Author's Note:

Well folks, I wasn't planning to update tonight, and then suddenly I was sitting down and banging out a couple thousand words. So. Thanks to all of you for continuing to read this story. I appreciate you all so, so much and I really think about your comments. To janellejckdniel, I heard you re: hoping Jughead doesn't get off too easy and worked my likeminded thoughts on that into this chapter. To queen of the sass, I heard you re: including some interaction between Sweet Pea and Betty's friends and have made an effort to get that rolling in this chapter. Everyone has had such kind things to say and, if what you want more of works with my story and my writing style, I want to do what I can to give it a place here.

In terms of this chapter, it's all Sweet Pea's POV. Betty had her turn last chapter, so this one goes to her counterpart. Enjoy!

XO ForASecondThereWe'dWon

X

Sweet Pea wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, glad that Betty's lipstick hadn't been dark, and gripped the edge of the bathroom counter. He was lingering―loitering was the word Northsiders would probably use to talk about somebody like him―in the bathroom near the gym. A few guys had come and gone, jumping when they saw him as if he was the goddamn clown from It, but Sweet Pea still hadn't left. He'd also washed his hands and talked down his hard-on like he was deescalating a shootout situation. His sneakered feet stayed planted. Come on, Sweet Pea urged himself, staring at his own eyes in the mirror. For some reason, his brain and his body were both going into survival mode. Ok, so he knew the reason. Sweet Pea was hoping that if he let Betty go on ahead of him that she'd talk to her friends, sort shit out, and then meet back up with him solo. As soon as his girl had mentioned finding the sheriff's kid, Sweet Pea realized a few things. He was fine with interacting with Northsiders at a Southside location. He was fine with interacting with Northsiders at a Northside location, if he had plenty of Southsiders with him. He was extremely fine with interacting with a particular blonde Northsider wherever she wanted, so long as they were alone. BUT. He was not fine with interacting with Northsiders when it was just him, no gang, no backup. The chances that Little Miss Trust Fund, sonofacop, and Archie 'Superman' Andrews were waiting to pull a blade on him were pretty fucking slim. That wasn't what worried him. Sweet Pea shoved his fingers through his hair. He didn't want to be questioned or assessed or determined by pass or fail to be 'boyfriend material.'

"Suck it up," he quietly snarled at his reflection. A stall door swung slowly open like he was about to get a pep talk from the Riverdale High bathroom ghost. Sweet Pea turned and jolted backwards. Nope, not a ghost. Probably wasn't going to be a pep talk either.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," said Jones, "and I don't even know what's wrong with you."

"What the fuck are you doing in here?"

"In the bathroom?" Jones raised his eyebrows sarcastically. "Yeah, the possibilities are endless."

"I didn't see you come in. Or at the dance," Sweet Pea accused, crossing his arms and standing up straight. Making himself big. Jones kept his eyes on Sweet Pea and went to wash his hands.

"I'm a natural wallflower," Jones replied. Sweet Pea wondered if all that dry sarcasm made him thirsty. He was trying to keep calm, but this asshole always put him on edge.

"Were you watching her?" He figured it was time to cut through the bullshit. Jones dug his dried hands into his pockets and shrugged, facing Sweet Pea.

"I go to this school, remember? Same as you."

"Why aren't you at home tonight?"

Jones snorted annoyingly.

"Because I'm all caught up on Scooby-Doo. Easy, dad. I do have a life, you know."

"You told Toni you weren't coming and you'd be at home, and she told me."

"That's quite a complex system you've worked out there, Sweet Pea," he said back mockingly. Sweet Pea took a step towards him.

"After the way you nearly puked last time, I didn't think you'd want me to punch you again."

"Careful," Jones warned as Sweet Pea took another step. "This school takes bullying more seriously than Southside High did."

"I want to know if you were watching her." He kept his voice flat, cold. Jones broke their gaze and Sweet Pea rushed him, grabbing the front of his jacket. "Were you watching her?!" he yelled in the sonofabitch's face.

The door to the bathroom banged open. Sweet Pea let Jones go and backed away from him, clenching his fists and trying to mash his anger down into something just as compact. Heels clicked across the floor and there stood Betty, eyes wide.

"What…?" She trailed off, her expression confused as Jones turned towards her, making her look away from Sweet Pea.

"Just a casual bathroom chat," Beanie Boy offered. Betty did not look convinced. Sweet Pea smirked to himself and she glanced at him.

"Do you mind if I talk to Jughead for a while?"

"Yes." He re-crossed his arms. Betty mimicked him.

"I'm going to talk to Jughead for a while." She stared him down.

"Meet me outside," Sweet Pea told her, like leaving was his idea.

At least she nodded. Jones got a solid collision to his shoulder as Sweet Pea pushed past him. He hauled the door open, startling some guy trying to enter. Raising his arm, Sweet Pea pressed extended fingers into the kid's chest.

"Not a good time, man. Find another bathroom."

The kid fled. It sure was nice going to a school where every other student wasn't a fucking Ghoulie. Sweet Pea was certain the Serpents could've gotten a good amount of respect here (after dealing with those loudmouth Bulldogs) if they'd been allowed to wear their jackets. Ah well. Even unmarked, they had some power. In most situations. With the miscellaneous Northsider out of the way (possibly to wet himself before he reached another bathroom, based on how shocked he'd looked), Sweet Pea saw that Betty's friends were standing not 10 feet down the hall. And looking his way. Great. He couldn't not wait for Betty, especially in case he overheard Jughead doing something that translated into asking for a beating. Crossing the hall to wait for her alone was most appealing, but he didn't think his girl or her shadows would be too impressed by that. He ambled over to them, eyes hard enough to be discouraging without being outright… well, evil.

"I'm Veronica Lodge," the walking bank account said eagerly, thrusting out her hand to be shaken. Sweet Pea clapped it in his for as short a time as possible. "And this is Kevin Keller," she gestured over her shoulder at Sheriff Jr., "and my boyfriend, singer and athlete extraordinaire, Archie Andrews."

"Thanks, Ronnie," the redhead gave her a smitten smile, "but Sweet Pea and I already know each other."

"Yes, well," she pressed on forcefully, "sometimes it's nice to start over. On the right foot." Sweet Pea and Archie eyed each other, neither giving an inch. He hadn't forgotten what an alpha Andrews was. Rolling his eyes might not go over well though. "For Betty," Veronica emphasized impatiently.

"Yeah," Archie agreed, demeanor immediately warming, "for Betty. Of course." Out came his all-American handshake. Sweet Pea let his palm connect, prepared for a quiet struggle for dominance determined by who could break more bones in the other guy's hand, but apparently Archie was on his best behaviour for his girlfriend. Who Sweet Pea did get the intimidation grip from was Kevin. Huh. Well, now he knew who was the most possessive of Betty.

"So," Veronica started brightly when it looked like everyone was going to play nicely under her watch, "did you guys run out of paper towels in there or something?"

Sweet Pea wanted to laugh. Act oblivious and miss nothing; he kind of liked this chick's style. Upper class manners probably helped too, stopping her from saying anything rude or abrasive, at least until the niceties were done with.

"Something like that." He stared at each of their three wholesome Northsider faces in turn. Seemed like they were waiting for more. "I nearly had to mop the floor with Jones," Sweet Pea decided to add, working with the cleaning idea she'd suggested with 'paper towels.'

Archie's face darkened, but Sweet Pea couldn't tell if it meant he didn't like Jones or he didn't like hearing a threat directed towards Jones. It wasn't worth the effort to keep track of these people's goddamn best friend drama. He thought somebody should tell them about the wonders of fistfights to solve problems. That was one area where the Serpents' knowledge was definitely superior.

Another thing he noticed was that none of them seemed surprised to hear that Jones was in the building. A third thing was that none of them went to help Betty. That made him smirk a little, thinking that his girl was known in her circle as someone who could deal with shit herself. Like him.

"Sweet Pea," Veronica tried again after a minute of awkward silence, "Betty's told us so many good things about you!"

His eyes narrowed at the praise.

"She has?"

"Well," Kevin interceded, taking the conversation from Veronica like they were on the same team in a relay race, "not so much with her words as with her actions."

"We can see that you're important to her. She hasn't been like this since―"

The bathroom door opened. Betty came out, looking off. Comfort her? Don't comfort her? In front of her friends, Sweet Pea let her come to him, catching sight of Jughead slipping out the door after her and hurrying away in the other direction. Creep. Sweet Pea would've gone after him in a heartbeat if he'd thought it was what Betty would want.

"Are you o―" Archie started. Sweet Pea glared at him and it shut his mouth.

Turning so that it was mostly his back to Betty's friends, he stood close to her and spoke in a low voice.

"Everything good?"

"Yeah, I… handled it." She met his gaze, but it was reluctant. Sweet Pea didn't like it. She tapped his arm to make him get out of the way so she could face her friends. Still, he kept his eyes only on her face. It didn't look like she'd been crying, but her cheeks were red and her eyes were sad. Even so, he thought the distress made her eyes look bright and pretty.

"Everything's fine," Betty assured her trio of supporters, giving them a smile that, to Sweet Pea, so clearly set her own feelings aside to spare theirs. She must have felt his disbelief because she reached out suddenly and took his hand, twisting their fingers together. Jesus. He wasn't sure he'd ever held hands with somebody in public. Definitely not like this.

"We can go home now, Betty," Kevin said, stepping closer, "no problem."

"Or to the Pembrooke," Veronica suggested. "I've got a mug of hot cocoa with your name on it."

If Archie had spoken up then and offered to let Betty come to his place, Sweet Pea was absolutely certain he would've punched the guy in the dick. Lucky for the boy-next-door, he stayed quiet. Immediately, the three of them moved forward as if to close ranks around Betty and carry her away like ants with a crumb.

"Hold up," Sweet Pea commanded, turning his face sharply away from Betty's. They halted, waiting. He looked back at his girl, trying to ask her to give him a minute to talk to her without saying those fucking cliché words 'can we talk.' It seemed to work because she nodded. Now, he crossed the hall with her while her friends wandered a little farther off, getting their stuff from the coat check.

"Don't go with them," Sweet Pea said as soon as they stopped. Betty smiled indulgently.

"Are you worried about me?"

"Yes."

That made her smile even more. Shit, it was just the truth. This girl was too used to secrets.

"They're my friends. Kev drove here. You can trust him to get me home ok."

"The last time we talked―which, let me remind you, was minutes ago―you were leaving with me." Hopefully his stern expression hid his disappointment.

"Well," she started, glancing at the floor, "maybe it's best―"

"No."

"No?"

"It's not best," Sweet Pea clarified, feeling some form of passion rise inside him. It was hard to get it out of his system after squaring off against Jones, feeling ready to throw punches right there in the bathroom. And before that, getting physical with Betty. Tonight had kept his blood racing. She crossed her arms. He smothered the impulse to smile at the sight of her getting stubborn.

"For who?"

"Definitely not for me," he answered honestly, "but not for you either."

"How's that?"

"Because," Sweet Pea began loudly, losing his cool. He shut his eyes for a second and tugged his hair. "Because," he said more quietly, focusing hard on her face, "if you walk away from me now, tonight…" Damnit, couldn't he put a fucking sentence together? He grasped Betty's hand, making her crossed arms tumble down without resistance. "If you don't leave with me, you'll be thinking about him." He stared deep into her green eyes and knew she'd understand he wasn't talking about Kevin, or Archie, or any of the other well-meaning male friends she might have hanging around this place. "Whatever happened in that bathroom after I left is your business, I'll respect that, but I'm not going to buy that it didn't affect you. That he doesn't still, somehow, affect you."

Betty started to speak and he put a finger to her lips. He knew she was gutsy enough to bend it backwards, make him suffer for silencing her, if she wanted to. All she did was look up at him calmly and shake her head. After another second or two, he lowered his hand. She held it right away.

"I asked him why he was still here," Betty explained while Sweet Pea kept his expression neutral. "I talked to him for a minute when I got to the dance, but I thought he'd left." She shrugged, thoughtful. "It seems like he's…" her forehead scrunched and he wanted to smooth it flat for her, "…trying to let go, but he's having a hard time. He's lonely, I can see that."

Sweet Pea couldn't take it. He let his head fall back and groaned in annoyance.

"He's manip―"

Now it was her finger on his lips. He rolled his eyes.

"I reminded him that it was he who broke up with me. He who was determined to make it 'stick.' And now, he who is failing to do so." She met Sweet Pea's eyes imploringly. "You think I've forgotten that he hurt me, but I'm not stupid, Sweet Pea. I might forgive him at some point, but that's not going to touch how I feel about you." Her words came out softly at the end. Shy, like she hadn't meant to say them. "Sound good?" she prodded, questioning him with sincere eyes.

He let his silence voice his consent and his gratitude for her forthrightness, running his thumb carefully over her knuckles. At least she hadn't had to give Jones a black eye to get her point across―not that Sweet Pea had to do that either, he just would have liked to. Betty sighed like she was finally relaxing. He offered a smile.

"So you're going home with―"

"You," she said confidently. "Or, I mean, um… to my home. You're driving me to my home." Her calm broke to pieces and Sweet Pea started laughing.

"Fuck, I was gonna say I hadn't even asked you yet."

She tossed her hair in shallow irritation, turning away from him, and Sweet Pea spotted the hickey he'd left on her neck. Subconsciously, he licked his lips, feeling his body wake up. When Betty began to walk towards her friends, Sweet Pea said loudly, "Can't wait for more, huh?" and slapped her hard on the ass. She stared at him as he stepped up beside her, mouth fallen open from shock (likely) and indignation (definitely). Well, if she wanted to be his girlfriend, she was damn well going to be his girlfriend. And people were going to know it. He grinned at her and nodded to her friends to acknowledge them, letting them know he hadn't forgotten they were still around.

"I can't believe you just did that," she muttered, blushing on every part of her head and neck that wasn't blonde.

"I can't believe you left me to make small talk with your friends. Even stevens, babe."

Sweet Pea followed Betty to the coat check, looking down so no one could see how hard he was smiling. After all, he had a reputation to protect.

To be continued...