I'm imagining Delilah being played by Emeraude Toubia or Vanessa Hudgens
Chapter One
Delilah Maken kicked at the corner of her locker in frustration, letting out a huff as she did so, thank god she always wore those steel toe capped boots.
"Damaging school property this early in the morning, shouldn't you already be hiding in the shadows already Ghoulie?" A smug tone came from behind Delilah, throwing a dirty look behind her as she pulled out her flick knife, the metal glistening in the dull hallway.
"Nobody asked for your opinion sweet potato, now run away before I call pest control." Delilah remained feisty with her biting words. It was unusual to see the pair without their accustomed protection of their fellow gang members especially in the volatile environment of Southside High considering it was one of the few places where the rival gangs were forced to mingle.
"You know you're kinda hot when you're all fired up." Sweet Pea loathed admitting that he had always had a slight crush on Delilah but due to their standings nothing would likely happen between the two.
"You're not so bad yourself Sweet Pea." Delilah winked before turning away and walking down the hall to her homeroom.
The rest of the day passed by largely uneventfully for Delilah, her earlier encounter with a particular serpent, however, kept replaying in her mind.
"Don't even go their Li, can you imagine what your brother will do?"
"What do you mean Tyler?" Delilah looked over to her best friend and fellow Ghoulie with a vague expression, deciding to play dumb she tilted her head to the side as Tyler gave her best friend a knowing sigh before continuing on her conversation with others at the table. Sighing Delilah decided against her better judgment to head over to the vending machine in the corner of the cafeteria, it was right by where the serpents usually sat and today was no exception their they sat huddled around like witches around a cauldron.
As Delilah made her never-ending journey over the cafeteria and as she neared the vending machine the rest of the cafeteria inhabitants became silent, a few hushed words reached her ears as she continued on in search of a sugary sweet treat. The tension was almost visible now as Delilah slotted the remainders of her small change into the decrepit vending machine, deciding to ruffle a few feathers her next actions were already in motion.
"Hey Sweet Potato, spare a dollar for a damsel in need of a sugar-sweet confection?" Hands had already pinned the Ghoulies princess firmly against the aging glass of the vending machine.
"So a girl can't even ask for a knight in shining armor anymore?"Delilah's lips pulled into a coy smile as her voice oozed with confidence despite her current predicament.
"Get your slimy snake hands off my sister." Malachai Maken stood tall surrounded by several of the other Ghoulies as they approached they boldly approached the group of serpents holding their princess captive.
"It's okay big brother, you can't reason with a snake, they aren't the most intelligent of creatures." Delilah lent forward and licked the cheek of Fangs Fogarty only further baiting the serpents.
"They taste good though...good enough to eat." she let out a haunting cackle before being dropped to the floor. Chaos descended around her punches thrown, knives drawn and in the middle was the Maken siblings. It wasn't until the water began to erupt sporadically from the sprinkler system overhead that distracted the pair from the bloody brawl. An old World War II siren sounded, Delilah along with the rest of the inhabitants of the cafeteria brought her hands to her ears in order to block out the horrendous whaling.
After what felt like an eternity the siren stopped, Delilah looked around as she removed her hands from her ears as they continued to ring.
"Now if you all want to behave like animals, we'll treat you like them. This is your last chance Delilah, I understand that your situation but you can't bring it to school, we've had this discussion."
"Don't you dare use that shit against me, you don't know anything, you're just a north sider do-gooder." Deliah seethed with anger that her home life was being used against her, Mr. Broilen had no idea what it was like to live on the south side after all he came from the affluent north side of Riverdale with their low crime rate and white picket fences. Storming out of the cafeteria, Delilah slammed the door and headed straight out of the school heading for her safe space.
The house of the dead looked like any normal house on the South Side, rundown but on the inside, it was another world, the walls covered in artistic graffiti. It wasn't much but it was home. Delilah flung open the front door, not bothering to shut it behind her, heading straight to her room not stopping to greet people as she usually did. She knew exactly happened in the house, the Jingle Jangle, the drug dealing and the other illegal activities that occurred in the house. Malachai protected his sister from as much as he could, he did whatever he could to keep them surviving on the south side considering both their parents were dead and buried.
Yelling in frustration, Delilah kicked off her boots and climbed into the closest, pulling the doors closed behind her. Sitting in near darkness was strangely soothing for the teenager, it allowed her to alleviate her anxiety. Despite her tough exterior, Delilah was actually quite sensitive and caring, turning sixteen had been difficult for her and it was already taking her toll. All the added hormones were overwhelming and her attraction to a certain serpent wasn't making matters any less complicated.
"Meet me at pops in 15 minutes." The text read, she reread it, Delilah didn't recognize the number but she knew who it probably was and of course was most likely a set up in retaliation for her earlier digression. Crawling out her closet she stood up and stretched reaching her fingers do the ceiling. Changing her clothes quickly settling on a pair of black ripped skinny jeans and a mesh t-shirt, looking in the mirror Delilah fixed her hair as she decided to add a coat of her favorite plum lipstick before being satisfied with her appearance. Throwing open her bedroom door, she headed downstairs and towards the front door, the house was unusually quiet even for a school night.
"And where do you think you're going" A voice called behind her as her hand hovered on the door handle, looking over her shoulder Delilah saw her older brother, looking concerned, he didn't like her going out at night. The southside was unpredictable in the crime department, to say the least and you could never be sure where a serpent would slither out from.
"Out." Delilah's curt response led Malachai to be suspicious, knowing the only time she would stray out at night was for a boy she couldn't bring home.
"Out where?" Malachai continued in his leading questions, hoping to trip Delilah up into telling him.
"Pops, I'll be back by 10." Before Malachai could protest Delilah was already down the street and nearly all the way to Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe. The parking lot was suspiciously empty, no bikes insight, however, meant that the serpents were in hiding waiting in ambush or had Delilah read too much into one text message, but after today she could see it happening if not now, eventually.
Taking a deep even breathe Delilah walked in, shrugging off her leather jacket as she did. Old Pop Tate was adamant about not having any gang paraphernalia worn in the diner, It wasn't a surprise really who wants gang members in a family dining establishment.
"I don't want any of them jackets in here." Old Pops Tate grumbled from behind the counter.
"I know Pop, already off see." Waving her leather jacket with the Ghoulies insignia on the back at him.
"You're a good girl Delilah, the usual?" Pops always had a soft spot for the Ghoulie princess.
"Need you ask." Smiling Delilah took up her usual booth right in the back corner, away from prying eyes.
"Waiting for someone?" A voice above her chimed in on her thoughts.
"Could be." Delilah played coy not looking up from the game she was playing on her cell phone.
"Mind if I take a seat." The voice asked tentatively, eagerly awaiting the response from the tables only patron.
"Be my guest...sweet potato." Delilah looking up from her phone, her lips curved up into a small smile
" Delilah, your order, you I haven't seen before. Now I'll tell you what I tell the others. I don't like none of them jackets in here and I don't want no trouble ya hear me?" Old pop Tate lectured, Delilah could see Sweet Pea's quick temper about to make an appearance anger rise slowly, she placed a hand on his in an attempt to soothe him.
"Sure thing old man." Sweet Pea's tempter disappeared at Delilah's touch as he slipped off his own leather jacket before sliding into the opposite side of the booth.
"What in god's name is on those fries?" Sweat Pea looked at the tray of food with disgust.
"Chocolate sauce, it's good, try them." Pushing the tray towards her company, doubtfully he grabbed some of the fries throwing them into his mouth.
"That's so wrong but it tastes so right." Sweet Pea still looked somewhat unconvinced as he swallowed the chocolate covered fries.
"See I told you it was good, the salt brings out the sweetness in the chocolate." While true she didn't want to tell Sweet Pea the real inspiration for the odd combination. After their parents died the Maken siblings were on their own, Malachai always tried to do right by his sister but sometimes that meant they struggled for food. One night the only two things they had in the house were a bag of frozen fries and chocolate sauce, after that it became a comforting family favorite meal.
"What did you bring me here for Sweet Pea?" Delilah looked up at him through her long eyelashes.
"Pop's is neutral ground, plus how many other serpents and Ghoulies do you see in here?" It was true, the chock'lit shoppe was one of the few places in Riverdale where Southsiders weren't discriminated against by the Northsiders.
"Look I don't want any trouble, I'm sorry about lunch." Delilah headed immediately for the defensive, instinctively grabbing for the switchblade she had hidden in the waistband of her jeans.
"Don't worry about it, it was fun right? You did hurt my family though." Sweet Pea spoke truthfully, Delilah had broken Fangs Fogarty's nose along with leaving superficial knife wounds on some of the other Serpents
"I'm sorry, I know the retaliation will come." Delilah looked remorseful for her actions but it came with the territory of being a Ghoulie.
"I'll get straight to the point, I can't get you out of my head Delilah Maken and it's driving me crazy." Sweet Pea held a serious tone in his voice, Delilah was taken aback she didn't expect him to just come out with it.
"You shouldn't, I like you, Sweets, I do, but we are from completely different worlds, anything happening between us could start a war." It was true they were from different worlds, the serpents loyal to each other, the Ghoulies were brutal and full of hate and if they were caught together it would cause a war on the Southside the likes which had never been seen.
"One date, that's it." Delilah sighed heavily given in to the serpent, she liked Sweet Pea way too much to let the opportunity pass her way no matter the risk
"I'll take it, you painted anything lately?" Sweet Pea like Delilah wasn't going to just give up he was a fighter and so was she.
"Just some things here and there." Sliding over her cell phone, her art Instagram filled the screen, Delilah watched anxiously as Sweet Pea scrolled through her latest work. She always worried showing someone she knew her artwork she liked the anonymity that the internet gave her.
"It's really good, is that what you wanna do, after high school I mean?" Sweet Pea caught a shy smile and a blush of light pink as Delilah gave him a lopsided smile.
"Maybe, I don't really know what I want to do yet, what about you?" Delilah hadn't thought about college, she doubted with her reputation, gang affiliation and long criminal record that any school would accept her application.
"Probably get a job at a garage or something, I'm good with bikes and engines." Sweet Pea confessed, he wasn't academically minded but he could have an engine stripped in next to no time.
The two chatted easily for hours, it was close to midnight before they decided to call it quits and head home. Glancing at her phone, there were several text messages and seventeen missed calls all from her brother.
"I think I might be in trouble when I get home." Delilah laughed, she didn't care that she would most likely get it in the neck from her brother for being out so late.
"Want me to walk you home?" Sweet Pea was nothing if not gentlemanly, despite his tough exterior he like Delilah were really just soft and squishy and the inside.
"Very chivalrous of you to offer, but I'll be in enough trouble tonight, without you walking me, thank you though."
The pair stood outside the dinner, would any awkward goodbye be soon to follow?
"This was nice, we should do it again." Delilah smiled to herself, it was true they had a lot more in common than she thought, it made her nervous.
"So maybe I'll take you out properly" Hopeful of a second date Sweet Pea almost silently pleaded with Delilah who nodded quietly not quite knowing what to say.
End of Chapter One
I hope you've all enjoyed the chapter, I don't have a set upload schedule, yay for being a full time working adult. But, I have started working on Chapter Two, so who knows? Also is it will they or won't they kiss moment?