Andrews. It went viral.” one of the Serpents spoke up, holding out his phone so my father could see the fight. 
I groaned and dropped my head to my arms, lightly beating it against them, swearing to myself quietly. “I knew someone would record the fight. Well.. this is just great.” I took a few deep breaths and continued with my explanation. “All I have to say for myself dad, is I got sick of taking her crap. So when she stole my clothes and hid them all over the hallway, I walked out to get them. She was all in the door when I threw it open to go back inside in a hurry before I got caught. The door hit her nose, she started to scream like the harpy she is and it all went downhill from there.” I reached for a piece of toast and the butter knife to butter the bread a little more.
My dad rubbed his chin. “I think I need to go down and have a chat with Weatherbee. I should’ve done this weeks ago, actually. When this started. Let me know if she posts a video. I mean it, Al. That’s a serious offense. Don’t try to go and handle it yourself. Let me handle it, tiny.”
FP chuckled. “Fred, you know your daughter’s every bit her father’s kid. Meaning, she’s a hothead. It’s going in one ear and out the other.”
“Again, Forsythe. Don’t encourage her, man.” my dad teased FP, gazing at me firmly. Waiting on me to nod and agree. I did, but I also added quietly, “Dad. It’s over and done with. And if it isn’t, I was the one who chose to fight her. If anything comes of it, kind of time for me to quietly take my lumps.”
“This is the same Mandy Geller who had you upset the first week back at school here, right Because I think I know her parents. Maybe I need to talk to them about their daughter’s crap too?” my dad asked. I nodded. Quickly shaking my head when he mentioned involving her parents. It wouldn’t do any good. If Mandy was a bitch, her mother was the queen mother of bitches. 
He shook his head. “Honestly, while I’m not in agreement with  fighting… I can’t say I blame you. And I told your mom that everybody has a breaking point and that if Archie’s allowed to reach his and explode, it’s only fair that you get the same slack when you finally hit yours.”
He hit play on the fight again, chuckling as he watched it. “ You are lucky you didn’t break your thumb, tiny. If you’re ever in a situation to punch again, don’t tuck your thumb. Fastest way to get it broken.”
FP spoke up, chuckling from nearby. “Your dad knows that way too well, little red. Broke his thumbs three damn times before we finally got it in his head that you don’t tuck it.” 
“Forsythe, don’t encourage her, man. Mary would have a fit.” my dad shot FP a look.
“Oh, she already did when I talked to her on video call last night and she saw it.” I admitted quietly, shaking my head. I hated fighting with my mother, but sometimes it felt like my mother went looking for reasons to lecture and nag at me. Like she held me to this god tier standard that she didn’t hold Archie to and sometimes, that really bugged me.
“Sounds about right.” my dad muttered, shaking his head. “How is she?”
“Well, she said she’s got another big case coming up. Then she lectured me like usual. About the fight and about not making waves. Because of everything going on here. I guess she just doesn’t want me overloading you guys.” I laughed, shaking my head. My dad nodded. Telling me that she was just worried about me and that we butted heads because I was a lot like her at my age.
I snorted, shaking my head in disbelief. “Not likely.”
“Sweetie, your mom used to sneak out of the bathroom of Riverdale High to ditch with FP and I. She could drink me under the table sometimes. And if somebody so much as looked at her wrong, she was not hesitant to call them out on it..She was a lot like you are now. I know she seems so straight laced now, but she wasn’t always.”
Something in my dad’s tone made me think that maybe Mom turning uptight had a lot to do with the reason their relationship got so strained. I kept quiet though. Nodding. Taking in what he said.
After I gathered up the plates on the table and put them in the sink, grabbing a wash cloth, Sweet Pea wandered over. Grabbing a cloth that sat nearby, running it under the water. I glanced at him, my eyes naturally settling on his lips straight away. He reached out, grabbing the bottle of Dawn from the edge of the sink, putting some on the rag.
“You don’t have to do this.”
“I wanna.” he shrugged it off. We finished off washing the dishes together quietly.
Then Toni, Sweet Pea and I set off for school. And as we walked along, I felt his hand brush up against mine again. Wordlessly, I gave his hand a squeeze.
None of us were talking because all three of us had a lot on our mind at the moment.
A time or two, I felt Sweet Pea squeeze my hand. Just as we went to step into the hall at school he muttered quietly, “It’s gonna be okay, Cherry. Stop overthinking. I can smell the burning.”
I gave him a pout as I met his gaze. Managing a nod.
Toni and I were looking all over for Cheryl. Not a sign of her.
“Maybe she’s with Nana.” Toni took a few deep breaths.
“If she’s not here by lunch, we’ll go to the hospital.” I assured Toni. She nodded, hugging herself a little. “It just bothers me because she wanted to meet us both in the middle of the forest to tell us something. Then she disappears before she gets the chance.”
“I know what you mean. And it doesn’t help that her mother is.. The way she is.” I responded quietly. Trying to come up with something, somewhere else she could be. The treehouse we attempted to build in the forest was torn down years ago, so that ruled that out by default. I shook my head. 
XXX
“Your girl’s got herself one hell of a body, Serpent. If I’d known that was hiding under those cardigans and little dresses, man.. Whew.” Chuck smirked at Sweet Pea, waiting on a reaction.
Sweet Pea took a long and deep breath. Opening and closing his fist.
“She’s not my girl. But about the next time you say some stupid shit like that, you’re going to be looking up at me from the floor, dog.” Sweet Pea leaned across the aisle, grabbing Chuck’s collar and pulling him in real close. Sneering at him. Daring Chuck to push just a little further.
He was already in a mood. Between Fangs being held at the station for no reason other than public rumor, being run out of the only place he knew as home and then seeing Alyssa so upset earlier, Sweet Pea was essentially just waiting for further provocation.
Chuck seemed happy to oblige. “I might just have to bump her up higher on my to do list. Since she’s not your girl.”
“Yeah, how about no the fuck you’re not. Forget I said she wasn’t my girl. As far as you and your mangy friends are concerned? She’s my girl.”
“Well, which is it, Serpent? And what are you gonna do to stop me, hm?”
Sweet Pea stood abruptly, sending the chair scraping noisily against tiled floor as it slid in his haste to stand. He reached across the aisle, grabbing Chuck’s head, putting him in a full nelson. Really making sure he locked it in.
“Consider this your only warning, you mangy fucking mutt.” Sweet Pea muttered calmly and quietly before carelessly letting go and letting Chuck spill into the floor.
From the front of the classroom, Archie turned, fixing his eyes on Sweet Pea. And after a few minutes, he wandered back, taking the seat in front of him. Speaking up quietly.
“Did he say something about my sister. Yes or no.”
“Depends on what the fuck is going to be done about it, Andrews.” Sweet Pea answered, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down. Trying to remember that right now, there was sort of a shaky alliance with at least Archie Andrews. And deeper down, remembering Jughead’s advice about the situation with his growing feelings towards Alyssa the night before after everyone else had gone to sleep and the two of them sat out back of the Andrew’s house talking about it.
If he wanted Alyssa, he had to understand that she was nothing if not close to at least two members of her family. He needed to really prove to both the male members of the Andrews family that he wasn’t out to hurt her or just looking for a good time. That he could be trusted.
“Oh. Trust me. If you say he said something, Chuck’s going to wish he’d never even fucking looked at her when we get to wrestling practice this afternoon.” Archie assured Sweet Pea, pausing to continue, “It’s better if I do something, man. We both know that Weatherbee will take one look at you and expel you for nothing other than daring to be a Serpent and not willing to change. I can take a detention, a few late practices where I’m pushed to the brink and it’ll be dropped.”
Archie did make a good point.
And Jughead’s point the night before came back to him too. After debating a second or two, Sweet Pea filled Archie in on the entire confrontation the afternoon before between Alyssa and Mandy. Then he told Archie what Chuck had just said in the hopes of starting a fight.
Archie growled quietly. Turning to meet Sweet Pea’s gaze. “ You want to prove you’re not a threat to my sister? Keep an eye on her.”
Sweet Pea nodded. “Yeah. I can do that.”
Archie managed a smile, nodding. “Leave Chuck to me. I’ll get him when we have wrestling practice. Want me to get in a hit or two for you?”
“Fuck yeah.” Sweet Pea answered with no hesitation.
As class started, Sweet Pea found himself dwelling on Chuck’s assumption that Alyssa was his girl. Wondering if everyone else thought the same. Trying to figure out exactly how he felt about it and wondering if he needed to nip it in the bud for Alyssa’s sake. Wondering how she’d feel about having the assumption thrown at her.
He didn’t have to wait long to find out, because as he wandered the hallway looking for Alyssa and Toni during free period, he turned a corner and found her in a quiet heated discussion with Reggie Mantle, who was going overboard lately with the gifts and gestures to try and win her back.
XXX
“You act like it’s hard to break up with the guy, princess. All you have to do is just stop talking to him. Stop hanging out with them all the time. C’mon. Did you not see just how serious the trouble they can bring you was when the police raided the South Side last night and arrested half of ‘em?” Reggie leaned against a locker, gazing down at me.
I rolled my eyes. Worried about everyone’s assumption that Sweet Pea and I were a thing as of late. Worried that people saying this stupid shit was going to make him like me even less and make those few little friendly moments we’ve managed to have lately vanish.
And that was the last thing I wanted.
But I wasn’t so worried about people assuming Sweet Pea and I were together that I immediately shot down the assumption as Reggie made it.
Instead, I folded my arms over my chest. Gazed up at him, annoyed. “Are you still trying to win the bet? Is that what this is, Reg? That has to be all you want with me.” I mused. Reggie instantly shook his head, trying to reassure me that anything physical had nothing to do with it. Reminding me that he loved me and losing me was killing him. I laughed at that one.
“You don’t even know my favorite color. You don’t know anything about who I actually am, Reggie. You’ve based all of these feelings on the me you knew in fourth grade. I’m not the same girl. Not by a stretch.”
Reggie grumbled. Grabbed hold of my hip. “I know this, princess. And your favorite color is pink, by the way.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “It’s actually black, meatball.”
“But you always wore pink stuff…”
“Have I since we broke up and I didn’t have to pretend to be some quiet little priss though?” I questioned, waiting on Reggie to really stop and think. Realize that he was looking at me through blinders.
“Sweet Pea is not the kind of guy you date unless you want to piss off your family.” Reggie ground out the words, his jaw clenching. I could tell the entire situation was totally lost on him. Before I could stop myself, or stop to think that maybe Sweet Pea didn’t want the entire student body thinking he was bored or desperate enough to date me to begin with, my temper got the best of me and I blurted out, “ There you go, saying stupid crap without stopping to really think. How do you know I didn’t choose you strictly to piss off my family though? How do you really know I’m not choosing Sweet Pea because I actually care about him? I mean... think about it, Reggie.” flashing a smirk as I said it.
Petty and childish? Yes. Did I care much beyond hurting him like he hurt me weeks ago when he made the bet in the first place? Or every single time he’d casually speak over me or try to subtly suggest I do something differently to please him? No. No, I did not.
“Your dad liked me though.” was all Reggie could offer up as rebuttal.
I laughed, rolling my eyes. “You don’t take hints very well, do ya meatball?” I opened my locker, digging through it for the books I’d need after free period ended. Reggie sighed. “ You’re the first girl I actually loved. Forgive me if I’m not willing to stand back and watch you throw it all away on some fucking prick in a gang.”
This irritated me. Way more than it normally would’ve. I think it was just because of whom he was referring to and my growing feelings as of late. I slammed my locker door and whirled around, stepping closer to Reggie.
“But Reggie.. If I actually want Sweet Pea, then it’s not throwing myself away, now is it? Aw.. I know what this is. You’re afraid I’d let him punch my V card before you. Newsflash, Reggie.. If I were going to give it up.. I’d choose him one hell of a lot quicker than you.”
Reggie looked so hurt. And deep down I felt terrible for all the things I’ve said whenever Reggie Mantle forces me into a corner with this shit. I really do regret every single thing I’ve said. I hate hurting him, but he won’t just let me go. He has to keep fighting. Insisting that he loves me. Insisting that he knows me so well when I’m not stupid. I know he doesn’t really love me, more or less, he loves the idea of me. And he doesn’t know the person I am now at all. He only knows the quiet and sweet little girl I used to be back then.
He doesn’t want to know the real me. Every time I tried to open up to him and show him bits of myself, he’d quickly try and stamp it out under the guise of concern and care.
I did my best to keep a straight face. To pretend as if I didn’t feel the least bit of remorse saying everything I’ve been saying to him since we broke up.
After a few seconds of tension filled silence, I sighed and shook my head. Looking up at Reggie.
“You have to leave me alone, Reggie. I don’t love you like that. I thought I did but I.. I don’t, okay? This is over. The more you try to fight for it, the further you push me away. Move on already. Find any of the other girls here that are dying to date you. Just leave me alone.”
“I don’t want anybody else. I want you.” Reggie said it frantically, putting his hand on my upper arms. Gazing down at me. Biting his lip.
 And it killed me. It really killed me. 
Because I’ve had enough time by now to realize that I don’t feel the same way about Reggie that he insists he feels about me. Something in me snapped and I raised a hand, placing it palm down against his chest to keep him at bay when he tried to step closer. Shaking my head and gazing up at him as I told him firmly. Quietly. “And I don’t want you. This has to stop.”
“You’d really choose that Serpent… over me.” Reggie looked so hurt. He tried to hide it, but I could see it in his eyes. He shook his head sadly.
“I already did if you want me to be honest...” I admitted, going quiet. Feeling like a weight had been lifted at me even admitting the way I felt about Sweet Pea to anyone.
Nevermind that I was admitting it to Reggie, in the hopes of forcing him to finally leave me alone.
It hit me hard. I meant every single word of it.
Somehow, knowing that didn’t have me up in arms. I felt calmer. More relaxed.
“Whatever. When you get hurt, princess… all you have to do is come back to me.”
“Reggie, you have to let go.” I grumbled, gritting my teeth. Shaking my head at him being as stubborn as he was being about this whole thing.
Rather than argue, I sighed. Shrugging.
“We’ll see.” I side stepped Reggie and made my way down the hallway and into the student’s break room.
XXX
Sweet Pea stood there, shocked for a second. Everything she’d just told Reggie played over and over again in his mind. It froze him in place and he stood there in a daze. Just letting himself even begin to attempt processing what she told Reggie with no actual hesitation on her part.
 Suddenly, he found himself thinking back. Going over every single interaction that he had with her since they’d been thrown together in Biology. Before that, even. When he’d taken his motorcycle through the car wash fundraiser that the Vixens held one weekend right after she moved to town. The way he’d just kind of.. Seen her and singled her out. Behaving like a jackass because at the time, he’d written her off already. Nevermind that he didn’t know her at all. He’d kind of hung around the car wash that day, giving her hell. Getting a little more curious whenever he’d say something and she’d argue right back. He chuckled quietly when he remembered the part where she’d finally had enough and she’d taken her entire bucket of soap and upended it on his white tee shirt and then she’d doused him with the hose on full blast.
He listened closer. Alyssa only continued to confirm her feelings. His fists clenched every single time Reggie had the audacity to insist that she was making the wrong decision. Every part of him wanted to step out and reveal himself, but curiosity kept him hidden. Listening. Rooted where he stood until he knew the conversation between Alyssa and Sweet Pea was reaching an end because he could tell by the tone in Alyssa’s voice that her patience was reaching it’s last thin strand.
He finally had the sense  to rush away down the hall when he heard her walking away. Flopping over the back of the couch in the student break room and settling across it. Staring at the ceiling as he replayed her entire argument with Reggie Mantle. Everything she’d admitted that she felt for him in the process.
Having a verbal confirmation that he was wrong and Alyssa Andrews did have feelings for him completely threw him for a loop. He’d been content to just keep going like they were. Keeping his own growing feelings deeply hidden. To just keep being her friend because it was so much easier than making a move and ruining a friendship.
But now that he knew how she felt… Everything in him wanted to fight. To start attempting to make his own feelings for her known.
He chuckled to himself and made a mental note to tell Fangs later that he’d been right. And he had no doubt in his mind that Fangs was never going to let him forget that, not for a single second.
The door to the break room flew open and Alyssa wandered in, flopping against the couch dramatically. Her head leaning against his thigh. Making him catch his breath a little at the rush it sent racing through his body.
Everything felt amplified right now. From the smallest brush of soft red hair against his arm, to the way her perfume smelled.. The way she looked up at him with a raised brow and slowly licked her lips before asking him what he was giving her that goofy look for.
God, he thought to himself, if we were anywhere but school grounds right now… He quickly pushed the thought out, shrugging. Staying quiet, because he was half afraid if he opened his mouth right now, everything he wanted and needed to say was going to spill out. Messy. Unplanned.
Not how he wanted to go about doing it when he finally figured out how at all.
No, when he finally told her.. He was going to do it in a way that she had absolutely no doubt in her mind that he meant every single word he said.
She nestled her head completely on his thigh and if he thought the jolt at her doing so before was something, this time it was downright electric. Putting him on pins and needles instantly.
“Toni, have you heard anything?” she asked Toni.
Toni shook her head no. Veronica spoke up. “According to someone in the office, her mother came in and told Mr. Weatherbee that due to a family emergency, she was being taken out of school for a while?”
Alyssa shot up off the couch and Toni swore, standing to drag her hands through her hair.
Veronica cleared her throat. Looking from Alyssa to Toni. “Oh no. No you don’t, either of you, whatever you’re thinking.. If you go storming over there right now, guns blazing, it’s only going to make things worse.”
“What the hell do we do then? I’m not letting my girlfriend be locked away like some shit straight out of V.C Andrews, Lodge.” Toni said it calmly, but Sweet Pea knew she was panicking. And he had a second to think. If someone had done that to Alyssa, he’d be storming the place himself.
He took a deep breath. Grabbing hold of Alyssa’s hand. “I know you would literally fist fight God because she’s your best friend. Maybe Lodge is right.” his face went sour as the words left his mouth and Veronica mouthed thank you at him. Sweet Pea got Alyssa sitting down again. “I will physically restrain you, cherry, don’t test me.”
This time when he saw her blushing just slightly as they locked eyes, he knew he wasn’t imagining it. 
Veronica cleared her throat, pointing out the obvious flaws in what Toni and Alyssa had been seconds away from doing in going to Thornhill and confronting Penelope Blossom. She emphasized that maybe it would be easier if they went when they knew Penelope was away from the house. Maybe if they talked to the staff left on premises or to Nana Rose even..
“I doubt we’d get anything out of her.”  Toni butted in, reminding Veronica that the woman was starting to go senile. Veronica spoke up. “It’s worth a try. I say the three of us go over this afternoon. Under the guise of delivering her assignments. One of the girls on the welcome committee normally does that. I can talk to her and talk her into letting me do it instead. And you two can go with me. If I can get it out of her Nana where she’s been taken, then we’ll regroup  somewhere and plan accordingly.”
“I still say we just go straight to the source. We know Penelope’s behind this.”I pointed out. Too angry to really stop and think about things clearly. All I wanted was to go and storm the place.
“And that’s why we need to proceed with caution. Because whatever we do will come back on Cheryl. We don’t want that. She’s our friend.”
“And my girlfriend.” Toni spoke up quietly. Mulling over Veronica’s carefully thought out proposal.
Sweet Pea eyed Alyssa. “You know she’s playing the smarter game here, Cherry.” 
Alyssa grumbled but ultimately nodded. “Fine. Fine. Okay, we’ll try to figure out where Penelope’s taken her first.”
And Sweet Pea relaxed a little, not even realizing just how much he’d tensed up just then. 
Alyssa settled back against his leg, digging around until she found some romance novel in her messenger bag, opening it to where she’d left off reading.
Sweet Pea feigned interest in his cell phone. Not bothering to move himself because he didn’t want her thinking he didn’t want her close. Toni glanced at the two just when Sweet Pea’s fingers tangled in Alyssa’s thick red hair as he gazed down at his phone intently.
“Hey, you two. Look up and say Snakes.” Toni called out to Sweet Pea and Alyssa. Sweet Pea glanced up, giving her a dirty look almost as soon as he saw her phone raised. Shaking his head. Alyssa rose up a little, leaning against him dramatically, holding up her middle finger against the side of her face visible to the camera as she locked eyes with him, laughing quietly. “It’s just a picture, Sweet Pea.”
“I realize this, Cherry. But I want to be an asshole, so…”
She pouted at him, laughing quietly.
He let an arm settle around the back of the couch and across her shoulder indirectly. Pulling her closer as subtly as he could get away with. She gazed up at him a second or two, swallowing hard and Sweet Pea bit his lip, smirking right back at her.
From across the room, a throat cleared.
Jughead leaned in the doorway. “They’re letting Fangs out.”
Sweet Pea went to stand. Alyssa smiled. Digging around in her messenger bag for a pen. Taking hold of his hand. He raised a brow watching as she wrote a phone number across his palm in black ink.
She kept hold of his hand and muttered softly, “If they try anything.. Call that number. Ask for Mary Andrews. Tell her everything you find out and let her talk to Fangs. Don’t let them toss him a shitty public defender if they have anything they think they can take to court, okay? Please.” before smiling, nodding towards the door. “You need to get going. You guys are gonna have to sneak him out, I’m pretty sure of it. A bunch of people were all stirred up when that news report came on tv last night about him being a suspect in Midge’s death.” 
Sweet Pea nodded. He took a step towards the door, but he stopped to look back. “If anything feels weird when you guys go to check up on Cheryl, cherry.. Don’t push. Just leave and go find someone.”
He knew she crossed her fingers behind her back and he grumbled to himself, shaking his head. “I mean it.”
“Okay, alright, shit. Go. Go get our idiot out of there.” 
Sweet Pea nodded and stepped out into the hallway with Jughead. “If the tension gets any thicker, Pea, you’re both gonna explode.”
“If only you knew, Jug. If only you knew.”
Jughead eyed him and as they walked towards the police station, noting the crowd gathered out front angrily, they ducked behind the building to meet up with Fangs instead. As they stood there waiting on their friend’s release from jail, Sweet Pea found himself telling Jughead every single thing he’d overheard in the hallway.
Jughead chuckled quietly. Nodding.
“So.. please tell me you’re going for it.” Jughead glanced at him. Sweet Pea took a few shaky breaths and nodded. “Subtly though. She made it really clear to Reggie that she’s trying to get her head on right.”
“Yeah, given what Archie told me about Chicago, I don’t really blame her.”
“What happened?” Sweet Pea asked. He halfway didn’t expect Jughead to trust him enough to tell him. To his surprise, Jughead told him everything he knew… From the fighting Alyssa kept getting in trouble with. Sneaking out to frat parties, getting brought back to her mom’s place in cop cars at 3 am. And then he took a deep breath and told him quietly, “This part stays between us though. And it’s the biggest reason Archie’s twice as protective of her as he is right now. She got mixed up with this older guy, an asshole named Dave Novak. Guy was trying to pressure her into.. Stuff. You know what I mean.” Jughead stopped talking and glanced at Sweet Pea and Sweet Pea nodded. His jaw setting firm because he got the feeling that he was not going to like anything Jughead told him.
And as Jughead got into the whole thing, from the pictures sent because Dave pressured her into doing it, to the way Dave basically started trying to isolate her and put distance between herself and her mother.. To her finally having enough and breaking things off. Telling her mother what happened when Dave wouldn’t take a hint and leave her alone and he kept showing up. Leaving her harassing calls. Uploading the pictures he’d pressured her into sending him of herself to some revenge porn website.
Sweet Pea’s fist clenched and he took a deep breath. “Fuck.”
“Yeah. When all this Black Hood shit started, Archie’s first thought was Novak. But he found out Novak got arrested for pulling similar shit that he’d pulled on Alyssa with a way younger girl and he’s in prison.”
“He better fucking stay there.” Sweet Pea muttered quietly.
“Oh, trust me. If he gets out and he’s dumb enough to show here? You’re gonna have to fall in line. Behind Archie’s dad and Archie. Because Archie went with Fred to pick her up from Chicago and she told them everything on the way back because she was pretty scared. It took everything in them both not to go back and find the guy themselves.” Jughead informed, shaking his head. “She’s always kinda been a handful though.”
“Yeah. I kind of got that idea when Archie was talking about some of the stuff she used to do when they were kids last night. When he was trying to embarrass her but he only made her spray him with the sink hose instead?” Sweet Pea chuckled. Going serious. Staring at the number scrawled across his palm in black ink.
He wasn’t used to anyone giving a shit.
In all of this, adjusting to the fact that she did in fact, give a shit, was probably the biggest thing he was having to adjust to. Because he just wasn’t used to it at all.
Fangs finally made his way out of the station and as soon as they spotted him, the two made their way over, trying to get Fangs out of there as quickly as possible.
Just as they shoved through the crowd, Reggie and some of the other Bulldogs stepped forward, attempting to block their path. As Sweet Pea, Fangs and Jughead as well as some of the other Serpents who’d shown up were trying to fight their way through that situation, a shot rang out.
Fangs hit the ground and Sweet Pea and Jughead dropped beside him. Trying to stop the blood as it flowed from their friends body.
The Bulldogs scattered, as did the rest of the Serpents.When someone finally came to help them, they were rushing Fangs to the hospital. And in the hours following, all Sweet Pea could do was sit there and wait.
Quiet. Angry. With absolutely no way to keep himself calm.
XXX
Veronica came rushing back towards where Toni and I were hidden in the flower bushes that surrounded Thornhill, blocking a clear view of the place. Veronica cleared her throat. “Nana Rose is more clear headed than we thought, ladies. She’s clear-headed enough that she saw you two hiding in the bushes and she wants you to come in too.”
Toni and I shared a look. Wary.
“Penelope’s not in there, right?”
“Nope. That meeting she had with my father will take a few hours at least. Which is perfect, because it gives us time to find Cheryl and get her somewhere safe.” Veronica reassured us.
Toni and I walked in behind Veronica. My eyes darted around as I stood in the entryway of the grand lodge. I’d only been here twice as a kid. Both times Cheryl snuck me in right under her mother’s nose.
The place always felt more like a well kept tomb than a home to me and I always remember feeling horrible about having to sneak back home, knowing I had to leave my best friend behind in such a place.
If not for Jason, I would have felt so much worse. But Jason was gone now, Cheryl no longer had someone with her day in and day out to protect her from her cold hearted shrew of a mother.
Toni nudged me and I realized that Nana Rose was speaking to me. Offering a fond smile. “I remember you. You’re the little one Cheryl used to sneak in to play. Sit.” she told the three of us, nodding towards a deep red velvet covered chaise lounge opposite her wheel chair.
After a few minutes, the old woman sighed, shook her head sadly. “Penelope’s taken her from me. Took her off to that Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Because she refuses to have her daughter’s behavior in this house.”
“And yet..” I started but Toni quickly covered my mouth. Nana Rose gazed at me, nodding.
Veronica spoke up quietly. “Do you happen to know what happened to you?” she asked the question in concern.
“Of course. That hell spawn I call a daughter in law tried to kill me. Cheryl found out what she was up to.. Found me.” Nana Rose was starting to get that vacant look in her eyes and the three of us stood. Checking to make sure the woman was comfortable and that she had everything she wanted or needed in her reach before we made a hasty retreat out of the manor.
Once we were outside, Toni and I both exploded, talking over each other. Thinking up clever ways we’d love to get even with Penelope Blossom if we knew we could get away with it. Veronica cleared her throat, bringing us both to a hush a few seconds later.
“We have to break her out. You guys realize that the Sisters perform extensive conversion therapy, right?”
We shared a look and swallowed hard. “Like a conversion camp? To scare the gay away? What the fuck.” Toni dragged her hand through her hair as she stood there, trying to process. Freaking out even more because now we knew where our friend was. 
“We can try to break in and get her tonight. Pretty sure whatever meeting my father’s having with Penelope won’t be over for a while. I can get Archie to stall if we need.”
“One day all bets are gonna be off and I’m going to crush that woman’s vocal cords with my thighs.” I grumbled quietly as we hurried back towards town. To Pops so we could sit and think. Maybe come up with some sort of plan.
“Get in line behind me, cherry. Get in line behind me.” Toni muttered, hugging herself as she shook her head. 
XXX
The  doctors came out, solemn and quiet. With FP glancing at both Sweet Pea and Jughead.
“Fangs didn’t make it.”
Sweet Pea felt his stomach churning. He stood in a hurry. Still angry from earlier. Convinced that one of the Bulldogs had been the one to fire the shot. Jughead only barely managed to stop Sweet Pea just shy of destroying the waiting room completely.
“We’re gonna meet down by the quarry. Have a little memorial. Then we’re all going to focus on finding out who the fuck did this to our boy. Do you read me, kid?” FP grabbed hold of Sweet Pea, giving him a firm gaze.
“We know who did it. One of those fucking bulldogs.”
“Sweet Pea..”
“Shut it, Jug. The only one who’s halfway decent is Andrews and that’s questionable right now.” Sweet Pea ground out the words angrily.
“You need to get a fucking grip, kid.” FP commanded. Knowing it wouldn’t do him a lot of good. Feeling bad because he was having to lie to his son and one of the most loyal members of the gang but reminding himself that it was for Fangs own good. The quicker he got the kid out of town until the heat was off, the better.
“I need to go find whoever the fuck shot him and get even.” Sweet Pea answered calmly before storming off.
“Get going, Jug. Go after him and make sure he doesn’t do something stupid, son. I mean it. Now.” FP ordered his son. Jughead eyed him, a brow raised.
“I said go, son.” FP repeated firmly. Nodding to the door. Jughead raced out, stopping Sweet Pea in the parking lot. Getting him at least  a little reigned in.
“I know you don’t like me. But trust me right now, okay? The Bulldogs were not the one to fire that shot today. It doesn’t make sense. We’d have seen them.”
“Mantle had something in his jacket.”
“I doubt it was a gun. Let me dig around before you go off on a wild hair, Pea.”
“We don’t have time for you to play detective.”
“We’re going to make sure we get the right person and make them pay. I want them to pay just as much as you do.” 
Sweet Pea eyed him and then grumbled. “Fine. If you don’t find who did this by the end of the week, I’m getting some guys together and we’re doing this my way. We clear, Jones?”
“Crystal, Sweet Pea.” Jughead took a deep breath. Hoping he could pull off a miracle in just a few days.
XXX
Veronica gave Toni and I the thumbs up and we slipped in through the back way. Grabbing some nurses uniforms and quickly putting them on. We hurried through the halls, about halfway down the first one when Veronica slipped in and caught up to us.
“The wing she’s listed as is down the left hall. Not this one.” Veronica nodded and Toni and I walked down the hallway quickly. Once we found the door with Cheryl’s name on it, we peered up and down the hall to make sure it was all clear.
Nobody was around. Toni burst into the room. Going straight for Cheryl. Fussing over her, the two of them crying as Toni helped her out of bed. “God bless your Nana Rose.” I muttered as I made my way over after giving them time to reunite. Pulling her into a hug. “You scared the living hell out of me.”
“I didn’t even know what my mother was up to until she got me here.” Cheryl hugged me back. Veronica peeked in, nodding at us to hurry. “Run. Now. I’m going out to bring the car around.”
She took off to bring around the car she’d borrowed and the three of us hurried down the hall just as one of the night guards glanced up. Before he could say anything, we were at the end of the hallway.
And then one of the nuns stepped out.
We turned, bolting back the other way. Making a break for the other exit in the building, but then Toni spotted a door leading down to the basement open. She grabbed Cheryl and pulled her in and I leaned in. Hissing quietly, “You guys go down this. Follow it to the end. I’ll meet you outside.”
I hurried through the exit at the end of the hall, ditching the nurses uniform and hat as I went. Skidding to a stop in front of a tunnel. Veronica ran over, and between the two of us, we figured out how to get the padlock undone.
By the time we heard Toni and Cheryl’s footsteps in the tunnel, we had the door open and we were hissing at them to speed it up because we could hear the night guards outside shouting back and forth, looking for the escaped patient.
We tumbled into Veronica’s borrowed car out of breath and shocked we’d actually pulled it off.
And then, Toni checked her phone.
“We need to go to the hospital.”
I eyed her.
“Fangs. When the guys went to get him from the station, somebody fired a shot. It.. It hit Fangs.”
Veronica dropped us off at the door of the hospital and the three of us hurried inside just as Sweet Pea was storming out. Angry. Shouting.
And deeper down, upset. Hurting.
I could see it in his eyes.
Toni ran in with Cheryl in tow to find out what was going on and I caught up to Sweet Pea.
“Hey.. Whoa. Calm down.”
“He’s dead.”
I blinked in shock.
“No.” I shook my head. It didn’t make sense at all. “What happened?”
Sweet Pea was sitting on the sidewalk outside of the hospital by now. I sat down next to him. Trying to gauge the situation before doing anything. Eventually realizing that tonight was the time to push any feelings or anything else in my mind down and just be there for my friend. I leaned against him a little, putting an arm around him. The chill in the air crept in and I realized that I hadn’t even grabbed a jacket earlier, I’d been totally focused on the mission Toni and I had in going to break Cheryl out of the Sisters of Quiet Mercy.
“Those assholes on the football team blocked us so we couldn’t get him outta there fast enough. Started fighting. And in the middle of all that, somebody took out a gun and shot it. They hit Fangs.” Sweet Pea muttered the words quietly. As if he were in shock.
“I left earlier. Was going to go find ‘em. Jughead stopped me. I still want to though. Reggie…” he trailed off, going quiet. I tensed a little, reaching up to grab his jaw. Guiding his eyes down so that he had to look at me. “Was Reggie the one with the gun?”
My stomach churned. Because as much as I needed to know the answer, I was also afraid to hear it. It didn’t track with the kind of guy Reggie was, but these past few weeks have been a real eye opener for me about people I thought I knew.
“All I know, Cherry… He went in his pocket for somethin, right before the shot was fired.”
I fought back the way everything I ate rose up my throat. Took a few shaky breaths. “Was the place as crowded as it was last night?”
“More, actually.”
“It could’ve been any of them.” I bit my lip as I said it. Sighing. Shaking my head. “But if he was reaching into his pocket… Do the cops know you saw him reach for his pocket?”
“Do you really think they’re gonna listen to me, Cherry?” Sweet Pea held my gaze, taking shaky breaths. I swallowed hard, nodding in agreement. Because he was right. They damn sure hadn’t bothered to listen to Fangs when Fangs tried again and again to prove his innocence, hours following his arrest.
I don’t know why I thought it was a good idea or why I did it, but I moved from sitting on the sidewalk beside him to sitting in his lap. Facing him. Leaning against him. Starting to tear up myself because it wasn’t even two days ago Fangs and I had been arm wrestling at lunch. Taunting one another.  And if I wanted to sob right now, I couldn’t imagine just how bad Sweet Pea was hurting.
“They won’t listen to you. But maybe they’ll listen to me.”
“Whatever you’re thinkin, don’t.” Sweet Pea gazed at me firmly shaking his head no. I sighed, nodding. “That goes double for you, okay? I mean it, Sweet Pea. Whatever you’re thinking about doing.. Don’t do it yet.”
“I already told Jughead and FP I’d stand down. I don’t fucking want to, but Jughead thinks he can dig around. Find out who actually fired the shot.”
I nodded, leaning into him a little. “Right now you have to be super careful. Because those assholes in there are looking for literally any excuse to lock you guys up… And I don’t want that to happen, okay?” I gazed into his eyes, my hands on either side of his neck. My thumb dragging softly over the raised imprint of the double headed Serpent on the side of his neck.
He sighed again and then he leaned forward. Dipping his head down. Resting it against my chest. I didn’t say anything, but I knew when he started to silently cry. And I sat there, not moving. Letting him get it out.
Toni and Cheryl were walking out of the hospital, hugging each other. They were both crying too. When they sank down to the sidewalk beside us, nobody really said anything for at least ten minutes.
There wasn’t anything to say. We were all too shocked.
“Cheryl, we need to talk to my dad about stashing you at my place. Warn him what’s going on.” I muttered after about ten minutes. Cheryl nodded silently. Toni spoke up. “It doesn’t feel real.”
I nodded in agreement quietly. “You guys go ahead to my dads. If you go up the side of the house, my window should be open.”
Toni eyed me and I mouthed, “I’m behind you guys. Just trying to make sure the giant lug is okay.” to her as she nodded. And then they were gone, leaving me with Sweet Pea.
“You need some sleep, Pea.”
“I need to find out which one of ‘em did this, Cherry.”
“Let Jughead try first, okay?” I pleaded. Knowing in the back of my mind that most likely, my pleas held no weight with him in the situation because I wasn’t deluding myself here. I was still an outsider. He probably tolerated me for the sake of our shared friends.
And me pleading with him to take it easy, keep a low profile right now was admittedly selfish on my part because I loved him.
As selfish as it was, it didn’t stop me from trying.
“You need to get goin.” Sweet Pea muttered quietly. Gazing up at me, biting his lip. I shook my head. “ I don’t wanna leave you like this.”
He nodded and after I pulled myself to my feet, he stood up too. We started down the sidewalk and the further the hospital got from view, the heavier the tension seemed to get. I reached down and laced my fingers through his. Squeezing his hand.
He squeezed my hand back. Taking a few deep breaths.
“I’ll let Jughead try to find answers first.” he spoke up solemnly as we made our way into my dad’s house. I nodded, lingering at the bottom of the stairs. Making sure he actually settled down and tried to sleep.
After a few minutes, I went into the kitchen. Found my father sitting up, talking quietly with FP about something. Agreeing that whatever FP had done was something that needed to be done for safety.
They stopped talking when I pulled out the kitchen chair and sat down in it.
“Tiny, it’s late. What are you doing up?”
I shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep. I.. I wanted to ask you something. Can Cheryl stay here with me a few days?”
My dad nodded. “Penelope, huh?”
“Mhm.”
“Do I want to know?” he asked.
“She stuck her in Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Cheryl barely made it out of there.” I answered as I opened the fridge, digging around for a soda. Pulling the tab and taking a drink. Sinking down into a chair across the table from my father. Staring at the can of soda in front of me for a few seconds. Because between the events of the evening, I was just barely starting to process.
“She did what now?” my dad asked, gazing at me. Waiting on me to tell the whole story. I told him what we thought was the reason she’d done it, but I didn’t mention that Toni,Veronica and I had gone and gotten her out of there ourselves earlier. 
Then I spoke up again quietly after a few seconds. “Fangs was shot when he left the station. The doctor said he didn’t make it.”
“C’mere, tiny.” my dad held his arms open and I went into them, smooshing myself against him as I started to cry all over again. FP stood and cleared his throat. “I’m gonna make sure that kid Sweet Pea is actually in the livin room with the others and not out.. Trying to look for somebody to pay for it.”
“Yeah, you do that.” my dad answered, breaking the hug to glance at me. I shook my head. “It doesn’t feel real.”
“I know, tiny. I know.” he answered quietly, using a tone he always used to soothe my brother and I when we were little and we came to him upset about something. “If they have a memorial or anything and you wanna go, I’ll take you.”
“Please?”
“Yeah. You need to get upstairs and actually  get to sleep now. I’m pretty sure I know where you were earlier.”
I eyed him.
“You’re my kid. I know when you’re sneaking into and out of the house, tiny.” my dad gave me a small smile and I nodded. Letting out a deep breath as I stepped into the living room. Bumping into FP.
“He didn’t sneak out, did he?” I asked in concern.
FP gave me a knowing smirk. “Nah. He’s in the living room, talking to Archie about what happened. Any reason you’re askin, little red?”
I shrugged. Swallowed hard and managed the feeble answer, “Because he’s my friend and I was worried about him when I saw him at the hospital just now.”
“Mhm. Well, he’s here. Madder than hell. Plotting someone’s end, but he’s here. Keep an eye on him, will ya?”
“Yes sir.” I answered, hurrying up the stairs and into my room. Cheryl and Toni were sitting up talking and I shut the door behind me.
“I told dad where you were and I asked if you could stay here. He said you could definitely stay here. I did not tell him that we were behind your escape. I doubt anybody will do anything, but.. If they do, ah well.” I shrugged as I flopped onto the foot of my bed, glancing up at the two of them, propped on my elbow.
“Fuck them if they do. If they do, we’ll turn over everything we know about Penelope.”
“My mother told me that it was one of the Vixens who told her about Toni and I...” Cheryl spoke up, shaking her head. Disgusted with it. I grumbled to myself about it, glancing at her. “Yeah, it figures it’d be one of them.”
“And when I find out which one, they’re on my shit list.” Toni spoke up quietly.
Glancing over at me. “How’s Sweet Pea?” she asked a minute or two later.
“He’s still downstairs. He’s still messed up about Fangs. I’m just hoping to hell he listens to Jughead and at least tries to let Jughead find out who really shot the gun because I…” I went quiet, shaking my head.
“Yeah. I don’t want anything to happen either. But the whole thing didn’t help tensions at all. FP said earlier that he might have found a place on the outskirts for all of us to go. Some old fairground or something.”
“Yeah. I think that’s what he and my dad were whispering about just now. He knows we all snuck in, by the way.” I informed.
“We should all try to get some sleep. Doubt any of us can, but we should at least try.” Toni spoke up quietly. Cheryl and I nodded in agreement and then the three of us proceeded to do the exact opposite, sitting up all night to hold our own little private memorial for Fangs Fogarty. Talking about all the stuff we’d managed to get into, laughing through tears. Stating what we’d miss about him.
When we finally did attempt sleep, the sun was just starting to come up.
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whydontweband · 7 years
Text
The Melody In My Head (A Jonah Marais Imagine) Pt. 2
Masterlist
Part Two
*As Requested*
Disclaimer: Because this request contained more in-depth plot-lines and story segments, it will be divided into three parts, posted at different times
Word Count: 3550
Have a lovely day!
Jonah
    7:38. It was 7:38 in the morning, and I was wide awake, clutching my phone in my hands as I prepared to power it on. I took a deep, calculated breath. If I don’t move a single muscle, maybe she won’t wake up, and I won’t have to deal with this right now. I powered on the phone, the apple logo lighting up my screen as I prepared to deal with the worst. Maybe it won’t be that bad. Maybe it’ll just blow over, she’ll get a few compliments, and that’ll be the end of it. Maybe it won’t be that drastic. As soon as I’d pulled up my home screen, however, I knew that was far from true. My phone was cluttered with texts from management, missed calls from family, and about a million missed calls from Y/N’s best friend, Y/BFF/N. I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose as I prepared to open Instagram. Before I even checked the popularity of the post, my feed was filled with fan accounts reposting’s of the video, as well as edits and mashups of it scattered across the Explore page. Great. I was officially dead. I might as well tweet my farewell apology now.
Pulling up my profile, I hesitated, before tapping on the video post. 11. Million. Views. 85. Thousand. Comments. Not only was I officially dead, I was officially going viral. Well, my girlfriend had, anyway.
 Y/N
    Rolling over in bed, I smiled, not bothering to open my eyes as I extended my arm to wrap lazily over Jonah’s still sleeping figure, only to have my arm hit the empty space of the right side of the bed. Opening my eyes, I furrowed my brows as I slowly sat up. Jonah was never up before me. Pushing myself up into a sitting position, I rubbed my eyes.
“Jonah?” I murmured softly, still waking up properly. What time was it? Had I just drastically overslept? I checked the alarm clock beside me. 8:02am. Pretty much the same as usual. I sighed, running a finger through my Y/H/C hair as I got out of bed, folding the bedspread neatly behind me as I went. Sliding my feet into a pair of fluffy, baby blue slippers, I made my way downstairs. I don’t remember Jonah mentioning an early recording session, or promo interview today. When I got to the living room, it was completely empty, which was normal for the boys on a day where they didn’t have anything planned. I peeked into the kitchen. There, sitting on the counter top in a pair of black Calvin boxers and Nike socks, was Jonah, huddled over his phone. I giggled, shaking my head as I made my way towards him.
“Morning, early bird.” I smiled. He jumped, startled by the noise as I raised a curious eyebrow.
“Whoa, calm down, not a burglar.” I retorted, feeling odd that Jonah had reacted in a manner that was the complete opposite to his usually so lenient personality. Jonah laughed softly, shaking his head as his eyes darted back towards the phone, turning it off and setting it face down on the counter top.
“Hey, sorry I didn’t hear you get up.” He mumbled. I stepped forward, standing in between his legs as I gave him a peck on the cheek.
“Maybe you just weren’t expecting me, since I usually get up before you.” I laughed, shaking off the moment as I headed toward the cabinet to grab a coffee filter. Jonah forced a laugh.
“Yeah, guess I couldn’t sleep.”
“Something on your mind?” I asked without bothering to look as I grabbed the ground coffee beans and scooping them into the pot. Jonah was silent a moment.
“Y/N I-”
“Oh, don’t tell me- you’re pregnant!” I interrupted, laughing as shook my head. Jonah smiled, shaking his head quietly. I smiled, giving him a confused look as to why he hadn’t laughed, or made some sort of comment about my obvious joke.
“J, chill- what’s up? Is..is something really wrong?” I inquired, folding my arms over my chest as I turned to face him, listening intently this time. Jonah was quiet a moment, before hopping off the counter top.
“I did something…and you might not like it…” He took his phone off the counter, unlocking it and tapping something I couldn’t see.
“J you’re scaring me…” I replied. Jonah bit his lip, his eyes connecting with mine.
“I..I didn’t mean to, I swear, it was an accident, and I know you’ll probably kill me for this but…” He handed me his phone, which I took in complete confusion. My face sculpted into a look of perplexity, I turned towards the screen. It was Instagram profile, and a video post was pulled up. The video was dark, but the instant the audio began, my confusion evaporated immediately. I was frozen in shock, listening to my own voice playing through Jonah’s phone, off his very public, very popular Instagram account. I scrolled down. Comments, over 87 thousand, views, over 11 million 500 thousand. This was the most attention one of Jonah’s posts had ever acquired…and it was me singing “Made For”. I couldn’t find the words to speak as I clutched Jonah’s phone, allowing the video the play again and again, until finally Jonah took the device from my grip, turning it off. Clearly flustered and upset, Jonah sighed, setting his face in his hands.
“Jonah-”
“Y/N, I’m so sorry…I mean it! I’m so, so sorry, I didn’t mean to, it was an accident! Yeah, I recorded it, but posting it was an accident, I swear! And then I wanted to delete it but it had already gotten so popular I thought maybe it’d look fishy if I deleted it and-”
“Jonah, oh my God stop talking.” I shouted finally. Jonah quieted immediately, placing his face in his palms begrudgingly. I sighed, silent I thought for a moment.
“I just…I still love you and all that crap, ok? I just…just give me a minute.” I muttered. Jonah bit his lip, nodding.
There was a recording of me singing, on the internet, forever. Nothing could take it back, nothing could go back in time and change what happened. And sure, maybe I was blowing this a little out of proportion, but I’d never had 11 million people listen to me talk, let alone sing. Hell, I’d probably never had 11 people hear me sing, and now it was out there for the whole world to hear, and criticize, and judge at their pleasing. Did I have a terrible voice? No, it wasn’t horrendous. It wouldn’t send anyone running for the hills upon listening, but was it 11-million-views good? No. No way in hell. Yet somehow, it had gotten them. It had acquired 11 million views, through my boyfriend’s Instagram, which looked bad on several levels. To start, it made it seem like I’d been this attention hungry girlfriend the entire time, which wasn’t the case at all. The very reason that I never went out with the boys to big L.A. parties, or clubs- and it didn’t matter a lick now- because my vocal chords had been pasted onto the internet for everyone to make a mockery of.
I bit my lip, shaking my head as I stepped out the glass sliding door into the backyard that overlooked all of Los Angeles. Before I had even a moment to think or mull over the situation, my phone rang. Running my fingers through my hair in defeated aggravation, I pulled it out from the pocket of my pajama shorts, checking the caller ID. It was Logan Paul. In a state of confusion mixed with extreme exacerbation, I answered the call.
“Hey, Logan- what’s up? Why’re, umm, why’re you calli-”
“Y/N! YOOOOO! HEARD YOU SINGING ON J-MAN’S INSTA, WHAT’S UP WITH THAT?!” Logan screeched. I laughed slightly, never 100% over Logan’s constant enthusiasm and zest for every aspect of life. I shook my head.
“Umm, yeah, I actually just heard it myself.”
“Whoa whoa whoa- you’re tellin’ me you didn’t know?! Ohhhh sh-”
“No, Logan, don’t make it a big deal, ok? I just, I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to do with all of this right now, and honestly I’m kinda freaking out here…” I muttered, sitting down on the warm morning grass. Logan was silent for a moment.
“I’ll be right there.” I furrowed my brows.
“Wait, what?”
“I’ll be over in 15 minutes, ok? Maybe 20. Yeah, 20. I’ll stop for a gains bowl. You want one? What am I thinking, of course you want one. Ok, I’ll be over in 20.” Just as I was about to speak, to protest, to inquire, he hung up the phone. Sighing, I held the phone in my hand, cautiously pulling up my Instagram page and scrolling through a few comments on his post. I had to admit, they were overwhelmingly positive.
@jonahspositivity: WHY IS SHE NOT SIGNED TO EVERY RECORD LABEL IN EXISTENCE YET
@seaveysworldd: When Y/N has more talent in her pinky finger than you do in your entire body :’(
@averyblossom: @jonahmarais take her on tour PLSSSSS <3
 I smiled softly, setting my head gently to rest in my palm. Shaking my head, I pulled up Twitter, drafting a quick tweet.
@Y/U/N says:
Thank you so much, to everyone who’s been saying such nice things on the singing video. J I didn’t intend on that reaching a worldwide audience, but nevertheless you’ve all been so kind. Don’t worry, I’m not planning on selling out Madison Square Garden anytime soon ;)
Much love,
-Y/N
I sent the tweet, before shutting off my phone and setting it on the ground beside me.
      When Logan finally arrived at the house, he wasted no time speeding past the now fully awake boys and into the backyard where I was still sitting idly.
“Your gains bowl, madame.” He joked, smiling as he sat down beside me, digging into his as I opened mine at a much more cautionary pace.
“Thanks.” I replied. He nodded, his mouth already full.
“Hauuy, looft-” I giggled softly, shaking my head.
“Swallow your food first, talk second.” He rolled his eyes, obliging as he swallowed his bite before replying.
“Hey, look- don’t freak out, ok?” I sighed, nodding as I stared at the ground.
“It’s easy for you to say, you love being the center of attention.” I teased jokingly. Ever since I’d started dating Jonah, Logan had always been like a big brother, for all the boys really. I guess he just took me on as a little sister after a while, and although there were times when I’d seriously question his judgement, he had a lot of knowledge on stuff like this- stuff regarding publicity, and social media, and having a spotlight on you, even if just for a moment.
“Hey, don’t pull that card, bro! I’m just a kid from Ohio who got lucky, ok? I remember my first big break on Vine, I had no idea what the hell I was doing! I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but I ran with it, and it turns out I must’ve done something right, ‘cause I get to live this freakin’ dope life now.” I smiled, nodding.
“So, what’re you saying?” I inquired after a moment. Logan was silent for a moment, as though deciding how to say something. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again in further contemplation. Shaking his head one final time, he turned to me, and his gaze was far more serious than any facial expression I’d ever witnessed on him prior to this moment.
“I’m saying I think you should run with this, Y/N.”
 Jonah
    After a while of just standing uncomfortably inside the kitchen, waiting for Y/N to come back and yell at me for completely uprooting her life, I decided to be proactive and tell the other guys. I figured if I told them in advance not to make a big deal about the video, maybe she wouldn’t be as mad at me. Which truthfully wasn’t a very likely scenario, but I would take all the help I could get. I walked into Jack’s room first, where he was laying on his bed, scrolling through his phone.
“Hey, bro.” I leaned against his open door frame as the curly haired boy glanced up from his screen.
“Oh, hey man.” Jack smiled, turning back to his phone as I walked into his room, taking a seat on his floor, clutching my knees up to my chest as I let out an aggravated sigh. Jack raised an eyebrow without looking up.
“Ok, I’ll bite- what’s up?” I laughed dryly, shaking my head.
“Did you see the video?” Jack glanced toward me this time, his perplexed expression suggesting that he hadn’t.
“It’s a video of Y/N singing…that I posted…accidentally.” Jack burst out laughing, which wasn’t exactly the reaction I was hoping for, but what was most expected from him. I rolled my eyes playfully.
“Dude, come on! Y/N’s really pissed at me, bro!” I retorted. Jack was still laughing, his eyes squeezed shut as he shoot his head.
“Oh my god…..I can’t….believe…you accidentally posted…a video of…your girlfriend singing!” He wheezed through gasps of air. I groaned, laying my head in my hands as Jack slowly regained composure, wiping a few stray tears from his face as he continued to chuckle.
“Bro, I’m sorry, that just sounds like something that happens in a really bad Adam Sandler movie. I mean, we’re talking about Y/N here! She’d probably curl up in a ball and die if someone caught her singing! And you posted a video to the internet!? That’s kinda super evil.” Jack laughed, shaking his head.
“Dude. Not helping.” I muttered. Jack sighed, smiling softly as he shook his head, turning to face me from his place on the bed.
“Look, bro, what’s done is done. You can’t go back and undo it- and deleting it now would look way too sketchy. The only thing to do is apologize, and apologize, and probably apologize some more. Like, seriously. Seriously, seriously, seriously- apologize.” I nodded, propping my chin on my arm.
“I will, I mean, I did, but I will again. And again…just, do me a favor? Don’t make a big deal out of it, or, really mention it at all.” Jack smiled, nodding.
“No problem. You go apologize and kiss some butt, I’ll let the other guys know.” I smiled as he extended his hand to help me off the floor.
“Thanks, man.” Jack nodded, smiling. Just as I was about to head out of the room, his voice stopped me.
“Is she any good?” He asked, his eyes already re-glued to his phone. I smiled, staring at the ground as I thought back to her voice from last night. She was amazing.
“Yeah, she’s good.” I smiled. Jack nodded, silent a moment.
“Good enough to make something happen out of all this?” I gave him a confused look, and after a moment, her turned his phone to face me. It was a tweet from Logan, posted just a minute ago. It read:
@LoganPaul says:
@Y/U/N has some killer vocals! What do you about us hitting the studio together?! J #MakinMagicHappen #BeAMaverick
 I didn’t know what to say. Clearing my throat and shaking my head, I ran a concerned hand through my hair as jack gave me a sympathetic look.
“Umm, hey- I’ll talk to you later, ok?” I stuttered, fumbling towards the door. Jack bit his lip, nodding, before turning back towards his phone. I headed down the hallway, a new sense of uneasiness surfacing as I picked up the pace. I hadn’t meant for any of this to happen. Y/N wanted to graduate from Stanford, and move out of California. She’d never wanted this life- my life. She didn’t want the spotlight, or the media, or the fame and recognition. She wanted to live a normal life- a peaceful life. And she gave all of that guarantee up- to be with me. Because I’d fallen in love with her, and I’d promised her, and myself, that I’d never let this life get to her. I kept her out of the critic’s eye, I did my best to keep the hate to a minimum. She’d never asked for any of this, and yet- here we were. Because of one little mistake, and now people wanted things from her. And it wasn’t anyone’s fault but mine.
Darting from room to room, it wasn’t until I heard her voice that I realized she was still outside, though I’d heard Logan’s car pull away a few minutes ago.
“Jonah?” I caught her eyes, her arms folded as I stopped a moment, before rushing toward her, through the opened glass door and out into the yard. When I finally came to stand in front of her, I was breathing heavy. Maybe from the stress, or the weight of knowing that because of me, the possibility that Y/N’s life might never be the same was incredibly high. Her eyes scanned my face, concerned.
Y/N
    Jonah rushed toward me, heaving as he came to a halt, clutching my arms in his hands as he shook his head, regaining his composure before speaking.
“Jonah, what’s going on?” He sighed, shaking his head before allowing his chesnut eyes to meet mine.
“I’m so sorry, Y/N. I know you never wanted this, and I know I made a promise to you that I’d never let this Hollywood stuff get to you…and I know I promised I wouldn’t let you give up on your dreams of finishing Stanford just to play some Malibu Barbie, or-” His words came rushing out faster than I could comprehend as my face furrowed into an expression of perplexity.
“J, J slow down. I-I can’t understand you, I-” Jonah sighed, staring down at the ground for a moment as I continued to watch him, looking for the answers in his facial expression as to what he was getting at. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of silence, Jonah spoke.
“Do you…do you want to do this?” Suddenly, it was becoming clear that he was talking about music. About singing. Truthfully, he was right. I’d never wanted to lose focus from my studies, I’d always planned on graduating Stanford, and moving away from California- permanently. And then I met Jonah, and even though we told each other that nothing would change- everything did. Suddenly people knew who I was, and they’d occasionally stop me for pictures on the street.  People cared about what I said- and I wasn’t even a member of the band. Suddenly every photo of us was plastered over Google images under the header of Jonah Marais Girlfriend- and despite every amazing length that he went to, just to keep my life relatively normal, the truth was it wasn’t. And then the singing video surfaced, and I’ll admit- I panicked. Sure, it didn’t seem like a big deal on the surface, and to most people it didn’t mean a thing, but the reality was that just in the time I’d walked outside, 4 different recording agencies had contacted me- each offer more exuberant than the next. And at first, that was the most terrifying and degrading thing I could possibly imagine happening to me. But then, the part that may have scarred me more than the offers themselves- was the fact that I’d started considering it. After Logan left, I’d been thinking a lot about what he’d said. About the fact that maybe I could make something of this- and that I should think about that. I’d always wanted to change the world, to make a positive impact in people’s lives- I’d never even considered the fact that music was a platform that I was also capable of utilizing. Sure, Jonah and the boys made it look easy, but the truth was they worked their asses off every single day. I’d always considered my only option for positive impact to be my mind, and that my only path to greatness would be through Stanford’s doors. My goals hadn’t changed, I was still going to graduate Stanford. I was still leaving California. I was still going to travel the world. But Stanford’s an expensive university, and traveling the world wasn’t exactly as easy as the Kardashians made it appear. Maybe I’d never considered that there was another way of reaching those goals, another way to help pay for Stanford, another way to travel the world. As Jonah stared in my direction, my brain running a million miles a minute as he awaited my answer, I thought about all the possibilities, and how maybe, giving something a fighting chance didn’t necessarily have to mean that I was giving up on myself- maybe it just meant that I was willing to grow, and try something new. Maybe I’d always been so terrified of failing, or being criticized, that I never allowed myself to try anything, or become anyone. Maybe, just maybe, I could take a leap- just this once.
“I-I wanna do this.” I replied, my heart racing, and my fingers numb from nerves. I had to at least try.
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