𝓛𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓑𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭

𝓉𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓎-𝒻𝑜𝓊𝓇

"Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under 't" 

- Shakespeare - 

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"Relax, Nellie, what's wrong?" Sweet Pea demanded, grabbing Nellie firmly by the shoulders.

Passerby's were starting to look at them, but Sweet Pea didn't care. He tried to hold Nellie together as she was falling apart.

"I stabbed a man." she repeated over and over. 

Sweet Pea frowned at her revelation, wondering what had gotten into her, not believing she would be capable of hurting anyone. 

A man came thundering down the stairways, calling Nellie's name over and over again. He was getting closer and as soon as his calling reached her hearing, Nellie turned around. She unconsciously got closer to the Serpent standing next to her.

"Shit," the profanity slipped of her lips. Her eyes desperately looked up to the clear blue sky. 

"Miss Hearst, what is going on?" Mr. Harrington insisted once he caught up with the two. Although he was somewhere in his fifties, he showed no sign of exhaustion. He threw a curious look at Sweet Pea who still held onto Nellie. The man's eyes lingered over the Serpent tattoo curling on his neck. Sweat Pea pulled Nellie closer to his chest, feeling her trembling form against him. He threw the man a dangerous glare.

"Mr. Harrington," Nellie stuttered, eyes glazing with tears. "It was defense, I swear..."

Something changed in the way Harrington posed himself. He straightened his back and looked back at the hotel. 

"Kowalski?" He asked, certainty dripping of his voice. Nellie weakly nodded.

"Go, I'll take care of it." Mr. Harrington said resolutely. Without looking back at her, he turned around and dashed into the hotel lobby. The man was far more knowing than Nellie had given him credit for. He would never tell her, but from that day on he'd feel guilty for letting her return to Kowalski's room. He knew of the man's reputation but didn't prevent his hunger to settle on Nellie. 

Nellie swallowed. She was still shivering against Sweet Pea although the afternoon sun shone brightly. Without saying a word, he guided her towards his motorcycle. She just stood there, her arms crossed in front of her chest, looking defeated. Helpless.

Sweet Pea frowned, worry clearly displayed on his face like an open book of emotions. He gently placed his helmet on her head but Nellie didn't as much as blink at him as he waited for her to sit down on the motorcycle. 

As soon as he felt her familiar touch through the thin fabric of his polo, he accelerated, leaving Riverdale center behind. They fled to the outskirts of town, straight to the trailer park that had become her safe haven. 

Nellie didn't say a word, her actions tumbling like photographs in her mind. She felt Kowalski's finger dragging against her skin, goosebumps rising at his touch. She felt his breath fanning over her neck, his lips touching a tender spot that wasn't meant for him to find. She shut her eyes closed, holding onto Sweet Pea.

Her thoughts replayed the moment where she had pinned Kowalski to the table. She had viciously stabbed his hand, connecting it with the wooden surface. By now, the wood would be drenched in his blood. His hand would wear a scar that would forever remind him of her. Involuntarily, she held on tighter, gripping Sweet Pea tighter and pressing her head against his shoulder blade trying to get the image out of her head. 

Her mother would've been so disappointed. Violence was never the answer, it only started a war. Fear crawled up her throat. What had she done? She'd have Kowalski's wrath upon her before she'd got the chance to defend herself, she knew. If he truly was some maffiosi, she would be hunted down by his men and killed on sight, if the police didn't come after her first.