"She's a badass with a good heart, soft but strong, unapologetic and honest,..."

- r.h. sin

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Back in the trailer, Nellie was skimming over a newspaper she found on one of the doorsteps of a neighboring trailer. She promised herself to return it once she finished but as the words kept dancing on the paper, she figured it might take a while until she could decipher the job offers of Riverdale. 

Suddenly the door banged open with a force, making her jump up. Sweet Pea strode inside, throwing the door closed behind him. Confusion and surprise read on his face as he noticed Nellie's shocked features observing him. He wasn't used to her being in the trailer in the middle of the day.

She was wearing one of his hoodies, one he used to wear when he was fifteen. He hadn't seen it in years. It must've been mixed up with his brother's stuff. The bright red made her face almost look as tanned as his skin. Her dark hair curled beneath her ear. Her big brown eyes were still locked on him. For a second he forgot why he was angry but the truth of it returned so suddenly even Sweet Pea himself is surprised about it.

Before Nellie could even ask what was wrong, he let out a groan and dropped down on his bed, nearly hitting his head on the thin wall behind him. He pressed his palms against his eyes. He didn't even notice Nellie leaving her seat at the table to come sit down next to him. However, he felt her presence. 

A hesitant hand lingered between his shoulder blades. The tension of his muscles eased slightly, enough for Nellie to notice. 

"They're going to break down Southside High," Sweet Pea said, finally opening his eyes. He casted a look to the side, watching Nellie bite her lip in thought. Her fingers absentmindedly ran circles across his back. Her touch made it hard to stay mad although he felt betrayed.

The news was spreading quickly through the Southside. He had yet to figure out who was the main source but it was proving impossible to discard it. On his way back home, Sweet Pea had passed his former school, surprised to see bright yellow tape and fences blocking the entrance. A paper pasted on the brick surface of the school announced its demolition. 

Another thing of his youth being smashed to the ground, he thought. He had to admit that he never liked going to school. If he could, he didn't bother to show up at all. But lately, things started to feel weird. The Southside was slowly changing, an underground movement taking what once belonged to the Serpents. He had no idea what was going on and that bothered him the most. 

Until Jughead showed up, he was the one the younger Serpents thought of as their leader. He knew what happened in the Southside. He had a Ghoulie friend who snitched on her gang to inform him. He had pawns everywhere. 

Right now, he had to hear it from Toni. 

It stung. 

His pride was hurt. It was something he hadn't foreseen the moment Jughead had decided to join the Serpents. Although many of their friends still listened to Sweet Pea, he was losing his influence. He rested his chin on his knuckles, focusing instead on the soothing circles drawn on his back. 

"That sucks," Nellie finally let out, placing her hand flat on his back and shifting in her seat. He didn't want her to stop. 

Sweet Pea glanced from the corner of his eye at her. She was looking so innocent, he thought as her brown eyes were huddled in a mist. He knew she was thinking about something to say, something to ease his mind. Could he tell her that just her presence was enough to calm him down?

"Yeah, it does," he answered, tearing his eyes away from the girl next to him. He cleared his throat. The sudden sound made Nellie look up, her hand returned to her lap. Sweet Pea immediately missed her touch. 

He looked back at her, wondering why on earth he wouldn't give in on his instincts and kiss her senseless. As he considered doing just that, knowing that her touch would ease all his worries, his eyes landed on her lips. 

"I'm trying to find another job," Nellie blurted out, trying to focus on anything but Sweet Pea. She stood up and walked over to the table, picking up the deserted newspaper and holding it out in front of him. 

A single ballpoint circle drew his attention to the announcement.

"A carwasher?" he asked, his eyebrows rising in confusion. "It's almost fall, you want to wash cars with frozen water?" he asked, frowning and looking further at the other announcements.

"I haven't read the entire page yet," Nellie admitted, a sudden shame flushing her cheeks. 

"And what about this?" Sweet Pea said, sticking out the paper for her to read again. She looked at the paper dangling in his hand, but even without the moving surface, she would need more time than he did to discover the content of the job offer. Her fingers grabbed the edge of the paper, steadying the surface. 

Her eyes scanned over the words, relief washing over her the second she figured out the necessary words.

"Cashier in a boutique?" she asked, looking back up at Sweet Pea. 

A giggle escaped her lips and replaced Sweet Pea's worried look with a grin. "I don't think they'll give me a job in a high end shop dressed like this," she pointed out, looking at her dirty sneakers. 

Sweet Pea grinned to himself, standing up to look over her shoulder at the announcements. "And this one?" he said, pointing at one in the corner. Slowly, Nellie looked at the words, her nose crinkling as she took her time to read. 

"Nellie?" Sweet Pea hushed voice suddenly sounded soft and close. It was more a breath than a word and she even wondered if he had actually said her name. His hand on her shoulder however reminded her he had indeed spoken to her.

"Are you even reading it?" he asked. He wasn't blaming her, not even pushing her to try. He merely asked. Out of curiosity or care, she did not know.

"I try," she muttered, relieved when she saw discovered "receptionist" on the printed paper. A defeated sigh escaped her. It remained silent as the two of them stared at the word, uncertain of how to continue.

At last, Nellie let down the paper, letting it hang limply between her fingers. Sweet Pea lifted his gaze to her face but she faced the other way, folding the newspaper and placing it on the kitchen counter.

He thought she wouldn't start the conversation but suddenly Nellie opened up to him. "I have dyslexia," she admitted, her eyes following her fingers smoothening the surface of the newspaper. "So a job as a receptionist is probably not the best choice for me," she let out with a little smile. 

Her eyes searched for his. "Is that why you quit school?" Sweet Pea asked, biting his lip in concern. 

Nellie shook her head "No, that would be because of my mother's illness," Nellie said and she straightened her back. Taking in a deep breath, she quickly ran her fingers through her short hair. 

"I don't mind but it makes things harder, of course," Nellie said, carefully looking back at the Serpent. "I've learned to live with it but it's frustrating at times. It's not that I don't try, it's just that... there are kids who can read faster than I can," she whispered. Sweet Pea didn't fail to notice how her voice cracked slightly. 

"It doesn't matter though," she recomposed herself throwing him a brave look "I'll find something where I don't need to read as much," she added a wink and picked up the newspaper. 

"I'll just give this back to your neighbors," she told him before running off and leaving the trailer behind.

As the door fell close behind her, Sweet Pea leaned against the counter. His hand ran quickly over his face, pushing his hair away from his forehead. He was struggling to ignore the warmth inside his chest when he saw Nellie so vulnerable yet so brave. It had something touching, something sweet and innocent like a little child braving up to face the monster under her bed. 

He scratched his head, thinking of reasons why he was stopping himself to feel that way about her. She wasn't going to stay for much longer, he repeated to himself, staring out of the small window to see Nellie dart over to his neighbors. She's under F.P.'s protection, he continued, observing her tossing the newspaper back on the doormat. It was a bad idea, he concluded when she started heading back to his trailer.

A bad idea had never stopped him before. So why would this one be any different?