Second Chances [Sweet Pea x OC]

Chapter 39

"Face it, Doll," Weasel said. "You've got no leverage,"

"Immunity from the law isn't worth anything now?" I questioned, leaning back against the wall. "Damn, wish I'd known that earlier, I wouldn't have let Cooper get away with those comments of hers so easily the other day."

Weasel shook his head. "I'm talking about immunity for all of us. Since that king of yours canceled that deputy program of his, only existing Serpents get that privilege."

"For someone so well informed, you are lacking some important knowledge there," I laughed. "FP hasn't been the Serpent king for almost a year now, he passed the mantle onto his son. Even if he hadn't, there's no way the Serpents would allow the king to be sheriff at the same time, unlike the Ghoulies and the Gargoyles, we actually show due respect to those not in the gang. And give it a few months, let all this blow over and he'll start that program up again."

"And what are we supposed to do in the meantime?" Weasel asked. "Sit back and twiddle our thumbs in the dark?"

"No, you lot go out and act like normal teens for once. Tag your turf, throw parties that get the neighbors to call the cops on you because of the noise. Hell, go back to selling weed if you really want," I said. "A few months of that and I'll go to FP, tell him the kids need something to do to keep them out of trouble. He'll start the program up again, open it up to old members and new. He only shut it down to punish his kid anyway."

"Not a bad plan," Weasel replied thoughtfully. "But what makes you think it's actually gonna work?"

I leaned forward, glancing around and lowering my voice. "Well, Jughead Jones may be king right now, but he's not exactly a favorite among the Serpents. He's been too focused on other things lately to really do anything for them. Let's just say he may not be king for much longer."

"And who's gonna take his place, you?"

I sighed, looking to the side at the eavesdropper. "Very smooth, Jeremiah. Way to pretend you weren't just listening in on our conversation there."

"That's not an answer," Weasel and Jeremiah growled together.

"I'd be the obvious choice," I said lightly. "Don't you remember? FP's my uncle, so it'd still be in the family line. And with everything I've done for the Serpents recently, they'll be begging me to take Jughead's place."

The two exchanged looks I couldn't decipher. "Well, I think that gives you both something to think about. Or should I say, give everyone something to think about?" I said, scanning the nearby Gargoyles who were pretending not to have been listening in as well. When no one said a word, I pushed myself off the wall, angling for the door.

"You ever try Fizzle Rocks?" Weasel asked softly behind me. "It's different from the Jingle Jangle we used to do back in the day."

I pulled the red packet from my pocket, holding it up for him to see. "Benji gave me some, but as you can see, I haven't opened them. I'm clean now, I'm not going back again."

"Don't deny it, Doll. This is who you are, who you've always been," Weasel laughed, gesturing to the rest of the room. "You know the ins and outs of the drug trade. Cooking, selling, using. Give up on the Serpents already and join the Gargoyles. There are enough former Ghoulies and Serpents to make you comfortable."

I shook my head, shoving the Fizzle Rocks back in my pocket. "With Kurtz already on his way out of town and Gladys not far behind, it's gonna be like the Ghoulies losing Penny and Malachai all over again. But this time, the only gang left standing will be the Serpents who won't be so welcoming. So here are your choices: stick with me and have a place to go when the Gargoyle Gang falls apart, or repeat history. It's your choice."