Sweet for You (Sweet Pea Imagine) (Riverdale)

Chapter 18: Hours

Staying with Reggie had brought back a lot of old memories. It kinda made you sad knowing that you probably will never be as close with him then you were.
"Happy last day of school," Reggie smiled ecstatically as he came into the kitchen. "I already cannot wait for it to be over."
"I know! I can't wait to sleep in," You smile. "And, with everything going on. We can finally dive into finding out who the hell is following me. I seen him again outside of school the other day."
"Again? How has no one seen him?" Reggie asked grabbing juice from the fridge. "Honestly..."
"Maybe I'm just crazy," You laugh. "I still don't know how to tell Sweet Pea that whoever this guy is, is following me. Last time someone just said something about me, he went ballistic."
"You're gonna have to tell him... You know eventually that this person is gonna try to do more than follow you," Reggie foreshadowed. "I can only do so much myself. Betty still has nothing. Cheryl is only so much help. She has her own things to do."
"I know," you throw your head in your hands. "I'm sorry putting all of this on your shoulders."
"It's okay. I'm happy I can look out for you. I'm just scared that I'm not enough," he shrugged. "And, what if I am not around when they take you?"
"Stop saying 'when'. I can't... I'm already on the verge of a crisis as is," you sigh. "I'm trying to figure out a plan..." Reggie gave you a look. "We should get going to school. Don't wanna be late."
"Fine," he sighed putting his glass in the sink. He followed you out the door. As you pull out his driveway. You see him. The man in black. He's hidden in the bush, but not enough. Then someone moved next to him. There was more than one. Maybe you were going crazy. That had to be it. No one else was noticing the person watching you. If someone was actually following you, Reggie would have seen him for sure. Right? The school would have him escorted off of campus for standing in the parking lot.
In English, you think more about this. There was a substitute teacher, who passed out some candy from Smiths. You laugh at the small childish gesture that literally made everyone giddy. Including yourself. You eat it slowly and watch the old film that was projected on the whiteboard. You start seeing the man in black in the film. Definitely going crazy. The teacher had a hood over his face. You turn to see the class too, had hoods. You rub your face and lay your head down. You felt nauseous. You close your eyes. Your head spinning slightly.
Sweet Pea's Point of View
I was waiting for Y/N in the lounge like she asked. She said she had to talk to me. Usually it's something important, but she had been running late. I check the time. Ten minutes late now. I sigh and roll on my heels. Reggie comes in with a few of his other football friends. "Mantle! You seen Y/N?"
   "Not since English. She hasn't been in class?" Reggie asked before telling the other boys that he will see them later. "She fell asleep watching the movie. The sub said he was gonna let her stay and wake her up an hour ago." Why would a sub let her stay? "We can go check the class." I nod and follow him to their English class. "Weird that's not the same teacher..."
    "What?" I ask eyeing the lady at the desk. I look through the empty classroom. "Is that her stuff?" Reggie looks at the things on the floor.
    "I think so," Reggie walks into the class. "Where's the other sub at?" He asks the lady at the desk.
    "He left. Said he had to bring his daughter home," she shrugged. "Poor girl was white as a ghost. Couldn't even walk. He had to carry her out."
     "What? What did she look like?" Reggie asked more frantic than before. "Was she y/h/c? Wearing a dark sweatshirt?" I pick up her bag. Her phone was in the side. She never went anywhere without that. "Fuck!"
     "What?" I ask. A lot of questions were running through my mind right now. Nothing was piecing together either. "Where is she?"
    "I think we need to go to the police," Reggie said running his hands through his hair. "Like now."
    "Why?"
    "She said that someone was following her. Maybe multiple people. But, she said she was seeing them everywhere. That's why she was staying with me," Reggie began to explain. "She seen them everywhere. Even here. She thinks it's the black hood. But, he didn't take people. Lately she's been calling him the man in black. I told her to tell you. She didn't want you to worry about her. Damnit! Betty has been trying to figure everything out."
   "Betty knew?" I asked knowing that if she knew, so did Jughead. "What does this have to do with where she is?"
    "He took her, Sweet Pea," Reggie pieced together. "The man in black took her." I push past him and try to find Betty and Jughead. I find them with Toni and Fangs. Laughing. I grab Jughead and throw him against the lockers.
    "Pea what the hell!" Jughead yelled as I held him there. I was seething with anger. Toni and Fangs were both beside me. Trying to get me to let him go. "What is your deal?"
    "You knew! You knew something was up with her! And now she's gone!" I yell.
    "Who?" Betty asked. "Who is gone?"
    "Y/N," I yell still pushing Jughead against the wall. "She's gone. And you two knew about it."
    "Sweets," Toni said softly. "Put Jughead down. I know you're angry... You can't take it out on him. She wouldn't want that. She doesn't want that." I look at her then Fangs who nods slowly. I drop him and back up. "Are you sure she's gone?"
    "Yes. I have her stuff and her phone. Why would she leave without her things?" I ask through my teeth. "What do you know?" I look at the blonde now.
    "Not much. I've been trying to figure out why her and who... Nothing makes sense. The black hood doesn't take people," Betty sighed. "Do you know anything about who took her today?"
    "The substitute teacher... For her English class today. He took her. He carried her out," I say closing my eyes.
    "Carried?" Fangs asked. "Why would she let him carry her out? She wouldn't let anyone carry her."
   "Unless she didn't know," Jughead said, quietly. "She wouldn't let anyone carry her knowingly, but if she was drugged. She could've been unconscious."
    "That makes sense," Toni nods, understanding.
    "The other sub said that she was white as a ghost," I say getting angrier the more we talk about it. "She couldn't walk."
     "Do you think we could get the school to tell us who he was?" Fangs asked. "Where he lives?"
    "Probably not... But, we could get into their records," Betty thought. "I can get into the computers. I just have to be in the Blue and Gold office. I could get his face and anything they have on him. Maybe we could get Kevin to run his face in his dad's computer."
   "Good thinking... Pea go with Betty and make sure no one catches her," Jughead said. "Toni and Fangs, I need you to go to Y/N's house. See if there's anything there that could get us a lead. I'm going with Reggie to his house to see if I can find anything there."
   Everyone nods and disperses. Leaving me with the blonde girl. I didn't say anything as I followed her to the Blue and Gold's office. I don't look at her as she does whatever on the computer. I couldn't. She was Y/N's best friend. She remind me too much of her.
    "Got him," Betty says. "Here." She turns the screen towards me.
     "His name is Daniel," I grit my teeth. "He lives in Centerville."
     "You know him?" Betty gave me a look. "How?"
     "He's Destiny's older brother," I say and slam my fist into the wall. "God damnit!"
     "Oh god... He could be anywhere," Betty said. "Maybe I can..." She trails off as her eyes advert back to the screen. She was typing furiously. "I sent an email to Sheriff Keller with the picture." She pulled out her phone. "Hi! Yes this is Elizabeth Cooper, can I speak to Sheriff Keller, please?" She pauses. "Sheriff Keller. I sent you an email. This guy took Y/N from school. He's dangerous." Pauses again. "Yes I am sure."
    "This guy works for the ghoulies," I take the phone from her. "He has been in prison for assault and I'm pretty sure he's murder quite a few people." Betty takes the phone back.
   "I'm sure that you do not want that on your conscious, Sir. She's been gone for a few hours now. Who knows if there are more of them here. I wouldn't be surprised if they came after Kevin too," Betty has authority in her voice. "Exactly. Thank you." She slides her phone back into her pocket. "He's not let anyone out or in until she's found. Do you know where he would be?"
   "No. They probably are shacking up across the river. Or anywhere Hiram Lodge owns," I say looking at the computer screen. His face set on it. "We have to find her."
    "We will... We will probably be getting a ransom," Betty said, as if that would make me feel better. "He won't kill her without letting you have a chance to get her back."
    "Sure he won't kill her," I laugh. "He's crazy though. So, he will do whatever he can to make her wish he would. Beg even. Which is exactly wants he wants."
    "She's strong. She won't beg him for anything," she insured me. "I never heard her beg for anything in her life. She's spent a lot of time with Cheryl."
    "That she has," I laugh a little. I grab my phone looking at the message that I got from Y/N this morning. It wasn't much. Nothing to laugh or smile at. It just said, 'Meet me in the lounge at 11. I have to tell you something'. How did I not know she was hiding something like this? I remember now that I still have Destiny's number. "I still have her number." Betty looked confused. "Destiny's! I still have it."
    "Call her," Betty instructed. "Plug your phone into this." I do as told and plug my phone into her computer. "We got this after the hood. So we could trace calls." I nod dialing the number.
   "Hey Sweets," her voice was almost as smooth as velvet. "I knew you'd be calling. Finally realize that I'm the only one for you?"
    "Fuck you," I say. "Where is she?"
    "I don't know what you're talking about," she says innocently. "Who?"
    "Y/N! Where the fuck is she? You crazy fucking whore," I grit my teeth. Betty frowns trying to put together the name. There's a laugh on the end.
    "Baby... You don't mean that," she said. "I know you love me." I roll my eyes. "Why would you still have my number, if you didn't?"
    "Because I'm stupid and forgot to delete it as soon as I ended it with you," I said.
    "Sure. But, if you really want to know... Your rebound is still breathing. Right?" There's a muffled groan. "She's crying. It's pathetic really. I can't believe that you chose her over me. I came back to you and you have this bimbo."
"I'm not sure if you remember this or not, but you broke it off with me," I remind her.
"Oh I know," she purred. "I had to. You were getting too complicated. Then, I realized I needed you. Just like you need me."
"I don't need you for shit," I spat.
"Really? Not any to get her?" There's another muffled groan.
"Don't fucking touch her," I said gripping the phone tighter.
"Too late for that. Now, you have, let's say, six hours to realize what you are missing. Dump her and she's free. Come back to me with cash too. Our favorite number in millions," Destiny had a little bounce in her words. "I suggest that you do this quickly. If I don't get what I want. She's dead. So are all of your friends." The line went dead.
"What is your favorite number?" Betty asked.