U N H O L Y - [Sweet Pea]

3.5

        "Are you surviving out here?". Kate asked Toni as they walked through the tent camp of the Serpents. "It's tough, but we can take it". Toni replied and pushed her cold hands under her arms, crossed over her chest. "I wish I could take you all into my home, but that's not possible". Kate sighed, her house was big, but still not big enough for all of the Serpents to stay there till they were ready to rebuild Sunny Side. "Kate, you've done so much for us". Toni stopped her in her tracks, a slightly worried look in her eyes. "We should all focus on the future now. Penny and the Ghoulies won't be making our lives miserable again. With her gone, Hiram can't use her anymore. Archie is free from the Lodge's torture. It's time to think about school and such, as much as I dislike that idea as well. The big tests are coming up". Toni said.

Kate nodded in response. "You're absolutely right. It's just so weird to get back into the normal rhythym, you know?". She hummed. In less than half a year, the SAT's were coming towards them in a more rapid pace than she'd want. After high school, she wanted to go to University and make something out of her life, but she had no idea what and hadn't had any time yet to think about it either. "There's another thing". Kate said, gnawing at her bottom lip meanwhile. "I've been thinking about it quite a while actually, I just hesitated". She continued. "Spill it already, Pearson". Toni chuckled and Kate sighed with a smile, briefly looking away from her friend. "I'd love to join you guys". She blurted out. "I've been around you for so much and you started to feel like a second family in the hard times I've had and...".

"Kate, please". Toni paused her. "We've literally been waiting for you to say that". She smiled widely and Kate smiled back at her, gladly accepting Toni's hug. "Everyone agreed that you've helped where you could, you showed the real purpose of 'in unity, there is strength'". Toni let her go, but held onto her shoulders. "I'm sure Jughead is delighted to hear you say this. I'm not sure what Sweet Pea would think about it though...". Toni said, a small frown furrowing her eyebrows together. "I don't really care about it. Not because I don't care about his feelings, but I feel like this is right. I'm not joining for him, I'm joining for myself, to make a clear point towards my family that I have found better company to stay in". Toni smiled at what she said. "If I only wasn't in love with Cheryl...". Kate laughed loudly and gave her a teasing push.

"We're having a ceremony tomorrow, FP will be there, everyone will be there. You should definitely come. I'll make sure you won't leave without a leather jacket". Toni winked before she walked away to where she was needed. "Hey, babe". Kate turned around to the voice she heard, which of course belonged to her boyfriend. "Hey". She breathed when he twirled her into his chest, his hand slipping into the backpocket of her jeans before he leaned down to kiss her. "I didn't want to interrupt your girl talk with Toni, so I watched you from a distance". Sweet Pea wiggled his eyebrows at her and she chuckled, adjusting the sleeves of his shirt as they were curled up from the wood splitting he had done in the forrest. Fangs was with him, but he was only there to hand something over to SP, since he was still recovering from being shot.

"You're at the party tomorrow afternoon?". Sweet Pea asked. "Toni called it a ceremony". Kate giggled and he rolled his eyes in a playful way. "Party, ceremony, whatever. There will be beer and a good atmosphere. And that rhymed". He grinned, making her laugh once more. "I will be there". She confirmed with a nod. "Great, princess". He caressed her cheek before breaking slightly apart from her. They walked back to the front of the camp. Sweet Pea still had his trailer, but he helped the other Serpents out a lot, even if that meant he had to stay in an unstable tent on an empty inflatable bed and his back would hurt from the hard ground. "You know you can sneak into my room anytime you want to". Another smirk curled his lips. "You just want to get in trouble, don't you?". Kate rolled her eyes at his response and he laughed. "Thanks for the offer. But how about we have a date in my trailer?".