Author's Note: I hope you guys are having a good Wednesday! We're in the middle of the week, we're almost to the weekend! Let's hang in there together. So, you're probably wondering, why is she updating everyday? This is what I do whenever I start a brand-new story. I post a new chapter everyday to gage how everyone feels about this story and how the readers respond. But by next week, I'll had a set schedule for updates :)
Also, it would mean a lot to me if you guys could review and let me know how you guys feel about it! This way I know how you guys feel about this story moving forward. These first few chapters are a bit boring because everyone is still being introduced but moving forward things are gonna pick up.
So this chapter, Jughead meets some Ghoulies and Max/Sweet Pea clear the air.
Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN RIVERDALE! I ONLY OWN MAX LOGAN, HER FAMILY, MY STORYLINES, AND ANYTHING YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE!

...

"You don't get a free pass into this world...
Once you're in, you may not like what you're gonna see..."

...

Chapter III. In Too Deep

At the quarry, a bunch of the younger Serpents were hanging out and having a good time. Aside from the Whyte Wyrm, the quarry was a safe space for many of the Serpents. This was their place, and no one could take that from them. As they blasted their music and lit some can fires, everyone was just enjoying themselves.

While Max was drinking her beer and having a good time, Sweet Pea and Toni were chilling on one of the many couches outside. Sweet Pea couldn't help but smile when he saw that Max was truly enjoying herself. Max was serious person, so it was tough to get a genuine smile out of her. But when she did flash that thousand watt smile, Sweet Pea could help but smile along with her.

"Are you sure she's not into girls?" Toni joked as Sweet Pea rolled his eyes, watching Max dance with one of the younger Serpents.

"Shut up Topaz" Sweet Pea took a swing of his beer.

"You're into her, are you?" Toni smiled at Sweet Pea. Toni was met with no response and that was enough for her. "You are into her!"

"I'm not" Sweet Pea denied. Sweet Pea had always felt something for Max. Whether romantic or otherwise, Sweet Pea acknowledges that Max has a special place in his heart. They've been through it all together, so there was no denying there was a connection between them. When she's hurting, he's angry. When she's happy, he's happy. It was a feeling that he had a hard time explaining.

"Look, I'm gonna leave you with this. Max is going through a lot of stuff. Everything with Rafe and FP, she doesn't need a boyfriend. She needs a best friend" Toni explained to him. "Max doesn't trust people, and she trusts you. Are you willing to put all that at risk by telling her how you feel? If she doesn't feel the same way, you're not just gonna drive her from you, but from all of us. Is that a risk you're willing to take?" The last thing Toni wants is to lose two people she cares about over romantic complications.

After the song finished, Max stumbled her way over to her to two of her best friends.

"I was starting to think you didn't know how to smile" Toni teased her.

"Seriously Topaz?" Max smiled.

"I mean, you have that permanent snarl on your face all the time" Toni pointed to her mouth, as Sweet Pea chuckled a bit.

Ignoring her best friend, Max turned to Sweet Pea. "Sweets, can we talk?"

Nodding his head, Sweet Pea got up from the couch, and the two of them went over to where all the Serpents parked their bikes.

"Look, about what happened earlier, I really am sorry" Sweet Pea scratched the back of his neck. "It was messed up for me to accuse you of sleeping with a Ghoulie..."

"I wasn't pissed off that a stupid Ghoulie was running his mouth, but the fact that you believed it" Max frowned, staring up at Sweet Pea. "I don't care what a bunch of other idiots think. I care more about what you think and what the Serpents think. That's what hurt..." Max showed a rare moment of vulnerability.

"I didn't know..."

"You guys know me better, the Serpents are my family. I can't lose you guys..." Max had lost almost everything, she would be damned if she lost the Serpents over a misunderstanding. "You guys mean too much to me."

"You won't, I promise..." Sweet Pea reassured her.

"How can you promise that?"

"Cause I can" Sweet Pea smirked, making Max chuckle a bit.

Smiling, Sweet Pea wrapped an arm around Max's shoulders and brought her into his chest. Feeling her body tense up a bit, Max wasn't use to this kind of physical contact. It has been awhile since Max had a real hug. The only physical contact she knew was punching, kicking, and slapping, and it was usually her that did all of the above. But this hug was comforting. Even though her best friend could be a bit of a hot-head, a bit rough around the edges, Sweet Pea was capable of being gentle, especially when it came to her. This was the first time in awhile that Max had truly felt safe.

Relaxing a bit into the hug, Max wrapped her arms around his torso as Sweet Pea rested his chin on the top of her head. Sweet Pea had a front row seat to the struggles Max had to deal with. Even though he couldn't solve all her problems, Sweet Pea could offer Max the comfort that has eluded her.

As they hugged, Max's phone started ringing.

"I should probably get that..." Max mumbled against Sweet Pea's chest as they slowly pulled apart. Taking her phone out of her jacket pocket, Max saw Jughead texting her.

"Who is it?" Sweet Pea asked.

"Jughead. Apparently, he got his ass handed to him by a couple Ghoulies" Max breathed out, making Sweet Pea chuckle.

"You gonna go to say I told you so?"

"It's like you don't know me" Max chuckled. "I'll see you later..." Max gently socked Sweet Pea in the chest before heading back to the trailer park. As he watched her ride off, Sweet Pea let out a sigh of relief. That moment could have gone either way. But he was glad that Max let down her walls for a brief moment to let him in.

...

Arriving back at Sunnyside Trailer Park, Max headed to Jughead's trailer to check up on him. Max will have a hard time explaining to FP how Ghoulies got to Jughead under her watch. Knocking on the door, Max was met by a girl that looked like she could be her age. With blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail and clothes that looked more expensive than her trailer, Max could immediately tell that she was a Northsider.

"Hi..." she greeted her.

"Hey, is Jughead here?" Max peeked into Jughead's trailer.

"Uh... yeah" Betty wearily let Max in. Walking in, Max saw Jughead sitting on his couch with several bruises and cuts on his face. "Looking good, Jones" Max joked with him.

"Funny, Max" Jughead rolled his eyes at her. "Betty, this is Max. We got to school together, Max this is Betty, my girlfriend."

"Hi, Max" Betty shook her hand.

"Hi" Max plastered a fake smile on her face. "You have good taste, Jones."

Rolling his eyes, Jughead sat back down on the couch as Betty finished cleaning his cuts. The Ghoulies did a number on him. If the Ghoulies wanted to make a statement, going after FP Jones' son was a bold one. If Jughead didn't realize before how difficult it would be to fly under the radar, he definitely knew now.

"Can't you just take a day off?" Betty cleaned his cuts.

"It's not that bad" Jughead reassured her. "Just some cuts and bruises."

"I told you, that motorcycle was risky, Jug. You promised me you were were always gonna wear a helmet..." Max couldn't help but look confused. She had gotten into her fair share of bike crashes, and she never got cuts and bruises like that. Max could tell what Jughead was trying to do.

"It's just around the block. Don't blame me, blame the pothole."

"I thought you were gonna say you got jumped, by those... Creepies."

"Ghoulies..." Max corrected her. "But the Serpents won't let it happen again. We got his back, even though he doesn't want us too. Consider it family loyalty."

"Alright, I well gotta go to school and try and fix this mess with Kevin. Max, will you keep an eye on him for me?" Betty asked her, earning a nod in return. With that Betty left to take care of her own business.

"Don't tell Betty, she doesn't need to know" Jughead pleaded to Max. The last thing Jughead wants is for her to get hurt.

"Is it too soon to say I told you so?" Max smirked, earning a glare from Jughead. "We warned you about the Ghoulies. Maybe you should start taking them a little more seriously, this isn't the first time they've done something like this and it won't be the last..." As she was about to leave, Max turned to Jughead. "You might not believe me when I say this, but we really do want to look out for you..."

With that said, Max left Jughead alone with his thoughts. If Jughead really wanted to survive Southside High, maybe having connections with the Serpents wasn't a bad thing...-

...

The next morning, Max was sitting with Toni and Sweet Pea. After what happened last night, Max could only hope that Jughead heard her out. The Southside was no joke. Being the son of the Serpents' leader came with a target on his back. People were gonna keep coming at him. As much as Jughead wanted to deny who he was, he couldn't.

As she chewed her gum and played with a Rubix Cube, Jughead slowly approached their lunch table. Jughead was done fighting it. He needed the Serpents. "Is this seat taken?" Jughead asked them. Sweet Pea and Max exchanged skeptical looks, as Toni moved her bag over so that Jughead could join them. As Jughead sat down, Sweet Pea couldn't help but eye him, trying to figure him out.

"Play nice..." Max whispered to him as she gave him a wry smile.

Jughead sat there with anxiety radiating off him. Jughead realized he can't go through this alone, and if he wanted to make it here, he needed to embrace his Serpent legacy. He had to...

Author's Note: Well, it seems like Jughead learned his lesson, the hard way. Jughead is quickly realizing that the Southside is a lot tougher than he realized. It's like everyone says, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
Also, Max and Sweet Pea had a little moment. What do you guys think of Max's moment of vulnerability? Max has lost a lot of people of the course of her life and she couldn't lose any more. Also, it seems Sweet Pea feels something for Max. And we will explore his feelings together over the course of this story.
Not much happened in this chapter, but next chapter is when all the fun things happen :)
Finally, what do you guys think of this chapter as a whole? Yay? Nay?
Please Read&Review